Tech Spec
Body
1970 Escort GT, all steel, genuine Mexico
wings, all original chrome refinished by
ACF Howell, quarter bumpers, chin spoiler.
Paint: Phoenix Orange
Engine
Blacktop 2-litre Zetec, Retro Ford fitting kit, cam
cover, sump and water rail, flushed engine
mount (to tidy cambelt/pulley side), Retro Ford
radiator and hose kit, Retro Ford manifold and
exhaust system, Chester Sportscars ZX6 bike
carbs, Megajolt ECU (relocated under dash),
3 psi Facet fuel pump in custom carrier, battery
and washer pump relocated to boot, wiring
loom cleaned, stripped and recovered in
original grey loom tape
Transmission
Type-9 five-speed, quick-shift, Retro Ford
single-piece propshaft, English axle with LSD
Suspension
Front: Capri 2.8i struts, adjustable top mounts
and bottom arms Mk2 Escort quick rack.
Rear: single-leaf rear springs with adjustable
GAZ Gold dampers, anti-tramp bars.
Brakes
Front: M16 callipers, vented discs. Rear: 9 inch
drums. Bias pedal box, braided lines
Wheels and tyres
6.5x13 inch Minilites, with Yokohama
A539 tyres
Interior
All-new Aldridge Trimming interior, original GT
rear bench with front Cobra seats trimmed to
match, dashtop restored by Dyke Upholstery
Thanks
To Phill Jones Autos for help with fabrication
and paint, John Clark for help with the final
build, Dale Bladen for the rolling road tune,
GAZ Shocks (01268 724585, http://www.gazshocks.
com), Aldridge (01902 710805, http://www.aldridge.
co.uk), ACF Howell (01922 649992),
Dyke Upholstery (07535 842824),
Jason Jordan for letting us use Sundorne
Castle Estate for the pictures, and finally to
Natalie, the Mrs, for the continuous support
with my buildstimes before it was right! From starting point to
the fi rst road test, the rebuild took 120 hours,
but we knew that everything was done right.”
It’s a hell of a spec too — the Zetec’s running
ZX-6 bike carbs and a Megajolt ECU, mapped
by Bailey Performance, and the chassis features
all the classic tweaks to get everything effectively
deployed: 2.8i legs, single-leaf rears with GAZ
shocks, M16 callipers, anti-tramp, plus the
addition of a single-piece prop and LSD. An
outstanding retro spec with a new-wave
Zetec-and-bike-carb twist.
“I’m a mechanic by trade, but with something
like this you can’t beat old-school experience,”
says Chris. “I’ve tried to source the best parts I
could for the GT over the years, and got the right
people to help me along the way to produce what
I think is the best four-door around.”
And with that, we’d say it’s mission
accomplished. It’s been a long journey to
get here, but the destination has made it
all worthwhile.The 2-litre Blacktop‘s been dressed to impress with a
BDA cam cover plus big air fi lter hiding the bike carbs.38 September 2019
OMEBUILT HERO