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.....For such a mildly modified engine I was really impressed and I could see from the wide torque curve it wasn't going to be too difficult to drive -even I should be able to manage it.
GEARBOX
The gearbox is stock Fiesta four-speed but with a couple of mods that make all the difference to the car's performance. First it has the much lower van diff ratio, second it has an ex-Group-1 Ferguson/Ford viscose differential.
The suspension is based around a 'fast road' Bilstein conversion kit with 165lb front springs and 200lb springs on the rear. Ride height isn't lowered drastically (about one inch) since a lot of the roads used are pretty rough and you need good ground clearance - which is also why sump and fuel tank shields are fitted to the car.
Brakes are Fiesta XR2 discs up front with Mintex competition pads. Standard 1300 drums remain at the back. Brake bias is controlled by an RS bias-adjustable pedal box and there is a larger master cylinder to match the front caliper volumes. Steering is via a quick-rack and heavy duty engine mounts keep everything under the bonnet where it is supposed to be.
Wheels are 13in with Fulda Y2000+ tyres at the back (and on the front during normal road driving) but for competition the fronts are swapped for Colway Formula 2 compound tyres. Sara used to run Pirelli Corsas which worked really well but you can't get them any more so she is trying the Colways - as yet in only two rounds.
DRIVING
On the rollers I got the distinct impression that the car was lifting at the front under power and this is confirmed as you pull away - sharply. It may be that the rebound damping has seen better days on the Bilsteins so this is something to check out over the winter. But once under way it all feels good, even if the steering is a touch heavy (either it's the lower gearing of the quick rack or I need a few more Weetabix for breakfast).
When driving a strange car the first thing I like to check out is the brakes. The little Fiesta pulls up straight and the brakes are good - probably more so thanks to the much reduced weight of the car (747kg). The pedal is a touch heavy but it has good feel and I did consider adding a little more rear brake bias, but dropped the idea when I thought about the weight difference between the regular driver and myself. There's nothing worse than someone getting into your car and messing up all the seat/mirror/pedal positioning.
The next observation was the vibration at 70mph. The wheels are out of balance but Sara says that balance weights simply fly off and most of the events have such rough surface conditions that you don't notice the vibration anyway. All the same I would have them balanced with self-adhesive weights and tape them over to keep them in place. On a smooth road the out-of-balance will reduce straight line performance.
With relatively little power on hand, perhaps I've been spoilt by.....
Captions -
Top-Right - On the track: Handling is good, in fact very good says Dave. Fiesta could manage a lot more power as well, so room for improvement there
Middle-Right - Power output 94bhp max @ 5733rpm Peak torque 86lb.ft @ 5600rpm
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