FORD’S RALLYING ANGLIAS

UNSUNG HEROES OF THE ’60s

TheAnglias were never about to beat their more specialised opposition onTarmac or in winter rallies, but on rough events like the Acropolis and the East African Safari it was often a different story.There was a perfect example right away after launch, whenAnne Hall won her class on the 1959 RAC rally, while works 105Es took first, second and third in their class in the 1960 East African Safari which followed. Once again,Anne won her class in the 1960 RAC rally (below), and the team again dominated their class in the 1961 Safari. In British events, and in particular in the fast-improving Motoring News Championship, from 1959 to 1964 the principal competition came from the BMC Mini Coopers and Cooper Ss, gradually, the front-running entrants upgraded their 105Es — firstly with 1340cc, then with 1498cc, then Cortina GT engines, soon with front-wheel-disc brakes, and (when running as the privately-homologated Allardettes) with even more extreme states of tune, they were relentlessly successful until the Escort GT and EscortTwin Cams came along in 1968