One to Buy: ex-Colin Chapman 1971 Ford Escort Mk1 Mexico Trophy
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During summer 1971, a batch of 17 Mk1 Escort Mexicos were prepared for competition use at Ford’s motor sport department in Boreham. A few weeks after completion, they crossed the English channel to contest a one-make series that supported the Tour de France Auto held between September 17th and 25th.
Following their return to the UK, most of the Mexicos were used for the famous Jack Brabham Trophy Race, a one-off contest for 15 F1 Team Managers held at Brands Hatch on October 24th. Subsequently, the fleet was sold and, with most having gone on to live a life of hard competition use, only three are known to survive.
One of these rarely seen Mexicos is chassis BFATLS11739 which will be going under the hammer at Bonhams’ Goodwood Revival sale on September 7th.
Built in July 1971 and registered HLA 208K on August 1st, this Maize Yellow example was the car allocated to Jose Albertini and Rene Cipriani for the Tour de France-supporting Mexico Cup. Most famously though, chassis ‘11739’ was then driven by Lotus boss Colin Chapman at the Jack Brabham Trophy Race four weeks later.
Pitched against the likes of Brabham, John Surtees, Max Mosley, Frank Williams, Mike Costin, Eric Broadley, Jackie Epstein, Ken Tyrrell, Alan Rees and Tim Parnell, Chapman qualified second for the ten lap race with a time four tenths behind pole starter Jack Brabham.
When the flag dropped, a no-holds-barred scrap between Brabham and Chapman ensued. According to Motoring News: "It was naturally the lead battle which commanded everyone's attention, for Brabham was up to all his old tricks as Chapman desperately tried to find a way through. Whichever side Chapman chose, somehow when he came to draw alongside, that particular bit of road was full of red Escort."
On the final lap Chapman managed to force his was past on the drop down from Paddock Bend: "But it was not to be. Pounding through Clearways, Chapman tried to grab top gear, only to find that there was nothing there and Brabham scrambled past on the outside." Chapman ultimately crossed the finishing line in third place behind winner Brabham and John Surtees, but the Lotus boss did manage to post fastest lap.
Chassis ‘11739’ heads to auction in fantastic condition throughout and is accompanied by a well documented history.
