Formula Ford was a specification racing series created on the theory that the best drivers would win if they were racing identical cars. The idea for this low-budget Formula was created by an Englishman named Geoffrey Clarke, who had a driver’s school called Motor Racing Stables, based at the Brands Hatch Circuit. Clarke received support from Ford’s competition manager, Henry Taylor, and Ford’s director of public affairs, Walter Hayes. Ford supplied its 1600-cc Cortina GT engine, as well as its backing and name. Lotus Components built a car based on the Lotus 31 Formula Three car, calling it the Lotus 51 Formula Ford. Ironically, this early car had a Renault gearbox. It sold for the affordable price of just under £1,000, making racing in this series very affordable, since an F3 car of the day cost more than £3,000. The Royal Automobile Club, Britain’s governing body, established a set of racing regulations. The first official race was held at Brands Hatch on July 2, 1967. From 1967 to the present, Formula Ford has produced some very exciting racing among many different makes of racing cars, as well as some great drivers and future champions, including Emerson Fittipaldi, Jody Scheckter, Ayrton Senna, Michael Andretti and Tim Schenken. Today, Historic Formula Ford is an entry-level racing category and, for the purposes of this guide, covers cars from 1967 to 1972. Keep in mind, however, that the greatest single factor in determining the value of a Formula Ford is the quality and cost of its preparation.
Make
Model
Acceptance
Level III
Level II
Level I
Change
Notes
Alexis
14
3
$8,000
$12,000
$17,000
15
3
$8,000
$12,000
$17,000
18, 18B
3
$9,000
$14,000
$18,000
3
22
3
$9,000
$14,000
$19,000
3
Beach
Mk II
3
$7,500
$15,000
$21,000
3
Bobsy
3
$5,000
$10,000
$15,000
Caldwell
D9, D9B
3
$8,000
$16,000
$23,000
Crossle
16F
3
$9,000
$13,000
$17,000
3
20F
3
$10,000
$13,000
$20,000
3
Dulon
LD4, 4B, 4C
3
$5,000
$10,000
$15,000
LD9
3
$6,000
$11,000
$17,000
Elden
PH6
3
$5,000
$11,000
$17,000
PH8
3
$5,000
$12,000
$18,000
PH10
3
$6,000
$13,000
$20,000
Elfin
600
3
$5,000
$10,000
$15,000
3
Forsgrini
Mk 12
3
$5,000
$10,000
$15,000
3
Ginetta
G-18
3
$7,000
$12,000
$17,500
3
Hawke
DL2, 2A, 2B
3
$7,500
$11,000
$19,000
DL9, 9A
3
$10,000
$12,000
$21,500
LeGrand
Mk 10
3
$5,000
$10,000
$15,000
Lola
T200
3
$6,000
$11,000
$18,000
T202
3
$6,500
$12,000
$20,000
T204
3
$7,000
$13,000
$21,000
Lotus
51 A,B,C
3
$12,000
$18,000
$29,500
61M, MX
3
$9,000
$15,000
$20,000
69
3
$19,000
$26,500
$37,000
3
Macon
MR 7B
3
$4,000
$9,000
$14,000
3
MR8, 8B
3
$5,000
$10,000
$15,000
3
March
709, 719, 729
3
$10,000
$14,000
$21,000
McNamara
FFA
3
$4,000
$9,000
$15,000
3
Merlyn
Mk11, 11A
3
$12,000
$17,000
$25,000
Merlyn
Mk17, 17A
3
$10,000
$15,000
$20,000
Mk20, 20A
3
$12,000
$17,000
$22,000
Mirage
Mk5
3
$5,000
$9,000
$15,000
3
Mistrale
3
$5,000
$9,000
$15,000
3
Nike
Mk 4, 6, 10
3
$5,000
$9,000
$15,000
3
Royale
RP2
3
$5,000
$10,000
$17,000
RP3, 3A
3
$7,500
$11,000
$19,000
Tecno
FF
3
$10,000
$15,000
$20,000
3
Titan
Mk 4, 5
3
$10,000
$15,000
$20,000
3
Mk 6,6A,6B,6C
3
$10,000
$15,000
$24,000
Winkelman
WDF1,2,3,4
3
$10,000
$15,000
$20,000
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