1968 Ford Escort Twin Cam

Lot details
Registration No: XGW 3G
Chassis No: BB49HY23851
Mot Expiry: May 2012

Though its underpinnings had much in common with the outgoing Anglia, the Escort was an infinitely more modern proposition - it first saw the light of day in the UK at the end of 1967 prior to its motor show debut in Brussels the following January. Acutely aware that the Cortina was in the autumn of its competition career, Ford's competition department had been developing a race/rally version of the Escort throughout 1967 and had the Twin-Cam ready to roll at the same time its standard siblings were finding their way onto the public roads. Never had the Ford policy of 'win on Sunday, sell on Monday' been better organised. The car immediately excelled on track and stage, and with victory on the Circuit of Ireland, Tulip (Holland), Alpine (Austria), Acropolis, Scottish and 1000 Lakes of Finland rallies, the Twin-Cam helped secure the 'World Rally Championship For Makes' for Ford in its first year of production. It then repeated the feat the following year, setting the Escort en route to becoming the most successful rally car of all time. The Twin-Cam's name and performance resulted from basically the same 1558cc Lotus-derived DOHC engine that powered the Lotus Cortina. The 109.5bhp unit was mated to the slick four-speed manual gearbox from the Ford Corsair 2000E. Suspension was by McPherson struts up front and a live Lotus Cortina axle complete with radius arms at the rear. Some 883 examples were made before the Twin-Cam gave way to the BDA-engined RS 1600 in 1971.

The Twin-Cam being sold is a very tidy-looking 1968 example finished in White (nearly all Twin-Cams were) with Black interior. Placed 2nd in the 2001 RS Owners' Club Concours event at Lightwater Valley, Yorks, its owner currently considers the coachwork, paintwork, engine, gearbox and interior to all be "very good".

PLEASE NOTE: This vehicle has an MOT until May 2012.