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.....Fielding is convinced that MCD Services will attract a major sponsor this year, and he's refreshingly open about his reasons for the hiring of Roger Clark, who for his part would be reluctant to become a party to a team which couldn't deliver well prepared cars. Roger's appearance has thus worked both ways: in putting MCD on the map, and in sharpening up the team's allusions to professionalism. Key personnel are at the same time kept on their metal, and flattered by Clark's obviously favourable impressions of the cars. Professional pride runs high at MCD Services.
As 'manager' of everyday affairs here, Dave's position must be a source of some envy to many others who are struggling with small businesses in not so similar circumstances. "People ask us what our budget is. The answer to that one is that we don't have a budget. Not because there's an open cheque, but because if you start budgeting closely, you'll often find that you can't do the job properly. So if you find that some project is costing too much money, you just stop the programme."
It's a logical approach, and one that factory rally team managers have been following for many years now.
You don't have to spend much time at MCD Services to appreciate that the company is capable of building Ford Escorts at least as well as the best in the country. Escorts tend to be built to a dual specification here, which makes them rapidly suitable for either tarmac or loose surface events. These days, that means the substitution (for tarmac) of revised steering arms to cut down bump steer, (there are three alternative arms); an extra-low mounted front cross member; tarmac specification compression or tension struts; slipper rear springs plus a 50lb/in. 'helper' coil spring, plus a completely revised rear axle with lower parallel mounts for the locating arms.
Such a car, including a sizeable bag of bits, would probably cost you around £25,000 from MCD, and it can be put onto injection (Lucas/Cosworth) and made to work properly, unlike so many abortive attempts by others in the past. The reasons for this success are due primarily to a combination of the ideas of Ray Sherratt and Tony Drummpnd. Dave: "I was recently looking at a similar system on a car whose builders really ought to know better. The metering unit was right at the back of the engine, mounted on the top; there were pipes all over the place and the throttle return spring to the metering unit was held on by a piece of welding wire!" A quick look at MCD's solution reveals a complete contrast in terms of neatness and sound engineering.
So the choice is to build such cars, and to conduct business this way, or to try to control one's own destiny. The company is well prepared for the business of building cars, thanks to modern premises boasting a rolling road and an exhaust gas analyser, in addition to the more usual cutting, grinding and fabricating equipment. All MCD's engines are fine tuned before they leave the workshop, and a number of engine builders would, I know, be most interested to see MCD's 'before' and 'after' figures-
Where then does one go from here? It's evidently crossed David's mind that the big commercial operations, the multi-national conglomerates which one is supposedly going out to impress, may not even be there; but then, if you don't go out and do something, you can hardly expect the money to be donated anyway... the chicken and the egg. MCD Services firmly believes that it must spend money in order to attract it; the company is not afraid to do so, and it's in the fortunate position funds to follow up its ultimate aims.
Expansion is planned and the total staff (of five at present) is to be augmented shortly by two more mechanics. The problem, however, is in finding the right mechanics....
"We had some Formula One mechanic in here for a while; he knew everything, he'd fixed everything, he'd been everywhere ... he couldn't do a damn thing - /could have done better."
Naturally, being a small concern, MCD takes on a considerable amount of outside labour from time to time, especially during major rallies, or when suppliers' delays make delivery dates uncertain. So it's no surprise to see some familiar and respected faces sporting MCD regalia from time to time; men like Mike Taylor; and John Donovan, a Malcolm Wilson 'regular'. MCD knows its rally personnel and surrounds itself accordingly - as in most other pursuits, there's no substitute for experience. Just try changing a gearbox in 11V4 minutes (current MCD record held by Dave and Ray); or a complete axle in 311/2 (Dave, Ray and John Kneal).
Reading between the lines, it's possible to see the Ford Fiesta which MOD are currently running on internationals for Louise Aitken/Ellen Morgan as a loss leader. The effort that's gone into this car, in terms of re-preparation, development, time and effort are disproportionate to its apparent worth; so it's quite clear where the allegiance lies.
And the answer to the first question: why could Geoff Fielding's investment be construed as being even better timed than he suspected? There's no simple answer, but, do you ever have the feeling that rallying is in the process of major change after years of stability.... The same drivers winning the same rallies; the same teams being strongest in the same areas.... I do, and I also feel that the works team, as a concept, could eventually become a thing of the past as manufacturer promotions budgets become ever more tightly policed.
If such circumstances are anywhere near right, and Boreham becomes a competition centre in research and development terms only, then it is to established professional teams like MCD that Ford, via Boreham, will turn for the running and results of their future rally cars.
Geoff Fielding has the last word. "I think and hope that Ford has recognized the depth of expertise and the scope for development that we have here.... "The rest is up to you.
Captions -
Top-Left - Geoff Fielding: "I'm aware of the fact that few people prepare Fords on behalf of the Ford Motor Company. I'd like to think that the company can be proud of our efforts and that our relationship can go beyond that."
Middle - Geoff Fielding: "This company is entirely separate from MCD; it's self-contained and it's holding its head up by itself. This is a commercial enterprise that's going to make money; it's not going to ride off on the back of my haulage interests. I'm convinced that this is really going to go."
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