Gartrac generated the earliest associate having David Sutton who was the new manager out of Clark & Simpson who have been Ford dealers inside Sloane Rectangular, London. The cars had been mainly practical with no roll cages, however Gartrac given uprated suspension system and you can powering gear parts to the experience.
Before the beginning of the rally Dave Bignold are expected from the Ford to visit to Clark & Simpson and match rear wonder absorber turrets into Rauno Aaltonen’s Ford Escort 1850 GT. The installation was done quickly more than a week-end and you may Aaltonen’s automobile is actually prepared to participate from the rally.
Regarding the early 1970s, Gartrac changed Escort Mk1 bodyshells to possess Clark & Simpson inside London
Brand new London – Mexico Community Mug rally been at Wembley Arena from inside the London area to your April nineteenth 1970 covering everything sixteen,000 kilometers thanks to European countries and South america and you can completing for the Mexico Town on may 27th 1970. The big event was really profitable to possess Ford that have Hannu Mikola and you will Gunnar Palm effective the fresh new rally and you may Rauno Aaltonen and you will Henry Liddon completing 3rd.
Gartrac went on development parts to the Escort Mk1 rally automobiles. In the early seventies several other famous winnings try Hannnu Mikkola and you can Gunnar Palm’s 1972 Safari Rally victory regarding Escort RS 1600. The pair perform simply take an earlier direct which they never lost and you will became the initial low-African crew to win the fresh East African Safari Rally.
70s – The new Work Escort Mk2
This type of changes was mainly fitting surprise absorber turrets, material ripple arches and reworking axle’s. Gartrac would tailor dos-3 bodyshells weekly for many decades.
Gartrac try expanding inside the profile as well as the pure number of performs suggested that they wanted to change from the small workshop into the Farnham, Surrey. It easily receive yet another larger working area inside Godalming, Surrey, helping them to accept far more personnel, and as a result its productivity increased substantially.
Ford got only introduced the fresh new Escort Mk2 and you can realised Gartrac’s rapid growth. Ford wanted a manufacturing business that’ll produce Escort Mk2 bodyshells and bits for their work rally group.
They wanted the fresh Mk2 bodyshells is similar having a package away from parts that installing all vehicle; it was false into the Mk1. For every drivers’ auto mechanic would have their particular notion of a knowledgeable answer to build a vehicle, meaning no several cars certainly are the exact same. This brought about dilemmas when maintenance the vehicles towards the incidents, because the bits don’t fit widely.
New works Escort Mk1 bodyshells had been fabricated by Gomm Material Improvements. These types of shells were gas welded otherwise nickel bronzed which set higher temperatures and you will be concerned on issue, which resulted in distortion and you will strength difficulties. Ford desired the Escort Mk2 to get welded with the brand new mig welding process. Gartrac ended up being playing with mig welders for some time and therefore helped safe a first acquisition for five bodyshells becoming brought to their particular requirements.
Gartrac properly completed the transaction and you can Ford are therefore proud of the grade of the fresh new craftsmanship it immediately contracted Gartrac to help you entirely create Escort Mk2 bodyshells to the work team.
Ford along with accredited Gartrac to make pieces that would standardise the latest mechanic’s create procedure. They fabricated a big group of bits for example axle’s, distance rods, pedalboxes, strength tanks and you may oil tanks and you can suspension system components.
Gartrac got a no cost rule during the time to provide suggested statements on exactly how Ford makes the vehicles best in addition they adopted the information slightly readily given that trucks was indeed become quicker, stronger and reputable.
The fresh new designs was in fact switching all round the day. Gartrac tends to make changes to the axle adjust grip, Ford create next upgrade illustrations to add the alterations. They’d upcoming generate some other distinctions to possess Tarmac and you may Forest applications. An equivalent process was used to grow the rest like the brand new engine crossmembers, sump protect sets, pedalboxes and suspension parts.