During the summer, the Ireland Made – Stories of Irish Transport team visited the Wilsdon family in County Kilkenny to explore their remarkable collection, including an Irish-built 1937 Morgan and a hill-climb special powered by a Suzuki Hayabusa engine — both to feature in future episodes.
The car longest with the family, and dearest to Alex Snr. and Alex Jnr., is their 1969 Ford Escort Mk1 RS replica.
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THE ESCORT STORY
At its 1968 launch, the Ford Escort came in four versions: De Luxe, Super, Super 1300, and GT. Performance soon followed with the Twin Cam’s 1558cc DOHC engine, transforming the modest saloon into a true driver’s car. Then came the RS1600, with a 1599cc DOHC unit and four valves per cylinder — a motorsport legend was born.
FAMILY LEGACY
The Wilsdon’s have owned their Mk1 RS Escort for around eighteen years. It’s a carefully built replica, powered by a 2-litre engine based on the Ford Zetec. When they bought the car, it was much as it is today. The original owner was based in King’s Lynn, in the UK. As Alex Jnr. proudly says, “We knocked a good bit of sport out of it over the years.” His fondness for the Mk1 comes from his father, who owned an original Ford Escort Twin Cam as a young man, back when they were a modern car on Irish roads in the 1970s.
MK1. BACK IN THE SHED
In 2007, father and son decided it was time “to get a Mk1 back in the shed.” When one came up for sale in Northern Ireland, they didn’t hesitate, they bought it and brought it home.
As Alex Jnr. fondly recalls, they’ve had plenty of adventures with the car. In 2009, they drove it all the way to the Nürburgring and tackled its 21 kilometres and 150 corners at maximum attack! The journey home, however, was less straightforward. Mechanical troubles struck, but nothing the experienced father-and-son duo couldn’t handle. They crossed northern France without a windscreen, and later without a clutch, making the process of paying at the numerous toll roads, as Alex puts it, “quite the adventure.”
MK.1 MEMORIES
Alex Snr. recalled owning his Mk1 in the late 1960s and the night a lady ran into the side of it, leaving it damaged. “I sold it for the princely sum of £375,” he said, before adding with a hint of regret, “I should have put it in a shed and repaired it, we all make silly mistakes.” Alex told us he has always enjoyed the Mk.1’s and has a passion for them over the years from going to rally’s and watching them.
THE ENGINE
Alex Jnr. lifted the bonnet and showed us what he calls “the heart of the beast.” A few years ago, they upgraded the Zetec engine to resemble a BDA (Belt Drive Series A). With a grin, Alex admits it looks the part, but adds, “we daren’t claim it is one; plenty of people know exactly what it is, and what it isn’t.”
Alex explained that the Zetec is practical, easy to source, and simple to maintain, with parts readily available. Dyno-tested by Ford specialists Vulcan Engineering in Kent, it produces 193 hp. And it’s loud — as Alex says, “If you’re driving a Mk1 with bubble arches, it’s got to make a lot of noise. That’s what people demand!”
Modifications include a full bias brake box, hydraulic clutch, and Emerald engine management system (no distributor or points) with a wasted-spark setup. It runs Jenvey throttle bodies, and as Alex says, “it starts every time.” There’s also a rally fuel tank, full cage, Type 9 TranX gearbox, limited-slip diff on an English axle, and semi-floating bearings.
FUTURE WORKS
They plan to revise the suspension for better road comfort. As Alex Jnr. notes, “When we first got the car, the trend was rock-hard suspension. Eighteen years on, I prefer less NVH — noise, vibration, and harshness.” A new setup with rubber bushings is already sourced and “probably the main priority.”
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Check out the full video of the Mk.1 on the Nürburgring:
Video credit: Alex Wilsdon and Ivan Slater (Mk1 Escorts on the Nurburgring Alex Wilsdon & Walter Muller)
