I've had something of a fixation with this Escort for a number of years. I think this might be the first colour photo I've seen of it. The Escort was owned and built by Wayne Fuller in circa-1971, and fitted with an ex-Paul Fahey FVA or FVC engine. Fuller was from Greytown in the Wairarapa. He raced the Escort during the 1972 season, mostly in the South Island OSCA series, which required regular Cook Straight Ferry crossings.
After its 1972 season, Fuller then decided to have the car rebuilt, and took it to Graham Berry, of the famed Berry & Chung hot rod duo. Berry rebuilt the Escort to be fitted with a small block Chevy V8, and did all the fabrication work required. The 350 cu.in Chevy was topped with a cross-ram intake manifold and a pair of Holley carbs.
It was completed in time for the 1974 season, and Fuller got a young car salesman from Masterton named Roger Brader to drive it. It was scarily fast in a straight line, but the braking and handling required some development. Trevor Crowe drove the car for the team at Wigram to try and give it some manners, and the team were just getting on top of things by the end of the season. However, Fuller then decided to sell it. Warren Steel purchased it, sans engine, and was going to fit a smaller V8 and run it in the 4.2 class in the NZ championship, but failed his eye test, so sold the car to John Scott. I assume this is the same John Scott who later raced a Pontiac Firebird in speedway in Auckland. A later owner was Ian Taylor. Does it still exist?
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Originally Posted by Steve Holmes
