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Belkits 1/24 Escort Mk.1 1970 London-Mexico World Cup Rally, Mikkola/Palm


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Good morning vehicle chasers.

Jumping on the Belkits Escort bandwagon following the excellent build by Nick Belbin I've been attacking the kit I've had for a while. I must confess to doing bits and pieces for a while but have only started chopping the chassis about this past week.

If you want to see what's in the box can I suggest you buy a kit :o, you won't be disappointed. There's not much left intact on the sprues in mine anyhow!

 

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This is the car as it appeared back in the day, clip from YouTube. I am fortunate that a contact also had some period photos from Wembley Stadium as the car departed on this epic event. The car is also well detailed in Graham Robson's book 'Works Escorts in Detail' and there are plenty of images on t'internet. 

 

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Here I'm mocking up the locations for the extra bracing bars and bull bars as featured on the escorts used in the event. I have subsequently discovered the kit lamp brackets set the light too high.

 

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Another feature of Ford's modifications for this car was the installation of auxiliary fuel tanks with extra filler caps sited in recesses in the rear wings. The standard fuel filler located in the left C pillar had to be filled along with the rear lamp recesses as the block lamp units were replaced by individual lens type fittings [see photo above] An auxiliary lamp used as a reversing lamp has been fabricated too.

 

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If you can't beat 'em chop out some plastic. I was hoping to get away with part surgery [ l/h image] but decided a major op was called for. Hence drawing templates for all the new bits to make the inner arches. As per NJB's build I'll be fabricating new front shocks too. The rear arches have been shaved to make fitting the body easier down the line.

 

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As mentioned earlier the kit spot lamp brackets set the lamps too high. Again Nick's build provided the inspiration and with some images of AVO Brackets off the net I have made a replacement from plastic strip, rod and hex section for the bolt heads which I'll get cast in resin for future builds. The other bracket is for the wing mounted lamp on the East Africa Rally Escorts ... more on that story later ;). That's the state of play so far, the front inner wing build being next in line to complete.

Edited by mbdesignart
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1 hour ago, injidup said:

I've enjoyed NjB's build, and am looking fwd to this one! I had a 1968 Escort 1100

But don't you have a Ducati to finish?

Yes, I'm waiting for more drill bits to do those darn spoked wheels on the Duc!  Got to have something to occupy my mind whilst waiting, as if I wasn't busy enough. Isn't it about time you got an Escort kit too then?

Thanks for adding the link, as the web is full of kit sprue shots I didn't think it worth wasting space here. 

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11 hours ago, mbdesignart said:

Yes, I'm waiting for more drill bits to do those darn spoked wheels on the Duc!  Got to have something to occupy my mind whilst waiting, as if I wasn't busy enough. Isn't it about time you got an Escort kit too then?

Thanks for adding the link, as the web is full of kit sprue shots I didn't think it worth wasting space here. 

 

I probably should! Having trouble finishing the two cars I have started, and as it's summer here, modeling time is limited. Off racing the Lotus this evening. 

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Glad to have a few along for the ride. Thanks for the comments.

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Installed the inner arches this morning, with a light coat of primer. A few seams to fill and blend, bolt heads to add and then the suspension to assemble. If anyone has a photo of an original damper unit please post it in the thread, google's throwing up all sorts of rubbish.

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A great start Mark, I'l be following closely but might hold mine over the East African car.

 

I too have a Duacti to finish... Taking the next two/three weeks to sort my man cave out.

 

Colin

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I've just found this image of Mexico front struts, not sure if they are correct for this car? Any experts willing to chip in an opinion?  https://racecarsdirect.com/content/UserImages/80591/452934.jpg?v=1

Other images I have seen appear to be of more modern struts without the cone shaped lower spring support and instead have an adjustable ring on a threaded lower tube. I may just cobble something up as the wheel will hide it all. 

 

Post cobbling result, needs painting then spring installing with upper retaining 'donuts'

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Edited by mbdesignart
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Those pictures look fairly kosher to me.

Though there were variables on Ford struts,

Drum or disc, and if disc then rear or front caliper position?

I did do a search on Google for McPherson strut

Escort and got a number of pictures.

Still, if all you want is a sight of the spring then I

think you've cracked it.

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15 hours ago, Hamden said:

 

Like your shocks, what did you make them from?

 

   Roger

I think it's a Plastruct product, plastic coated wire. My brother was an industrial model maker and bits like that fell into his sarny box ;) No idea where the spring came from, but the alternative was robbing 'click' biros, I ground the ends with a cutting disc on a Dremel to sit flat on the plates. Following the observations I think that will be it for those. Next is filling excess mounting holes in the body shell and making new ones in the front valance.

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Filling and drilling to front and rear done. New vent holes above slots, these need a mesh covering. It also looks as though the rubber flaps to the wing fronts and new mudflaps will require making.

 

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EDIT: Just discovered Belkits instructions are misleading in respect of the holes for the LHD or RHD wiper pattern. Fortunately I'd only drilled halfway through the thick plastic until something struck a warning note. That's what comes of working upside down.

Edited by mbdesignart
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Body shell has been sanded and washed ready for primer and is in the handy 'cardboard garage' Belkits provide to keep it dust fee.

Today I have found more to add to the 'to make/alter' list, I must stop looking at pictures! New door cards are needed, much simpler than the kit versions, even the side windows were actuated by straps [cut down seat belt straps] similar to old railway carriages. Remember the days when you could stick your head out of a railway carriage window? It could simply be a case of sand off the moulded detail and add the new, but I feel I keep going backwards on this build.

 

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Edited by mbdesignart
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I mentioned the misleading wiper placement in the first post of my build thread but then wasn't sure if the view was from underneath or above!

 

On the front panel, I countersunk (from behind/inside) the 'starting handle' hole to help reduce the thickness of the plastic - looks much more like a thin panel now. Are you able to get at all your cooling holes? Just a thought. 

 

Whilst I was on the AVO Owners Club committee, we organised some of the first gatherings of the works cars. FEV was brought along one year by the mechanic who did its rebuild - very memorable. The images in your last post show what looks like a pair of identical seats so you'll need to source another with the headrest or add it to your scratch list (sorry!). 

 

And I understand how you feel about going backwards, believe me . . .

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I noticed another issue (at least for me) this morning. I'm starting the final assembly of parts and noticed that the geometry of the windscreen wipers didn't ring true. After checking the real thing, it seems that Belkits has positioned the offside wiper incorrectly - they've placed it halfway along the depth of the scuttle whereas it should be further back and tight against the windscreen rubber. Oh lor', dunno whether to attempt to fix it or not but at least you'll have the opportunity to do so before paint if you choose.

 

Nick

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Thanks for the pointers Nick. I hadn't thought to check your thread re the wipers, like a fool I simply read the instructions! Fortunately I've only drilled pilot holes. I will have to check the central grille fronting the screen to double check the holes given this version is LHD.  I can get to the extra cooling holes as they fall below the inset for the front grille and may thin them as you suggest.

 

The seats may have been changed from the original ones in case Mr. Health & Safety is co-driving, I will check my refs. The last photos come from a contemporary road test. I've noticed some other changes from the original since it returned from Mexico, I think Ford has 'freshened it up'. Did you get any photos of FEV 1H or its sister cars from your AVO club time?

 

Currently I'm suffering TPS, thick plastic syndrome, in cutting new openings in the interior side panels. And here's me thinking this would be a pretty quick build. Ha!

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Re the co-driver's seat - from the images I have looked at this afternoon it looks like there is a headrest. However, in one photo in the Works Escorts in Detail book it is not fitted. The seat itself looks to be similar to the drivers and not the heavily bolstered version in the kit. I think I'll butcher the kit one and fashion a headrest... more work.

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