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Jan 20, 2009 21:00:22 GMT
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As the title suggests, can we have a pic dump of Roger Clark's (& brother Stan's) Ferguson four-wheel-drive BBC/Castrol Rallycross Series Ford Capris? My google-fu is weak today, and I have nothing on my hard drive. Help? Note: Roger's #73 White Fergie was a Corgi toy car.
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Last Edit: Jan 20, 2009 21:04:46 GMT by Team Blitz
Team Blitz Ford Capri parts worldwide: Restoration, Road, or Race. Used, Repro, and NOS, ranging from scabby to perfect. Itching your Capri jones since 1979! Buy, sell, trade. www.teamblitz.com blitz@teamblitz.com
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Jan 20, 2009 22:22:11 GMT
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ba-bump
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Team Blitz Ford Capri parts worldwide: Restoration, Road, or Race. Used, Repro, and NOS, ranging from scabby to perfect. Itching your Capri jones since 1979! Buy, sell, trade. www.teamblitz.com blitz@teamblitz.com
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Jan 20, 2009 22:28:30 GMT
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Jan 20, 2009 22:43:12 GMT
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THAT was awesome, Mr. Celica. Salutes to you, sir.
I'd love to see if the Beeb kept the film of the telecasts and would release it someday.
Any still shots of the Roger or Stan's Fergie Capri?
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Team Blitz Ford Capri parts worldwide: Restoration, Road, or Race. Used, Repro, and NOS, ranging from scabby to perfect. Itching your Capri jones since 1979! Buy, sell, trade. www.teamblitz.com blitz@teamblitz.com
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Jan 20, 2009 22:57:53 GMT
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I'm glad it is something you hadn't seen before. Can't find anything else though....apart from these 2:
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Jan 20, 2009 23:09:33 GMT
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I'm glad it is something you hadn't seen before. Can't find anything else though....apart from these 2: I had one of those! I'm showing my age now..... I seem to remember one of the classic car magazines testing a roadgoing Ferguson FF Capri that Ford have in their Heritage Collection? Am I wrong? IIRC it's metallic brown.....
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Jan 20, 2009 23:12:04 GMT
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No luck with photos (although I did find a site saying they'd been asked to take their photos down because of copyright, but I did find a Finnish forum someone had posted an article from - from a magazine maybe?
FOUR-WHEEL DRIVE
It was only natural, that there would be an element of friendly rivalry between the two competitions camps. To steal a march on their Teutonic counterparts and to coincide with the Capri's introduction, Ford UK planned to enter a Capri with four-wheeldrive transmission in a rallycross event at Croft, Co Durham, in February 1969, an event that had a TV audience of millions. It was a simple yet audacious plan to give the car a strong competitions career kick-off.
In truth, the notion to go four-wheel-drive with the Capri was not that outrageous, for the 1960s had seen an energetic programme campaigned by Harry Ferguson Research Ltd (HFR) to convince major companies to manufacture cars with this ultra-safe form of transmission allied to anti-skid braking. The first four-wheel-drive production car was, of course, the Jensen FF, the Italianstyled Grand Tourer that was introduced in 1966 alongside its two-wheel-drive sister, the Jensen Interceptor. With its 6.2-litre Chrysler V8 engine, the FF proved a profoundly safe car in most conditions. And while HF Research was hugely pleased and proud of the F1P's success, it never the less nurtured a desire to see its transmission system fitted to volume-manufactured models. In 1968 a Ford Mustang was converted to four-wheel drive using a split-drive transmission arrangement similar to that fitted on the Jensen FF; many convincing demonstrations were given and much interest created. However, the same snag surfaced time after time: HF Research was only interested in prototype development, not volume manufacture. Sadly, no volume manufacturer had been sufficiently convinced that 4WI) should be fitted to massproduced saloons, arguing that the buying public would not shoulder the inevitable extra cost.
This situation changed when GKN made the decision to purchase the manufacturing rights to the four-wheel-drive transmission system developed by HF Research. GKN immediately began a high-profile promotion campaign which resulted in small quantities of semi-prototype conversions being undertaken: two Triumph Stags; a Michigan State police car; and twenty Zephyr Estate cars for the British police. News of these four-wheeldrive exploits spread throughout the motor industry. The value of 4WD capabilities made good sense, even if the additional cost to the market price of a family saloon did not appear to the buying public. Henry Taylor, who counted among his friends the directors of GKN and the team of HF Research Ltd at Toll Bar End in Coventry, provided the link which got the 4WI) Capri programme off to a promising start.
While it is true to say that a demonstrator Capri was fitted with a BDA engine for the press to drive in Cyprus, Rod Mansfield views this as nothing more than a Walter Hayes 'kite-flying exercise' to measure reaction; in other words, it was never a serious production consideration. Meanwhile, Weslake Engineering in Rye, East Sussex - the world-renowned gas-flow specialists - had been working on the V6 unit to improve its performance.
During the latter days of 1968, three Capris were converted by HF Research into full mud-plugging rallyeross machines with 3-litre engines and all-wheel-drive transmission, two of them being used for demonstrating to members of Ford's management hierarchy and the dealership chain. The big moment came on 8 February 1969 when Roger Clark drove his 4WI) Capri to victory in a very muddy rallyeross event at Croft, the success being televized on ITV's popular 'World of Sport'. However, once the event was over the 4WD Capri programme was put on the back burner until the following year as the Boreham boys had something else on their minds - the 1970 World Cup Rally!
Ford did return to campaigning 4WD Capris in the winter of 1970/1, when a team of three cars was entered in events at Cadwell Park and Lydden Hill, the tiny racecircuit near Canterbury in Kent. Driven by Rod Chapman, and Roger Clark and his brother Stan, these Capris (sponsored by the Daily Express, Cars and Car Conversions and the Daily Telegraph) won the Castrolbacked championship in fine style, often managing to defeat the opposition through sheer right of might. Indeed, for the driver of any rallyeross Mini, Imp or Triumph, the sight of these monster Capris in their rearview mirror (the Capris often started with a time handicap) must have been fair warning to move over! In truth, however, the HIPRmodified cars were considered to be something of a handful at high speeds in such mud-caked conditions. Despite the antics of
people such as Bill Meade - who used marine bilge pumps to direct jets of water on to the windscreen to keep the view ahead clear staying on course was a matter of balancing power against steering. The technique was to set up the car well in advance of the next corner, although often as not this was not achieved, the result being an increasing amount of understeer despite the driver pouring on more lock as the corner arrived. That master of the understatement, Roger Clark, was to quip that these all-wheel-drive Capris were great cars, though not the easiest he'd driven despite plenty of traction!
Essential Modifications
The first generation of Weslake-developed V6 Capri engines used for rallyeross boasted nothing more than gas-flowed cylinder heads matched to mild road/rally tuned sports camshafts, sufficient to produce a true 160bhp. Later, as the campaign was given momentum, modifications became somewhat more radical: an increased compression ratio of 1121; larger inlet and exhaust valves; a wilder camshaft with 300-degree overlap; and, of course, the inevitable Tecalemit fuel-injection system. These engines were blue-printed and built up by the Boreham boys, Terry Hoyle and Brian Reeves; by this time power output had risen to a rather healthy 200+bhp.
However, engine-tuning was the easy part; conversion of the Capri bodyshell to accept the four-wheel-drive transmission was no quick engineering job. To begin with, the front-mounted differential was located in its own cast-aluminium casing fitted on the near side of the engine. The driveshaft for the off-side wheel actually passed through the sump, the front wheels being supported on Ford Taunus (Ford's only frontwheel-drive car) suspension legs, the upper locating points themselves being modified so that their height was increased by 1.75in (44mm). A new bell housing was cast to link the V6 engine and the five-speed U gearbox, the transfer case containing the I1FRdeveloped differential and transfer drive, this bolting on the rear. Normal torque split was set at 37 per cent to the front and 63 per cent to the rear wheels, the drive being taken to the front and rear differentials by short prop shafts.
The original chassis rails which supported the engine were cut away and replaced by a new cradle fabricated from 1.5in (38mm) steel tubing. This accommodated the steering assembly and new engine mountings, relocated to clear the front driveshafts. To
allow for the cradle's location in the Capri engine bay, considerable surgery had to be carried out in order to create sufficient space, while the transmission tunnel and scuttle also had to be modified to cover the enlarged bell housing, transfer easing and ZF gearbox. To cope with the additional traction and power, Bilstein dampers were fitted all round, located with uprated suspension bushes, while the brakes were given competition pads and linings. Some cars were fitted with anti-skid braking systems, although Roger Clark specifically asked that such a system was not fitted to his car! Wheels were 13 X 6in Minilites for dry use and 13 X 7in for slippery conditions, shod with Dunlop covers.
Too Expensive
In the event, the four-wheel-drive Capri's competition career was very short even though some courageous people, Rod Chapman among them, did go on campaigning the cars with mixed success. The problems, however, were a mixture of front-driveshaft reliability and GKN's decision to pull out of the four-wheel-drive market, feeling it not to be viable (even by 1971 no massmanufacturer had put a 4WI) car into production). As a production car, the 4WD Capri called for a degree of body modifications that could not easily be incorporated into the car once it had been taken from the production line. The cost of the mechanical parts added to the body surgery would have resulted in a retail price that far outstripped its market share.
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Seth
South East
MorrisOxford TriumphMirald HillmanMinx BorgwardIsabellaCombi
Posts: 15,537
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Jan 20, 2009 23:12:33 GMT
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Classic and Sports Car I think a couple of years ago. Edit: That was in response to BrianD adn unconnected to that /\ article
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Last Edit: Jan 20, 2009 23:13:41 GMT by Seth
Follow your dreams or you might as well be a vegetable.
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kee
Posted a lot
Posts: 4,991
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Jan 20, 2009 23:13:18 GMT
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'Whizz Wheels, for when Hot Wheels just aren't good enough' ;D
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stealthstylz
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 14,924
Club RR Member Number: 174
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Jan 20, 2009 23:17:13 GMT
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My mates dad had one for a week for a test drive thats about all I know.
Matt
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Ratchet
Part of things
The user formerly known as Thomas
Posts: 706
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Jan 20, 2009 23:34:09 GMT
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My google fo is weak at the moment and ive turned up nothing, but here's a scan of a picture out of an old david vizard book I have: sorry its a scan of a grainy b+w pic so aint that good
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Last Edit: Jan 20, 2009 23:39:08 GMT by Ratchet
Competition is the law of the jungle, but cooperation is the law of civilization.
1971 vw beetle 1200 1978 international loadstar 1700 4x4 1987 landrover 110 1994 Yamaha FZR600r 2010 honda CBF100GT
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Fantastic stuff, Angle and Thomas!
Thomas, which Vizard book was that from?
Have you seen the later version with the Weslake Essex (one of only a handful ever made for Boreham) and the Lucas Inj Trumpets coming up thru the hood?
Norm
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Team Blitz Ford Capri parts worldwide: Restoration, Road, or Race. Used, Repro, and NOS, ranging from scabby to perfect. Itching your Capri jones since 1979! Buy, sell, trade. www.teamblitz.com blitz@teamblitz.com
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Jan 21, 2009 10:16:33 GMT
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Sorry Norm, not much help but at least it´s a LHD one! ;D couldn´t have been more than a handfull of these that made there way over to the States eh mate....you got one? A mate of mine back in the seventies had one of the ex police MK IV Zephyrs..... didn´t they have the Ferguson running gear (3,0, automatic) running gear?
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Jan 21, 2009 10:40:56 GMT
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Classic and Sports Car I think a couple of years ago. I remember the feature, but don't remember which issue it is in,..
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v8ian
Posted a lot
Posts: 3,820
Member is Online
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Jan 21, 2009 10:59:20 GMT
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I used to know where there were 4 unused Capri FF 4WD gearboxes, brand new, they were bought as a job lot of ford spares, mostly V8 stuff, but these were in the rest of the stuff, unfortunatly Jim is no longer with us, and all his stock was disposed of secretly, or thats what I was told.
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Atmo V8 Power . No slicks , No gas + No bits missing . Doing it in style. Austin A35van, very different------- but still doing it in style, going to be a funmoble
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Seth
South East
MorrisOxford TriumphMirald HillmanMinx BorgwardIsabellaCombi
Posts: 15,537
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Jan 21, 2009 11:02:15 GMT
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Could you use a Jensen FF as a donor to make a "new" FF capri?* Were the 4WD bits the same? * I'm not saying it would be a sane thing to do ;D
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Follow your dreams or you might as well be a vegetable.
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Ratchet
Part of things
The user formerly known as Thomas
Posts: 706
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Jan 21, 2009 14:46:59 GMT
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Fantastic stuff, Angle and Thomas! Thomas, which Vizard book was that from? Have you seen the later version with the Weslake Essex (one of only a handful ever made for Boreham) and the Lucas Inj Trumpets coming up thru the hood? Norm Its out of "Tuning Ford Escorts & Capris" from the early '70s doesn't have any info about the 4wd Capri though apart from the picture. Still its quite a handy book if your into crossflow fords, even nowadays Shame some numbskull has ripped 2 pages out of my copy at some point (i got it at a sale of withdrawn library books)
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Last Edit: Jan 21, 2009 19:21:45 GMT by Ratchet
Competition is the law of the jungle, but cooperation is the law of civilization.
1971 vw beetle 1200 1978 international loadstar 1700 4x4 1987 landrover 110 1994 Yamaha FZR600r 2010 honda CBF100GT
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Jan 21, 2009 14:53:10 GMT
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My dad was a design engineer with Ford AVO in the mid - late 1960's and early 70's. He did a lot of work on the Mk1 Mexico (and specifically a Police spec version), but I remember him mentioning the 4WD Capri [just thinking about it, I seem to remeber him saying it was 2600cc, so would that have been an 'in-between' Essex engine?] . I can't recall if he actually worked on it or not. At the time Ford had some sort of policy of supporting their staff who wanted to use their cars in competiton - I can remember being taken to Lydon to see dad rally cross a big-arched Mk1 Escort RS of some sort. I can still remeber the colour: dark blue. I can also remember the 'Apple Green' bubble arched RS he bought home from work a couple of times
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DutyFreeSaviour
Europe
Back For More heartbreak and disappointment.....
Posts: 2,944
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Jan 21, 2009 14:53:52 GMT
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Depending on what you're afte / gonna use it for - why not email his sons at RogerClarkMotorsport? They're bound to have shots around they may help with. Strange that there really doesn't seem to be anything around t'internet.
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Back from the dead..... kind of
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Jan 21, 2009 15:50:59 GMT
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After much hunting and scanning i've found this artical from a 1987 Off Road magazine i had/
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