RS2600 Rear suspension

[ferguson]

Can anyone tell me if a 73 RS2600 Group 2 car used a sway bar in the rear in conjunction with the Watts linkage? Thank you.

[Gerard C]

Hi ferguson. If you go here http://historicdb.fia.com you can download the homologation form # 1609 free consultation non official use only. If you look at appendix J end of period and K I guess you can find if you're allowed to fit a sway bar unless anti roll purpose only.
If you're in the process of building this http://www.borremanscollection.com/m...8#.XGKFHi17Qhs a nice recreation was displayed at NEC few weeks ago on the stand of a renown English specialist May be you'll be asked to bring proof of period. I guess you're not building a AWD model?
You've got a PM.

[Mike Bell]

Appendix J 1972 Art 260 (n) states that a ‘stabiliser’ (includes ARB, radius arms, panhard) is allowed to be fitted even if not originally present. It also says ‘even if this stabiliser serves other purposes’.

So no reason why an ARB wouldn’t have been fitted, and I’m pretty sure they were used. Certainly the RS3100 had one at the back.

That of course doesn’t answer your question definitively. I will have a search through a few Ford books just in case there is a period pic....

And if you haven’t got conclusive proof by the end of March, I’ll look under all the RS2600s racing at Barcelona and have a count up......

[ferguson]

Thanks Mike and Gerard for the reply. I talked with a guy I used to work for over here and he raised the question so I was just wondering if it was needed.

[Mike Bell]

I found a good size cut away drawing in ‘Momentaufnahmen’ of a ‘72 car and you can see the radius arms, Watts linkage, dummy leaf springs, but no ARB to be seen.

No more conclusive of course, and I will try and remember to check out the Capris at Barca.....

[Gerard C]

Mike is much more knowledgeable than me of course c'est normal je suis plus jeune de quelques mois! Among the very nice parts spotted at Birmingham, the wonderful hubs for peg drive and a very nice air duct for the intake, breathing from the upper part of the front end gril then going under the bonnet. Using a Mk1 facelift front helps sometimes…

Mike, the dummy rear leaf spring was plastic if I'm correct? In this case, to be compliant either the plastic has been homologated or legally used in period or you have to use steel as stated by appendix. I'm wrong here? if wrong, correct me and I'll buy a beer!

[Duddha]

There were no anti roll bar in period and you can't use one today either, this for the RS2600 or RS3100.

[Mike Bell]

Originally Posted by Duddha

There were no anti roll bar in period and you can't use one today either, this for the RS2600 or RS3100.

Thanks. My research on the latter involved checking the 1/18 scale die-cast model I’ve got. It has one- wonder where they got that from!

[ferguson]

Thanks Guys very enjoyable reading and good info too. I have an e mail in with Ric to see what he might say. My understanding of the FIA rules was that if the car had it which the Capri had originally at least over here that it was okay to use for racing. Looking at some of the pics of Group 2s going at speed around corners it looks as though the rear wheels have much more movement than the frt end which leads me to believe that they weren't running a rear bar.

[Duddha]

Originally Posted by ferguson

Thanks Guys very enjoyable reading and good info too. I have an e mail in with Ric to see what he might say. My understanding of the FIA rules was that if the car had it which the Capri had originally at least over here that it was okay to use for racing. Looking at some of the pics of Group 2s going at speed around corners it looks as though the rear wheels have much more movement than the frt end which leads me to believe that they weren't running a rear bar.

True but you need the period evidence and pictures to detail the practice back in the days. I have seen a lot about Capris in Europe or USA and the works car did not run any rear bar that's for sure. Even some of the later experimental and supermodified and so on didn't run them so why would you?

[ferguson]

Thank you Duddha for the info. It's not that I would run a ARB in the rear I just wanted to make sure I was doing the right thing as I have no ARB in the rear at this time. Thank you for your input Duddha. Not alot of Capris running over here. My old boss Tivvy Shenton didn't think it would but I needed more input to be certain.

[andy97]

Thanks for the clarifications on the Capris.

Given Ford’s experience with the Escort you may have thought that Ford would have found a way to homolgate 4 or 5 linked rear axles in to Group 1!!!! An RS Mk3 run of 5000 homolgation specials perhaps!!!!

And Gerard, your spoken and written English is excellent.

[Gerard C]

Andy to be fair we can mention other generous homologation forms, like BL Dollies for instance. Not only Ford…
Thanks for my english!

[Gerard C]

I wouldn't go for a too small diameter steering wheel either or if you're not running appendix compliant you can have a small electric motor on the steering column. Not FIA at all c'est très vilain und stricht verboten.

[ferguson]

Originally Posted by Gerard C

I wouldn't go for a too small diameter steering wheel either or if you're not running appendix compliant you can have a small electric motor on the steering column. Not FIA at all c'est très vilain und stricht verboten.

Understood Gérard. Thank you

[Mike Bell]

I think we know the answer to the original question, but Motorsport Magazine, March 1972, page 70 has an article about visiting the Cologne competitions department and looking round the works Capris. There is a picture of the rear suspension amongst others!

The magazine on-line archive allows you to read the article, but unfortunately not view the photos in detail. Typical!

[Gerard C]

Ha! The 72 issue, of course, let me see……… hum
Anyway whatever the pictures could show, any element must have been used in compliancy with the period regs.
At this stage may be Ferguson has better to have fun with his car and forget about the papers… at least for a while. Isn't historic racing a celebration of the driving/ owning pleasure? Just hope he can kick some Batmobiles in his area… and beware the Grp1,5+ Capris!

[E.B]

I found this see through image of an RS2600




This article might be of interest, although more focused on the RS3100... from Australian Muscle Car a couple of years ago, it refers to Alan Moffat's (Canadian born Australian Touring Car legend) Cologne Capri. It details the rear suspension as well as detailing Homologation requirements (with not even a mention of rear ARB). It does however mention the RS2600 having evil handling. Several piccies, but not of the rear suspension.

Moffat's Cologne Capri - PressReader
You should be able to access the article on this link:
https://www.pressreader.com/australi...83003988837239
Let me know if it is geo-blocked and I will find a way of copying it.