Description
Brief
Viewing by appointment only.
As featured on The Late Brake Show, this Group N Escort Cosworth has covered just 703 miles from new.
The ‘long lost’ Escort Cosworth.
Only 703 miles from new
Group N brochure car decals replicated
Fully recommissioned with over £23, 000. 00 spent
Matching numbers
Original glass
Current MSA passport
UK age related registration in progress
A very rare opportunity to buy such an example, complete with a hell of a story.
History
The full history/ story of this car is too long to list here – but the full story is documented within the history file of the car itself.
A brief is below:
The car presented here was built on 19th August 1992 and is one of the cars ordered in ‘Motorsport’ specification, so in Diamond White, with no sunshine roof, wind-up windows, rear quarter panel windows that are fixed, no A/ C unit, Recaro cloth seats, no radio, strengthened front & rear suspension mounts, plus floor grills for both the driver & navigator (to allow extra ventilation into the car).
All ‘Motorsport’ cars were fitted with the YBT RS500 blue-top engine with a Garrett T35 or Hybrid T34 Turbocharger, the ECU was a P8 fitted with a Pectel PEC board & re-mapped to produce 300bhp; Ford Escort Cosworth ‘Motorsport’ cars also ran no front fog lights from the factory & were issued with genuine Sierra RS500 front grills instead to aid airflow.
Like many others, this was destined to become a rally car. It was originally purchased through Brooklyn Ford of Redditch by Co-ordSport of Oldbury, the hugely well-respected & long-standing motorsport specialists, who have built & run rally cars with many major teams and sponsors, around the World & have won FIA events & Championships, as well as the SCCA North American Rally Championship.
The car was subsequently rally-prepared to ‘Group N’ + standards, utilising genuine Ford Motorsport 909 parts (its Motorsport bladder fuel tank was made by Premier Fuel Systems of Castle Donnington); Co-ordSport also upgraded the camshafts & other engine components, plus tuning which upped the power to well over the 300bhp – hence the ‘GRPN Plus’-spec name given by them. The car is equipped with all Ford Motorsport ‘909’ parts as per from the factory, including semi-straight cut gears / paddle clutch. After this preparation, in 1993, it was exported to Jakarta (photo attached of it waiting to leave in the Co-ordSport offices) for their customer.
After only a couple of rally stages, this car was tucked away whilst the customer utilised other rally cars. The car sat unused for many years & became somewhat of a myth in the industry with whispers of a near delivery mileage Escort Cosworth Group N car existing. In more recent years the car ended up in Australia, where the car went through a very thorough re-commissioning before returning home to the UK.
Body & Paintwork
As can be seen from the pictures, this car presents extremely well.
When we purchased this vehicle it was without any rally decals, so as a tribute to the original Group N brochure car, we decided to replicate the brochure car.
This helps the car really stand out from the crowd & leaves no error for judgment as to what this car is.
Even if we say so ourselves, this car looks fantastic!
With the car having only ever covered a couple of rally stages early in its life, the car is accident free with all original glass & panels.
Interior & Trim
As per the rest of this car, the interior remains true to the era in very original form.
All switches & lights operate as they should do, along with all gauges.
A remarkable step back in time, some minor signs of usage & patina which only add to the nostalgic feeling this car brings.
Engine
In 2023 the car underwent a full mechanical recommission which cost in excess of £23, 000. 00!
The works were carried out by Flash Motorsport in Australia, to a very high level. Even down to the correct restrictor & anti tamper wire on the turbocharger.
As to be expected, the car runs well & the engine bay itself presents very nicely.
Works included:
Bores inspected with bore scope
New cambelt & alternator belt
Fresh oil & oil filter
New starter motor
Fresh gearbox oil
Fresh transfer case oil
Fresh front & rear diff oil
Injectors cleaned
New fuel tank race foam
Two new fuel pumps & filters
All new stainless fuel lines
New distributor phase sensor, distributor cap, HT leads & spark plugs
Fresh PAS fluid
New intercooler injector
Various new gaskets
Turbo stripped, checked, balanced & rebuilt
New AP Racing master cylinders
New tyres
Plus much more….
Running Gear
As part of the recommission carried out in 2023, the drivetrain was fully checked over with a ‘whatever needs doing’ attitude.
All running gear is in great condition as you would hope & the chassis itself is in great shape.
