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Book Reviews

Here we review books that we think may be of interest to visitors of our site! Simply click on the links for detailed information or to buy, in association with Amazon.

 

 

Ford Escort RS and Mexico Performance Portfolio 1970-1979 (Performance Portfolio)

This book charts the story of the RS Escorts & Mexicos which excelled themselves in international rallies in the 70s. Included are road, comparison & long term tests, model intros & advice on buying a good used example. Models covered: Mark I & II, Mexico, RS1600, RS1800 & RS2000. 136 pages with 32 in colour

 


 

Ford Escort MK1 (Rally Giants)

This book describes the birth, development, and rallying career of the original Ford Escort, one of Europe's Landmark Rally Cars in the early 1970s, providing a compact and authoritative history of where, how and why it became so important to the sport. Written by a world renowned motoring historian and heavily illustrated this is a key work on this subject.

 

 


 

Ford Escort RS1800 (Rally Giants)

Escort RS1800 (Escort Mk II): This is a Rally Giant because it was consistently the fastest, the most successful and the most versatile car in the second half of the 1970s. Developed from the Mk I, it was a conventional front engine/rear drive machine, which rallied with 2-litre engines of up to 270bhp. Rally successes were legendary - British (RAC), Safari, Acropolis, Finland (1000 Lakes), Sweden, Portugal, Canada - and more and more. They won 17 World Rallies between 1975 and 1981. RS1800s won the World Makes Championship in 1979, and were always close to victory, and always competitive. Escort drivers like Bjorn Waldegard (1979) and Ari Vatanen (1981) won the World Drivers' Championships. Over the years hundreds - and this is no exaggeration - of RS1800s were built for motor sport, and were the ideal car for almost any condition in the world because they were very powerful, but simple and rugged. The RS1800 was also the layout template which was copied by other manufacturers - for cars like the Talbot Sunbeam-Lotus, the Vauxhall Chevette HSR and the Nissan GTs of the late 1970s/early 1980s, which were really all Escort 'clones'. Ford claim, and they may be right, that RS1800s have won more rallies, at World, International and National level than any other car in the world.

 


 

Performance Fords

Ford has been making special performance cars in Europe since the 1960s. From the original "Fast Ford", the Cortina GT Mk 1 of 1963, to the very latest Focus RS and StreetKa, family after family of sporty models have been developed, sold and campaigned in motorsport. The "Fast Ford" fraternity is one of the largest of all motoring enthusiasts' movements, with a vast number of one-make events held in the UK and overseas. This book is a model-by-model guide and accurate reference source for the enthusiast. The book contains: details of all significant "Fast Fords"; the behind-the-scenes development story, evolution and technical specifications for each model; many previously unpublished photographs from the Ford RS brand over the years; full details of the rally cars, including the Escorts, Sierra RS Cosworth and the Focus WRC; and details of world-beating racing cars such as the Lotus-Cortina, Capri RS2600 and Sierra RS500 Cosworth.

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Ford Escort RS and Mexico, 1970-79 (Brooklands Road Tests Series)

This book traces the progress of the fantastically successful Ford Escort Mexicos, RS1600s, RS1800s and RS2000s of the '70s. Included are road and comparison tests from three continents together with long term reports and advice on buying secondhand.

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The Works Escorts

Here is the complete story of all the Ford Escorts which were rallied and raced by factory teams for more than 30 years. This story started in 1968, and came to a colourful conclusion in 1998, when the Escort was finally supplanted by the equally glamorous Focus WRC. The fully updated fourth edition of this best-selling book includes details of all the 'works' Escort RS Cosworth and Escort WRC cars which won so many world-class events in the 1990s.

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Ford RS Escorts:The Complete Story

This book tells the complete story of Ford RS Escorts from the Twin Cam Escort of 1968, through the Escort Mexico, the RS1600 and RS2000, up to the Escort RS Cosworth and RS2000 4x4 of the late 1990s.

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High Performance Escorts, 1980-85 (Brooklands Road Tests Series)

The new front wheel drive XR3 was introduced in 1980. Not as fast as the RS2000 it was much more economical and differed visually from the basic Escort by a lack of chrome, most of which was painted black. Extra performance could be had by adding a turbocharger and a Rallye Sport handling kit. The limited production RS1600i had a special cam and extensively revised suspension. The XR3 gained fuel injection and the power output was raised to 105bhp. Externally only the badge changed. The 1.6i was produced in 1984 with an open version to compete with the Golf GTi. In the same year Ford introduced the RS Turbo and became the first company to sell a front wheel drive car with a limited slip differential. This is a book of contemporary road and comparison tests, technical and specification data, driver's impressions, long term report and new model introductions. Models covered include: XR3, RS1700T, Escort GT, XR3 Turbo, RS1600i, WM XR3, Mulliner 1.6, XR3i, 1.6i Cabrio, XR3i Turbo, RS Turbo. 100 pages, 250 illus.

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Ford Escort: A World Celebration  

The author examines Ford's Escort range and considers how and why it came to be. The illustrations in the book cover design, models, variants, stunts, and factory build sequences.

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The Sporting Fords Vol 5: Front Drive Escorts (from XR3 to RS Cosworth 4x4)

 

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Capri Muscle Portfolio 1974 - 1987

The entry level Capri was a 1300cc model but real performance started much further up the range. In Germany 126mph was available with the fuel-injected 2.6-litre V6 engine, while in Britain a 3-litre V6 gave 113mph on Mk I models and 117mph on Mk IIs and a big-bore V6 in the RS3100 offered 125mph. The most collected version is the 2.8-litre, fuel-injected car available in both Britain and Germany. In the USA German-built Capris were marketed under the Mercury name between 1979 and 1983. This is a book of contemporary road and comparison tests, specification and technical data, driver's impressions, new model introductions, conversions, suspension, long term survey and restoration. Models covered include: Capri II, 2800 V6, 3-litre Ghia, V6 Turbo, Mk II, 2000S GT, 2.8 V8, Capri II RS, Mako V8, 3000S, 3-litre X-pack, Oselli 230S, Allard 2.8i, Tickford 2.8T, 2.8i, Brimble Capri, RS 2800T, 2.8 Turbo, RS3100. 140 pages, 300 illus.

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Essential Ford Capri: The Cars and Their Story, 1969-87

Revealing the full story of this extremely successful car both behind the scenes and in the public eye, this book includes details of its development, descriptions of all models from "base" 1.3 to the rare and expensive RS2600 and RS3100 V-6 versions, and competition details.

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Cortina: The Story of Ford's Best-seller

The Ford Cortina, introduced in 1962, redefined the family car and stayed in production for five generations and 20 years as Ford's UK best-seller. The Cortina was also built in Germany, Australia and South Africa and exported widely. This highly illustrated text looks at the history of the model.

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Ford Cortina 1600E and GT, 1967-70 (Brooklands Road Tests Series)

The Cortina 1600E and its sister version, the GT, made a great impression at the end of the sixties. Some 26 articles drawn from the US, Australia and Britain trace their progress over those years. Included are 11 road tests, a 12,000 miles and a 24,000 mile report, 2 group tests, plus stories on their history, continental touring and a useful 1983 article from Practical Classics on buying a used model.

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The Ford Cortina

When launched in 1962, the Ford Cortina was an entirely new type of British car. Compared with its rivals - and with earlier Fords - it was light yet strong, inexpensive yet roomy, mechanically simple and cheap to maintain. It quickly established a totally new class of car. Once it was seen to be a success, there was a rush to emulate it. More than a million of the original-style cars were made, and after twenty years well over four million had been produced. There were saloons, estate cars, sporty models, and even special machines ready for motor racing - something for everyone, everywhere.

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Cosworth: The Search for Power

This is an account of how a two-man tuning concern flourished to become a world leader in engine design and technology. It is also about the many people responsible for the company's success. The book describes Cosworth's many motorsport successes, in Formula I, IndyCar racing, the Monte Carlo Rally and World Touring Cars.

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The Sporting Fords Vol 4: Sierras

 


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Transit: The 40 Year Story of Britain's Best-loved Van

The Ford Transit van is 40 years old in 2005 and this fun book - packed with facts, anecdotes, photographs, adverts and publicity shots - celebrates what has been one of the most successfu Light Commercial Vehicles ever produced in Europe. Built on several sites and in many varieties, successive generations of Transit have set every industry standard since the mid-1960s. They have myriad uses, from mobile shop to racer, powered by a Formula 1 engine

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Ford Escort and Cortina Mk I and Mk II Restoration Manual

Ford Cortina and Escort Mk I and Mk II models brought family motoring to millions of people from the early 1960s. These Fords were straightforward, easy to drive and simple to maintain, and their popularity has been sustained largely because of this. Their basic simplicity of design and inherent ruggedness means that they are ideal candidates for DIY restoration. The booming owners' club movement and the continuing availability of spare parts ensures that these cars will have a strong following for many years to come.

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Ford Escort MK1 Mexico and RS Models 1970-74 Owner's Workshop Manual

Saloon.
Does NOT cover engines with light alloy block or Ford Escort Twin Cam with Lotus engine
1.6 litre (1598cc) ohv, 1.6 litre (1601cc) dohc & 2.0 litre (1993cc) ohc

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Ford Escort MK2 Mexico and RS Owner's Workshop Manual

Saloon
1.6 litre (1593cc), 1.8 litre (1834) & 2.0 litre (1993cc) sohc & dohc

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Ford Escort 1968-74 Owner's Workshop Manual

Saloon, Estate & Van.
Does NOT cover Escort Twin Cam, RS1600, Mexico or RS2000
1.1 litre (1097cc) & 1.3 litre (1297cc)

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Ford Escort 1975-80 Owner's Workshop Manual

Saloon, Estate & Van.
Does NOT cover RS Mexico or RS 1800/2000
1.1 litre (1097cc), 1.3 litre (1297cc) & 1.6 litre (1598cc)

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Competition Car Preparation: A Practical Guide

Capitalising on the experience of experts from a wide range of competition categories, this book covers everything from planning, budgeting, driver licensing and tuition, to all the pratical aspects of getting a car and its driver into the best state of preparation affordable for competition, and keeping them that way.

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Ford Escort Rally Preparation  

This has consistently been our best selling book and is a must for anyone interested in preparing a MK1 or MK2 Escort for rallying.

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Rally Navigation: Develop Winning Skills with Advice from the Experts

Written by an international rally journalist and photographer, this is a collection of interviews with experts covering aspects of present-day rally navigation. This book combines the expertise, experience, and anecdotes of a number of drivers and co-drivers. It covers the equipment, preparation, finance, character suitability, and tricks of the trade, with reference to club/road rallies, the British National Championship/one make series and the British Open Championship - featuring both private and works teams, classic car rallies (stage and road), cross country and desert rallying and rally team co-ordinators. The author is a former professional co-driver and 1971 national champion.

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How to Build and Power Tune Ford Pinto Engines (Including Cosworth)

This book gives practical advice on how to power tune a high-performance version of Ford's 4-cylinder 1600, 1800 and 2000 cc Pinto engine which has been used in Ford's most popular cars (Escort, Capri, Cortina, Sierra) over many years. Whether the reader wants a fast road car or to go racing, Des Hammill explains, without using technical jargon, how to build a reliable high power engine using as many stock parts as possible and without wasting money on parts and modifications that don't work. The book also covers Cosworth versions of Pinto engines and fitting Cosworth heads to normal blocks. It does not cover 1300, E-Max 1600 or American built 2300.

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Weber Carburettor Manual (Haynes Techbooks) 

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Weber Carburetors  

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How to Build & Power Tune Weber & Dellorto Dcoe & Dhla Carburetors

Revised, enlarged and updated, this edition presents all the reader could want to know about the world's most famous and popular high performance sidedraught carburetors.

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How to Modify Ford Single Overhead Camshaft Engines

Excellent book covering every aspect of tuning the Ford SOHC engine.

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Rebuilding and Tuning Ford's Kent Crossflow Engine

More than 10,000,000 Ford Kent engines have been produced and power all Escort Mk I and Mk II models and their derivatives, the 1300 and 1600 Cortinas and the early Fiestas. This book is a guide to rebuilding and tuning the engine to improve efficiency, increase power output and obtain optimum performance. In addition to being a step-by-step practical guide to the work required in upgrading the Crossflow engine a brief history is also included with details of when introduced, what capacities were available and which cars used the engine.

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Rebuilding and Tuning Ford's CVH Engine

The Ford CVH engine (Compound Valve angle, Hemispherical combustion chamber) has been used in many well known Ford models, including Fiestas 1.4, 1.6, XR2I, RS Turbo, Escorts 1.4, 1.6, RS1600i, XR3, XR3i, RS Turbo and Orions 11.3,1.6 and 1600i. This book includes a brief history of this unit followed by hints, tips and advice on rebuilding and tuning an engine in the home garage, describing what can be undertaken by the enthusiast and what should be put out to specialists.

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Escort Performance: A Practical Guide to Modification and Tuning for Road and Competition (Technical Including Tuning & Modifying)


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Boreham: The 40-year Story of Ford's Motorsport Dream Factory

Ford's motorsport centre, at Boreham, Essex, first opened in 1963 and finally closed its doors at the end of 2003, bringing to an end 40 years of involvement with Ford's racing, rally and high-performance road car projects. Over the years, Boreham's products have gained fame for success in all the major world rallies and in numerous touring car championships around the world. Here is a unique behind-the-scenes look at the motorsport centre which gave birth to such legends as the Escort RS series, the RS200, the Sierra RS Cosworth and the Escort RS Cosworth.

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Ford at Dagenham: The Rise and Fall of Detroit in Europe

Ford's Dagenham factory is one of the key centres of car-making in Britain. For 60 years it has been known for mass-producing a series of popular cars that have earned it a distinctive place in British motoring history. The factory also dominates the economic and working life of the Dagenham area. This illustrated story gives a fascinating behind-the-scenes insight into the techniques of automative design and engineering and tells the story of the fluctuating fortunes of the company and provides a revealing account of the relationship between Dagenham and the American headquarters of Ford at Dearborn. This book is a fascinating record of car production techniques and processes at Ford as they have evolved over the years, and it offers an intimate portrait of the people who have worked at Dagenham, and depended on it for their livelihood, for generations.

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Ford in Britain: The Inside Story of Nearly a Century of Car Making

For most of the post-1945 period Ford has dominated the British car industry. The UK operation. centred at Dagenham and given a high degree of autonomy by Henry Ford, produced models that gave sports car handling at family saloon prices. By 1955 this corner of Essex was the most productive piece of land in Britain. Any pan-European organisation should have been led from here. but US management later favoured a German-biased Ford of Europe. Here is the full story of the cars and the company. from the post-war high to the decline and final death knell when Fiesta production ceases this year.

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The Ford in Britain File: 1903-2003

This book is a car-by car account of Ford models sold in Britain from the dawn of the 20th century, together with a history and detailed chronology of the company and its achievements. Ford sold cars in Britain from the dawn of the 20th century. It made them in Manchester from 1911 with components imported from America, which completed their journey to Trafford Park up the Manchester Ship Canal. Throughout the first half of the century Ford vehicles were usually black, sold to the blue collar market, and proudly advertised as made from British components by a British workforce. Ford in Britain was recognised as a quintessentially British company, sometimes even by Detroit. By the middle of the century Ford began to represent something more than motoring for the millions. Well-loved models like the Zephyr and Zodiac, and best sellers like the Cortina and Escort transformed Fords into aspirational cars endorsed by victories in the sporting field. Ford made its mark in grand prix racing, at Le Mans, and in touring car racing. Its technology was world class yet Ford never relinquished its skill in production engineering, and at the beginning of the 21st century it was turning out some of the best and fastest luxury cars in the world.

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RAC Rally Action!: From the 60s, 70s and 80s

Covering the pre-WRC 'golden years', Rally of the Forests period; An incredibly detailed and highly illustrated review; Contains over 250 photographs, most of which are published for the first time; Features reproductions of rally documents, including regulations, programmes, road books, and crew notes Starting at a time when rallying was becoming increasingly competitive, when it started to have forest stages, this detailed review takes the reader into the heart of this thrilling event. Following the rallies round their entire routes in a Mini Cooper, Vauxhall Magnum and a Leyland 1800, and assisted by the press office of the Royal Automobile Club, this book gives a real 'fly on the wall' perspective. All aspects of these events are covered; rare photos from manufacturers' archives, plus the author's own, paint a vivid picture. Rally documents, including regulations, programmes, road books, and crew notes make this book one of the most detailed in it's genre. This publication has full approval of the Royal Automobile Club and the Motor Sports Association.

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Ford and McRae: Focus on the World Rally Championship

This book written with full team co-operation captures the drama and controversy of a first season that exceeded all expectations. It charts Ford's development of the Focus, gives insights into McRae's life in and out of the car and reveals the toil and elation of this sport.

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Ford in Touring Car Racing

Ford has been consistently successful in saloon car racing, from the very first modest performance of the 1950s, through Sierra RS500 Cosworth domination in the 1980s, to the standard-setting Mondeo victories of today. For nearly 50 years, European Fords have been winning Touring Car Championships in Britain, Europe, and all round the world. Graham Robson chronicles every programme, car, success and development. Packed with technical and historical insights, this large-format, lavishly illustrated book also includes interviews with drivers, engineers and team managers from every decade.

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Twice Lucky: My Life in Motorsport

An autobiography of Stuart Turner, one of the leading motorsport figures of the last 40 years. He claims to have had two major pieces of luck - he joined the British Motor Corporation as Competitions Manager when the Mini Cooper was coming on strong and then moved to Ford just as the Escort was starting to shine. He includes anecdotes about many of the top race and rally drivers, including several World Champions, whom he knows personally.

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Sideways...to Victory!

This is an autobiography of rally driver, the late Roger Clark MBE.

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Other Motor Sport Books

Formula One

 Touring Cars

 Rallying

 Motorcycle Racing

 

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