Page 106 - Fast Car (March 2020)

WILD CARD

The prop bolts up to a car-
bon-dipped alloy diff casing Shortened SHP axle heads up the super-detailed rear

away. It was also demoralising, knowing I would have INSIDE INFORMER
to take it all apart afterwards. But looking back, it was
deinitely worth it.” It won’t be a surprise to hear the interior too has been
At his stage, with so many years of planning, Ashley specced to Ashley’s characteristically obsessive levels
knew exactly what the spec of the car would be – he just of detail. With the Chocolate Brown trim of classic RS
needed to make it happen. With the engine being built Escorts in mind, the Mk2 was always going to retain
at Connaught (see boxout, page 103), Ashley sourced some of its heritage, but that’s almost where the lineage
a Quaife QBM1M sequential gearbox – the four-speed ends. “I came across some early Metro seats and not
Rocket replacement that his brother previously had only were they really comfortable, they were the right
used in oval racing. “It’s nice and compact and I just width, too,” Ashley explains of his choice of perches.
love the sound,” he grins. “It features quick-release “But I wanted people to look right through the car and
drop gears at the back – you can change the gearset in not have the view obstructed by the headrests, so these
around 45 minutes.” have been shorted, as has the top of the rear seat to
This leads (via a Mazda Steel Grey one-piece prop) bring the proile down.” Even the rear-view mirror folds
to a shortened SHP axle – also an oval track essential. up out of sight when parked.
“Again, it’s to maintain the clean theme. I really wanted The whole lot was then sent off to be trimmed in
a carbon-ibre diff housing, but had to admit defeat with brown Alcantara and leather, as well as the door cars,
this one and get an alloy one carbon-dipped instead.”
Inside, there’s a Quaife ATB and 4.1 gears. Looking
around the rear undercarriage, we were expecting to
ind air bags. But no, the standard-position dampers
and leaf springs are still there.
“We spent months messing around with the leaf
springs, trying to get the ride height correct. In the
end we settled on 95-percent straight, with the eyes
reversed.” Fortunately, the front end was easier to sort.
GAZ coil-overs being the simple and most effective way
of getting the correct height.
BELOW: Fiat Barchetta
handles skilfully added
to the doors

Keeping it wheel

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