Brian Betteridge, who owns the white RS1700t, was kind enough to let my son have a sit in it last year at a local motorsport show. Don't think my son realised at the time exactly how rare the car was.
I remember loving that blue escort when I did my paper round in the 80’s. It was parked on the drive of a normal semi detached house. Only saw it drive off once. Very happy 12 year old. I was into rally and rally cross back then and knew that the blue escort was rear wheel drive and very special.
Could that have been where John Wheeler lived, who was the engineering genius behind the Rs1700T, RS200 and Escort cosworth as I've read that he quite literally took his work home with him?
Ohhhh WOW! To have found this unique car. You will never see one ever again. To know that this is the one and only road going RS 1700T is unbelievable. A 💯 real gold gem
This was the only road version made and a big name F1 driver once owned it . Brian Betteridge "legend" has the prototype rally one , offered over a million from the ford heritage museum and refused it . He has a super rare RS200 road version without the iconic reb bucket seats seen in every other RS200 as well . He won the British Rallycross in his 1700t , the only rwd car in the championship against the group B 4x4 cars . Amazing driver and so down to earth .
Thank you! I remember when it was launched and then cancelled. I am even nearly angry at Stuart Turner. Recently I saw an interview where John Wheeler claimed they could have done the RS1700T 4WD but Turner did not want that, so they started again from scratch, delaying their WRC return further. Even though the RS200 is gorgeous, the R1700T is even more beautiful to my mind!
I bought a 90 gt in the usa with a 1.9 and it had a turbo. Was my all time favorite car, wish i kept it but im told tgose didnt come turbo from the factory and i live in maine so i just cant see someone building it especially back then but man was it cool! Looked pretty close to that one too actually, same wheels for sure...
This was owned by a chap called Brian Bell in 1989/1990 in Skegness. It had a price tag of £100,000 on the windscreen. I didn't know what it was at the time
How rare ! I love to see how we progressed to today’s cars , sadly with electric being forced down our throats imo these cars are priceless ! Thanks for sharing it . I love my 83 xr3 I in captain blue oh the memories back in the day 🙏🏻👍🏻😉
There was.....a white one, if original or not it was rear wheel drive, parked outside a fish and chip shop in Weston-Super-Mare around 1998, Weston Cruise used to be every last Sunday of the Month and there would literally be a dozen Series 1 Turbo in a cue driving throughout the town together, it was immense back then when blokes where building Dimma Kit Mercedes Kompressor modified Peugeot 205 and Sapphire Cosworth P100, exact Touring car replicas, I remember going on Holiday to the Lake District and a dozen metal flake painted Orion's and R5 turbo....cars may be a little faster now but by far you just don't see them like you used to
There’s was a couple in South Africa one has now moved to America and obvs Brian’s car ,first seen this car when I was a young lad in Skeggy before Mr Bell sold it to Malcom unbelievable just incredible JB Purchase automotive/Astute Assess & Collect
Chelmsford, nearest registration office to Ford research at Basildon, learnt that from the auto shenanigans guy, nice video too, thanks, by coincidence (just noticed the car is a Y reg) my school was on the ‘82 Lombard RAC rally.
It might be a coincidence, though. Clearly a Chelmsford reg marker. But I remember on the RS1700T the first test cars were WVW 100W & WVW 101W and the next two being registered in the X-year were DVW 420X and DVW 421X. But absolutely fascinating car!
I wish there could be a kit made to bring your model up to this spec, as a sort of rally replica. It's sad that these will be lost in time to all but the one owner.
My first car was a Mk3 1.3 L......looking at the RS1700T.....I don't think I've ever seen another car I would so much like to drive.......that car must be amazing but the turbo lag probably keeps you guessing.
There's an old photo that shows this car, a red one and two in plain white. I always thought that the red one was still around, but obviously not. But what happened to the other cars? Were they scrapped, or converted to full rally cars or rally cross cars then written off?
I’m a bit pissed off now I just bought a mk3 escort ghia but it looks crap after seeing this monster ! That looks fast parked ! I absolutely love the wheel arches and side skirts that’s how they all should have been . What a beauty…..Nice car 👍
@@heavyt749 thanks man , I’m not sure if it’s actually gonna be going just yet lol it’s been in a garage and not touched since 1993 ! But I’m hoping it’ll go with a bit of love it’s amazingly immaculate bodily and only has 54k and one owner so I think I’m pretty lucky ..fingers crossed cheers 👍
@@chiefrocka8604 Gartrac , yes that's right , they did do a shell kit for the MK3 , I priced it at 4k ISH back in the late 80's , fitted to a bare shell . Which then gave you the base for a rallycross escort .
@@dannygamble7033 There was an Indian guy in redhall Cresent Edinburgh that had a red zakspeed rs 3.1 Capri it only just fitted down the alleyway as it was so wide 😄. I wonder where it is now ??
For the comments saying how many there are there was 18 prototypes about half was scrapped and some sent to south africa and 4 road going ones. 3 right hand drive and 1 left hand drive.
It is I had a friend who worked there on the WRC gearboxes. Went had a tour into his workshop area and got to hold some of the ceramic bearing used in the gearboxes. Access all areas. The place was empty of people amazing saw the then current works cars all lined up in the main workshop hall surreal. They had electric Focus mules used to cart things around limited to 8mph. I believe for numberplate. The 1700t was in Malcolm's collection. Amazing and i'm not even a ford guy. back in 2008 era. I'm just browsing thru the photos I took.
great car should have made it public car would have been great what happen to the white rs1700 one. that was the on fast car mag .? and the rs ford book showed it thanks for doing the film showed everything on the car didnt miss anything .
Ford made a massive mistake of putting on round arches , should of been x pack arches which will compliment the square bodyshape same for the mk2 escorts
I have this car in my garage what do you mean only 1 came here looking for info on it i didn't know the name the car is rally rare where can i find the parts?
The Turbo literally says T04 on it which indicates that it is in fact a Garret T4, It's a crying shame that they abandoned the RS1700T project and opted for the RS200 instead.
Well, at least the wheels have been painted a more "factory" colour instead of that awful gold shade they were a few years ago that made it look it was trying to be a council estate Subaru rally wannabe. Shame it never got the huge deep dish 5-spoke alloys that were on the original show car concept, Always though those RS200 style rims made it look dramatically under-wheeled.
It's the only road car. Fully trimmed out. Just the way it was from the day it was built. P17 and P10 were the two cars in SA. P17 was turned into an oval racer and is in the USA but P10 is Brian's car which is over here in the UK.
the escort its not the only one theirs a white one on the net and there is believed to be 18 built owner brain betteridge works rally car,BUT I LIKE THEM SEATS
Cant of been the only one built for the road there was a black one that used to live in kent full interier same under the bonit and everything i bumped into him and was in my rs1600i and didnt kown what the f**k it was spoke for ages
As an apprentice I worked on the remote gear linkage and cables for the Works cars enterd in the RAC rally by Boreham.
Brian Betteridge, who owns the white RS1700t, was kind enough to let my son have a sit in it last year at a local motorsport show. Don't think my son realised at the time exactly how rare the car was.
Brian
Does Brian also own an rs200 and was it beacon park by any chance?
@benclamp2321 He does have an RS200 as well. It was at a Motorsport show in Bury st Edmunds, Suffolk last year.
@@benclamp2321yes he does im his son
I remember loving that blue escort when I did my paper round in the 80’s. It was parked on the drive of a normal semi detached house. Only saw it drive off once. Very happy 12 year old.
I was into rally and rally cross back then and knew that the blue escort was rear wheel drive and very special.
Could that have been where John Wheeler lived, who was the engineering genius behind the Rs1700T, RS200 and Escort cosworth as I've read that he quite literally took his work home with him?
Fair play to the dude with the knowledge! respect!
I used to race Max Power modified cars that looked just like this around Dartford one way system… back in the day.
Ohhhh WOW!
To have found this unique car. You will never see one ever again.
To know that this is the one and only road going RS
1700T is unbelievable.
A 💯 real gold gem
This was the only road version made and a big name F1 driver once owned it . Brian Betteridge "legend" has the prototype rally one , offered over a million from the ford heritage museum and refused it . He has a super rare RS200 road version without the iconic reb bucket seats seen in every other RS200 as well . He won the British Rallycross in his 1700t , the only rwd car in the championship against the group B 4x4 cars . Amazing driver and so down to earth .
Thank you! I remember when it was launched and then cancelled. I am even nearly angry at Stuart Turner. Recently I saw an interview where John Wheeler claimed they could have done the RS1700T 4WD but Turner did not want that, so they started again from scratch, delaying their WRC return further. Even though the RS200 is gorgeous, the R1700T is even more beautiful to my mind!
That’s cool. I’ve seen the one that goes to all the show. Owners a real nice guy and lets everyone sit in it.
Malcolm Wilson owns it. The one you are thinking about is P10. Brian is a sweetheart of a man. Good friend of mine looks after his car.
@@deanoscottyeah he’s a top guy
Top bloke, my son has sat in his car too.
It's refreshing to see someone allowing others to enjoy such a rare car.
I bought a 90 gt in the usa with a 1.9 and it had a turbo. Was my all time favorite car, wish i kept it but im told tgose didnt come turbo from the factory and i live in maine so i just cant see someone building it especially back then but man was it cool! Looked pretty close to that one too actually, same wheels for sure...
Now that is a beauty, wow! Thanks for sharing.
This was owned by a chap called Brian Bell in 1989/1990 in Skegness. It had a price tag of £100,000 on the windscreen. I didn't know what it was at the time
I remember seeing this same car too on Roman Bank; I didnt realise it was that long ago though!
I used to love going to Skeg and seeing this.
How rare ! I love to see how we progressed to today’s cars , sadly with electric being forced down our throats imo these cars are priceless ! Thanks for sharing it . I love my 83 xr3 I in captain blue oh the memories back in the day 🙏🏻👍🏻😉
There are some amazing electric cars. You cant get that performance in a ICE car.
@@uv77mc85 0-60 in 1.9
The only RS1700T road spec, Ford made two other RS1700t body kits, There was one on a black mk3 RST that was in either Revs, or MaxPower magazine
Revs and Max Power.. miss those days.
Beautiful car. Sad to see the engine bay neglected.
i had with regular front lights the RS1600 turbo with this body, i used to drive a RS2000 in rallyes after the RS1600 in rally cars not road cars
the last i bought was the first RS2000 from 1991 but with the grill not round, as it was supposed to be and later released when the Focus took over
There was.....a white one, if original or not it was rear wheel drive, parked outside a fish and chip shop in Weston-Super-Mare around 1998, Weston Cruise used to be every last Sunday of the Month and there would literally be a dozen Series 1 Turbo in a cue driving throughout the town together, it was immense back then when blokes where building Dimma Kit Mercedes Kompressor modified Peugeot 205 and Sapphire Cosworth P100, exact Touring car replicas, I remember going on Holiday to the Lake District and a dozen metal flake painted Orion's and R5 turbo....cars may be a little faster now but by far you just don't see them like you used to
Used to have a F reg XR3i white,a beauty but always wanted a R/S Turbo but could never afford one
The wheels were 8 spoke not widened 7 spokes. Beautiful car though and thanks for sharing.
Amazing that the rear spoiler/bootlid fits the car far better than the spoiler/bootlid in the BMW E30 M3...
The white one that goes to all the shows is Brian's car and the body work was all done by me
At the factory?
No when it was purchased by its new owner Brian Betteriege I did the body restoration
There was loads of g3 and g4 escorts built ..rear wheel drive mk 3 and 4s werent rare bk in the day..between me and a few friends we built 5 of them
That's a beautiful car, what a gem. I was born when it was produced.
I had that kit on a S1 RST back in the day
There’s was a couple in South Africa one has now moved to America and obvs Brian’s car ,first seen this car when I was a young lad in Skeggy before Mr Bell sold it to Malcom unbelievable just incredible JB
Purchase automotive/Astute Assess & Collect
Interesting fact that most special 'pre development' Fords of the 80s and 90s had 'PU' on the registration plate. Max Power Project 2000 is the same 👍
The two escos with the oval grilles were the same, KPU 👍
Chelmsford, nearest registration office to Ford research at Basildon, learnt that from the auto shenanigans guy, nice video too, thanks, by coincidence (just noticed the car is a Y reg) my school was on the ‘82 Lombard RAC rally.
@@deanoscottexactly that and the V6 RWD Cosworth 👍
@rsjamie9423 forgot about the v6 car. Acropolis Escos was another I'm sure.
It might be a coincidence, though. Clearly a Chelmsford reg marker. But I remember on the RS1700T the first test cars were WVW 100W & WVW 101W and the next two being registered in the X-year were DVW 420X and DVW 421X. But absolutely fascinating car!
I wish car manufacturers still designed cars like this instead of everything looking the same all big and round
Love that collection. Ford heaven.
That front end is a perfect blend of Audi Quattro and Lancia Delta.
I really wish we got all these cool little ford cars in north America.
IT IS NOT ONE OF ONE , there are other original Ford 1700T out there , seen at Goodwood festival of speed .
I wish there could be a kit made to bring your model up to this spec, as a sort of rally replica. It's sad that these will be lost in time to all but the one owner.
Surprised with him being so knowledgeable that he mistook the wheels for deep dished RS 7 spokes, they're very very rare 8 spokes
My first car was a Mk3 1.3 L......looking at the RS1700T.....I don't think I've ever seen another car I would so much like to drive.......that car must be amazing but the turbo lag probably keeps you guessing.
There is kne sitting kn a garage in kent. Been sitting for years.
Awesome fast ford never seen one of these before, its missing the ford badge at the front
those camwheels need a wire brush taking to em but great film thanks
There's an old photo that shows this car, a red one and two in plain white. I always thought that the red one was still around, but obviously not. But what happened to the other cars? Were they scrapped, or converted to full rally cars or rally cross cars then written off?
Well impressed..fookin love the x pack, on it....
I always regretted this car not going into production. Better looking than an Escort Cosworth in my opiniun!
Luv the boxyness of cars of this era , my nan drove a escort mk 3
It's not the only rs1700t
I’m a bit pissed off now I just bought a mk3 escort ghia but it looks crap after seeing this monster !
That looks fast parked ! I absolutely love the wheel arches and side skirts that’s how they all should have been . What a beauty…..Nice car 👍
Well done on your purchase mate ! Keep the classics going
@@heavyt749 thanks man , I’m not sure if it’s actually gonna be going just yet lol it’s been in a garage and not touched since 1993 ! But I’m hoping it’ll go with a bit of love it’s amazingly immaculate bodily and only has 54k and one owner so I think I’m pretty lucky ..fingers crossed cheers 👍
The last I know of that car it was Malcom willsons I guess as the cars in the background are ford's it still is
I wonder what happened to the moulds for that body kit ?
Was there an X-Trac conversion kit for the Mk3 ?
@@AndrewNeilBaird wrong
XTRAC was the transmission
GARTRAC done the fabrication
If you had the renumeration ZAKSPEED did the motivation
@@chiefrocka8604 Gartrac , yes that's right , they did do a shell kit for the MK3 , I priced it at 4k ISH back in the late 80's , fitted to a bare shell . Which then gave you the base for a rallycross escort .
Yeah gartrac did do the mk3 as well
@@dannygamble7033 There was an Indian guy in redhall Cresent Edinburgh that had a red zakspeed rs 3.1 Capri it only just fitted down the alleyway as it was so wide 😄. I wonder where it is now ??
For the comments saying how many there are there was 18 prototypes about half was scrapped and some sent to south africa and 4 road going ones. 3 right hand drive and 1 left hand drive.
17 were made
That RS was Brian Bells who sold it to Malcolm Wilson Motorsport
Where's that Dovenby? I wonder if that's the Rs 500 with original tyres and low millage it used to sit in Malcolms garage at caldewlees years ago
From what I remember, that's the very rs500. It's in better condition than the escort coswortg let me tell ya.
Great video, thanks for sharing.
Bear in mind ford made a second RS1700T based mule, a white mk4 escort.
Would love to have heard it and seen it in action
This Malcolm Wilson msports car??,(I've got the fast ford or performance ford magazine it was featured in about 20yrs ago)..
It is I had a friend who worked there on the WRC gearboxes. Went had a tour into his workshop area and got to hold some of the ceramic bearing used in the gearboxes. Access all areas. The place was empty of people amazing saw the then current works cars all lined up in the main workshop hall surreal. They had electric Focus mules used to cart things around limited to 8mph. I believe for numberplate. The 1700t was in Malcolm's collection. Amazing and i'm not even a ford guy. back in 2008 era. I'm just browsing thru the photos I took.
great car should have made it public car would have been great what happen to the white rs1700 one. that was the on fast car mag .? and the rs ford book showed it thanks for doing the film showed everything on the car didnt miss anything .
What a gem!!!
Ford made a massive mistake of putting on round arches , should of been x pack arches which will compliment the square bodyshape same for the mk2 escorts
dat garage do, holy moly
still a mk3. thats a good thing.
The 1700T was only taxed once in 1982. untaxed for last 41 years
I have this car in my garage what do you mean only 1 came here looking for info on it i didn't know the name the car is rally rare where can i find the parts?
Stuff dreams are made of!!!! What else can be said!!!!!
That’s funny, I’ve seen a white 1700t before, there’s certainly more than 2 of them.
Come on mr wilson expected better from you sat there with rusty pullys on that bg should be mint as it’s so rare
Is it for sale ?
It's gorgeous.
amazing iconic car. wow !!
Malcolm Wilson has one in his showroom, his own personal car
That is Wilson’s one
Which he says is the only road going 1700T
Next level 👌🏻
The Turbo literally says T04 on it which indicates that it is in fact a Garret T4, It's a crying shame that they abandoned the RS1700T project and opted for the RS200 instead.
the weight distribution, it was front engine rear wheel , everyone was going 4x4 or rear engine rear drive .
Thanks im litterly gobsmacked 😮👌
Reg check says its a 1780cc dosn't that make it a 1.8 not a 1.7??
Well, at least the wheels have been painted a more "factory" colour instead of that awful gold shade they were a few years ago that made it look it was trying to be a council estate Subaru rally wannabe. Shame it never got the huge deep dish 5-spoke alloys that were on the original show car concept, Always though those RS200 style rims made it look dramatically under-wheeled.
Nice every day car
It’s mot the only one, there are two in South Africa. Obviously not driven as the road tax expired in 1983
It's the only road car. Fully trimmed out. Just the way it was from the day it was built. P17 and P10 were the two cars in SA. P17 was turned into an oval racer and is in the USA but P10 is Brian's car which is over here in the UK.
@@deanoscott Thank you for the clarification, re fully trimmed road car😀
Stunning but by the look of the rust on the cam wheels it's not ran in ages such a waste
There's a white one at Barnard castle so there's two in the world
Sierra underneath?
No from memory it was still a MK3 Escort floorpan but heavily modified for a transaxle
What sort of hp is this producing 😊
The racing versions had 350+bhp. This road version was probably around 200bhp
There's at least 2 - this one and a white one.
Is it OEM?
Was built by Ford but its a prototype.
That's something you won't see ever everyday.👍
the escort its not the only one theirs a white one on the net and there is believed to be 18 built owner brain betteridge works rally car,BUT I LIKE THEM SEATS
Running a old car is much “ greener” than a new battery thing
Malcom Wilson has one believe it or not it was his company car
Shame it’s not the only one
It's the only road-going version
No disrespect to the 1700T, but the safari focus would be my choice
thats Malcome wilsons
The Holy Grail 😲😲😲🙏🙏👍👍👍
I love my cars but when Ford make something special there in a world of there own
Cant of been the only one built for the road there was a black one that used to live in kent full interier same under the bonit and everything i bumped into him and was in my rs1600i and didnt kown what the f**k it was spoke for ages
Why can't you reveal the engine
You did watch the video,right??
They did 😂
They did not clarify why
I want one!
Thats ain't a seven spoke wheel. It was s a eight spoke 😏
This guy so clued up cant even count wheel spokes,and what's s inlet rail,(inlet manifold or fuel rail?), hilarious
That is not the only RS 1700 T. Do your research want a rare car find a mk3 gartrac
It is the only road-going RS1700T. Also which MK3 Gartrac are you referring to?
I'm sure that is an escort gartrack
WOW!!!!!!
A car of this calibre should not have rusty timing
Nice car but Brian’s car looks far better.
You found it?! Sure, kiddo.
The other jaime will be wanting to snap it up
Oh its so ugly but beautiful at the same time... Mixed feelings with this little azure gem.
look like cigarette burn on driver seat... pretty sad.