Gartrac made its very first friend having David Sutton who had been the movie director of Clark & Simpson who have been Ford investors during the Sloane Rectangular, London. The vehicles was mostly practical no roll cages, although not Gartrac given uprated suspension and powering equipment areas to the event.
Just prior to the start of the rally Dave Bignold is asked because of the Ford to search around Clark Paderborn local escort & Simpson and you will fit rear shock absorber turrets for the Rauno Aaltonen’s Ford Escort 1850 GT. Installing the device try finished easily more a week-end and Aaltonen’s car is actually prepared to participate on the rally.
Regarding the early seventies, Gartrac modified Escort Mk1 bodyshells to own Clark & Simpson in London area
New London area – Mexico Community Mug rally already been from the Wembley Stadium in the London on April 19th 1970 level everything sixteen,000 miles through European countries and you can South america and you will completing within the Mexico Urban area may 27th 1970. The event is most effective having Ford that have Hannu Mikola and Gunnar Hand winning the brand new rally and you may Rauno Aaltonen and you will Henry Liddon finishing third.
Gartrac continued developing pieces toward Escort Mk1 rally autos. In the early 70s another greatest win is actually Hannnu Mikkola and Gunnar Palm’s 1972 Safari Rally profit on Escort RS 1600. The pair create grab a young lead that they never lost and you will turned the initial low-African staff in order to earn this new East African Safari Rally.
70s – The brand new Really works Escort Mk2
These types of adjustment was basically primarily installing wonder absorber turrets, material ripple arches and you can reworking axle’s. Gartrac carry out personalize 2-step 3 bodyshells a week for many decades.
Gartrac try broadening inside the profile while the natural volume of really works designed that they wanted to go from their brief working area in Farnham, Surrey. They quickly found a separate huge workshop inside the Godalming, Surrey, providing these to accept far more personnel, and as a result their yields expanded dramatically.
Ford had just presented the fresh new Escort Mk2 and you can realised Gartrac’s quick progress. Ford needed a manufacturing team that will build Escort Mk2 bodyshells and you will parts because of their performs rally team.
It wanted this new Mk2 bodyshells are identical with a system out of parts you to fitted all vehicles; this was incorrect on Mk1. For each and every drivers’ mechanic might have their particular thought of an educated answer to make a car, meaning zero two cars are the same. So it triggered issues when upkeep the vehicles towards situations, as parts didn’t match universally.
New works Escort Mk1 bodyshells had been fabricated from the Gomm Material Improvements. This type of shells have been energy welded or nickel bronzed and therefore place high temperature and you may worry for the question, and that lead to distortion and you can energy trouble. Ford wished new Escort Mk2 as welded utilising the the latest mig welding techniques. Gartrac had been having fun with mig welders for some time and therefore assisted safer a first purchase for five bodyshells as delivered to their perfect specification.
Gartrac properly complete your order and you will Ford are very happy with the caliber of the brand new design it instantaneously contracted Gartrac to exclusively create Escort Mk2 bodyshells toward really works cluster.
Ford also accredited Gartrac to produce bits which could standardise this new mechanic’s build processes. It fabricated a giant gang of bits such as for example axle’s, radius rods, pedalboxes, fuel tanks and you can oils tanks and you will suspension system portion.
Gartrac was given a free reign at the time supply suggestions about how Ford make the vehicles best and used their advice a bit readily while the autos was in fact to get less, healthier and a lot more reputable.
The newest designs have been altering all day long. Gartrac would make changes into axle to evolve traction, Ford carry out upcoming update illustrations to add the alterations. They will after that establish some other variations having Tarmac and you may Tree programs. An equivalent process was utilized growing other parts eg the latest system crossmembers, sump protect establishes, pedalboxes and suspension system parts.