Summarize

Donaven Mannaru approached Habot Lubricants to support his effort to trek from his Reservoir Hills base all the way to the SA Drag Racing Nationals at Killarney in Cape Town. Little did the Durban driver realise the difference that the company’s Performance Lubricants would make to his mad 1969 Ford Escort MK1.

“We had an awesome weekend in the Cape,” Donaven explained. “We had spent so much time and effort getting my Escort to turn the times it does, that we were more excited about. the trip until we got there. But the moment I fired it up, we could sense the difference. Habot Synthetic Lubricants certainly make the car smoother and quieter and it boggles as to the power and performance advantages these performance oils bring.”

Donaven’s Escort runs an Autotrix-tuned Turbonetics-turbocharged 2-litre 8-valve Ford Pinto engine governed by a Fueltech FT450 ECU on an Africar Automotive wiring harness. Fitted with DTP Custom exhaust and inlet manifolds, intercooler, and piping, it turns a full spool differential through a W56 gearbox with a triple pack Quartermaster clutch, steel flywheel and EZ Thick tube propshaft.

That twists 31-spline half shafts to transfer all the power to the road via Hoosier or Mickey Thompson drag slicks. The Escort is fitted with an EDW roll cage and all the expected safety kit. “Now that we have added Habot Synthetic Lubricants, she’s running even sweeter” Donaven explains. “Now I am looking forward to seeing if that helps me into the nines.

“I was delighted with my 10.74  second best time at 214 km/h at Killarney. That even though I had to brake at 350 metres because of the short track and not having a drag chute. We don’t need to worry too much about that at home so let’s see where wo go. Thanks to Habot for the support. Now to deliver those results!”