April 2024

Classic Ford

The magazine for the old Ford fan

Classic Ford1 min read
Welcome
As we inch slowly into the outdoor show season here in the UK (and about bloomin’ time, too!), the draw of seeing fresh metal in the, erm, metal is a strong one. So in this issue we reveal the six cars (actually, five cars and a van) that we predict
Classic Ford1 min read
This Issue
Only Ade could win, then lose, then win again, a Mk2 Orion in an online raffle. Check it out (and the roadtrip home) on page 80. Bryn’s back photographing with a bang courtesy of a pair of stunners from Finland starting with this superb Mk3. Page 24.
Classic Ford1 min read
Back For 2024!
SUNDAY, MAY 12 SOUTH OF ENGLAND SHOWGROUND ARDINGLY, WEST SUSSEX, UK TICKETS ON SALE NOW: WWW.CLASSICFORDSHOW.CO.UK ■
Classic Ford2 min read
Data Sharing Worries Classic Fans
Achange to the way so-called “digital platforms” such as eBay, Vinted and Etsy share data with HRMC has led to much discussion among the historic vehicle community. From January 1, such platforms have had to collect extra information about sellers, i
Classic Ford1 min read
Expansion For Museum
The British Motor Museum at Gaydon in Warwickshire has revealed exciting new plans for future development at the museum, including a new hotel and a second Collections Centre. The expansion will begin with the building of a hotel on the entrance roun
Classic Ford1 min read
Rusty Corner
This issue’s rotter comes courtesy of reader, Chris Hodder who sent in photos of what is, or was, a rare 1972 Mk3 Cortina GT. “It had been sat since 1988 in a front garden near me, and had become a local landmark!” explains Chris. “What was left of t
Classic Ford1 min read
Scramble Hits New Highs
Despite the cold weather, an impressive 6500 people packed into a sold-out Bicester Heritage on January 7 for the first Sunday Scramble of the year. Famous names were in attendance, too: as fans chatted with Chris Harris of Collecting Cars, Smith and
Classic Ford1 min read
Panel Theft
Magnum Classic Car Panels sadly fell victim to the theft of a least 50 tools from its Rochdale base yard over the festive period. The firm is now offering a reward for any help in trying to retrieve some or all of this tooling, and would appreciate.
Classic Ford1 min read
Where To Go Next Month
When:March 22-24 Where: NEC, UK What’s going on: The Practical Classics Classic Car & Restoration Show returns to Birmingham’s vast NEC halls in March. Set to be a big one, classic Ford fans will be well catered for with Ford clubs putting on demos a
Classic Ford2 min read
Ulez Leads To Bromley Cancellation
After much speculation, it’s finally been confirmed that the Bromley Pageant of Motoring will not be going ahead in 2024 due to the restrictions imposed by the Ultra Low Emissions Zone (ULEZ), which was expanded last August. The enlarged ULEZ brings
Classic Ford1 min read
Coming Up
Ford were on a roll in the late 1960s — literally — with the Escort launched in 1968 and then in January 1969 came the curvaceous Capri. The Spring issue of Classic Ford which goes on-sale March 15, is the perfect time then to celebrate this special
Classic Ford2 min read
Products
Get a set of 7x13 inch four-spokes under the arches of your classic Ford for a fraction of the cost of original used items. Available as shown, or with silver inserts. 6 and 7.5x13 sizes also available.. Contact: 01926 817444, www.johnbrownwheels.com
Classic Ford2 min read
Subcribe Today Save £51.32*
WORTH £99 It couldn’t be easier to sign up for a whole year of Blue Ovals with a subscription to Classic Ford — the magazine which loves these automotive icons as much as you do. Guarantee your copy every month with a subscription to Classic Ford and
Classic Ford6 min read
Muscle Memory
Looks can be deceiving, and the Mk3 Cortina has always been a case in point. Its styling, heavily influenced by the chrome detailing and Coke-bottle hips of Detroit, has always carried itself with a muscular flair. It looks like the sort of car that
Classic Ford1 min read
Pipe Dreams
There are so many examples of engineering ingenuity throughout this car, and the bespoke exhaust system is a keen example of Antti’s skills. Aside from the mufflers, the entire system was home-made from stainless steel and exquisitely TIG welded. “Th
Classic Ford2 min read
Come Join The Party!
Want to know what the 50 finest classic Fords are in the UK right now? Look no further than our Top 50 display featuring original, restored and modified examples that represent the classic Ford scene in its best light — from spaceframed Pops to conco
Classic Ford7 min read
No Bull
Tony Lee hails from Devon and has been interested in Fords for the vast majority of his 46 years. “My dad had Ford cars and vans as work vehicles, that’s where the passion for the marque originated from. I was hooked as a young child and then I bough
Classic Ford1 min read
Sharp Shooting Six
The BOA is a bit of a Classic Ford favourite, and for good reason. The 2.9-litre 24-valve engine is a development of the 12-valve 2.9 EFiCologne V6. The story goes that the BOA was initially developed for the Pro-Sports 3000 single-seater series by t
Classic Ford4 min read
Know this: SEVEN STEPS TO BUILDING A CLASS CLASSIC FORD
Doing a project on your own is a recipe for going nowhere. Yes, you’ll be full of enthusiasm to start with because you’ll either forget how long a project takes, or if it’s your first one, underestimate how much work there is to do. Having a bunch of
Classic Ford6 min read
Perfect Combo
The winning combination of standard classic Ford looks coupled with a hot engine is a hard one to beat. It’s also hard to pull off as nicely as this Fiesta manages and owner, Stew Law has spent the last few years ensuring that. He bought the Mk1 Fies
Classic Ford2 min read
Some They Made Earlier
Featured: March 2024 Cossie-obsessed Lee has built the perfect, big-power, road-ready Mk1 Escort with modern technology controlling the 450 bhp YB engine and running gear, yet this Mk1 still retains its classic (good) looks. Featured: February 2024 O
Classic Ford6 min read
Pretty Spezial
Genuine Mk2 Escort RS2000s are rare enough, but this example is even more unusual. It’s one of the Zakspeed Spezials. The Escort belongs to Mika Reivo from Laitila, Finland and it’s the result of a 12-year long restoration. “I’ve been interested in c
Classic Ford1 min read
Zakspeed Racing
Founded in 1968 by Erich Zakowski the German-based racing team Zakspeed were based some 16 miles from the Nürburing race circuit. Starting off in sports cars racing they became the official Ford team in the Deutsche Rennsport Meisterschaft (DRM) seri
Classic Ford3 min readChemistry
Know this: DETAILING YOUR FORD’S BODYWORK
The pre-wash stage is often the most overlooked process and that’s because it’s essentially washing your car before you actually wash your car! The idea is to remove the worst of the contamination before you physically touch the surface. Although man
Classic Ford5 min read
Selling The Dream
Was there anything better than the words ‘Let’s go to the car showroom’? From the perspective of a car-obsessed youngster, this would be the best free day out that one could hope for. An opportunity to roam around in a car dealership, like a playgrou
Classic Ford1 min read
What’s On
Race Retro February 23-25 Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire UK www.raceretro.com Practical Classics Classic Car & Restoration Show March 22-24 NEC, Birmingham UK www.necrestorationshow.com Wheels Day March 29 Newbury Showground, UK www.facebook.com/surre
Classic Ford2 min read
Letter Of The Month
Our favourite letter, email or social media comment each issue wins one of Meguiar’s superb Sunlight 3+ Detailer Inspection Lights worth £100! The perfect tool for inspecting your classic Ford’s paintwork, this simple-to-use light allows you to ident
Classic Ford1 min readInternet & Web
Your Photos
Email hi-res images to classicford.ed@kelsey.co.uk or post them up on our Facebook page.
Classic Ford3 min read
Your Cars
From: UK Car: Anglia 105E “I acquired this car last year as a 2017 nut-and-bolt rebuild into a Lotus Evocation of what Ford should have built but with modern underpinnings,” says Mark of his stunning Anglia. “The engine, gearbox and Type 18-type carb
Classic Ford1 min read
Next Month
Contents correct as we go to press, and will change… PAY LESS AND NEVER MISS AN ISSUE! SEE PAGE 22 Capri birthday special ON SALE March 15! 148 pages packed with tech and buying advice Special souvenir issue Meanwhile, get your classic Ford fix at ht
Classic Ford1 min read
Classic Ford
Editor: Simon Woolley, 07971 970867, simon.woolley@kelsey.co.uk Art Editor: Mark Baker, mark_baker04@yahoo.co.uk Words: Graham Bahr, Daniel Bevis, Adrian Brannan, Simon Holmes, Graham Leigh, Mike Renaut, Darren Rungasamy, Dan Sherwood, Christian Tilb
Classic Ford2 min read
The A B C of tuning
It’s more 30 years since Ford unleashed its 16-valve variant of what is basically an evolution of the CVH. Originally planted in Mk5 Escorts, the engine that went on to launch the Mondeo has stood the test of time. It’s economical, reliable and can w
Classic Ford4 min read
Pinto Rally Cams
We were talking rally-spec cams while looking at Kent Cams’ catalogue and the following questions arose. What is the difference between a rally cam and a rally cam from the Motorsport range? Could you use a short circuit oval race cam in a rally engi
Classic Ford3 min read
Ade’s Mk2 Orion
I’ve never been much of a gambler, but like many reading this, I’ll not be alone in having tried my luck with the odd car raffle over the years. I’ve never bothered with the supercars and big-name competitions — Bonus Balls and small-scale raffles wh
Classic Ford3 min read
Graham’s Mk3 Capri
Bedding in the new GT cam had gone well and the engine had performed faultlessly on its initial 500 miles of run-in. However, the combination of a low car, terrible potholes and maybe a tiny bit of operator error resulted in a damaged sump. With the
Classic Ford3 min read
Expert Clinic
Q I own a near-mint 1982 Mk1 Fiesta 950. It’s been family owned since new but now that I’ve got my hands on it I’d like to give it a bit more power. Could you tell me what kind of work can be done to the 957cc engine and what kind of torque and power
Classic Ford4 min read
Eighties Child
It’s a miracle that Ali McMillan gets any opportunity to work on his own projects, given how much time he spends under the skin of snapper Ade’s various cars. If you expect the head honcho of MJ Racing in Scotland to have several tasty toys of his ow
Classic Ford1 min read
Brake Convention
We mentioned the massive six-pot callipers and dustbin lid discs that reside at the front of the track-destined three-door, but not where they came from. Sometimes it pays to think outside the box and Ali did just that, measuring up and going for Bre
Classic Ford7 min read
Broad Side
We’ve waxed lyrical about the Broadspeed Anglias previously, so you know just how crucial the Birmingham-based tuner was to Ford’s performance in BTCC. Although several tuners thought they knew how to produce class-winning performance from the rejuve
Classic Ford1 min read
BUYING & RESTORING CLASSIC FORDS
Buying a used cam might be risky, but there’s a strong demand for good, used fast road-grinds. Look for pitting on the lobes (due to oil starvation), and on the Pinto check for an obvious shoulder on cam lobes (if the followers are present, check the
Classic Ford1 min read
Restoring Old Wheels
The whole process is great, but you have to bear in mind that you are dealing with old wheels — you really don’t know what’s hidden in the depths of the casting. There can be pockets of air —, and equally, areas with trapped gases and maybe even some
Classic Ford1 min read
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Classic Ford1 min read
Gone Shopping
“After its MoD use, the first private owner of the car was the supermarket giant Marks & Spencer, where it was likely pressed into service as a company car for one of the firm’s top brass,” Mark reveals. “Other than that we don’t know that much else
Classic Ford2 min read
Top 10 INSURANCE TIPS
It’s all too easy to let the direct debit continue and sign up for another year with your existing insurer. Before you do though, have a look at quotes from other insurers. If they come in cheaper and you don’t want to switch, call your existing insu
Classic Ford1 min read
Complete Your Classic Ford Collection
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Classic Ford6 min read
Capri Rs3100
Given that the Mk2 Capri was just around the corner and the UK was in the grip of a fuel crisis, Ford’s November 1973 launch of the V6-powered Capri RS3100 could have been considered questionable at the very least. Dig a little deeper though, and the
Classic Ford1 min read
Parting Shot
This isn’t a photograph of a scene from a 1980s post-apocalyptic movie but in fact was taken on Hampstead Heath, north London in 2015. The Mk3 Cortina was discovered when a model boating pond was drained on the heath in August of that year as part of

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