Classic Ford visits the London Rally School

The London Rally School featured in the May 2007 edition of Classic Ford magazine. They have kindly allowed us to reproduce the article below and our ‘What Do You Get’ section. All of the photographs in this article are courtesy of Classic Ford and Simon Dodd Photography

Stage Rage

If you want to get properly sideways there’s nothing to beat hanging your back end out on a rally stage. We got along to the London Rally School to have a go ourselves.

Hard through the revs up the straight; first, second, into third. Right 90 bend over concrete. On the brakes, start to turn in. Front end level with the apex. Dip the clutch, haul on the handbrake. Back end comes around. Opposite lock. Power, power, power. Straighten up. Position car for the next bend. Grin like a mentalist, you’re rallying and loving every single second of it!

No sideways issue of Classic Ford would be complete without a trip out on a rally stage with a mix of Scandinavian flicks, handbrake turns and armfuls of opposite lock. So we thought we’d get along to the London Rally School just outside of Oxford to show you guys how easy it is to get all Roger Clark.

"More time spent listening to Jonnie’s spot-on instructions, and less time spent trying to get as sideways as possible for the cameras would’ve definitely meant I’d have gone faster" – Charlton

The Workshop

Old Fords, in particular Escorts, were born for the rally stage. Works RS1600s, RS200s, Mexicos, RS1800s; all ‘everyman saloons’ pumped on mechanical steroids to crush all and everything in competition with them. Back in the day, and now in historic rallying, if you wanted to win (and look bloody good while you’re doing it) these were the rallying weapons to have.

So, when we walked through the door of London Rally School’s workshop early on a freezing March morning to be confronted by three GRP4-spec MKII Escorts, we knew we were in the right place. And suddenly, we’re not noticing the cold quite so much…

As rally school cars these things get plenty of abuse. Flying up and down the school’s challenging stage day in, day out piloted by students with little or no rallying experience is a tough job. These Escorts, though, are built to take it.

Constructed to GRP4 spec they each run Pintos ranging between 160 and 190bhp. The oldest of the cars has been in action for eight years; it’s a bit bruised and scarred in places, but it’s exactly how a rally car should look. The newest of the Escorts on the other hand is just a few months old and in pristine condition. Given Charlton’s ‘creative’ driving style it was probably for the best that it wasn’t the one we’d be driving today!

Fresh Metal

The newest addition to the LRS fleet is a GRP4 MkII built as a back-up. On a typical day the guys run two cars so if one breaks this one can keep things moving. And if that did ever happen, the students on the day would be in for a treat!

Built to a higher spec than the other two, this one is MSA log-booked and will be hired out to drivers competing in historic rallying (so give LRS a ring). It runs a 2.1-litre Pinto with headwork, twin 48s, Kent cam and steel crank and is good for around 190bhp. As you’d expect with a competitive rally car it’s also running a five-linked, fully-floating Atlas, wearing AP forest callipers. Power is pointed in the right direction via a bullet box fitted with Trans-X straight-cut, close-ratio gears. Suspension-wise it’s fixed height GRP4 Billies. It’s fair to say, this is one tough machine!

Battle Scarred

After eight years of hard, sideways, rally stage driving you’d think this Pinto-powered MkII would be dead on its wheels. You’d be wrong!

In a lesser state of tune than the new car, running a 2-litre engine with a single down draught, this car was built to get the most out of LRS’s rally stage with the cog ratios being spot on to take the course on in just second and third gear.

Again, like with the new car, this one has all the GRP4 goodies fitted to give LRS students a proper taste of what a real car is like!

Crash Course

After a good poke around the LRS workshop, we got down to business. First things first we had to learn the basics that would give us the methods to get around the stage quicker and, more importantly, in one piece. So after a run through of the theory on paper we got down to our first bit of sideways action on the School’s training skid pan area. You can read more about the techniques you learn at the school in the 'What Do You Get' section of the site.

On Stage

With the basics mastered, we were unleashed onto LRS’s private rally stage to see what we could do. To start with we all had two runs up and down the stage to get to grips with the course which is completely different depending on which way you’re going!

Then, with all the bends, lines, braking points and trees to avoid hitting memorised it was competition time to see who was the fastest rally driver out of the Classic Ford team! (By the way, Jonnie completed the course in a time of 1 minute, 22 seconds).

The Verdict

The Ed: Steve 'Fish Tail' Phillips

"I’ve driven a few rally cars before, including a Chevette with the worst gear ratios for the circuit I was doing it could’ve been possible to have. This Escort though, was spot-on. It drove like a normal road car to an extent. The clutch was easy, it had a boat load of torque to pull you out of the corners when you’d let the revs drop a bit and it was so balanced I think it even made me look pretty good when I was going sideways in the corners.

Jonnie’s instructions were top notch, even though I didn’t always get to follow them – there was so much stuff going on with your eyes, feet, hands and head it turned into a bit of a blur in places, especially when the windscreen’s packed solid with muddy water and you can’t see where you’re going for a second!

Mind you, with pride at stake – well I had to show Charlton and Crossland who was boss, didn’t I? – I just kept my foot in and the steering wheel twirling all over the shop. It paid off though, even though my arms ached like buggery afterwards!"

1 min 36 seconds

Jonnie’s Comments: "Steve had good outright speed and set a pretty good time for a beginner. He could do with being tidier in the corners though, then I reckon he’d see low 1 minute 30 times."

Features Ed: Gareth 'Coaster' Charlton

"I’ve had a few experiences of honing around in MkII Escort rally cars before, and also benefited from having driven like a general hooligan for the past seven years, so figured that that would stand me in good stead. It was true to a certain extent, although I hadn’t driven on the combination of proper filthy, muddy dirt and slippier-than-ice concrete before, which made for the ultimate mix to enjoy a fully-prepped Escort rally car!

More time spent on listening to Jonnie’s spot-on instructions, and less time spent trying to get as sideways as possible for the cameras would’ve definitely meant I’d have gone faster and learned more, and would also have meant I wouldn’t have spun it quite so heroically on the concrete! But hey, it’s all about having fun, and I can’t think of anything more enjoyable that involves keeping your pants on!

Much respect has to go to Jonnie though, not only for his hints and tips, but for showing us exactly how it should be done at the end of the day – we thought we were going alright until we saw him in action!"

1 min 42 seconds

Jonnie’s Comments: "Gareth was doing well until he spun it on one of the corners. He needs to use the brake more coming up to corners as he was losing time by coasting. Good car control though."

Art Ed: Rob 'Crossed Up' Crossland

"I’d never been rally driving before, or even done a handbrake turn so I was proper fresh meat for the stage. I was pretty handy with the handbrake by the end of the day, but I had real trouble with the Scandinavian flick, ending up looking more like Abba than Timo!

I’ve got to say that Jonnie’s advice was brilliant, and it was thanks to him I didn’t spin on every corner. I’d definitely go there again – in fact, where’s my helmet, I’ll see you later…"

1 min 53 seconds

Jonnie’s Comments: "Rob needs a bit more commitment in the bends but has definitely got the ability to improve. I reckon with a bit more aggression he could get into the late 1 minute 30s no problem."