Surprised no one has posted this!


Wonder where it came from. Looks to be pukka, though sequential box which came in the WRC, rather than the Group A car. Wonder if it has the independent rear end or the beam.

I guess he had it shipped from Europe. Cool though. Be interesting to see if he does rally it like he has mentioned.

 

Would be nice to know some more spec

 

Hope he don't rally it his rallying career is not great a lot of smashed up cars.

He needs to just do what he does best just use it for some big show off video.

 

One of the blokes on escortrscosworth.com owned it.

 

Big kid with deep pockets and lots of toys

Lucky bugger lol

 

That doesn't surprise me. I thought it would be a known car. I did wonder if it was Harvey Gibbs' one, as he had a Martini liveried Group A car for sale with a sequential box in it. Saw it on a couple of rallies, looked lovely.

 

Nice car. Ive seen a few pics and vids of it on Instagram.

 

JD Rallysport`s old car

 

White with the blue stripes on it? Was a nice car that.

 

Yes, whit DCC logo on

This is what Jim from JD Rallysport says The car is last of the group a spec, 1996.
I built the engine in it,well the whole car.we had power from 330 to 380bhp and 700nm torque. Running 3bar at 10-1 comp. depending on map through a 34mm restrictor.
it does have wrc engine in it, that’s the only part that is. Rest is Group a right to the bone.
Reading what they have put they seem to have little knowledge. They have only converted it back to lhd, everything else seems the same as we had it
Regards
jim

 

https://www.ewrc-results.com/image/349920/

 

What front diff is it running ? as it would have struggled with an 8.5" active front diff being RHD (not saying they haven't been done btw) that's why they were all generally LHD & was it converted here before Kenny from the Block purchased it or over in USA ?

 

sounded like a bit of a animal jim

 

Not sure about the front diff or were it`s been converted, only that it was after JD sold it

 

Seeing as M-Sport built his WorldRX car, you have to wonder if they did it. He does seem to have a brits in his team though, so you never know.

 

It was converted over there, they got all parts apart from the rack from JD when they bought it

 

Hello,

The car was built by me and Dave, there is a build thread on here and the Cosworth forum, many years ago. Under wrcjim and dc03.

The car is correct Group a spec, with the engine the only part been wrc. This was done because we competed with the car and needed to be competitive. The latest engine I fitted was a Smith and Jones block with the latest long stud kit. We developed it along with Harvey Gibbs Julian Godfreys and s&j. We was suffering with head lift.
The box that is fitted is a 7 speed ffd sequential which was homologated in 1994.
Wrc sequential was xtrac 6 speed.
The car was fitted with 8.5inch active front diff in full rhd trim. Rhd 909 rack when we had it. The conversion was done by Gordon spooners back in the day. One of two done.

Just to clear any confusion with the 1991, that’s just a ordinary log book put on it when it was built back up from a shell. Do t think the yanks have worked that bit out

Cheers
Jim

 

There you got it all, from the right guy

 

Thanks Jim, do remember your build thread. Didn't think the Group A Cossie ever used a sequential box, thought that was just the WRC. Interesting to know.

Must be nice to know that your car is now in the hands of Ken Block - it's definitely going to be famous!

 

The best car he's had so far IMO, love it, donuts beautifully!

I looked through a book on escort cosworth rally cars (the rally giants series of books) and it says in 93 it had a non synchro 7 speed box, they tested a sequential 7 speed in 94 but decided against it, a 6 speed was used from 95 onwards but no mention on whether it was a sequential.

Also just out of interest Auto car tested the 93 Monte Carlo car after the rally (with the car described as tired) it hit 0-60 in 3.8, 100 in 9.9 whilst geared for 136mph.

 

Correct, they only built something like 7 boxes.
There’s a video on YouTube somewhere with one in. They did homologate them. But rarely used. Ffd 6 speed was favoured. Though 7 speed manual was used in safari. These was then replaced with the 6speed xtrac m-sport box from 97 onwards

Ken’s car is geared for 136. Most I’ve seen was 127 mph on a single track Belgium lane. I’ll tell you there was no room for error, this was in a straight of 850metres then into a 90 degree left between two houses.

 

had you stopped rallying it jim?

 

No, we have an ex works q8 Sierra to build. Pentti arikkola car. And Dave replaced the escort with a wrc subaru s10.

 

Sequential ffd box used way back in 1994 Patric bernadini, nearly same dash arrangement etc

 

subaru looks great jim ,but would much prefer to see pics of the q8 lol

 

Jim where are you in South Yorkshire? Could I please please please come and look at these cars?

 

It's interesting to see that not many used the sequential box in the Cosworth. The Xtrac sequential was used in the FWD Escort from the off with good results.

Would love to see some pics of the Sierra as you rebuild it. If it's anything like the Escort, it will be a beaut. That Subaru is lovely. Prodrive really do know how to build a car. They're works of art.

 

He will be doing some stage rallies with it next year as well as "other projects", which I assume will be a gymkhana video. I would like to see it staying as it is in terms of livery, though I suspect it will get a lairy colour scheme for next year.

His track record at a National level (which is where I assume he will be using this car) is actually pretty good, he has bent a few WRCars when WRC events though!

It's a damn shame Ford have pulled the plug on the World Rallycross program as those cars had real potential. I understand Block had put quite a bit of his own money into them as well.

Great posts wrcjim, interesting to read the history of the car: and see what toys you are working on now! Will search for the build thread on the Escort later on!

 

i read they were keeping the rallycross focus rx car next year with Bakkerud staying on they just havent renewed Block

 

Oh really, I hadn't heard that. I understood the three Focus RS RX would be going back to Block and Bakkerud was now looking for a new seat.

Based on how quickly the car evolved last year, I had Bakkerud as the favourite for the 2017 title. The development of the Focus seems to have completed stagnated though.

 

I wouldn't be surprised to see the Focus return as a privately backed car but, to my knowledge, the Ford backing is gone and both drivers are out of a job for next year unless a private deal is arranged.

Feel for Bakkerud, as he looks to have a lot of potential. I suspect another team will find a space for him though.

 

Yeah. If what I have heard is correct I can't see what use Block would have for three cars, so makes sense that some/all of them will be sold on.

He has won races for every Euro/World team he has driven for, so would be surprising not to see him get snapped up. If GCK have any sense they will grab him: that team are going to need an experienced driver to get the best from the new car.

 

Forgive the double post, but it looks like the EscCos will be one of five cars used in Gymkhana 10...


...I hope one of the other five is the RS200 Block brought a while ago!

 

Have you seen it now it's got it's livery and different wheels?

(Can't see the wheels on this pic thankfully)



Here on Instagram

 

Yeah, looked so much better in plain white!

(That said, I think pretty much every rally car looks best in a plain colour, especially white)

 

I see on spec r fb hes going to town on this spec r goodies and a julian godfrey 670 hp engine doing his home work aint he

 

That's sad. They may be fancy bits but not sure a proper Group A Escort should be messed with. Not enough left as it is.

 

Totally agree, starting to lose its heritage sticking spec r stuff on it. It just had a brand new wrc rad made for it and a secon-bar and plate wrc intercooler. Wasn’t many full 909 cars left. Just ordered another alloy block and head for it, as well as the 650 engine.

 

Did you really think he was going to leave it as it was lol he shouldve left the mustang alone at 700 bhp at 1400 it looks to much looks slower as its constantly spinning its what hes about i doubt the spec it was was suitable or powerful enough for his drifting

 

Not really, blokes a clown. Though speaking to the guys the other day it will be doing some rally’s, so will be restricted back down to 330.