Gartrac made https://escortlook.de/en/switzerland/canton-of-bern/muri-bei-bern their very first acquaintance that have David Sutton who had been brand new manager away from Clark & Simpson who have been Ford buyers in the Sloane Rectangular, London. The vehicles had been mostly important and no roll cages, yet not Gartrac offered uprated suspension system and you can powering knowledge portion towards the enjoy.
Just prior to the start of the fresh rally Dave Bignold was asked by the Ford to travel up to Clark & Simpson and you will match bottom wonder absorber turrets on Rauno Aaltonen’s Ford Escort 1850 GT. Installing the device are accomplished quickly over a weekend and Aaltonen’s vehicles was prepared to participate regarding rally.
Regarding very early 70s, Gartrac altered Escort Mk1 bodyshells to have Clark & Simpson within the London
Brand new London – Mexico Globe Glass rally been at the Wembley Stadium from inside the London area to the April 19th 1970 coating everything sixteen,000 kilometers as a result of European countries and you may South usa and you may completing within the Mexico Town on may 27th 1970. The function try really effective to own Ford that have Hannu Mikola and Gunnar Palm successful the brand new rally and you will Rauno Aaltonen and you may Henry Liddon completing third.
Gartrac continued development parts for the Escort Mk1 rally cars. During the early seventies some other famous earn are Hannnu Mikkola and you can Gunnar Palm’s 1972 Safari Rally profit regarding the Escort RS 1600. The pair create take an early on head which they never ever missing and you may turned the original low-African crew so you’re able to winnings the latest East African Safari Rally.
1970s – The new Works Escort Mk2
Such adjustment was basically generally fitting wonder absorber turrets, steel ripple arches and you will reworking axle’s. Gartrac carry out tailor dos-step 3 bodyshells weekly for a lot of decades.
Gartrac is growing within the profile in addition to sheer amount of work required which they needed seriously to change from their quick workshop into the Farnham, Surrey. It easily discover another type of larger workshop into the Godalming, Surrey, enabling these to deal with far more employees, and thus the production became substantially.
Ford had merely introduced the Escort Mk2 and you can realised Gartrac’s quick development. Ford wanted a fabrication team which will establish Escort Mk2 bodyshells and you may parts for their works rally team.
It desired this new Mk2 bodyshells are identical having a kit away from parts that installing all vehicles; this is not the case toward Mk1. For each and every drivers’ mechanic might have their unique idea of an educated cure for create an auto, definition no two autos would be the same. So it brought about trouble when maintenance the cars to your occurrences, because the parts failed to fit universally.
The performs Escort Mk1 bodyshells were fabricated by the Gomm Steel Developments. Such shells was in fact fuel welded or nickel bronzed and that set higher temperatures and you will worry into point, and therefore triggered deformation and fuel issues. Ford desired the new Escort Mk2 is welded using the the latest mig welding procedure. Gartrac ended up being playing with mig welders for a while and this helped secure a primary purchase for 5 bodyshells become introduced on the specific specs.
Gartrac properly finished the transaction and you may Ford was therefore happy with the standard of the new artistry they quickly developed Gartrac so you’re able to only develop Escort Mk2 bodyshells into works team.
Ford and additionally commissioned Gartrac which will make parts that would standardise the fresh mechanic’s generate procedure. They fabricated a large set of bits eg axle’s, radius rods, pedalboxes, electricity tanks and you may oils tanks and you can suspension system parts.
Gartrac gotten a no cost reign at the time to give suggestions about how Ford makes the vehicles greatest and they accompanied its guidance some easily given that trucks had been becoming smaller, stronger and legitimate.
The activities was indeed altering non-stop. Gartrac will make improvement into the shaft adjust traction, Ford would upcoming enhance pictures to add the changes. They will up coming produce other variations getting Tarmac and you may Forest software. An equivalent processes was used to cultivate the rest such the new motor crossmembers, sump shield establishes, pedalboxes and you may suspension system bits.