Ford Sierra RS500 Group A Continuation Race Cars

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Created in partnership with four-time touring car champion Andy Rouse, CNC Motorsport has delivered the first continuation Ford Sierra RS500 Group A race car from a series of three.  Alan Strachan, an employee of Andy Rouse Engineering during the period of 1989-96 and mechanic on the Team Labatts Sierra RS500 in the British Touring Car Championship, and his son Andrew, assembled the first car over the past 24 months alongside other work.  The second car is already in build, and it will use a new Motorsport specification bodyshell that was acquired at the start of the project.  A third donor ‘shell has already been sourced for the final car.

CNC Motorsport completed all the fabrication work to the bodyshell alongside producing all the machined parts to the exacting specification of the period, including uprights, rear arms, hubs, brake callipers, wheel centres and roll cage in house.  Input from Rouse and drawing on his own time with the team, as well as access to a period Labatts Sierra, ensured that the build was faithful to the original cars.  That includes using Getrag five-speed gearbox, period style gauges, fuel tank enclosure and roll cage that matches the specific Rouse design.

The first car features a 575bhp Cosworth YB engine built by Harvey Gibbs and later 10” viscous differential.  “This project has enabled us to build a reliable, period correct car that will be competitive in historic motorsport for a fraction of the cost of an original,” says Alan Strachan.  “These are  to be enjoyed, raced hard and fair and without the concerns of taking a valuable, period car on track.” 

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