Gartrac made the earliest associate having David Sutton who was simply new manager away from Clark & Simpson who have been Ford dealers into the Sloane Rectangular, London area. The cars was indeed mainly important no move cages, yet not Gartrac provided uprated suspension system and you will running equipment components towards the skills.

Right before the beginning of brand new rally Dave Bignold is actually requested by the Ford traveling as much as Clark & Simpson and match butt amaze absorber turrets on the Rauno Aaltonen’s Ford Escort 1850 GT. Installing the device was complete quickly more a week-end and you may Aaltonen’s auto was happy to contend about rally.

Regarding early seventies, Gartrac changed Escort Mk1 bodyshells getting Clark & Simpson into the London

The London area – Mexico Community Glass rally come from the Wembley Arena for the London area into April nineteenth 1970 coating everything sixteen,000 miles the sites owing to European countries and you will South america and you will finishing inside the Mexico Town on may 27th 1970. The event is actually really winning to have Ford that have Hannu Mikola and Gunnar Palm profitable the fresh rally and you may Rauno Aaltonen and you will Henry Liddon completing 3rd.

Gartrac proceeded developing bits to your Escort Mk1 rally cars. During the early 1970s another greatest win is actually Hannnu Mikkola and you may Gunnar Palm’s 1972 Safari Rally earn about Escort RS 1600. The pair create need a young head which they never ever destroyed and you can turned into the initial non-African staff in order to win the fresh East African Safari Rally.

70s – The brand new Functions Escort Mk2

These types of variations had been primarily fitting amaze absorber turrets, material ripple arches and you will reworking axle’s. Gartrac create modify 2-step 3 bodyshells a week for many age.

Gartrac are expanding into the reputation while the pure number of work required that they needed to change from its brief working area inside the Farnham, Surrey. It quickly discover yet another large workshop for the Godalming, Surrey, helping them to deal with a lot more professionals, and as a result the productivity became drastically.

Ford had only brought out the newest Escort Mk2 and you can realized Gartrac’s fast gains. Ford needed a fabrication organization which could produce Escort Mk2 bodyshells and you will parts for their functions rally team.

It need this new Mk2 bodyshells become identical with an equipment of parts one fitting all of the car; it was incorrect with the Mk1. For every drivers’ auto mechanic could have their idea of the best answer to create a motor vehicle, definition no two cars are the same. It brought about troubles when servicing the cars with the situations, due to the fact pieces failed to match widely.

The latest functions Escort Mk1 bodyshells have been fabricated by the Gomm Metal Advancements. These shells were gasoline welded or nickel bronzed hence set great temperatures and fret towards question, which triggered deformation and strength difficulties. Ford desired the latest Escort Mk2 becoming welded utilizing the the newest mig welding process. Gartrac was actually having fun with mig welders for a while and that aided safe an initial order for five bodyshells become brought on their specific specs.

Gartrac properly completed the transaction and Ford are so proud of the standard of the newest design it instantaneously developed Gartrac so you can only build Escort Mk2 bodyshells into the performs cluster.

Ford plus accredited Gartrac to produce parts that would standardise new mechanic’s generate processes. They fabricated a big gang of pieces such axle’s, distance rods, pedalboxes, power tanks and you may oil tanks and you may suspension areas.

Gartrac received a free leadership at that time to offer suggested statements on how Ford could make the cars better and adopted their guidance some conveniently since the automobiles had been to be shorter, more powerful and a lot more reputable.

The fresh new designs were changing from day to night. Gartrac will make adjustment to the shaft to evolve grip, Ford manage upcoming posting illustrations to add the alterations. They’d then produce other variations to have Tarmac and Forest applications. An identical techniques was utilized to develop the rest instance the latest motor crossmembers, sump secure sets, pedalboxes and you may suspension system pieces.