where to race this car ?

[carsten.meurer]

i am hopeing to finish my escort mk2 rs 2000 project for this summer !

its been on for nearly a decade now, going thru different states.

finally it looks like i want it to look, and i have the right people building it.

i might have gone a few steps too far though, building it beyond a sensible
spec for german youngtimer races ( going a bit towards bangers...).
as you might know, there are cheaper options nowadays than escorts,
and mine is build to period fia group 1 spec.

read full standart interiour plus bucket, harness, ext. and cage, only
parts from the homologation sheet, so original cr box, carbs, lsd and all.even drums at the rear ! so as it said back then ' showroom ' !

now i would like to take the car abroad for some nice races, but couldn't
find anything in the uk ! seems your understanding of gr.1 is that the car is just not wide arched...
i needed to stay below 2ltr. for th engine, but seems i wouldn't run up to 2ltr in some cships, but up to 2.5 !

what would be the best place to get such a car out to play over with you ?
preferably brands GP... as its still missing on my CV !

thanks for any input !

[johngee]

Try a call to the Historic Sports Car Club office. +44(0)1327 858400 & speak to Martin. We're running a couple of meetings this year on the Brands GP circuit (May 6th/7th and June 3rd/4th). I'm not an expert on what category your car would fit into (I'm only the Clerk of the Course!) but I know we have, at least one Mk2 RS2000 racing with us.
Good luck

[Al Weyman]

I am sure there would be something you could run it in offered by the Classic Touring Car Racing Club, look on their site all regulations are posted. I know a guy comes over from France to race in his Camaro so they must be doing it right. There is also a round in France this year.

[RushyRacer]

Try www.classicsportscarclub.co.uk for the TinTops 40 minute 2 driver ( optional) race. visiting Brands 15th July

[Peter Mallett]

It fits perfectly with Class C of the Classic Touring Cars Racing Club Classic Group 1 Championship (which is Group 1 pre 1983).

Regs and details including calendar are available at http://www.classictouringcars.com/

[Stacy]

[QUOTE=carsten.meurer]
and mine is build to period fia group 1 spec.

QUOTE]

Hi,

I'd second Pete Mallett and Al Weyman there, the CTCRC at www.classictouringcars.com run the Group 1 Touring Car Championship, which is obviously designed for your spec of car. This championship put on the biggest average grid size across all BARC championships last year.

RS2000's already race competitively, and you've got the reassurance of a club which has been racing now for over 30yrs.. Stable and well policed regs, two or three races a day if you want to enter Pre-93's and Classic Thunder as well, and a friendly bunch to boot.

Whatever you decide, best of luck!

Stacy

[Anuauto]

We have previously discussed the (very significant) differences between FIA Group One and UK saloon racing "Group One" (the latter only occasionally more correctly referred to as "Group One and a Half" in period and now).
The first post made it clear this is a true FIA Group One car. In the case of the RS2000 that effectively means it is not a competitive race car, just as it was not "in period".
As a rally car, the Gp1 RS2's weight and agility meant it could compete with and beat contemporaries like the Dolomite Sprint, Firenza/Magnum and Kadet GTE. Its Tour of Britain wins in 74/5/6 reflect the balance of special stages vs circuit races and the drivers.
I have no idea what spec UK race so-called Group One permits for an RS2 but it is clearly a significant advance in power over FIA spec Group One (with which I am familiar from "in period" rallying an RS2). One did run in the then BTCC but was never competitive.

[Chris Griffin]

RS2000 MkIIs have been very competitive in CTCRC Classic Group 1. I can name 3 in the past 8 years that have been front runners and outright winners on occasion. I'm not sure what the exact difference is between FIA Gp1 and British Gp1.5. I'd imagine it's just carbs and brakes. We could put you in touch with a couple of guys running them over here if you like.

[Peter Mallett]

Originally Posted by Anuauto

We have previously discussed the (very significant) differences between FIA Group One and UK saloon racing "Group One" (the latter only occasionally more correctly referred to as "Group One and a Half" in period and now).
The first post made it clear this is a true FIA Group One car. In the case of the RS2000 that effectively means it is not a competitive race car, just as it was not "in period".
As a rally car, the Gp1 RS2's weight and agility meant it could compete with and beat contemporaries like the Dolomite Sprint, Firenza/Magnum and Kadet GTE. Its Tour of Britain wins in 74/5/6 reflect the balance of special stages vs circuit races and the drivers.
I have no idea what spec UK race so-called Group One permits for an RS2 but it is clearly a significant advance in power over FIA spec Group One (with which I am familiar from "in period" rallying an RS2). One did run in the then BTCC but was never competitive.

So what Anauto is saying is................... "You can't actually race this anywhere." You can of course rally it but you'd need totally different suspension, breathing, brakes etc.

Shame.

[carsten.meurer]

thanks a bunch for the suggestions and feedback guys !

atm i am delayed by waiting for the proper cam and leaf springs !
thats the final period specials i am missing, but they are located...

actually fia gr.1 means showroom ! and JUST showroom !
in reality it probably cost me a lot more to build it to gr.1 , than a gr.2 would have owed me !
i wanted to use all original homologation parts, no similar modern items ( like s/c C/R gears instead of original C/R homologation box ).
everything is standart...
actually nothing was in period, but its a pain to change every little part around ! not always in the spirit of the regs, but as in period to its words !

it needs to retain all original interiour, brake drums at rear, no lowering front, or blocks rear. no big manifold, no stregthening of shell , bugger all !

just slightly stiffer springs, twin webers, big valve head and electrical fan,
75% lsd, c/r box, 3rd roll bar bracket, short rack and big tank . the official
gr. 1 cologne kit !

for the local period racing we even have to work on mega soft front springs !

from what i know, you race more to the later ' transeuropa gr.1 ' regs !
as said, we too called it 1.b !
as a difference no interiour, welding allowed, gasflowed heads and big
exhaust, as far as you go maybe even 4 link and disks at the rear !
not to talk about mega stiff springs ( maybe even adjustable ! ) and wide
rims ( i had to pay a fortune for some 6x13 et 5 kit wheels ! )...

also i went thru some regs in the winter that showed no up to 2 litre class for group one, but up to 2.4 or something !

as much as i would like to go to brands and come out and play, i am too competitive to enjoy going on track and being without a shout !

as the car is delayed anyhow, maybe someone could make use of a overweight bloke form good old gemany to share the cockpit in brands ?

[Al Weyman]

Sounds like you do have a bit of a problem there Carsten, without being funny it sounds like a show and exhibition car more than an actual competitive race car. Maybe just bring it over to places like Goodwood and show it off as I can't think of anywhere that is is going to be competive in that guise. Anyhow if (like me) you are a fat bloke you should be racing big yanks where weight is not so much a disadvantage :-).

Edit: Correction there could be somewhere. What about the new Class E in The Toyo Tyres Modified Production Saloons that is very very restricted. Now I know you will be up against later machinery but it is a new class at the moment and has been put in position as an overspill for the 2007 BARC Production Saloon Car Championship and to give older cars 'somewhere to race' when out of date. To boot you may also qualify for a free set of tyres! Regs here : www.rscc.co.uk

[carsten.meurer]

is that an invitation to join you in your big one al ?

i know i went a step to far preparing it that way !
i just did NOT want to cheat and use some modern illegal replacements,
or throw together a gritty old car to go cheap racing...

i wanted a gr.1 escort like it was in period ! and luckyly i have the guy who build the fastest escorts in period do the building for me !
it was build like this to have a timewarp semi pro 70s race car, nd not a hastly perpared wannabe racecar, build on some old parts.

think i will need to wait a decade or two till they become truely historic,
and then be happy that i have prepared something a long time ago...
the true historics will be restricted to fia gr1, and then there should be few truely leagal and competitive cars out there...

[Al Weyman]

is that an invitation to join you in your big one al ?

I only do single driver races and short duration ones at that (at less than 5mpg the tank ain't big enough!), it would take me half a lap to shift my bulk out the seat so just as well!:-)

[Peter Mallett]

Just a small point.

Group 1b was the FIA class.