With 380bhp and a plehtora of motorsport mods, this highly modified Ford Escort Cosworth is a RWD lightweight track weapon!
As you well know by now, the tuning potential of Ford’s rally-bred icon could be described as almost limitless, perhaps only restricted by budget and imagination; little wonder it still holds so much respect within the modified car community to this day. Mark Eltringham ranks himself as a die-hard Cosworth fanatic who’s maintained a strong connection with the EsCos since its inception, so it seems only fitting we take a closer look here at his amazing build.
Mark’s love affair with the Escort Cosworth
Mark clearly remembers the first time he clapped eyes on an Escort Cosworth, at the influential age of 16: “I spotted one in Mallard Green in my local dealership,” he recalls, “I instantly fell in love and knew this was the car for me!” That dream would have to wait of course, as this was a time when insurance premiums began to skyrocket, even if Mark could somehow manage to gather the funds to buy an Escort Cosworth in the first place.
“My first Escort ended up being a Mk4 Eclipse,” he smiles, “not quite a Cosworth, but it got me about!” Thankfully, the situation soon improved, and Mark quickly moved on to a string of performance cars including Renault 5 GT Turbos, Mazda RX-7s and a Mitsubishi Evo. Despite the notable appearance of cars from various manufacturers other than Ford, Mark did find the time to purchase and enjoy no fewer than four Sierra Sapphire Cosworths. “These were all modified in some way too,” he tells us. “I can’t deny they were all amazing cars, but I still had that hankering to find myself an Escort Cosworth.”
Finding the perfect project car
Now, it’s no secret that the values of any old Ford have sharply risen in recent years, and few more so than those wearing a Cosworth badge. This meant a stock, cherished example of Mark’s dream car would have been totally out of reach on his relatively modest budget, but fortunately originality, FSH and low mileage were of little concern. “I knew my budget would most likely only stretch to a project or an incomplete car,” Mark admits. “To my surprise, I managed to find one.” Spotting an online ad for a Diamond White 1997 Escort Cosworth on social media with an inviting price tag, Mark wasted no time in contacting the vendor – an intriguing proposition, as production had ended in early ’96.
“It turned out the description was wrong, and the car was actually built in 1993,” he says. “This wasn’t a great start, but I decided to take a closer look anyway.” As you’d expect for a heavily discounted Cosworth, this car had lived an eventful life and would require some major TLC. “I discovered the Escort had been built from a genuine Ford Motorsport lightweight shell for rallying in Europe by AMP Motorsport in Belgium back in the day,” Mark explains.
“Originally LHD, it had then been imported to the UK where it was campaigned in circuit racing and converted to RHD and RWD.” Later the Escort would be sold on, only to continue its adrenaline-fueled life in the form of a track-day car, but Mark tells us any history becomes a little hazy after that. “Essentially, all this information only confirmed it had been used and abused pretty much all its life,” he laughs. “The last two years had been quieter as the car hadn’t moved from the bodyshop where it stood.”
Initial build plans for the modified Ford Escort Cosworth
Knowing full well another opportunity to purchase a bargain Escort Cosworth was unlikely to happen any time soon, Mark handed over the readies and took a punt. “My initial plan was to fix any current issues and enjoy the car as it was for a while,” he continues, “but as I’d bought it in winter, I didn’t see much point in waiting around to begin a rebuild as that was my long-term plan anyway.” The abused Cosworth was then promptly stripped back to a rolling shell, in preparation for Mark to compile a list of parts he’d need. “I considered converting the drivetrain back to 4WD,” he says, “but as I’d just sold a 4×4 Sapphire I decided to stick with the existing 2WD setup – RWD is always more fun anyway!”
Painting the Escort Cosworth
As the strip-down progressed, Mark began to explore various ideas of how he wanted the car to look. “Effectively this was a blank canvas, as there was little evidence remaining of the original car,” he says. “I’d have been far more reluctant to make any dramatic changes to an Escort Cosworth that had been well looked after.” This at least gave him the excuse to opt for a completely different look, and as the list of mods increased, so did the piles of modified parts littered around the Eltringham household. “My wife wasn’t overly impressed at this stage,” he grins.
Once the fully strengthened and seam-welded Motorsport shell had been prepped ready for paint, Mark began searching for a suitable bodyshop to carry out this task. “Initially I struggled to find anyone willing to paint the rolling shell,” he says. “Eventually a local paintshop was willing to take the car on.” The result is a clever switch from the familiar Diamond White to the more vivid Frozen White as seen on the later-generation Focus RS.
“I reckon Frozen White makes the car pop and stand out from the crowd,” says Mark. Predictably, and in order to save weight, not all of the original panels would make a return to the shell, Mark opting for carbon-Kevlar WRC wings and a carbon WRC spoiler instead. Along with the addition of a Morette twin headlight conversion and a set of Compomotive MO6 18” rims, which are always a winning combination on any Escort Cosworth, Mark’s example suddenly contained bags more attitude.
Existing mods
As this RS had previously been used in motorsport, predictably it arrived with a few existing mods. “The suspension had been upgraded to an adjustable AVO tarmac setup, but I found the ride to be rock hard even on the softest setting,” Mark explains. “After some investigation, I opted for GAZ GHA suspension and the car still handles just as well unless you’re on the absolute limit, but it does now have a tolerable ride.”
Tuning the YB engine
Meanwhile the existing Cosworth YB required a freshen-up which resulted in Mark tackling a rebuild of the head and bottom end. With such an aggressive exterior look, he was never going to settle for the modest factory specification here either, and the engine now boasts pocketed pistons, BD10 cams, a Group A head gasket, Bosch 550cc injectors, vernier pulleys and a high-pressure oil pump. Coupled with a Garrett T34.63 turbo running 27psi of boost, and mapped by none other than Cosworth gurus NMS, this equates to a highly potent 380bhp.
“I went for Link MonsoonX engine management with an onboard Windows 10 PC linked to the ECU with a 7” touchscreen,” says Mark. “This ensures I can keep an eye on how the car is performing and make any changes as necessary.” A new uprated engine loom and custom vehicle wiring loom were found to be necessary, and to satisfy ample fuelling he’s opted to fit a Premier Fuel System carbon bag tank with twin Bosch 200 pumps.
Further modifications for the Escort Cosworth
With that noticeable increase in power all sent to the rear wheels, the T5 gearbox now benefits from hardened internals and an Alcon 6-paddle clutch, while a combination of Compbrake 6-pot calipers with 330mm rotors up front and 4×4 calipers with 300mm vented discs on the rear greatly improve stopping power. “When the car was first built for motorsport, it received a welded-in multi-point rollcage, triangulated from the struts to the rear diff,” Mark says. “I never planned on taking this out, though it was tricky to repaint it by hand!” Retaining the cage also meant that installing the flocked dash took more time and effort than he’d hoped too! Aside from that troublesome cage and a dash that’s a nightmare to keep clean, the remainder of the cabin is a lightweight motorsport-themed affair as you’d expect, with carbon doorcards, Sparco seats, Stack gauges and a GPS speedo all present.
“There were a few issues to sort and numerous setbacks throughout the build, but it was all worthwhile as the reactions I’ve had so far have been highly positive,” Mark smiles. “I guess people are used to seeing pound signs and consequently returning their cars to standard spec, so this is something different.” Despite those setbacks, Mark hasn’t been put off tackling another project and his Mk2 Fiesta XR2 with full Subaru Impreza running gear sounds like a lot of fun, plus he’s also considering taking on a Mk1 Focus RS. “I reckon the Focus would complement my other cars really well,” he ponders, “especially if I ever fancy a slightly less harsh ride, the Escort can sometimes feel a bit like you’re inside a tin can with someone throwing stones at you!”
Modified Ford Escort Cosworth verdict
Still, with a 380bhp RWD Escort Cosworth at his disposal, we’re sure the benefits outweigh those foibles, and Mark certainly has no regrets taking on this project. As we witness him drive off into the distance at hysterical speed with that unmistakable YB exhaust note after saying our goodbyes, it offers a pleasant reminder of a time when witnessing a Cossie at full chat was an everyday occurrence. With Ford and so many other manufacturers announcing a seemingly endless string of electric SUVs these days, we fear future generations won’t truly realise what they’ve missed out on…
Words and photos: Jon Cass.
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