I like it, I think the car has been built and presented very well. I think it's great when someone creates a vehicle that is of it's own nature. You have a couple of options when building a car, you can do the standard, proven modifications which can be done very well, at a relitivaly decent price, and look great, but it needs to be said, it isn't the most creative form of expresion, it depends on why your building the car in the first place. but the clincher is, if you want to be creative you need to be prepared to spend more money and time to create the car, something a lot of people aren't prepared to do, and if you are, well the car is going to be different!!! As for the magazine, I have to admit, i'm not really familiar with the scope of the magazine, but if they don't just feature dead standard cars, than modified cars are fine, and why should there be a limit, or set of standards set out on how the car should be modified, doesn't this go against why most of us modify cars to begin with???

Give a man a PHAT

colour is nice but wheels dont do it for me.......old skool is cool. but regardless its his car as long as he has a smile on his face everytime he drives it good on him!!

I can't believe how offended people are getting by this car. It's pretty funny.

[rant]

To all of the purists bagging this car out, you do realise that the only difference between this and your regular forest arched MK1 (body wise) is the height at the back and the wheels, so it could be worse, the owner could have hacked the sh!t out of it. Everything he's done can be reversed. Get over it.

So it's not Modena Green or Monza Red. Get over it.

[/rant]

okay guys, here's something else that you may like. VERY different and unique!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TNDkeX4sTCI&feature=related

[88]

.....YEAH RIGHT!

Just caught up on everything I missed! First up.....I'm the 'Journo in Question' and for the record I actively seek out different types of 'Classic Fords' to what is normally covered in the UK side of things.

For the record.....we (Australia) have led the way in showcasing and influencing the UK Classic Ford scene with Jap engine conversions into Escorts and Cortina's......a fact I am proud to be apart of. Our engineering skills and true blue euntrpaunalism (spelling?)is a trade mark of being an Australian.

Please do not confuse my enthusiasim for Jap engined Classic Fords as the be all and end all of my interest in the scene. I speak reguarly with the Editor of the magazine (we have been personal friends for nearly 10 years now - man I'm old!) and I am always mining him for specific vehicle requests.

Now and then I throw him a curveball, like this Mk 1, and in the past I have covered the following 'alternative' styled vehicles;

1 - Jules Mk 1 Cortina (CA18 Turbo)
2 - Stanley's Mk 2 Cortina (13B Turbo - 600hp!)
3 - Mk 2 Escort RS2000 Zetec
4 - Brenton's Rat Rod Mk 1 Cortina
5 - 351 Clev V8 Zodiac
6 - Ex-Works Australian rally Escort (thought to be lost)
7 - Sr20 Turbo 105E Anglia

....and this list from the last 8 years goes on and on. I have and always will maintain a very specific style of feature when I do something for Classic Ford....and that is to showcase OUR style...and our building techniques. Please understand that I am not adverse to 'traditional' styled Classic Fords, as this list of past features goes to show;

1 - Crossflow powered 105E Anglia circuit racer
2 - Crossflow powered Mk 2 Cortina street racer
3 - SA Dyno Day feature (not one Jap engined car!)
4 - NSW Ford cruise event
5 - TF Cortina 4.1L Drag Car
6 - 2L Pinto EFi engine Mk 1 Escort
7 - Crossflow powered Mk 2 Sedan show car
....and who could forget[;^)]
8 - Mk 1 Cortina Cossie powered Wunderwagon!

I guess when I saw this particular Mk 1 Escort I was taken back by the workmanship, and imagination that had gone into it. I like many of you live and breath cars.....not always Classic Fords. I see many many vehicles that are feature worthy, but no every car will make the Editors cut.

From a 12-month period you will usually see 4-5 Aussie feature cars.....so in the total time I have been writing for the magazine I have probably only ever shed light on 40 odd cars here in Australia - hence the reason why I like shows/events.....I get to show more of your cars!

Look my work is always up for criticism....and I always take feedback and learn from it. Now here's the bit of this post you should read - Did anyone notice that in this thread title I put a ? at the end!!! I wasn't making a statement - I was throwing it open for discussion.

Look as many many of people have reiterated....horses for courses....but there is no denying that this type of car...as in teh style it's modified in, is PURELY AN AustraliaN THING. I say we should embrace and be proud of what makes our scene unique and diverse. I for one will never build a car like this, but man I sure can pitch a tent in my pants at the sheer brilliance of the build.

Before I go....and just to add some fuel to the fire....here's some of the 'Alternative' cars I have in my 'to be featured' stash;





You all know this one.....I'll get it featured one day when the owner is ready!



4AGZE (Supercharged one!) Mk 1 Cortina Lotus replica



Clevo RS2000 Sports Sedan.....say no more

.....and finally, one that will keep this thread going for a while[;^)]





...Yes, your eye's are not deceiving you...it's a Tractor pull Escort Mk 1 windowless Panel van!

Cheers

Racin Jason

P.S. - Thanks to everyone who has posted and taken part in this thread. Healthy robust discussions keep the evolution of our scene ticking along!

P.S.S - Before I forget, I am also going to do the 'Aussie Only' feature on Australian specific Classic Fords....and am supposed to be doing it out of NSW, so if anyone see's Roy....TELL HIM TO EMAIL ME - the lazy bugger!

P.S.S.S - If you want your car featured in Classic Ford UK.....put it in the Showroom on this forum, as I'm always checking in and seeing what's new, so please show us your goods!

Good onya Jason! I see it as modern day "Hot Rodding". Was the same biatching back in the days when you would see a Ford V8 in a Generals product and vise versa. Hell.. there're plenty of Jap parts on our classic small Fords these days. Brakes, gearboxes, diff, ect.. so why not a Jap engine??

Well Said Jason

Shaun

Actually esc-078.....you just reminded me of something!

Alot of noise on this thread regarding what should and shouldn't be done with a Classic Ford, and also how we - Australia - looks inferior for using the Jap engines.

This might enlighten the nay-sayers!

For many years the UK has been a purveyor of 'alternative' engine conversions in their own right, stuffing some very dubious and eye brow raising powerplants under bonnets of Escorts, Cortinas, Capris and Anglia's.....here's a few;



Vauxhall XE twin cam - from Astra's etc



Rover V8's - From well.....Rovers!



Fiat Twin-cams from anything Italian

I guess our 'Jap' evolution is nothing really all that different and new to what they UK has been doing for many years......except we - Australia - realise the abundance of power on offer from the Jap engines.....so by using them, that makes us brilliant!

I guess if your going to get "Ped' off at the use of a Japanese engine in a Classic Ford....then the same would apply to the UK engine choices....only the fact they have been doing this for many decades now....unlike us, who have only really been using Jap engines since the early/mid 90's. That's a lot of hate.

Maybe this thread should be closed? (noticed I used the question mark there again[;^)]) Actually, it probably should stay open, and allow the free opinions of this forum be heard.

Cheers for everyone taking part

RJ

[:u]vauxhall XE [:u]

surely not thats a Holden/GM engine here [:u]

ive noticed on a lot of UK forums that they are using the 'jap' engine

on conversions more and more now

CA18s and Mazda mx5 engines for example

in fact a MK1 cortina powered by a ca18 is in the running for car of the year in classic ford magazine (UK)