Imagine sitting in a cold, silent forest at night.
You’re cold, damp, and miserable, and you’re not alone: everyone around you feels the same. Then, out of nowhere, a flash of light in the distance, followed by the unmistakable howl of a twin-cam Ford engine echoing through the trees. The headlights, six in total, including four huge auxiliary lights, illuminate the road ahead. Before you know it, a Ford Escort rally car flies sideways past you, gravel spewing from the rear tires.
How can it get more exciting? Imagine if it was your father behind the wheel, just the way it was Daniel Zetterval from Sweden when he was a young boy.
‘My father is my greatest influence’ says Daniel. “He started as a Ford mechanic at the age of 16. He drove go-karts at a young age and started rallying as soon as he got his driver’s license.”
Given that background, I can’t imagine Daniel will ever deviate from Ford. Brand loyalty runs deep, especially when passed down through the generations. If Daniel had ever shown up at home with an Opel, I suspect he might have been politely shown the door.
The Mk1 Escort, of course, has a legendary status that predates Brian O’Connor jumping over a bridge hundreds of feet in the air. With historic victories at the Circuit of Ireland, from London to Mexico and several RAC rallies, the modest Ford would undoubtedly be successful in Europe.
“My dad started with Mk1 Escorts and got rid of them when the Mk2 arrived.” Daniel remembers that his father “began chopping up the Mk1s he had in storage with an axe! Crazy to think what they are worth today.’
Although I guess chopping up Escorts runs in the family if you look at the body of Daniel’s car. The Mk1’s body has been extensively modified, with period correct ‘bubble’ arches made from custom moulds.
“We removed about 70% of the original rusted metal and welded in a 6-point roll cage and reinforced the chassis.” Daniel explains. “The arches and rear quarter panels are fiberglass, as is the bonnet until it broke in the middle at 125mph on the Mantorp Park straight!”
As with racing cars of this era, the chrome bumpers have been removed and a chin spoiler has been added to the front for less lift at high speed – with the added benefit of looking fantastic too. Inside the arches you’ll find 15×8-inch Revolution Minilites wrapped in 225/45R15 Toyo Proxes R888R semi-slicks.
Painted in Porsche Olive Green, this Mk1 is for me Ford’s top classic. While the Mk2 may get the most love these days, the coke bottle shape and mini-muscle car look of the Mk1 with its bulging rally arches holds a special place in my heart.
The interior is also a work of art. There’s a full roll cage in addition to the FIA-approved Cobra seats, while analogue Stack gauges are fitted into the original dashboard, which has been flocked and modified.
A Sparco steering wheel, Sparco harnesses and a Coolerworx shifter keep Daniel connected to the driving experience. There is always a helmet box in the car, packed with essentials: helmet, intercom headset and car shoes. As Daniel says, “I’m never racing.”
And when it comes to racing, this Escort can compete with the best of them. Originally equipped with a modest 1,300cc crossflow engine, the Mk1 now features the ultimate OEM+ upgrade for a classic European Ford: the legendary Cosworth YB. Displacing 2.1 liters, with ZRP block internals and a race-spec cylinder head, the turbocharged inline-four punches well above its weight. The 16-valve DOHC engine’s potential is maximized with ENEM camshafts, while a Garrett GTX3067R turbo provides the boost.
The setup exhales through a custom 3.5-inch turbo exhaust system and a Big Apple rear muffler. Tuned via a MaxxECU Street engine management system, the engine produces a whopping 450 hp.
A BMW Getrag six-speed gearbox, a Quaife limited slip differential and heavy-duty half-axles in the semi-floating axle of the Ford Atlas – with a 4-link kit and Watt’s clutch – ensure that the power is transferred reliably. There are Bilstein coilovers at the front and GAZ rear wheels, while braking power is provided by Wilwood Superlite and Dynalite calipers all around, with separate Dynalite handbrake calipers at the rear.
Daniel’s favorite part of the car? “It’s the color scheme. I had a vision of what it should look like, and when all the pieces came together, they just fit perfectly.”
“This car has been through it all,” he laughs. “I lost a wheel on a driveway while parked outside our garage. On the first track day the hood cracked. And on the last track day the engine caught fire!”
Unfortunately, Daniel has recently experienced more setbacks. “A few weeks ago we had a major fire in our garage. We lost seven cars, including our rally car and my next two projects: a Ford Sierra RS500 Cosworth and a Mk2 Escort with a large Zakspeed body kit.”
I would be devastated but Daniel is focused on progress and improving the Mk1. For him it was never just about the car; it’s about the bond he built with his father.
“We started this Escort in 2013 as a father-son project, basically as a way for him and I to hang out in the garage two or three nights a week,” Daniel remembers. “Lots of beer and a good chat with the older guys.”
From watching his father race through the woods as a child to building this incredible car together, of all the heartwarming stories I’ve shared, Daniel’s might just take the cake.
Mario Christou
Instagram: mcwpn, mariochristou.world
mariochristou.world
Photography by Alen Haseta
Instagram: Hazeta