1974 Ford ESCORT Twin-Cam/Mexico

Now this really is a rather special car. It was purpose-built from the ground up by Gary Davis Motorsport using a Ford Mexico shell. The OHV engine was swapped for the altogether fruitier Lotus Twin Cam ‘Big Valve’ unit, in came a Ford Type-9 five-speed gearbox and a whole host of race addenda and the car was finished as a tribute to Frank Gardner’s BSCC winning car XOO 349F (its sister car XOO 347F became the most expensive Ford Escort when it sold for an incredible £203,100, in 2017).

The build specification includes:

• 1558cc ‘Big Valve’ Lotus Ford Twin Cam engine

• Ford Type-9, 5-speed gearbox

• Alloy radiator

• Gaz Shock absorbers, adjustable track rod arms

• Fibreglass bonnet and boot lid

• All round disc brakes

• Full OMP roll cage

• RMD instruments

• Foam filled fuel tank

• Race seat and belts

• Road seats and belts (currently fitted)

• Marshal Plumbed in fire extinguisher

• Electrical cut out

Vendor Paul Latimer takes up the story, “I’ve owned this car for just over four years,’ he says. “Gary Davis has looked after my FIA MGB race car for 10 years now, and the Escort was his pet project – he had a picture of XOO 349F on the wall of his workshop. However it ran out of steam half way through, and he was going to sell it; I thought it would be a fantastic one to finish, so I took it on and he finished the build for me.”

Their combined goal was the HSCC Ford Escort 50th Anniversary Celebration Historic Race Meeting at Brands Hatch Indy Circuit on Saturday 22nd & Sunday 23rd September 2018.

“It was finished two weeks before. We got together for a practice day at Brands Hatch and it was amazingly well screwed together. I took it out and raced it at the meeting, having a fantastic time. Henry Mann who still runs the originals was very impressed with the car, and allowed me to take a picture of it with them in the paddock.”

Gary goes further, “he did ask to see the car first before giving permission; when he did, he said ‘I really like that’. When we brought it down his mechanic lifted the bonnet and said, ‘very nice’. As the person who built the car, it doesn’t get better than that. Visually it’s 100 per cent identical, even down to the wonky stickers on the front wings.”

So why is Paul selling now? “It’s a great, great car,” says Paul. “However I continue to race my MGB and save for taking it up and down the road again, it’s barely done any miles since its two races. The next owner has so many options on what it could be used for: trackdays, events like Tour Brittania. It has all the safety gear for the track, but can still be driven on the road. The only thing that needs done is to get historic papers, but that shouldn’t be too difficult.”  

Okay, we’re going to admit something here: if you take a look at our listings (both live and upcoming) this car renders them all (save for perhaps the Viper RT/10 and Jordan EJ12) positively bland by comparison, because this race car looks the absolute business.

“It could be a sister car to the Alan Mann cars,” says Paul. “We tried to get the colours and shades as close to perfect as possible.” As the car has only had two races since completion the Escort’s famous Gold over Red paintwork (replete with a wide variety of decals) still presents as new. Our Photographic Gallery and Video below, both show it’s a thoroughly eye-catching combination.

The car’s shut lines are superb all round and the steel ‘bubble’ wheel arches have been very nicely integrated. All window rubbers look fresh and you’ll find Perspex windows fitted on both doors. The only minor grumble is a touch of pitting to the nearside door handle (very small beer indeed).

You’ll find towing loops fitted front and rear and electrical cut-off switches on the nearside of the scuttle panel, as well as bonnet pins and a rubber securing latch on the bootlid. All lights are currently taped up for racing and the Minilite style wheels currently sport fresh looking Toyo Proxes R888 semi-slick tyres.  

If you get your jollies from racing or race-derived interiors then you’ll love it in here; it’s one seriously purposeful cabin. The FIA race seat and harness aren’t currently fitted (although both are included); instead you’ll find a pair of period road seats in place, with accompanying TRS harness-style seatbelts.

A bolt-in FIA OMP roll cage has been fitted (you’ll find the brochure in the car’s History File), as has a control panel for the wipers, lights, and fuel pump, ignition and starter button. The interior electrical cut-off switch can be found immediately above this.

The attention to detail in here is beautiful; from the Matt Black finish of the door shuts and interior to the welding on the gear lever mount, it’s minimal, but evocative. Best of all? That dished steering wheel, which just screams ‘come to papa’.

We’ve had a couple of spins in the car and can confirm that it’s a proper rapscallion that just wants to go slowly (or speedily) sideways – and, oh Lord, the noise! Still, for a detailed breakdown of its wares it’s over to its amateur racing driver vendor.

“It is fantastic to drive,” says Paul. “Very balanced, with very direct steering. The gearbox is excellent – we fitted a quick shift after the test day at Brands, and it made a big difference. It’s quite loud on the road (with no carpets), but the side exit exhaust makes a glorious noise.

“On track in both the wet and dry it was fabulous; perhaps the only thing missing to be truly competitive is a bit more power (the engine is in essentially standard trim). However, it’ll embarrass people on a track day – it’s so light, the power to weight ratio is great. The brakes are also excellent and it’s set up not to spit you off; we’ve all driven cars that are evil, this is certainly not one of those.”

The underside remains almost completely immaculate. There’s very little of note save some very light surface corrosion on the suspension leaf springs and the odd bracket. There’s also evidence to show that it’s been thoroughly WaxOyled.

Up front, you’ll find a similarly pristine engine bay presented in Matt Black, with that evocative Lotus Twin Cam taking pride of place. The cooling system features upgraded alloy motor sport items and you’ll also find a strut bar fitted. Popping that lightweight glass fibre boot lid reveals an alloy race fuel tank and an up-rated fuel pump.  

There are a few invoices in the car’s history file (see Photographic Gallery, below), mainly for a variety of gauges and other bits’n’bobs. Paul says that he “paid for things as they came through”, and as the build progressed.

You’ll also find a copy of the programme for the race meeting that inspired the car’s construction, and some other leaflets for the OMP roll cage and cabin’s Smiths gauges.

Please visit the documents section of the gallery of this listing where you will find photos of the paperwork to support our claim that this car has been built to the very highest of standards.

There’s no doubt that this stunning Mk1 Ford Escort ticks a multitude of boxes, and here they are:

1: it’s absolutely ready, willing and able to be plunged straight into competition, and is eligible for a number of Series as well as HSCC Ford Escort races. Hell, you could even use it as the basis to build a Group 5 Touring Car for entry into Motor Racing Legends’ Sixties Touring Car Challenge with U2TC – Donington Historic, Thruxton Historic, Silverstone Classic and the Spa Six Hours, here we come!

2: despite being a lairy little race bugger, UOU290M is firmly road legal and it wouldn’t take too much to (slightly) civilize it; the addition of carpets and a touch of soundproofing here and there could see the next owner utilise it as a fast road beastie, to be enjoyed at weekends and on blasts to Bicester’s Sunday Scramble, Goodwood’s Breakfast Club and their ilk.

3: if you’re a collector of fast Fords, and already have a magnificent line-up in your garage, then wouldn’t this make a spectacular addition? Beautifully constructed and still in mint condition – admit it, you’re already picturing its spectacular aesthetics slotting straight in…

In fact come to think of it, there a few more that it ticks, but whichever one (or multiple ones) you’re considering, we think somewhere in the region of £33,000 to £45,000 ought to see this racy little Blue Oval firmly ensconced in your garage. Once there, you can take in its spectacular visage, plonk yourself in that race-inspired interior and get planning for the future.

It’s also worth knowing that the bottom estimate is considerably less than it cost to construct this lovely beast, so, as well as build quality, remember to factor in value for money in any of your calculations.

Last word to Paul, “wherever it’s been, it’s attracted an awful lot of positive attention.”

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located at The Market’s Abingdon headquarters; to arrange an appointment please use the ‘Contact Seller’ button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.