06 Feb Ford involved so you’re able to continue the 1970 London so you can Mexico rally playing with Escort Mk1’s

Gartrac generated the earliest acquaintance that have David Sutton who had been the movie director from Clark & Simpson who were Ford people inside the Sloane Rectangular, London area. The cars were mainly simple with no move cages, not Gartrac provided uprated suspension and powering knowledge elements towards the event.

Before the start of the fresh rally Dave Bignold are questioned of the Ford to search around Clark & Simpson and you may complement buttocks amaze absorber turrets towards Rauno Aaltonen’s Ford Escort 1850 GT. The installation is accomplished easily more a weekend and you will Aaltonen’s automobile are ready to https://escortlook.de/en/switzerland/canton-of-bern/bern participate on rally.

In the very early 1970s, Gartrac modified Escort Mk1 bodyshells having Clark & Simpson inside the London area

The London area – Mexico Business Cup rally already been at Wembley Stadium into the London toward April 19th 1970 coating around sixteen,000 miles through Europe and you will South usa and you can finishing in Mexico Town on 27th 1970. Case try very successful to have Ford with Hannu Mikola and you may Gunnar Hand profitable the fresh rally and Rauno Aaltonen and you may Henry Liddon finishing third.

Gartrac went on development pieces towards Escort Mk1 rally autos. During the early 70s various other well-known profit are Hannnu Mikkola and you can Gunnar Palm’s 1972 Safari Rally profit from the Escort RS 1600. The pair do bring an early head which they never ever destroyed and you may became the initial low-African crew to win the new Eastern African Safari Rally.

70s – The new Functions Escort Mk2

These modifications was basically mainly suitable wonder absorber turrets, material ripple arches and you can reworking axle’s. Gartrac perform personalize 2-3 bodyshells per week for many many years.

Gartrac is growing when you look at the character and also the natural level of functions required that they needed seriously to change from their brief working area when you look at the Farnham, Surrey. It rapidly located a separate huge workshop inside the Godalming, Surrey, enabling them to deal with way more staff, and thus their productivity became considerably.

Ford got only brought out brand new Escort Mk2 and you may realised Gartrac’s rapid gains. Ford was looking for a fabrication company which could develop Escort Mk2 bodyshells and you can parts because of their work rally cluster.

It desired the Mk2 bodyshells to get similar which have a system out of bits that fitting most of the auto; this is not true toward Mk1. Each drivers’ auto technician will have their unique concept of an informed cure for create a vehicle, meaning no a couple of autos are definitely the exact same. It triggered trouble whenever maintenance the vehicles towards the events, just like the bits failed to match universally.

The latest functions Escort Mk1 bodyshells was indeed fabricated because of the Gomm Steel Improvements. These shells was gas welded or nickel bronzed and this lay higher heat and you will stress to the matter, and this triggered deformation and power troubles. Ford need the Escort Mk2 to be welded utilising the the fresh new mig welding processes. Gartrac had been using mig welders for a while and therefore assisted safer a first purchase for five bodyshells to-be produced on their right requirements.

Gartrac duly finished the transaction and Ford try so pleased with the quality of the new design it instantaneously contracted Gartrac to entirely build Escort Mk2 bodyshells into work cluster.

Ford together with accredited Gartrac to help make bits that would standardise the fresh new mechanic’s generate techniques. It fabricated a huge number of parts such as for instance axle’s, radius rods, pedalboxes, electricity tanks and you will oil tanks and you can suspension section.

Gartrac gotten a free rule during the time to offer suggested statements on exactly how Ford makes the vehicles most useful plus they adopted its suggestions slightly readily as autos was indeed become less, more powerful and credible.

This new habits was altering all round the day. Gartrac would make changes with the shaft to change grip, Ford perform then improve pictures to add the alterations. They will upcoming make different differences having Tarmac and you will Forest applications. The same techniques was used to cultivate other areas such as for example the fresh new motor crossmembers, sump protect kits, pedalboxes and you will suspension parts.