Paolo Piazza Musso
From: South Africa Car: Mk2 Escort Zakspeed tribute There are some serious Escorts coming out of South Africa right now — just like this one from Paolo who runs Piazza Motorsport based in Kyalami, South Africa.
“I started this build in 2007 with the view to build the EscortV6 GAA used here in the Manufacturers Challenge in the early ’80s, as this was one of my child hood dreams,” reckons Paolo. “Unfortunately I was not able to secure a GAA powerplant, so I had to change my plans.”
“As I already had a BDG engine, I then chose to build a replica of the Jody Scheckter 1977 Wynns 1000-winning Zakspeed car that he partnered with Hans Heyer!
“Although the project started and stopped over the years, it took 10 years to realise this dream and build. I felt that I had to set a deadline in order to complete this build as clients cars take preference, so the build was always being pushed to the back burner, and I was only getting time in the evenings or the odd Sunday and December holidays, so progress was slow. We finally decided that the car was to debut the car at the International Piper race held every January at Zwartkops race track, so we set off and began burning the candle from both ends to try and achieve our goal.
“With the help of many friends we managed to achieve our goal and present the car onThursday morning for scrutineering and its first practice, having only completed late the night before.
“Never having turned a wheel, I was quietly confident that we had done the right job, but one never actually knows until you set out onto the track and put it through its paces. Fortunately the first few sessions went well, with only few minor teething issues to sort out typical of a new build. I have to thank Gary Wilcox for his contribution with information in helping us to replicate this build, my wife Sonja, my boys for their sacrifices and to a special pair of friends, Brad and Caroll, and of course my dad, Giovanni Piazza Musso for his contribution in helping me source all the right bits for the build.”