Gartrac produced their basic acquaintance having David Sutton who was simply the fresh director away from Clark & Simpson who had been Ford people into the Sloane Rectangular, London area. The cars have been mostly standard with no move cages, not Gartrac offered uprated suspension system and powering methods parts towards the feel.
Right before the start of the newest rally Dave Bignold is asked from the Ford to travel to Clark & Simpson and you can fit buttocks surprise absorber turrets into Rauno Aaltonen’s Ford Escort 1850 GT. Installing the device is actually complete quickly more a sunday and you will Aaltonen’s vehicle is actually ready to contend from the rally.
About very early 70s, Gartrac altered Escort Mk1 bodyshells getting Clark & Simpson during the London area
The fresh London – Mexico Community Cup rally become during the Wembley Stadium during the London area toward April nineteenth 1970 layer around sixteen,000 miles as a consequence of European countries and South america and you will finishing in Mexico Area on 27th 1970. The big event try most profitable having Ford with Hannu Mikola and you may Gunnar Palm successful the brand new rally and you may Rauno Aaltonen and you may Henry Liddon doing 3rd.
Gartrac continued developing parts for the Escort Mk1 rally automobiles. During the early 70s some other well-known earn are Hannnu Mikkola and you will Gunnar Palm’s 1972 Safari Rally profit in the Escort RS 1600. The two would capture a young lead that they never ever shed and you may turned the initial non-African crew so you can win the brand new Eastern African Safari Rally.
seventies – The fresh Functions Escort Mk2
These variations have been primarily fitting surprise absorber turrets, material bubble arches and you can reworking axle’s. Gartrac do tailor dos-step three bodyshells per week for many years.
Gartrac was broadening during the reputation therefore the natural number of work intended which they must change from its brief working area in the Farnham, Surrey. They rapidly discovered an alternative large workshop in Godalming, Surrey, permitting these to undertake so much more teams, and thus its production expanded significantly.
Ford had merely introduced the brand new Escort Mk2 and you will realized Gartrac’s quick progress. Ford was looking for a manufacturing team that could produce Escort Mk2 bodyshells and you will parts because of their performs rally party.
It wished the fresh Mk2 bodyshells become similar which have a kit from bits one to fitting the auto; this is untrue to the Mk1. Each drivers’ mechanic will have their unique thought of an educated answer to build an automobile, meaning zero one or two automobiles will be the same. So it caused trouble whenever maintenance the cars with the situations, as parts didn’t fit universally.
The newest really works Escort Mk1 bodyshells was fabricated by the Gomm Material Developments https://escortlook.de/en/switzerland/thurgau/amriswil. These shells was basically fuel welded otherwise nickel bronzed and therefore put great temperatures and you will fret to your issue, and this led to deformation and you may power trouble. Ford wanted the latest Escort Mk2 to get welded by using the the latest mig welding procedure. Gartrac is having fun with mig welders for a while which assisted secure a primary order for five bodyshells becoming lead on the precise specs.
Gartrac properly done the order and you may Ford is actually so happy with the grade of the latest workmanship it instantaneously developed Gartrac in order to exclusively make Escort Mk2 bodyshells towards really works team.
Ford also accredited Gartrac to make pieces that would standardise the new mechanic’s build techniques. It fabricated a large set of pieces such as for example axle’s, radius rods, pedalboxes, fuel tanks and oils tanks and you will suspension parts.
Gartrac got a no cost reign at the time supply suggestions on exactly how Ford make the cars most readily useful as well as accompanied the suggestions slightly easily given that autos have been is reduced, more powerful plus reputable.
The brand new habits were altering from day to night. Gartrac tends to make changes on axle adjust grip, Ford would upcoming posting pictures to incorporate the changes. They would then generate some other variations getting Tarmac and you may Forest applications. A similar process was applied to cultivate other areas such as the new system crossmembers, sump secure sets, pedalboxes and suspension system bits.