1968 Ford Escort MkI Twin Cam

• This original, road-specification Twin Cam dates from early 1968 and, unusually, was purchased new for road use
• It's classically finished in Ermine White with a black interior
• Restored in the 1980s by a previous owner, retaining its original AVO Type-49 bodyshell and utilising as many of the original parts as possible
• The quality of the restoration can be judged by the car's subsequent success in RS Owners' Club Concours events
• With our late vendor for the past seven years in his private collection
• Accompanied by some old MOT Certificates, a current one valid until August 2022, a DVLA print-out of previous owners, a period workshop manual and an Owners' Handbook
• It's not often that a Mk 1 Twin-Cam of this quality becomes available, a rare chance to own a piece of Ford competition-inspired history.

The arrival of the Escort Twin Cam at the start of 1968 marked the second phase of Ford UK's production-car based competitions programme that had commenced with the Lotus Cortina. The latter had used the Ford-based 1.6-litre Lotus Twin Cam engine to good effect, and combining this unit with the smaller and lighter Escort bodyshell would prove to be an inspired move. Reputedly, Ford's Competitions Manager, Henry Taylor, had seen a prototype Escort being tested and recognised its potential.

A feasibility study commenced at the Competitions Department's Boreham factory in March 1967, which proved that although the list of modifications required to install the bulky Twin Cam engine and 2000E gearbox was a lengthy one, the transplant was possible. The project duly got the 'green light' and a dedicated Twin Cam production line was set up at Ford's Halewood plant on Merseyside where the cars were assembled by a hand-picked team using the stronger, export-specification Escort two-door bodyshell. Production proper got underway in the spring of 1968 after the first 25 Twin Cams had been assembled at Boreham. Group 3 homologation (500 units built) was achieved in March '68 and apparently, Group 2 (1,000 units) in May, although there may have been some 'artistic licence' with this as it's now clear that Twin Cam production totalled 883 units.

Competition success had been the Twin Cam's 'raison d'etre' and Ford's new baby was soon delivering the goods. A pair of the Boreham-built Twin Cams dominated the televised Croft rallycross meeting in February 1968, demonstrating its potential to an audience of millions, while the car's first major international success was achieved during March when Ove Andersson and John Davenport finished 3rd in the San Remo Rally. The Twin Cam's first outright win was achieved by Roger Clark in the Circuit of Ireland Rally at Easter. Despite a short works career that ended in 1971, the Escort Twin Cam won the World Rally 'Championship for Makes' twice, in 1968 and '69, and helped the Alan Mann Racing-entered Frank Gardner take the British Touring Car Championship in '68.

This original, road-specification Twin Cam is an early 1968 example finished in Ermine White (nearly all Twin Cams were) with a black interior and, unusually, it was purchased new for road use. It was restored in the 1980s by a previous owner, retaining its original AVO Type-49 bodyshell and utilising as many of the original parts as possible, and has covered very few miles since.  The quality of the restoration can be judged by the fact that XGW 3G placed 2nd in the 2001 RS Owners' Club Concours event at Lightwater Valley in Yorkshire and is well known to the AVO Owners Club. The coachwork, paintwork, engine, gearbox and interior are reported to all be in "very good" condition. We have driven the car and can confirm that it drives superbly with no obvious faults and the 1600 twin cam still delivers plenty of power accompanied by that distinctive engine note that so characterises the 'Twink'.

The car has been cossetted in our much respected late vendor's private collection for the last seven years and is supplied with a number of old MOT Certificates, a current one valid until August '22, a DVLA print-out of previous owners, a period workshop manual and a reproduction Owners' Handbook. It's ready to go and presents really well in the metal. It's not often that a Mk 1 Twin-Cam of this quality, properly restored and with good provenance, comes onto the open market and, with prices continuing to climb, this is a rare chance to own a piece of Ford competition-inspired history.