1968–69 Ford Escort 1.6 FVA Group 5 Racing Saloon
Registration: XOO 346F
Chassis No.: BB48GM11978
Engine No.: FVA0144 (currently fitted)
Key Features..
Significant in-period competition history
Exceptional provenance with continuous, well-documented lineage
One of only six Alan Mann Racing team Escorts built in 1968
Original AMR bodyshell – one of just three survivors
FVA twin-cam producing approx. 210 bhp
Beautifully restored to 1968 specification; outstanding condition throughout
Overview..
Among the paddocks of late-1960s touring car racing, the red-and-gold machines of Alan Mann Racing were the epitome of preparation, innovation, and visual impact. That legacy remains unmistakable today in this superb, remarkably original, and meticulously restored Alan Mann Racing Ford Escort 1.6 FVA Group 5, registration XOO 346F.
Of the six AMR-built Escorts registered sequentially in 1968, only three—including this example—retain their original bodyshells. Within that trio, XOO 346F occupies a unique position: it was the team’s experimental “supercharged” Escort, tactically reclassified into British Saloon Car Championship Class D to help protect team leader Frank Gardner’s title campaign from the threat of the larger Ford Falcon V8s.
A Brilliantly Ingenious AMR Creation..
The so-called supercharging was characteristic of AMR’s lateral thinking. No mechanical supercharger was fitted; instead, a heater fan gently pressurised the induction airbox—enough to qualify the engine as “forced induction” and move the car into the over-2-litre class. The intention was simple: outscore the Falcon V8s of Brian Muir and Roy Pierpoint, thereby supporting Gardner’s title bid.
Behind such clever tactical engineering was the fiercely competitive and highly inventive ethos of Alan Mann’s quasi-works Ford team—one of the most admired racing operations of its era.
Restored with Integrity and Authenticity..
This Escort retains its original 1968 bodyshell, suspension, steering rack, pedal box, and even wheel rims. It has been restored with exceptional care to its 1968 race specification, featuring:
1.6-litre Cosworth FVA twin-cam engine – approx. 210 bhp at the rear wheels
4-speed ‘bullet’ gearbox
MacPherson strut front suspension with inboard coil-springs
AMR’s ingenious Morris Minor torsion-bar rear suspension system
10.5-inch-wide rear wheels enabling deep torsion lever travel
The result is a beautifully presented, technically fascinating, and deeply authentic AMR works Escort—arguably the most original of all surviving examples.
Period Competition History..
The idea for the Escort Twin Cam came from Ford’s Competition Department Manager, Henry Taylor – who had enjoyed success at the Marlboro 12 Hour race in a Ford Cortina GT run by Alan Mann himself.
Having witnessed one of the Escort prototypes being tested during early 1967, Taylor thought the new model would be an ideal platform for the venerable Lotus Twin Cam engine that powered the legendary Lotus Cortina. Walter Hayes, Director of Public Relations at Ford, agreed and the board of directors subsequently gave the Escort Twin Cam the green light. Work on the first of several prototypes began at Ford’s Boreham competition department during early 1967.
The new variant was conceived for use in the Group 3 and Group 2 motor sport classes which had a respective 500 and 1000 unit production requirement over a twelve month period. Once homologated, Twin Cams would be used to great effect in rallying and circuit racing events.
The first 25 cars were assembled at Boreham, with six delivered to Alan Mann Racing to go racing with in the UK and Europe as part of Ford’s Total Performance Programme: XOO 344F, XOO 345F, XOO 346F, XOO 347F, XOO 348F and XOO 349F. XOO 345F was written off in testing by Jackie Oliver at Goodwood Motor Circuit, however, the accident was not his fault.
The car was approved for Group 3 competition from March 2nd 1968 and Group 2 from May 1st. Therefore, the Escort Twin Cam replaced the Ford Lotus Cortina MKIIs that Alan Mann Racing were running in the British Saloon Car Championship midway through the 1968 season.
With Group 5 regulations permitting vehicle modifications beyond those allowed in the concurrent Group 1 and Group 2 Touring Car categories, Alan Mann chose to install Formula 2 Cosworth FVA engines – which were based on the Twin Cam cylinder block and thus eligible under the UK’s relaxed Group 5 rules, to the red and gold Escorts destined for the British Saloon Car Championship. The FVA was the top Formula 2 power unit in those days; with its four-valves-per-cylinder layout, a full-race FVA could produce 230bhp. Alan Mann himself recalled “It made a wonderful scream when used to the full.”
Furthermore, those now iconic bubble arches were fabricated to accommodate larger wheels, and Alan Mann’s in-house designer Len Bailey created a neatly packaged multilink rear suspension and even housed the steering rack in the engine crossmember. The Alan Mann Racing Escorts went on to be dominant in the 1968 British Saloon Car Championship, and duly won it for Ford with Frank Gardner driving.
The 1968 European Touring Car Championship contesting Escorts were instead fitted with the eight-valve Twin-Cam power-unit, with Frank Gardner taking an outright win on his first outing with the Escort (XOO 344F), at Zolder in May of 1968. The Escort’s UK debut came in early June 1968, at the fourth round of the British Saloon Car Championship at Crystal Palace, with Frank Gardner and Peter Arundell entered with XOO 349F and XOO 346F respectively. Gardner won the class and finished runner-up overall.
In a move of engineering genius and lateral thinking by Alan Mann, from the following round, the second Escort was run in a different class to Frank Gardner’s XOO 349F in an attempt to keep points away from Gardner’s main championship challengers (V8-powered Ford Falcons), who might otherwise threaten his bid for a second consecutive season’s Championship title honours. By adding a supercharger, it became a forced-induction car, meaning its capacity should be multiplied by a factor of 1.4, putting it into the over 2-litre class alongside the Falcons. However, no conventional supercharger was fitted, in fact, the engine’s induction was only mildly boosted by an electrically-engaged standard heater unit fan. This “supercharged” Escort was also driven by Jackie Oliver, Roger Clark and Graham Hill during the 1968 season.
For the 1969 season, the British Saloon Car Championship fell in line with the European FIA regulations and Alan Mann Racing entered just one car this season, piloted by reigning champion Frank Gardner. Of course, being the exceptional engineer that Alan Mann was, him and his team eventually got the Twin-Cam with eight-valve heads, running nearly as fast as the FVA. Gardner finished the 1969 British Saloon Car Championship season third in the overall standings – winning the class.
Whilst the other four remaining Escorts were returned to Ford at the end of 1969, Gardner’s championship-winning XOO 349F (chassis no.: BB48HR39279; AMR Number – AMR4), has remained under the ownership of Alan Mann Racing ever since. It is the most popular car Alan Mann Racing built, and still occasionally appears at classic racing events.
XOO 346F made its mid-season 1968 debut driven by former Team Lotus F1 star Peter Arundell, and over its AMR tenure was raced by an extraordinary roster of British motorsport icons:
Peter Arundell – debut at Crystal Palace (Whit Monday 1968)
Roger Clark – brief but memorable outing at Brands Hatch
Graham Hill – Oulton Park; prompted the fitment of the car’s period brake-light cut-off switch
Jackie Oliver – delivered the car’s finest result: 2nd at Brands Hatch (Sept 2, 1968), crucially helping teammate Frank Gardner clinch the BSCC title that day
Following its works career, the car continued in international and club competition with:
Frami Racing (Netherlands) – drivers including Frans Lubin, Hans Akersloot, Flemming Rasmussen, Jean-Pierre Ortmans
BP Racing Belgium – notably driven by Yvette Fontaine, a formidable competitor who regularly outpaced male rivals
Numerous respected privateer British drivers from 1971–1977 including Doug Niven, Chris Meek, Bob Howlings, Alistair Lyall, and Tim Read
Ownership passed through several hands including Vic Lee, Tim Swadkin, Mike Chittenden, and Colin Raeburn, before landing with former AMR mechanic Jim Morgan, who began a full restoration.
A Decade of Research. Eleven Years of Restoration..
After Morgan’s passing, the Escort returned to Alan Mann, before moving in 2006 to Grahame Goudie, an ex Alan Mann period employee. His meticulous research—assisted by original AMR mechanics Brian Lewis, Lionel Whitehead and Marc LeSueur—preceded an 11-year restoration (2010–2021).
The result is the beautifully correct, period-faithful, and visually stunning example seen here today.
Summary..
XOO 346F is a rare survivor from one of motorsport’s most innovative and admired teams. Restored with extraordinary integrity, rich in top-level period history, and associated with leading drivers of its era, it is a car that exudes 1968 racing ingenuity and Alan Mann’s characteristic competitive flair.
A truly exceptional historic racing saloon—equally suited to front-line historic competition or concours display at the world’s most prestigious events.
The XOO Escorts were true giant killers, instantly recognisable by their red and gold paint schemes, so iconic in fact that Boreham Motorworks and Alan Mann Racing have partnered to build just 25 brand new continuation models for 2026. These cars are officially licenced by Ford themselves.
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