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Cars and Car Conversions - Technical: Barry Lee Fiesta Handling
"Part 2 - Laying it on The Line"
May 1978
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Technical: Barry Lee Fiesta Handling




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.....A full roll cage is built ”n, and along with his sponsors (they are Duckhams, Wiggins Teape and 100+ Road Wheels), he is now ”n the position to get into competition with what he and I consider to be a very competitive addition to the Rallycross scene. By the time you have read this Terry would have received a tried and tested gearbox.

PS: Not sure if I should tell you, but Terry has been working on a new shell with space trame front. Hope to test this soon and will tell all about it.

Thought I should tell you of the first racing Fiesta, though it hurts a little as I was the first man to race a Mk 1 Escort and Mark II. Stu McCrudden is a good friend so the hurt is not quite so bad. His first race was at Silverstoneon March 1 &.

As you all well know, to do Group 1 properly takes a lot of hours, and looking at Stu's car a lot of midnight oil has been burned. I will start with the engine which is being built by David Rowe Racing (hope he uses a Burton cam). The gearbox and diff are standard. Steering rack and brakes also standard but a word about the brakes. I have just finished testing the RS big brakes for Fiesta and they are homo-logated part no: 9055040.

On the suspension, the front torsion bars have been modified to take rose joints, as have the T.C.A.s and all brackets brazed up for strength. Struts are Schrieder with modified eccentric bolts for camber adjustment and rose joints are fitted to the top of the struts. Brake hoses are of a new kind that Stu has blagged out of Astra Flex. The standard Panhard rod, in my opinion, is quite good enough for Group 1 but Stu has made up a new one, weighing twice the amount, which he has rose jointed at both ends.

What keeps the car on the road?

Well, Stu has gone for Dunlop tyres 185-530 x 13 on 100+ Internationals. He brakes through a new dual brake balance bar sel made up by Gartrack, who you know, does a lot of work for works teams. Just a note to the fitting of this pedal box; it fits to the existing pedal and crossbar, the main thing being it is very easy to fit. I shall be testing a standard car fitted with this and also more RS mods.

A roll over bar to me is very important for besides giving the driver confidence it sometimes is the one thing that saves a driver's life.

The first Fiesta Hot Rod, was seen at Wombledon, oops, Wimbledon Stadium on March 18, being driven by Jeff Ditch-burn. He has interestingly elected to use the standard suspension and brakes and has had the diff welded up.

See you at my next race meeting when I will be carrying Triple C decals. Come over and have a chat with myself or one of the team.

1300 FRONT DAMPERS
MODEL - All Except Italy -
PART NUMBER COLOUR CODE
'L', Ghia - Normal Duty 77FB-18045-AK Red/Green
Ghia - Heavy Duty 78FB-18045-AB Yellow/Blue
Sport - Normal Duty 78FB-18045-AB Yellow/Blue
Sport - Heavy Duty 78FB-18045-AB Yellow/Blue

MODEL SPRINGS PART NUMBER COLOUR CODE
'L', Ghia - Normal Duty LHD 77FB 5310 SA Brown/White
'L', Ghia - Normal Duty RHD RH 77FB 5310 SA Brown/White
'L', Ghia - Normal Duty RHD LH 77FB 5310 CC Brown
'S' and Ghia - Normal Duty LHD 77FB 5310 UA Brown/Yellow
'S' and Ghia - Normal Duty RHD RH 77FB 5310 UA Brown/Yellow
'S' and Ghia - Normal Duty RHD LH 77FB 5310 TA Brown/Blue

1300 REAR DAMPERS
MODEL - All Except Italy -
PART NUMBER COLOUR CODE
'L', Ghia - Normal Duty 77FB-18080-AL Red/Pink
Ghia - Heavy Duty 78FB-18080-CA Blue/Pink
Sport - Normal Duty 78FB-18080-AB Blue/Orange
Sport - Heavy Duty 78FB-18080-CA Blue/Pink

MODEL   PART NUMBER COLOUR CODE
'L', Ghia Normal Duty 77FB 5560 EB Blue/Yellow
'S' Normal Duty 77FB 5560 GB Green/Blue
'S' Ghia Heavy Duty 77FB 5560 FB Green/Yellow

Captions -

Top-Left - Standard front suspension
Bottom-Middle - Rear axle and Suspension. The rear suspension is fitted with uprated springs and Motorcraft adjustable shock absorbers, to provide a means of compensating for wear.