Ford Escort MkII Zakspeed race car build
Ford Escort Mk2
Ford Escort MkII Zakspeed race car build — PassionFord
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Photo: Ford Escort MkII Zakspeed race car build — PassionFordFord Escort MkII rebuilt into a Zakspeed-look Group 2 track car
Ruan saescort is converting his family's 1982 Escort MkII, originally road-modified and later a gymkhana toy, into a Zakspeed-lookalike track and endurance racer built to no specific regulations. The thread documents years of fabrication from 2011 to 2013, covering a relocated Zetec-based engine, custom gearbox tunnel, Atlas axle, four-link and Watts link suspension, steering and brake builds, done largely as self-taught metalwork and welding.
Specs
As stated in the original write-up.
- Engine
- Duratec/Zetec-based engine (Ford Focus ST170 derived), moved low and rearward in the chassis
- Gearbox
- Borg Warner T5 gearbox replacing the original Type 9
- Rear axle
- Imported Atlas axle with 4.6 CWP, from Fostek Engineering
- Differential
- Quaife ATB for Atlas diff
- Half shafts
- Quaife half shafts
- Front suspension
- Tension strut kit with gas gold front struts and group 4 Ally hubs
- Rear suspension
- Four-link and Watts linkage kit on the Atlas axle
- Wheels
- 15x8 steel wheels with 7mm offset
- Tyres
- 15 inch slicks
- Engine management
- Vi-PEC V88 ECU
- Body kit
- Group 2 Zakspeed lookalike kit
Parts used
Parts named as used in the original write-up, grouped the way the Parts page groups them. Where one of the shops we index lists the same thing for this car, it is shown underneath with a link to the shop.
Engine 5
- Duratec/Zetec engine (ex-Ford Focus ST170)
Used as the base engine, fitted mounted low and set back in the chassis
In the shops
Duratec Engine to Ford Gearbox Cable Clutch Bellhousing ↗
Evans & Son Rally Spares· £318.18 GBP
Duratec Engine to Ford Gearbox Hydraulic Clutch Bellhousing ↗Evans & Son Rally Spares· £363.63 GBP
Ford Focus ST170 Single Valve Spring Kit ↗Retroford (Gloucester)· £274.14 GBP - Zetec sump with baffles
Fitted in place of the original sump for the low-mounted engine
In the shops
Zetec RWD Front Drop Wet Sump - Black Top/ST170 ↗Retroford (Gloucester)· £0.00 GBP
Sump Baffle Kit for X-Flow / Pre X-Flow Front Drop Sump ↗Retroford (Gloucester)· £57.23 GBP
Mk1/Mk2 RS2000 Escort Alloy Sump Pan With Baffle Plate (RHD) ↗
C Bradley Motorsport· £266.90 GBP - Piper Vernier pulleys
Fitted as part of the engine build
In the shops
Adjustable Vernier Cam Pulley – Piper Cams Ford Pinto ↗PAF Classic· $224.00 USD
Aluminium Auxiliary Pulley – Piper Cams Ford Pinto ↗PAF Classic· $122.00 USD
Ford CVH Vernier Cam Pulleys ↗Retroford (Gloucester)· £0.00 GBP - Zetec ARP bolts
Used in the engine assembly
- Aluminium radiator with fan
Mounted to the front end, slightly offset to allow room for the oil cooler
In the shops
Duratec Black Alloy Radiator for Mk1/Mk2 Escort (Grille Side Fan) ↗C Bradley Motorsport· £379.80 GBP
Honda S2000/K20 Alloy Group 4 Radiator for Mk1/Mk2 Ford Escort (Engine Side Fan) ↗C Bradley Motorsport· £339.80 GBPRadiator, aluminium, NAR Group ↗Moss Europe (UK)· £714.50 GBP
Cooling 1
- Retro Ford water rail
Fitted to the engine cooling system
Gearbox & Drivetrain 6
- Borg Warner T5 gearbox
Replaced the Type 9 gearbox and was bolted to the Duratec/Zetec engine with no issue
In the shops
Sump Gasket (Borg Warner 35 Auto Gearbox) ↗
Robsport International· £ 8.70Borg Warner 35 Automatic Gearbox Sump Gasket ↗Robsport International· £ 8.70
Auto Kickdown Cable (Borg Warner 35) ↗Robsport International· £ 59.94 - Aluminium bell housing
Used to mate gearbox to engine
In the shops
Bell Housing Tension Spring ↗James Paddock Ltd· £0.99 GBP
Bell Housing Gasket, 3 Rail ↗
Water Pump Housing (Aluminium) ↗ - Quickshift kit
Fitted to the gearbox
- Atlas axle
Imported rear axle casing fitted with bearings and 4.6 CWP
In the shops
Atlas Axle Watts Linkage Kit ↗Evans & Son Rally Spares· £322.72 GBPAtlas Axle Watts Linkage Kit ↗Evans & Son Rally Spares· £322.72 GBP
Atlas Axle Watts Linkage Diff Cover ↗Evans & Son Rally Spares· £172.72 GBP - Quaife ATB differential
Fitted for the Atlas axle
In the shops
Quaife Ford Escort/Sierra 6.5 Front ATB Differential ↗C Bradley Motorsport· £935.00 GBPBlackline Helical LSD Differential ATB (Focus ST170 / Mini Cooper S R53 R56) ↗Motorsport-Tools· £427.57 GBP
- Quaife half shafts
Fitted with the new T5/Atlas axle setup, extra length to allow shortening
In the shops
Half Shaft ↗MGbits4U· £163.00 GBP
Half Shaft ↗
Half Shaft ↗
Suspension & Steering 9
- Gas gold front and rear struts
Fitted as the strut suspension units
In the shops
Front Strut Inserts / Rear Shocks Kit, Standard ↗ - Tension strut kit
Fitted instead of compression strut, chosen as better suited to track use
- Group 4 Ally hubs with group 4 bearings
Pressed with bearings and fitted onto the struts
In the shops
Escort Group 4 Alloy Hub - Std/Std ↗Rally Design· £59.50 GBP
Gartrac Escort Mk1 & Mk2 Group 4 Alloy Front Wheel Hub Kit ↗
Gartrac· $686.00 USD
Escort Mk1 & Mk2 Group 4 Rear Wheel Hub Kit, Fully Floating (Metric Studs) ↗Gartrac· $631.00 USD - Watts linkage kit
Mounted and welded to the chassis and axle for rear lateral location, brackets reworked to suit ride height
In the shopsAtlas Axle Watts Linkage Kit ↗Evans & Son Rally Spares· £322.72 GBPAtlas Axle Watts Linkage Kit ↗Evans & Son Rally Spares· £322.72 GBP
Mk1 & Mk2 Escort ARB Type Atlas Axle Watts Linkage Kit with Strapped Bars ↗C Bradley Motorsport· £332.80 GBP - IKO rod ends
Replaced polybush ends on the adjustable lower control arms
In the shops
Track Rod End Gaiter ↗
TRGB· £3.25 GBP
Tie Rod End (Mini 1959-2000) ↗
bpnorthwest.com· $12.49 USD
Connecting Rod Small End Bushing ↗
Good Parts· $3.75 USD - Turret kit (Rally Design)
Fitted into the rear strut towers after reshaping work, confirmed as a straight fit once properly understood
In the shops
T7 Design Rally Heater Unit ↗Evans & Son Rally Spares· £185.00 GBPT7 Design Rally Car Heater Unit ↗Evans & Son Rally Spares· £185.00 GBP
Escort TCA Rubber Bush Conversion (Rally Design) ↗ - Laser-cut castor/camber plates
Made for the front strut tops to allow adjustment
In the shops
TPS Laser Cut Plate With Hole ↗Retroford (Gloucester)· £2.27 GBP
TPS Laser Cut Plate With Logo ↗Retroford (Gloucester)· £3.41 GBP
Digital Castor/Camber Gauge ↗Retroford (Gloucester)· £76.40 GBP - Steering rack extensions (Rally Design)
Ordered to lengthen steering arms by about 100mm for correct geometry
In the shopsT7 Design Rally Heater Unit ↗Evans & Son Rally Spares· £185.00 GBPT7 Design Rally Car Heater Unit ↗Evans & Son Rally Spares· £185.00 GBP
Steering Rack Stop ↗TRGB· £4.95 GBP - Poly bushes for steering rack
Fitted to the steering rack mount
In the shopsSteering Rack Mounting Bushes (Pair) ↗ANG Classic Car Parts· £6.77 GBP
Steering Rack Mounting Bushes (Pair) ↗
Steering Rack Mounting Bushes - Superflex Polyurethane Pair ↗
Wheels & Tyres 1
- 15x8 steel wheels
Widened and re-centred, fitted with 15 inch slicks
In the shops
1967-1974 Camaro Steel Wheel Kit 15x6 & 15x8 ↗Heartbeat City Camaro· 773.43
1967-1974 Camaro Steel Wheel Kit 15x6 & 15x8 ↗
1967-1974 Camaro/Chevelle/Corvette/Nova 15x8 Steel Wheel Rim ↗
Body & Trim 1
- Group 2 Zakspeed lookalike kit
Used as the body style basis for the car, arches cut and fitted to match
Electrical 1
- Vi-PEC V88 engine management
Chosen as the ECU for the build after recommendation
Photos
272 pictures collected from the write-up, in the order they were posted, shown from Ford Escort MkII Zakspeed race car build — PassionFord. A picture opens larger here, with the way through to the page it is on.
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Ruan saescort · Mar 18, 2015 | 11:11 AM 35this post at Ford Escort MkII Zakspeed race car build — PassionFord ↗
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How it was done
History and starting condition
The Escort was bought by the author's father in 1982 and stayed in the family, passing to the author, who crashed it early on, then fitted a modified engine and later a 2.0 Zetec conversion for gymkhana and track days before deciding to build a dedicated Zakspeed-look race car.
Parts collection and initial planning (2011)
While working abroad the author bought a large catalogue of components including the Zakspeed kit, Duratec/Zetec engines, an Atlas axle, Quaife diff and half shafts, suspension kits and a Type 9 gearbox, intending to build the car to his own design rather than any specific class rules.
Chassis and drivetrain fabrication (2011-2012)
The Type 9 was replaced with a Borg Warner T5, the car was stripped of unused parts, and the engine was mounted as low and far back as possible. This required a new cross member, a hand-made gearbox tunnel, cut and rewelded firewall, and welded-in four-link and Watts link mounting boxes for the imported Atlas axle.
Suspension and steering work (2013)
Work focused on finishing front suspension with laser-cut castor/camber plates, tension strut conversion, custom steering cross member and steering arms, and seam welding the chassis. Wheel arches were cut to fit new 15x8 wheels and slicks, and the car was returned to standing on its own wheels after roughly three years.
Brakes and electronics (2013)
The author fitted Fiesta MK6-based rear brake discs and calipers on custom laser-cut brackets matched to the Quaife axle flange, and sourced a Vi-PEC V88 engine management system, closing out the 2013 progress update.
A summary in our own words. The full account, with all its detail, is in the original write-up: read it at Ford Escort MkII Zakspeed race car build — PassionFord ↗
Worth knowing
- Do not cut or reshape turrets before fully marking and test-fitting them, as they can be a straight fit
- Weld thick metal pieces before thin ones to get a cleaner result while learning to weld
- Research Ackermann steering geometry carefully before relocating the steering rack