The Iconic Sale at Silverstone Festival 23rd - 25th August 2024

+ buyer’s premium of 12.5% plus VAT (15% incl VAT) on the first £300,000 of the hammer and 10% plus VAT (12% incl VAT) thereafter 61 Registration: NUF 617P Chassis No.: GCATSC18015 Estimate: £50,000 - £60,000 Specialist: Gary Dunne Telephone No: 07740 946796 Lot 365 1976 Ford Escort RS2000 Automatic, One of One, ex-Henry Ford II Henry Ford II, sometimes known as ‘Hank the Deuce’, was the eldest son of Edsel Ford I and the eldest grandson of Henry Ford. Head of Ford Motor Company for 34 years (1945-79), he is generally credited with reviving the firm’s fortunes. Although, Henry was able to handle a ‘stick-shift’, he preferred an automatic gearbox and whilst Ford’s new RS2000 powered by the 2-litre, SOHC, four-cylinder Pinto engine was powerful, it wasn’t available with an automatic gearbox. After some thought, Walter Hayes decided to create a bespoke, one-off RS2000 for HFII who, after all, was one of the most influential people in the history of Ford. The car was duly built with an automatic box, a really special interior luxuriously trimmed in cream leather with deep carpets, de-badged, meticulously finished in Roman Bronze Metallic with individual stripes and fitted with a set of bespoke wheels, prior to being registered to Henry Ford for his sole use on 8th June 1976 as NUF 617P. This unique RS commenced the next chapter of its life when it was purchased from Ford by John Redding on behalf of Melvyn Butcher who registered it in his name on 27th May 1978. Naturally, Melvyn was aware of the car’s provenance but used it as his family car for nearly ten years covering around 40,000 miles, before selling it to John and Scott Redding who registered it in their company name, Webster and Lancaster Ltd on 13th March 1988. Established in 1960, Webster and Lancaster are very well respected motor vehicle engineers and restorers and knowing the cars history, planned to recommission it and offer it for sale. With dozens of projects on the go, they never got around to it and were persuaded to sell it by our late vendor. Externally, it had become a little tired so, in 2002, our vendor tasked Roger Taylor at Classic Cars of Bournemouth to commence a full external restoration of the RS to a ‘show standard’. There is an invoice within the file totalling £6,632.88 which details the repair of metalwork, preparing, priming and painting the car in its unique Roman Bronze. In the interests of originality and considering the car’s fascinating history, the interior wasn’t touched apart from a good clean. It was added to his Collection and we understand, made occasional appearances at shows and events, where it attracted much interest before, to all intents and purposes, disappearing for the last ten years. Prior to the sale the car has been recommissioned along with the other cars in the Focus on Ford Collection by Tremona Garage of Southampton. This work included an oil and filter service, new spark plugs and air filter, gearbox oil and filter changed, differential oil change, points and condenser changed, tappets adjusted with new rocker cover gasket, new rear brake hose, new front callipers, brake fluid changed, cambelt and tensioner changed, alternator belt and antifreeze changed, all using genuine Ford parts. We are delighted to be able to offer this unique RS2000 that was once enjoyed by one of the most influential figures in the history of the automotive industry and invite and encourage your viewing at Silverstone prior to our sale. Long believed to have disappeared, Henry Ford II’s own Ford Escort RS2000, unique in Roman Bronze Metallic, with a cream leather interior and automatic transmission. More Details Lot 365 Bid On Lot 365