Copy of Article Text Below
This One's Mine
Neil Benney has owned his XR2 since 1989 and is so attached to it that he even rebuilt the shell when it had a roll in 1994. "It was totalled," he says, "needing a new roof, pillars and wings, but I couldn't get rid of it."
With such a comprehensive rebuild going on to the body, it would have been pointless in sticking all the old mechanicals back in. The engine was built by John Read from Carburation & Injection Tuning. It's the original crossflow, bored out to 1700 and fitted with honed 1300 pistons, a 285-2 Piper cam and Stage 4 head. Everything that spins has been lightened and balanced and there's a high pressure oil pump. Petrol is fed through twin-40s and Lumenition electronic ignition keeps the sparks fat. A Maniflow exhaust has just been fitted which added an extra 5 bhp to the 105 already recorded. The gearbox is the original four-speed with a heavy-duty clutch, and braking is handled by vented/drilled discs and original callipers (with EBC pads) at the front and standard drums at the back - proving that these XRs were tough little sods when built.
The look of Neil's car is street race without going too over the top. The bodywork is straight with no signs of the massive damage suffered in 1994 and it's never been welded due to rust. The colour is Audi quattro Metallic black with colour-coded bumpers, RS seven-spokes and four Cibie spots. The interior has Sparco buckets from Ripspeed and a full roll cage from the Roll Centre, foam-covered with fire extinguisher accessories.
Club Contacts
XR Owners' Club 01509 882300 - www.xroc.co.uk
Fiesta Club Of Great Britain 01276 35422 - www.fiestaclubgb.co.uk
Classic '80s Ford Car Club 01732 872504
Typical Prices
Competition exhaust manifold and system £170
Tuned and lowered spring kit £54.95
Five-speed gearbox fitting kit £112
Kent 234 fast road cam kit £200
Clear rear lenses £54.95 pair
EBC brake pads £27 pair
Braided hose kit (4 line) £38.72
Powerflex bush kit £205.63
Specialists
Burton Power 020 8554 2281 - www.burtonpower.co.uk
Cylinder Head Developments 01527 870472
Fibresports 01268 282723
The Fiesta Centre 01603 722333 - www.fiesta-centre.co.uk
Leda Suspension 01376 326532 - www.leda.com
MC Rallying 01983 852264 - www.mcrallying.uk.com
PJG Graphics 0116 2849911 - www.fordstripes.com
Powerflex 01895 255699 - www.powerflex.co.uk
Rally Design 01795 531871 - www.raldes.co.uk
Spax Performance Ltd 0906 3027729 - www.spaxperformance.com
Speed Shack 01895 449066 - www.speedshack.co.uk
Vulcan Engineering 020 8579 3202 - www.vulcanengines.com
Back Isuues
Nov 1999 - Mk1 XR2 buying guide
Feb 2000 - Supercharged Supersport
Aug 2000 - Rear-drive Pinto-powered Mk1 guide
Oct 2000 - Mk1 Fiesta buy and modify
Feb 2002 - Track day Mk1
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