1972 Ford Escort RS 1600 1.8 Litre MkI

1972 Ford Escort RS 1600 MkI in Ford on Safari: East African Safari 1972, Documentary, 1972

Class: Cars, Racecar — Model origin:

Vehicle used a lot by a main character or for a long time

Comments about this vehicle

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dsl ◊ 2015-02-24 21:19	Ford entered 4 newly-built RS 1600 1.8 Litre cars RWC 455K-458K, plus a slightly older car REV 119K. #7 RWC 455K Hannu Mikkola/Gunnar Palm (black and white Shell livery) - winners, shown above with Dickie Davies (TV commentator who presents the film and does the commentary). The first EAS victory by non-African drivers, so huge publicity result. 455K was immediately retired and became a Ford show car. Eventually sold on and went through various collections - https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/17258/lot/364/ - and still out there in someone's heated garage - https://www.flickr.com/photos/homer----simpson/5512133795/ . #2 RWC 456K Timo Makinen/Henry Liddon (white and red Embassy livery) - finished 8th after mechanical problems. Various other 1972 events - all retired apart from winning Ypres 12 Hours (Staepeelaere/Aerts). #9 RWC 457K Jogindher Singh/Sembi (black and white Shell livery), retired - which was sad because it broke his record of 13 consecutive finishes (including winning in 65 in Volvo PV 544 and 2nd in 1969 in this Volvo 142S, but he had some consolation by winning again in 1976 in a Mitsubishi Lancer. 457K only appeared in one other event as works car - 1972 Acropolis, Mikkola/Liddon, retired. #14 RWC 458K Vic Preston Jnr/Bev Smith (black and white Shell livery), finished 3rd. Stayed in Africa for Preston to use in local events until sold off by factory in mid-73. #21 REV 119K Robin Hillyar/Mark Birley (white and red Annabels livery), finished 4th. Hillyar was experienced Kenyan EAS driver - including 1969 win in Taunus 20M P7B - but now living in Southend in Essex, and this seems to have been a bit of a last minute entry with 42-year old Marcus Oswald Hornby Lecky Birley who was owner of London night club Annabels. 119K had been used on 72 Monte (Piot/Todt) to finish 5th and later won 1972 Scottish (Mikkola/Cardno), after which Ford sold it to Birley "who had such happy memories of it on the Safari"; I can't find any other reference to Birley's rally career, so seems just this one playboy adventure. A lot of these captures reused elsewhere in documentaries - eg /vehicle_238891-Ford-Escort-RS-1600-1972.html (comments) - especially Mikkola's car. #7 RWC 455K #2 RWC 456K #9 RWC 457K #14 RWC 458K #21 REV 119K

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Message

dsl

◊ 2015-02-24 21:19

Ford entered 4 newly-built RS 1600 1.8 Litre cars RWC 455K-458K, plus a slightly older car REV 119K.

#7 RWC 455K Hannu Mikkola/Gunnar Palm (black and white Shell livery) - winners, shown above with Dickie Davies (TV commentator who presents the film and does the commentary). The first EAS victory by non-African drivers, so huge publicity result. 455K was immediately retired and became a Ford show car. Eventually sold on and went through various collections - https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/17258/lot/364/ - and still out there in someone's heated garage - https://www.flickr.com/photos/homer----simpson/5512133795/ .

#2 RWC 456K Timo Makinen/Henry Liddon (white and red Embassy livery) - finished 8th after mechanical problems. Various other 1972 events - all retired apart from winning Ypres 12 Hours (Staepeelaere/Aerts).

#9 RWC 457K Jogindher Singh/Sembi (black and white Shell livery), retired - which was sad because it broke his record of 13 consecutive finishes (including winning in 65 in Volvo PV 544 and 2nd in 1969 in this Volvo 142S, but he had some consolation by winning again in 1976 in a Mitsubishi Lancer. 457K only appeared in one other event as works car - 1972 Acropolis, Mikkola/Liddon, retired.

#14 RWC 458K Vic Preston Jnr/Bev Smith (black and white Shell livery), finished 3rd. Stayed in Africa for Preston to use in local events until sold off by factory in mid-73.

#21 REV 119K Robin Hillyar/Mark Birley (white and red Annabels livery), finished 4th. Hillyar was experienced Kenyan EAS driver - including 1969 win in Taunus 20M P7B - but now living in Southend in Essex, and this seems to have been a bit of a last minute entry with 42-year old Marcus Oswald Hornby Lecky Birley who was owner of London night club Annabels. 119K had been used on 72 Monte (Piot/Todt) to finish 5th and later won 1972 Scottish (Mikkola/Cardno), after which Ford sold it to Birley "who had such happy memories of it on the Safari"; I can't find any other reference to Birley's rally career, so seems just this one playboy adventure.

A lot of these captures reused elsewhere in documentaries - eg /vehicle_238891-Ford-Escort-RS-1600-1972.html (comments) - especially Mikkola's car.

#7 RWC 455K