Frank often has his daughter, Lauren as co-driver, you can hear her voice on a few occasions through the video. I believe she also edits and produces the video's for public consumption. Looks like some of the dirt footage was filmed in New Zealand when Frank shipped the car over there a few years ago for a few rallies.
Yes, they did that alot with the mantas asconas, chevettes and escorts in the late 70s and 80s. Many good brittish drivers in general on these narrow tarmac roads like Birty Fisher, Russel Brookes, Tony Pond and Jimmy Mcrae.
@@vintageman91 100% i was watching the 1992 circuit of Ireland rally and in the clip is a young Alastair Fisher a man today on top of his game and a brilliant driver,but between the irish tarmac championship and the british rally championship there are still some great drivers there
Escort is beauty and other back thruster i like is ascona opel. Will get one of those in future with all fn hilavitkuttimet on it to get that doorhandle on first at the turns.
The escort is still the best ever Rally car in my opinion. My first car was a baby blue one circa 1985. I loved going to the rallies. Ireland has got to be the best place in the world for rally sports and motorcycle road racing.
He was a great escort driver.I was watching Simon before I found frank kelly.It was a link from Simon's video that I found frank.Both great escort drivers they make it look easy.But with that much power in an escort they are so easy to spin.
Frank is a legend over here, always putting a show on and giving the crowds a smile. The videos you're watching are over several years, at a guess I'd say the earliest engine was probably around 230-240hp and the most recently is the 2.5 Millington diamond engine producing over 320 bhp. The sound of these in person is honestly jizz worthy 😂 They travel to events all around the world and his current co-driver is his daughter.
He is using the scandinavian flick a lot, If you want to turn right, you turn left a bit, then you counter streer back to the right, the rear of the car shifts fast and lose grip, then you drift the hell out of the curve, fast way to turn on any surface, and this Frank is a master at this, love your reaction vids man!
@@miklis203 Actually no... What we learned in Cars, was countersteer. In fact, I don't remember McQueen ever using scandinavian flick in any of the 3 movies.
Rally's "Scandinavian Flick" is the true forfather to Drifting as we know it. Unfortunately it does not explain why some people swing wide before a U-Turn at lights🤨
The engine is a 2.5ltr Millington, 355BHP and 270 Ft LB torque. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-cWELNJXUgdI.html in this vid it destroys his 435 BHP Ford Mustang road car.
Mk2 escort flat front. This was the mark that spawned the RS1800 & RS2000 droop snoop fronts The RS1800 being the gold standard for rally in this era. But this Escort is maybe running a 2lt DOHC ( double overhead cam ) maybe bored out to 2.1 With twin Weber carbs. Much more modern quick shift gear box ( obvs ) rear diff used to be the same as the 3lt S Capri ran. Who knows what else, it’s an absolute beast. But we had all sorts of rally bits on our early 80’s fords. Spax shocks, K&N filters, revolution wheels, road Yokohama tyres, Janspeed or peco straight through exhausts, kenlow fans. You could easily tweek them up ( maybe not a burton or cosi lump ) but you could coax a few extra HP, they really were hugely apart, but we didn’t think so, just strip away some of the comforts Carbs normally twin 40’s maybe 45’s gave that great sucking noise and at least one panel in grey primer . Oh the days of our Yoof
Awesome vid. There’s a couple good ones where they do a split screen comparison with Frank’s Escort and Paolo Diana’s Alfa powered Fiat. Both very cool cars and very cool drivers. Frank has also done some videos on the engine 👍
Mark 1, mark 2 escorts were awesome little cars and the mark 3 XR3I, RS Turbo and mark 4 cosworths were great too. Escort cossie was my dream car for years. But you had to be rich to afford them, not for the price of the car but insurance was usually more than the price of the car lol
Frank is amazing in the Escort mk2. Please look into Simon McKinley in his white Escort mk2. Sadly we lost him years ago. No doubt Frank is one of the best in the Escort. But for me, Simon was the goat.
I believe he have a Millington 2.4 L 16V engine, its a beast. And yeah he is a good driver for sure. I been driving myself for about 20 years ( in Sweden ) and its just awsome.
It sounds like a Cosworth BDA engine. But on steroids. These are nearly fifty years old now. 1600 or 1800 double overhead cam Belt Driven Assembly (BDA) four cylinder. These escorts and the Mark ones before them dominated rally in the 70s. With the modern sequential gearbox this one has they would have been untouchable. Wow! Thanks for posting this Ian.
As the Great Roger Clark said, when rallying the Escort back in the day, "I always felt that if I'm not looking out of the back window, I'm reasonably under control" Frank is obviously the same. Brilliant driving Frank!
im trying to remember who said the quote 'you know you are going fast when theres dead flies on the side windows'............might have been walter rohrl
I remember an RAC rally clip of Roger and his co-driver going down a long straight forest road "90 degree left x distance ahead, it's slippery through here Roger...Roger it's slippery through here..."(car crests rise and goes straight ahead sliding through fence...)"Oohhhhhh ROGER!!!"
If you want to see another nutter in the world of rally check out the 'm for martyn Jones' video. The guy drives a little 1400 nova like an absolute maniac, routinely finishes in the top 5 overall against far more powerful machines. A masterpiece of getting a huge amount of speed out of a nimble, lightweight, underpowered car.
Really great championship the irish one! But why we french hit 17 of 18 last WRC titles? ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-cPzcihPq3mk.html late 90's quality, but 2l kitcars were almost as good as group B. If you never seen a 306 maxi 1m of you 11000rmp, just say nothing.
Mk2 is fun but in terms of looks i think the Mk1 Mexico is the best looking classic escort ,call me crazy but id take that Mk1 over any ford from Merica. People wet themselfs for a Mustang but for me the Mk1 & the Cortina (ok the Lotus is better ) are some of the best.
Seems to me that you don't know about of you enter a sharp turn with a really car, you always do a opposite turn first to set up the car, to throw it around the turn - a.k.a. the Scandinavian Flick. You've actually done something very similar your entire life without realising it - when ride a bicycle, and want to go to the left, completely subconsciously, you actually turn to the right first, then to the left. This is to shift the balance of the bike. If you went straight left, you would fall over.
This is what happens when Kelly gets it wrong. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-GVyyu77lRhs.html Simon McKinley wasn't so lucky, but at least he wasn't driving his Escort at the time. RIP.
The Finns and Scandinavians were the absolute masters of the Ford Escorts back in the 80's Notably Ari Vatanen, Bjorn Waldegard, and the boss of them all Hannu Mikkola
Currently in the market for one of these cars, a MK2 Escort.......... but the prices will make you weep. My 1st car was a Mk2 1.3l (wish I kept it). Seen them going for £15k for a bog standard and up to £200k for an ex rally one............... crazy money
Engine is a 2.5 litre 4 cylinder Millington Diamond racing engine. It pushes out over 300hp in a super light racing chassis making for an interesting drive!
All of those clips are just from the Irish rally series. Good few are from the Donegal rally thats held every year in the north east of the island. Its a spectacle to behold. I raced against Frank back then when I was pro-am driving to ProDrive in a MK2, most of them have a 2lt Cosworth 4 banger that will rev all the way to 9000rpm. Serious bit of kit like. Couldn't meet a more down to earth bloke than Frank but by God was he a savage savage driver.
So Frank Kelly is an Irish rally god and always go's full send, his car Baby Blue is maybe the most well known and famous Mk2 escort out there. Running a Millington Diamond engine, a 4 cylinder, 16 valve naturally aspirated unit making around 350bhp with a 10,000 rpm red line (don't expect any change out of £50-60k for one running with all the good stuff under the hood) through a 6 speed sequential gearbox to the rear wheels. He still competes, but most of the time (with his daughter now on the notes) he can be seen doing invitational rallys all over the world. His driving style (on the edge of control) has won him a place in the hearts of rally fans the world over.
there is a set of videos showing the building of "Baby Blue" the car /if you listern his daughter co drives with him/please watch more Welsh and Irish rallying
You should definetely react to some rallying by Józef Beres, he drove an Audi Quattro S1 E2, the sound is amazing, if you look him up on youtube you can find some amazing roadside and onboard videos of him driving!
Counter turning before entering the corner is called the scandinavian flick. Named because the crazy Finns invented that in the early 70s. It is to transfer the weight for max grip while sliding. This way is faster in a rwd vehicle if you can really drive. These usually has either modded Duratec engines from late ish fords, modified, or Warrior engines which is twin cam Pinto based engine. (Pinto looks like a Lima engine fitted to a lot of US sold Ford as Capri, Thunderbird among a few, but it is different in nearly all of the parts). I also recomend to watch late Simon McKinley in his Escort Mk2. He drove way wider than this chap and at full power at all times. You will not belive what you are gonna watching, that's for sure! Like you channel! Cheers from Norway!
It’s a 2.5ltr Millington Engine with 6 speed quaife sequential gear box & differential. It’s also has a full FIA welded in roll cage & 6 point seats and seat belts. I think he runs Reiger suspension & cooper tyres or whoever sponsors him in a season Obviously It’s a Mk2 Ford escort shell. Ireland have some of the best examples of Mk2 rally cars in the world and their really suited to the ITRC 🇮🇪 ☘️
It would be interesting if you reviewed Kimi Räikkonens performance after his race at Watkins Glen 21 August later this year. There will probably be a pretty huge audience from Scandinavia watching that race and we know nothing about Nascar here but we all love to watch Kimi race. I really like your Rally video reactions, the Scandi flick he does in almost every corner is really useful during winter in Sweden, saved me a few times. I've been a spectator myself at the Swedish rally a few times. And you better step away when that car comes flying by since they wont let off the throttle even if you are on the road (: Spectators also serve as first responders if the drivers crash. First you check that driver and co-driver is ok then you flip them over if they are upside down and help them back on the road to continue. I don't get why Rally aint a big thing in USA but you had fast 1/4mile cars when we had small cars more suited for tight corners here in Europe so different interests I guess.
Look into the driver Georg Plasa. He drove insane BMWs with Judd V8 Engines. Judd makes heritage F1 engines and stuff like that, so these cars are just insane. He raced alot of european hillclimbs with those beasts and there are multiple videos about him and the cars. He's a legend, may he rest in peace
First gen Mk1 Escort ran a 1.6 Ltd twin cam 8 valve engine designed by Lotus this was then replace by the legendary Cosworth BDA series start with a 1.6 ltr twin cam 16 valve with the final version bored out to 2.0 ltr with about 275 bhp in the last gen works Mk2 Escorts. There have been far to many tweaks and evolutions from the Mk1 through to the Last WRC winning cars .this was a car every teenager in the late 70's through to the 80's the Escort is a legend in the UK and Ireland. Just like Lancia is to Italians or Audi to Germans . This very modern Mk2 Escort is part of the legendry Irish Tarmac Championship were a whole host of crazy RWD cars are still used that have long been out of competition in the WRC . These car are running very modern engines and drive systems and suspensions. The choice engine is now the Millington 2.5 ltr normally asperarated engine that can produce from 325 to 355 bhp with 245 to 255 LBs -ft Torque a figure only dreamed of back at the end of the Escorts WRC life in 1984 I think was when the Escort could no longer be used in most official rally though the car was still the main stay of Club rallying well into the 90's . There was a point were old cars could be picked up for a few 1000 pounds 2nd hand even BDA cars could be found for 4000 pounds .my cousin picked up a AAA rally championship Mk1 for about 3000 pounds ok that was still a lot of money back then. Just basically a RS 2000 spec so single overhead cam eight valves much built to Stage 3 spec bored out to 2.1 ltr balanced and all the rest of the stage 3 bits . Twin 50 carbs she put out about 190 Bhp on a good day. Everythjng stripped to the minimum bar the seat and safty items . Proberly talk about 800 kg dry . That thing was a missile 50 mph in first gear and 130 max 60 in about 6 sec which was quick in 1988 still we wanted to take it rallying but like all motorsports it is expensive , he move down to the south of the UK with his then Girlfriend and the car was later sold and I now live in Northern Germany , we were both crazy rally fans back then the Escort has a special place in my Heart along with Lancia's cars and the Quattro . These days to you would have not much change from 100.000 pounds or Euros to buy a genuine Mk1 or MK2 Rally version in original spec . In fact the Escort is still so popular that a guy in Wales builds completely new Mk1 and Mk2 RS spec Escorts using both original BDA series engines or modern production series Ford engine like the Eco tech 1.6 and 2.0 ltr power units tuned to the same spec or above as the original cars with all the advantages of modern power units . You can spec the interior full rally spec with all the safty items or basically anything you want. If you are really crazy you can run those Millington engine from 2.5 through to 2.8 ltrs and his prices are not to steep for a basic 2.0 ltr spec with 275 bhp is a lot cheaper than buying an original car.
G'day, you may see a DMS sticker on Kelly's Escort, Jamie Drummond Motor Sport. Sadly killed in a vehicle crash at Wangaratta. His suspension development and production workshop was here at Wodonga. He exported internationally. Many names from way back when, Peter Glover/Suzie Wiseman, George Fury/Monty Suffern etc, etc. I service crewed on Glover's B F Goodrich Rally and off-road Escort. Some of the best times of my life. Scandinavian flick does need the front/rear brake bias adjusted correctly. Watch Ari Vatanen Black Escort! Escorts are supreme at throttle steering as opposed to conventional steering input! Cheers, Kel.
The mk2 Escort was so easy to slide around, I had a 2.0 RS in the eighties, never felt out of control. Sadly only had the SOHC engine, not the Lotus/Cosworth DOHC that this guy would be running. They all came with a great gearbox too, short positive shifts, good syncro's, and handled a lot of power.
The rs2000 group 4 car, was using a dual overhead cam, 4cyl, 2l BDG engine producing about 250-270 bhp. The BDG engine is an evolution of the BDE, a formula 2 engine. It weighs about 980 kg, uses a 5speed ZF gearbox and a ZF Limited sleep differential.
That’s powered by a 2.5 Millington Diamond engine 350+BHP, 6 speed Samsonas sequential gearbox, not sure on the diff and I’m fairly sure it’s significantly lighter than 980kg
Good old Scandinavian flick. There's a few vids out there on how to do it. Here's a few more drivers to look for highlights on: Kimi Räikkönen Colin McRae Tommi Mäkinen Peter Solberg
The navigator's job is very hard . You have keep calm , read out the pace notes clearly, be able to keep your head down and read the pace notes without throwing up , keep on the distance meter (reads down to 10 metres) reset the meter for turns etc , read out instructions for 2 or 3 turns ahead, withstand the bumps and g-forces while keeping the driver under control.
The Ford Escort RS and Fiat Abarth 131 were the rally cars of the 70s after the almost-prototype Alpine A110 and the Lancia Stratos were retired. The Stratos could've won until the Group B started in '82 but Fiat had other ideas for marketing.
Hardest bit of that car build was getting the drivers and navigators balls in through the doors and then finding somewhere for them in the cabin..........
These little escorts used to win all the time due to power wait ratio They run 4 cycler cos worth racing engine Cos worth used rally to improve the engines high revving engine where it developed most of its power As you see hand full as only rear wheel drive 5 speed gear box This is late 70s early 80s model If you go back further there are earlier escort that these where based of they where alot rounder oval shaped head light I think they maybe early 70s and was just as successful They flick car to wash off speed at latest as possible to get maximum speed through corner and revs up to use power slide they work on under steer and over steer due to rear will drive Speed way uses similar principles like sprint car very short wheel base with 800 to 1000 horse power under their foot Rally lost a bit after going 4 wheel drive faster but not as much spectacular as 2 wheel drive being flicked around Like you see driver working extremely hard to control vehicle The biggest key to Rally is the tyre's and pressure for what type of surface in Oz one of the harder to drive on going by drivers interviews Drivers say the stones are round like marbles which makes it very hard to control Every country the gravel has different textures and it alters grip why different types of tyre's depending on surface It was also where they developed alot of shocker rebound and suspension information for other motor sport Alot of technology came from Rally to other motor sports
The female co driver is Lauren Frank’s daughter. Apart from competing in Ireland Baby Lue has done events all over Europe and even been to Austrakia and New Zealand
Kelly is a legend! Highly recommended checking out more of him. The ford escort was very much the "mustang" of the british isles. Everyones dad had one and people loved racing the fast ones. Check out the Escort Mexico, if youre interested in the cars themselves! Edit: plenty of old boys still modifying them too, carbon floors etc..
Frank Kelly's a spectacular driver. Very fast and always the showman. Met him in 2018 Donegal. Absolutely drunk as a skunk! He was rallying the dah after :D Another driver you should check out is the now departed Simon McKinley. RIP
Having known Frank personally for over 20 years I can personally guarantee you he wasn’t drunk …..in fact he has never touched alcohol in his entire life
This guy sure knows how to do a Scandinavian flick. I think the rally escort was powered by a 4 cylinder engine tuned by cosworth.You can check out collin McRae. This guy is very crazy and does not even use brakes. Ken block's gymkhana 3 too is bonkers.
the village i grew up in wales uk had a rally club and after school and weekend i used to help out working on the rally cars mainly ford escorts and got to go to rally stages with the marshalls but the best part at the end of the day being with the rally club i got to go round the stage in a rally car there is no feeling like it love your channel keep up the great work
Before Audo Quattros and four wheel drive came on the scene, back in the 60's and 70's even into the 80's, the Mk1 and Mk2 Escorts dominated Rally for years. The Mk2 was basically a Mk1 in a more squared/angulared body, (basically the same floorpan/chassis) which was the fashion for car body styling in the early 80's. You'll also find that our Escorts, the mk3 in particular, look nothing like the US one that you posted in your pic. You might like this though. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-IEc8lsFRYUs.html
I had a mate in the mid-80s over here who had a fully imported Euro-spec RS2000 Escort. He'd made further mods, including a custom LED dashboard (he was an electronics geek), and had fat low-profile tyres before they were cool as well as competition suspension. He took me for a run one night and threw 180 handbrake turns at 100kmh, and drove it like a race ca around town for a while. It was an angry little beast of a 2-door. He went on a holiday and asked me to look after his pride and joy...and I did...until temptation got the better of me and I took it for a drive. Holy shitballs Batman! I flogged this thing. It was a magnet to the road and had no discernable body roll and was very quick. On the way home I took the t-junction corner at about 60kmh. It was slightly off-camber and I got a bit of understeer, hit the gutter, and destroyed one of his $250 rims. I got it home, changed out the spare, and left the busted rim in the boot. Of course, when he got home he inspected the car, saw that there were more miles on the odometer, and proceeded to go right over the car...and found the rim...yeah, he wasn't happy...
That was my first car! A Ford Escort RS2000 with a 2.0ltr and 110HP. Rear Drive and very light weighted... I LOVE IT - and so did rust :/ I still love to see this cars somewhere or in rallye vids. Thanks for showing!!!
Frank’s engine is a 2.5l Diamond Millington unit based on the Cosworth BDG units the original grp4 cars used. It’s putting out about 345hp and 265ft/lbs torque driving through a 6 speed sequential gearbox that in itself is a thing of beauty. You should also check out Simon McKinley RIP and his white escort hillclimb / sprint car. He was equally nuts as Frank is and his car control was sublime 👌
My father was rallying mk1 Ford escorts with 2litre lotus twin cam engines in the equivilent of the wrc rally uk, in the early 1970's (finishing as the highest privateer entry, and entry in the guineas book of records). The school run could be a lot of fun.
