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Car Sold – New Owner Glenn’s Web Site is here

The Escort Twin cam used the Lotus Cortina trive train with S/E cams giving 115bhp from 1558cc. A close ratio four speed gearbox and uprated suspension. The cars built in Australia where from kits supplied from the UK.

They were built for a few months longer in Australia than the UK, production stopped in late 1971 in England but continued in Australia until 1972. The cars where rebadged as a GT1600’s, more in an effort to reduce insurance premiums than increase sales; it appears the Twin Cam Escort was the WRX of its day.:)

This car is almost standard, it’s missing the brake booster for some reason, but then it’s not marked on the compliance plate, has a later RS steering wheel and a lower final drive, possible a 105E rear axle.

The famous Lotus badge, this car was probably sold with a GT1600 badge on the front wings and the Lotus badge has been added to teh rear. Purists here in Australia value the ‘original’ earlier Twin Cams more than these GT1600’s, although it could be argued that a good GT1600 1972 is rarer than a 1971 Twin Cam.

The inside, from this shot it could be an Escort Mexico or any other RS Mk1 Escort, I’ll try and locate an original steering wheel.

Here’s what you’ve been waiting for, the 1588cc Lotus Developed twin cam engine. This engine was based on the pre-crossflow Ford block and at 115bhp there’s not a lot more power to be had without compromising reliability.

Interestingly the car only weighs approx 800kg so it’s not much slower off the line than my Toyota Celica GT4 which has about 220bhp but weighs nearly 1500kg’s, until it rains that is:)

Many thanks to various RS owners for helping get this information accurate, especially Danny Mischok.