One to Buy: ex-works 1975 / '77 Ford Escort Mk2 Zakspeed Gr.2 / Gr.5
Like its forebear, the Mk2 Escort went on to have an enormously successful competition career, perhaps the highlight of which was Ari Vatanen’s 1981 World Rally Championship crown driving a Rothmans-backed RS 1800 in which the last of the model’s 20 WRC victories were achieved.
Elsewhere, the Mk2 also proved an extremely effective touring car racer, especially in the Deutsche Rennsport Meisterschaft (DRM) where Group 2 variants went up against the BMW 2002 from 1975.
That year, Hans Heyer pipped team-mate Klaus Ludwig to become DRM champion driving a Castrol-backed Mk2 prepared by Zakspeed in Niederzssen.
Heyer and Ludwig finished first and second again in 1976 when their Group 2 Zakspeed Escorts were campaigned with backing from Europa Mobel.
For 1977, the DRM was opened up to Group 5 cars and Zakspeed uprated its now Mampe-backed Escorts to take on the under two-litre Division 2 challenge from BMW’s Junior Team 320.
Currently on sale with High Performance Classics is the now Auckland-based Zakspeed Mk2 Escort, chassis Zak-E23/75 which started life as Hans Heyer’s 1975 DRM championship winning machine, after which it was handed over to team-mate Klaus Ludwig for the 1976 campaign.
Following its conversion to Group 5 trim for 1977, Zak-E23/75 did three early season races for Zakspeed, after which it was sold to Harvey Yap in Malaysia who continued the car’s successful racing career.
Subsequently discovered in 1999, Zakj-E23/75 was subject to an exacting nine year restoration and is today offered in superb condition throughout as the sole running Group 5 Zakspeed Escort extant.
Reprinted below is High Performance Classics’ description for this stunning piece of Ford motorsport history:
Chassis Zak-E23/75
Initially built by Zakspeed as a Gp.2 car in Castrol livery for Hans Heyer, who went on to win the 1975 championship. Then to Europa/Mobel livery for 1976 and driven by Klaus Ludwig, who placed second to Heyer in the Gp.2 category.
Gp. 5 was introduced as a new category for the DRM in 1977, and Zak E23/75 was converted to Gp.5 specifications for the 1977 championship. The modifications included much wider bodywork and wheels, as well as more freedom on engine modifications, suspension freedoms, dry sump, etc. Adorned in the famous Mampe liquor livery, it was piloted by Hans Heyer in the first 3 rounds of the 1977 DRM.
The car was then sold to Harvey Yap of Malaysia where it was raced with much success, and then on to Leif Norberg. Discovered in a very sorry state in 1999 by Gary Wilkinson the car was purchased, and brought to NZ. It underwent a ground up restoration of the highest standard which took 9 years to complete, and was raced by Gary for several years at historic events in NZ, always exciting the crowds wherever it competed.
The fuel injected aluminium block 2.0 BDG engine which produces around 270hp has just been rebuilt, and in all respects this car is “ready to race”. Supplied with a large spares package, including original Kevlar body panels and a full set of moulds, spare set of wheels, a lot of documentation and memorabilia, this car will be equally at home in a collection or a very welcome addition to historic race meetings around the world.
As one of only 4 or 5 Gp.5 Escorts ever built by Zakspeed, this particular car has a very significant history spanning 3 years as a Zakspeed “works” car and is the only genuine Zakspeed Gp.5 Escort left competing anywhere in the world. This is an amazing opportunity to own what is arguably the ultimate Ford Escort Mk2 ever built.
