An iconic 1979 Ford Escort which won the Isle of Man Manx Rally could fetch up to £170,000 at auction.
The model is described as ‘like no other Ford Escort we’ve ever seen’ by Silverstone Auctions, who say the car is ‘a very famous and well documented ‘Works’ Escort with an unquestionable history that would grace any serious Ford competition car collection.’
The right-hand drive comes with 99,983 miles on the clock and was one of the fastest tarmac-spec Escorts ever built at Ford’s motorsport centre in Boreham, Essex.
British rally legend Russell Brookes won the RACMSA British Open Rally Championship in 1979 in the car.
It is one of three ‘Monte Tarmac Specials’ built by Ford Motorsport in 1979 and the only right-hand drive version.
The model is described as ‘like no other Ford Escort we’ve ever seen’ by Silverstone Auctions
It is also described as having an ‘unquestionable history that would grace any serious Ford competition car collection’
The 1979 rally was the latest in a line dating from 1963
The Mopar Manx International Trophy Rally was the fifth round in the home international rally championship series and was held on 270 miles of closed public roads in and around the TT course.
The 1979 rally was the latest in a line dating from 1963 and had a top class entry from Ford, Saab, Dealer Team Vauxhall, Talbot Sunbeam and Leyland ST.
Subsequently, the car moved to Ireland in the hands of, reputedly, Ireland’s finest rally driver Billy Coleman and was later driven by other rallying luminaries such as Bertie Fisher and Vincent Bonner.
In 2003, it arrived at Montgomery Motorsport where a rebuild and a thorough refresh were deemed necessary while retaining the original shell.
It now bears Billy Coleman’s racing colours.
The vehicle is being offered with a guide price of £150,000 – £170,000, and will be sold at the Silverstone Auctions Sale of Iconic, Classic and Supercars at Supercar Fest on 20 May at Sywell Aerodrome, Northamptonshire.
The vehicle is being offered with a guide price of £150,000 – £170,000
Inside the car which was one of the fastest tarmac-spec Escorts ever built at Ford’s motorsport centre in Boreham, Essex
A look inside the car which is going up for auction and could go for up to £170,000
The right-hand drive comes with 99,983 miles on the clock
The car will be sold at the Silverstone Auctions Sale of Iconic, Classic and Supercars at Supercar Fest on 20 May at Sywell Aerodrome, Northamptonshire
The Ford Escort has been around since the late 1960s and continued to be popular on Britain’s streets for six generations.
Its early marketing slogan was ‘the small car that isn’t’ because it was well designed to transport the whole family while also being compact enough to get into small parking spots.
For some people however, the Escort is not a family car but instead, ‘the most successful rally car of all time,’ according to Lancaster Insurance.
Escort rally cars have hardened bodyshells, sports suspension and higher performance engines but still maintain a similar look to the regular Escort.
