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Ford RS & Rally Memorabilia The Mk3 Rally Escorts |
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XR3
RS1600i
RS S1Turbo West Cork 85 Circuit of Ireland 85 Welsh 85 Scottish 85 Ulster Rally 85 Rothmans Manx 85 RAC 85
European RS1600i's Rallye Principe de Asturias 83 Rallye Sanremo 83 Rallye Antibes 83 |
27th Mintex Rally 25/26 February 1983 - York 76 Starters, 46 Finishers, 49 Special Stages
07 Malcolm Wilson / Phil Short, Gp A Ford Escort RS1600i HPU 73Y 22 Louise Aitken / Ellen Morgan, Gp A Ford Escort RS1600i HPU 74Y
Rothmans Manx Programme 1983, p35 Seven major teams with manufacturers support lined up in York for the opening round of the series, the Mintex International. Although a 'low key' entry, the RS1600i Escorts of Louise Aitken and Malcolm Wilson marked the return to the sport of Fords Competitions after a two-year lay off.
Stig Blomqvist, the 1982 Swedish Champion, arrived in Britain an exile, his Audi Quattro banned from further competition in National Events at home. The Mintex was again the opening round in this series though not without warning that their support would soon come to an end. Ford entered a works team of two front-wheel-drive RS1600i's for Malcolm Wilson and Louise Aitken, whilst the series sponsors Rothmans decided to run one car on each event for McRae.
Motoring News March 2, ‘83 p 15 photo – HPU 73Y FORD - MCD Services of Widnes was put in charge of preparing two new Ford Escort RS1600i cars in GpA trim for Malcolm Wilson / Phil Short and Louise Aitken / Ellen Morgan. Both cars were “straight out of the box” for the Mintex and driving through the front wheels produced around 130bhp. The Pirelli shod cars tipped the scales at 940Kg, with Shell Oils providing the lubrication. The team was treating the Mintex as a development exercise, ready for the rest of the Open Series.
Autosport Mar 3, '83 p39 FORD - After a long period out of rallying, Ford took another step forward on the Mintex with the appearance of an official team of two Escort RS1600i models prepared to group A specification. Drivers were Malcolm Wilson and Louise Aitken, and responsibility for the entire effort was in the hands of MCD Services, with Dave Campion at the helm.
The mechanics had been working flat out to get the cars ready on time and little background work had been completed before the start. The engines were giving somewhere around 130bhp, although development in the near future should see that figure increase considerably. Borehams Charles Reynolds was on hand to see the car's competition debut, and this was also the first time Wilson had competed in a front-wheel-drive machine.
Autosport Mar 3, '83 p31 Ford made a welcome return to the home international scene at the weekend with a pair of Escort RS1600is led by Malcolm Wilson, The cars were run by MCD, in Group A specification and the Cumbrian driver soon came to grips with front wheel drive and moved up to seventh place at one point.
Unfortunately both Wilson and Louise Aitken retired, but not before they had underlined Ford's intent to make the latest car a success. With about 130bhp already, they feel the engine will soon be on par with the leading Group A contenders, and are confident about the next event, in Ireland at Easter.
Autosport Mar 3, '83 p39 It was Group A which created most interest in this opening round of the Rothmans Open Rally Championship, with plenty of factory involvement, including a welcome return from Ford. Both the Escort RS1600i entries retired with mechanical problems, but not before Malcolm Wilson had pushed himself well inside the top 10.
Chris Lords Mazda was tail end happy. Working with exactly the opposite problem was Malcolm Wilson, whose opening experiences with the Escort RS1600i were less than happy. Reluctant to employ left foot braking, the Cumbrian driver was unsettling the car in the approach and then applying vast amounts of lock. On occasion the smart white and blue machine was seen careering towards the exit of the corner with the front wheels pointing in completely the opposite direction to that in which the car was travelling.
A long 1-mile old railway line straight covered in sheet ice had caused problems for several drivers, including Malcolm Wilson who plunged off right at the end. "Phil had it arrowed on the RAC Rally," he explained, "and we thought there would be one, but when we got to the K right there was no arrow, and the next thing I knew the trees were coming at me. It could have been a big one!"
Despite that problem, and little teething troubles with the car, Wilson was rapidly coming to terms with front-wheel-drive and had pushed himself well into the top 10, to hold second in Group A behind Mr. Eklund.
Ford teammate Louise Aitken was also experimenting with her driving technique and had earlier had "One or two, well actually quite a few" off road excursions. Mixed into her record however was one second-fastest time and a fifth fastest, so it cannot have been all wrong.
Unfortunately, another minor trip through a ditch later that night bent a driveshaft and although she got the car to the service point, the unit could not be fixed in time and she retired.
Motoring News March 2, ‘83 p 15 Louise Aitken / Ellen Morgan kicked off their Open with a puncture to their Ford entered Escort RS1600i. Malcolm Wilson / Phil Short brought the Ford entered Escort RS1600i front wheel drive GpA car into 20th place.
Per Eklund was quickening his pace …whilst Malcolm Wilson was struggling in the New Escort RS1600i. Wherever he went he was accompanied by massive understeer: “It will be all right when the driver has got used to the car.”
With the new stages behind them ... Both Malcolm Wilson and Louise Aitken had climbed into the top ten with their GpA Escorts.
Guisborough, however, proved the undoing of Louise Aitken after a plucky drive in the treacherous conditions. Taking a corner too fast, she piled the Escort into a bank, denting the car front and rear and bashing a front wheel. That in turn damaged the suspension and broke a driveshaft. She retired on the following road section: out of time after repairs had been done.
Malcolm Wilson reflected on his seventh place and despite a two minute off in Ingleby his position was unchanged…
Malcolm Wilson drew into the freezing racecourse in seventh place but almost eight minutes behind the leading bunch. He had a problem in Cropton dropping a minute, but was getting more used to front wheel drive at last.
Next to go in the long Dalby test was Malcolm Wilson after a good showing in the new car. He stopped mid-stage with a broken gearbox...
Leading Retirements Malcolm Wilson Gearbox 36 Stages completed Louise Aitken Driveshaft failure 21 Stages
Rally Sport April '83 p36 7 Malcolm Wilson / Phil Short, Group A Ford Escort RS1600i (MCD Services / Ford Motor Company / Shell Oils / Lucas / Pirelli). Wilson's first rally in a front-wheel drive car; Ford's first outing in GpA, with about 130bhp only. Slow start, therefore, including 30s road penalty when Short booked in early; after 18 stages, however, they were seventh overall, despite going off in fog at the end of Ingleby's famous railway line straight. Spun on Cropton 1, bent track control arm and had plug lead fall off; reached York still seventh and changed transmission. After re-start diced with Uotila (12) until engine mountings failed, motor having to be tied down with rope! Retired SS43 with gearbox failure.
22 Louise Aitken / Ellen Morgan, Group A Ford Escort RS1600i ( MCD Services / Ford Motor Company / Shell Oils / Lucas / Pirelli). Car spec as for Wilson (7). Started badly, with puncture on first stage, spin on second, so down at 45th after SS5. Went off in Guisborough, denting both ends, but also set six top-10 stage times. Off on SS17 damaged driveshaft and caused retirement.
Results
Reference: World Rallying 6 Rallycourse 1983-84 Rothmans Manx Programme 1983, Autosport Mar 3, 1983 Motoring News March 2, 1983 Rally Sport April 1983
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