Before anyone jumps to the Escort's defence by talking about it's rallying success I must point out that
a) Long travel suspension, pointless on a road car, made it the ideal basis for rallying.
b) You can't compare the rally cars to the road cars.
The rear springs are 100% harder than stock, the fronts are 200% harder and damper rates increased by even more. The racing rear
axles are kept at bay using essential radius arms not found on basic road cars, anti-roll bars are much heavier, and the front
suspension geometry is radically altered.
I performed most of the above upgrades on my mk2 Cortina and all I can say is that it was a completely different car entirely. You
can *make* any car handle if you change it enough. Ford's advantage was that they *did*!
Vauxhall on the other hand built the ideal suspension for the road. Hence Ford copied it completely on their most successful road
car ever, the Cortina (mk3/4/5 suspension is virtually a clone copy of the HB/HC Viva's setup but with sloppier springs/dampers to
give the usual soggy road-Ford ride).
Sid
----- Original Message -----
From: "Sid" <redliner@rockmachine.co.uk>
To: <general@vauxhallviva.com>
Sent: Friday, February 03, 2006 1:20 PM
Subject: Re: Escort Mk1 V Viva HB ??? Whats better??
>
> oops typo again I was talking about mk2 (not mk3).
>
> I've driven several mk1 & 2 Escorts and I have to say, at the risk of upsetting fellow ex-ford owners, that the mk2 in particular,
> in standard road form, had the worst body roll and "loosest" real end of almost any car I've ever driven. Only the morris Marina
> and
> mk2 cortina were worse.
> I've owned or driven just about every Ford made in that era and whilst I know they *can* be made to handle with the right
> upgrades,
> the leaf-sprung ones certainly dont do it as standard.
>
> Sid
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Sid" <redliner@rockmachine.co.uk>
> To: <general@vauxhallviva.com>
> Sent: Friday, February 03, 2006 1:00 PM
> Subject: Re: Escort Mk1 V Viva HB ??? Whats better??
>
>
>>
>> I dont know how you can say a 1.3 mk3 escort out-handles a HB/HC Viva, unless cornering on the door handles and fish-tailing out
>> of
>> every bend is what appeals to you
>>
>> My mate had that same car (well a 1.3L actually) and he couldn't get anywhere near my old HB on the bends with exactly the same
>> tyres, and whilst the top speed might just beat the Viva, god only knows how you got a stock 1.3 x-flow over the ton! Still mk2
>> excort speedos are grossly optimistic. At 85 on my HBs clock his Escort was showing 90+.
>>
>> Sid
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Dave1300GLS" <Dave1300GLS@msn.com>
>> To: <general@vauxhallviva.com>
>> Sent: Friday, February 03, 2006 12:08 PM
>> Subject: Escort Mk1 V Viva HB ??? Whats better??
>>
>>
>>>
>>> I must put my view forward as well as owning vivas and mk2 ecsorts ie 1.3GL and 1.6 sport the escort is the finest handling car
>>> of
>>> its time bar shite its rear end drift and control capabilities are unsurpassed the 1.3 escort in standard trim is faster than
>>> the
>>> 1256hc is smoother and handles infininatley better i had a standard 1.3 at 105mph. i have had my HC GLS at that speed with a
>>> nikki
>>> carb and a polish head but i still get the feeling i am gonna loose my timing chain!!!!!!. But for all my boasting of the escort
>>> my Viva HC GLS has more charm its more reliable it starts first time in sub zero temps unlike an escort its better equipped it
>>> tows better as well i tows a 14ft sprite caravan and they weighed a ton no problem the engine is a water pump it just keeps
>>> plodding so whilst i give the escort a 9.5 out of 10 my viva for all her qwerks get the 10 out of 10 and i believe my GLS with
>>> her
>>> twin headlamps and red paint is prettier than my escort in red!!. Anyway thats just my view.
>>>
>>> Dave.B
>>> HC82
>>> _________________________________________________________
>>> This email was sent from the vauxhall viva owners club forum
>>> Visit us at
www.vauxhallviva.com
>>
>>
>>
>
>
>
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