1700T any1 had one / been in one, escort rs turbo 4x4 with 1700cc engine, mega rare... seen 1 before in hatfield (i think)

 

You mean one of these ?

http://www.rsownersclub.co.uk/car_info/esc31700t.htm

Went on to become the basis for the amazing RS200 Group B motor

 

Gartrac took the concept further, using Mk3/4 shells and Gp4 MkII running gear you get a G3 or a G4 rally car. It will take any engine up to and including a Cossie (Turbo versions can be rallied as the FWD Mk3/4 RS Turbo was homologated), they look and sound the business when used properly in the woods!

 

I seem to remember Dingy said that he had bought a Gartrac shell and was in the process of building it.

 

Dingy had a pic of his car on here, its a Mk2 shell I think. There was some pics of a red Mk2/cossie hybrid here last week too.

 

A guy in cumbria built a replica for rallying a few years back, looked and sounded awesome, not seen him or car since year 2000, Been trying to find 1 for myself but no one wants to sell.

 

Sparks

Dingy has a white MKII cossie engined thing, but he was talking about buying or has bought a Gartrac RS1700 shell (think it was red.) Can't remember the exact details

 

To my knowledge the Escort RS1700T was a prototype and never put into production. If it had, the Sierra Cosworth would probably never have been made.

 

Quite right, the RS1700T was developed by Ford as a replacement for the fantastic but ageing Group 4 Mk2 Escort RS, as a full on rear wheel drive Group B car, but never made production.

All was going well until Audi spoilt the party in 1981, turning up with the Quattro and winning gravel rallies by minutes. After this, Ford decided that 4WD was the only way to go and the project was shelved in 1982, with only several prototype cars built and much money spent. Only a couple survived, a guy called Simon Nutter used to rally one in the late 80's.

To rub salt in the wounds, Walter Rohrl won the World Championship in a RWD Ascona 400 in 1982, and Lancia won the 1983 world championship for makes in the rear wheel drive 037.

 

There was a RS1700T on display at a show I went to last year, I think it was at Donnington, it belonged to Ford rally supremo Malcolm Wilson.

 

Yes, Malcolm Wilson does own one, lucky Bleeder