VIN: the works Ford RS200 chassis 064
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History of chassis 064
Chassis 064 was one of two works RS200s prepared for the 1986 Acropolis Rally which took place between June 2nd and 4th.
Registered B200 XVX in May, chassis 064 was allocated to Kalle Grundle and Benny Melander. The sister car, 065, was in the hands of Stig Blomqvist and Bruno Berglund.
The Acropolis was Ford’s third WRC appearance of 1986.
Blomqvist had finished third on the RS200’s debut in Sweden, but both works cars were withdrawn in Portugal after a privateer RS200 crashed into the crowd and killed four spectators.
Since then, Lancia’s Henri Toivonen and his co-driver, Sergio Cresto, had died in a fatal accident on the Tour de Corse.
Within days of the Corsican tragedy, the FIA announced Group B cars would be banned from the 1987 World Championship.
The two brand new RS200s arrived for the Acropolis with bigger radiators, revised roof intake ductwork, improved seals on the oil lines to reduce the risk of leaks onto hot turbos, new forged steering arms and an uprated fire system.
However, more bad news was to follow. Three days before the Acropolis, Marc Surer’s co-driver, Michel Wyder, was killed in a fiery RS200 crash in Germany.
Nevertheless, Ford decided to go ahead with the Greek event.
Kalle Grundel had a great start. He set the early pace to finish stage one eleven seconds clear of the field.
Grundel led until stage four (when Salonen’s 205 T16 stormed passed), but the Ford held second overnight. Blomqvist was fourth in the sister RS200.
Unfortunately, the Ford challenge collapsed on day two when both cars retired on consecutive stages. Grundel had re-taken the lead after turbo trouble for Salonen, however, the RS200 driver was subsequently forced to retire when a mechanic accidentally sheered off two wheel nuts and a new hub assembly couldn’t be fitted within the 30 minute time limit.
On the following stage, Blomqvist got stuck in a ditch.
Shortly after the Acropolis Rally, Ford announced they were to abandon the RS200 project.
The model would make one final outing, at the season-ending RAC Rally held from November 16th to 19th.
Chassis 064 was entered for Grundel / Melander on the RAC.
Although Ford had quickly switched focus to the 1987 Group A Sierra, the works RS200s arrived with a couple of updates. Most notably, 450bhp was now on tap thanks to revised cam profiles which also improved torque. Other changes saw the oil coolers removed and smaller fuel tanks fitted.
Grundel’s event began badly when he stalled on the opening stage having slithered onto wet grass.
While the RS200 was not well suited to such muddy conditions, Grundel and Melander routinely ran in the top six and ultimately recovered to place fifth at the finish. Blomqvist retired the other works car (065) with a blown turbo.
At the end of 1986, the Ford Motor Company sold chassis 064 to a private customer from Norway.
Notable History
Ford Motor Company
05/1986 registered B200 XVX
02/06/1986 WRC Acropolis Rally (K. Grundel / B. Melander) DNF (#6)
16/11/1986 WRC RAC Rally (K. Grundel / B. Melander) 5th oa, 5th B12 class (#6)
Late 1986 sold to Norway
Text copyright: Supercar Nostalgia
Photo copyright: Ford - https://www.ford.com
