It was the Escort that really put Ford on the rallying map, proving capable of winning World Championship events from 1968, when the Twin Cam model was the works' frontline rally car, right through to 1981 when Ari Vatanen became World Rally Champion driving an Escort RS. In 1970, the Ford Twin Cam engine was replaced by a Cosworth BDA 16-valve unit to create the definitive Escort rally car: the RS1600. In its ultimate form the Escort RS1600 proved good enough to win the RAC Rally three times on the trot between 1972 and 1974, as well as a host of other World Championship events. Founded in 1968 by Erich Zakowski, Zakspeed built and campaigned heavily modified Ford Escorts that became dominant forces in European touring car racing during the 1970s. The Zakspeed Escorts, driven by racing legends such as Hans Heyer and Klaus Ludwig, solidified their place in German motorsports history. For example, chassis ZAK-E23/75, one of the Group 5 Escorts, won the DRM Division 2 championship in 1975. Many of the original cars survive today and are raced in historic motorsports events.

This stunning BDA engined RS1600 is presented in Yellow Zakspeed colours and sitting on Compomotive 13" wheels. It was purchased by our vendor with the intention to actively race it, however, due to other race and family commitments it has never seen a hill climb let alone a hairpin corner. The car was fully restored and rebuilt in South Africa where our vendor purchased it. Specified with a fully rebuilt BDA engine bored out to 1800cc built by F.R.E.D. Race Engineering Development, Killarney racetrack Cape Town. This included 711 Kent bottom end, LT1 cams, Allot dry sump tank, refurbished Twin 45 Weber carbs, aluminium radiator and oil cooler, a 20 litre aluminium fuel tank with the engine mated to a Ford type 9 four-speed gearbox and Borg Warner LSD. The 1970 Type 49 chassis was treated to a full bead blast bare metal restoration with rotisserie full nut and bolt rebuild with new window glass and rubber, steel bonnet, door and boot lid, fibre glass bubble arches and front fenders a FIA approved roll cage, Cobra race seat and floor mounted race pedal box with bias control and VDO instruments. It has fully adjustable front suspension with top strut turrets, coil over front shocks and additional anti-roll bar, the rear suspension is five link fully adjustable rose joints with Koni coil over shocks and brakes are to the front 4 pot Brembo calipers with vented discs and the rear 2 pot calipers over solid discs.

The car is supplied with confirmation the UK taxes have been paid and South African registration document. We are advised this car would be fully eligible for racing but would need any paperwork updated and certain safety aspects inspected or scrutineered beforehand. Consigned by Mathew Priddy

Lot details
Year: 1970
Make: Ford
Model: Escort Mk.I RS 1600 BDS Zakspeed evocation
Registration: UK Taxes paid
Chassis No: BMA2909M
Odometer: tba

* Race prepared but never actively raced
* BDA engine reconditioned and bored to 1800cc