mk1 Fiesta - Updated 17/08/13 - Almost back together..
 

Today I went and looked at a mk1 Fiesta as I now have space to do a real project rather than owning a car that can only go so far due to lack of space and that car having to be my daily. After falling in love with my mates XR2 I decided a mk1/2 fiesta was the way to go for me project wise.

Now I don't know much about Fiesta's but my mate came with me to view it with me as having a mk2 XR2 he knows what to look for rust wise etc and the key points to check. From what he has said the shell seems solid bar a few bits of rust here and there which most of it is cosmetic and will come out with a good sand/grind down. Engine has a starting problem, the guy said it was the starter motor but not sure how true that is, but it doesn't matter too much as I will be putting another engine in at some point.

Got it for £475 knocked down from the asking price of £600 (£425 + £50 for the guy to deliver it next weekend!) which is a good price for what it is as you can find worse condition ones for a few hundred more!

Plans for it at the moment are to sort the bodywork out, remove the rust, get it resprayed not sure if I should stick with the same colour of change it though? See to the engine problem and maybe get it road worthy/running.

At some point the plan is to buy a 2.0l Zetec engine and run it on carbs. I don't know much about how its going to happen at this stage as this is all going to be new to me.
Also will be putting some sort of arch kit on it, usual stuff like coilover kit/exhaust system. Seats are shot so will be replacing them with some Ford Recaro seats.

Erm, as for now that about it. I only have a couple of pictures at the moment but I will upload more when I get it next weekend :y:

May not be to everyones taste but I cant wait to get started on it :D

this is fucking awesome, my mates got a Mk2 Fiesta Ghia with 46,000 on it, bright red with some old skool cool Capri dish on it... Love old Fords way too much!

I NEED a Mk3 Escort in my life.

Check this out, may be of interest for you!

http://bbs.rsownersclub.co.uk/showthread.php?t=201436

For its age and for an old ford that does seem to be in very good condition bodywork wise. Best of luck with the project, nice to see something a little different in the project section

Will look forward to more updates

nice one mate!
Just PM me if you have any questions or need some help with something. I know these things like the back of my hand.
I have my own, im doing a 2nd restoration on, this time with all new panels and my own inner wings and engine mount.

These are great!

i can see so much potential in that lol

original colours pretty gay, should respray gun metal grey imo

Cheers man! My mate has a XR2 with a 1.9 tubo'd lump in it its fucking rapid lol. How could I not fall in love with the idea od doing something along the same lines? :D

MK3 Escort RS :P

Holy shit!. I wish that was my garage! :fcuk:

Thanks, and yaeh it is very solid for its age. My mate checked it over and the only rust he could find that was bad was underneath by the rear arch on the drivers side but it wasn't a massive patch. Apart from that no finger holes anywhere!

Will keep that in mind mate cheers! Do you have a link to a progress thread to yours? Would be good to see how thats going!

It has great potential I know lol. Really excited about this project, can't wait to get started!

Colour is not the best I know, and I was thinking more of a darkish gloss grey tbh. I have a few colour ideas in my head but I will decide when its time to respray :y:

have a mk1 version of this! looks epic

Oh yes! V reg is 79 yeah? Takes me back to my yoof lol! One of my first cars was a near mint Y reg mk3 escort followed by an RS1600i love old fords.
I'll be watching this thread with interest.
Zetec turbo!

I have to admit that looks smart! But I wan't to do something different, which is why I am considering keeping it the colour it is.

It's a H reg mate, not a V ;) Which is 1980 according to the V5.
As for Zetec turbo, just going to run a 2.0 Zetec with carbs for now. Just to get it running with a bit of power then turbo may be the next stage if I decide to take it that far :y:

Looks like you've got your work cut out for you!
Looking forward to following this :)

No mate that's definitely V reg. H reg is 1990 / 91

After Y / 83 they moved the year letter to the beginning so it was the A123 ABC etc.

Will be worth it in the end though mate! :)

Yeh I have just been informed I have read the plate incorrect :homme::wall: lol.

nice base mate! get some naughty wide minilites for it it'll look the part with a supersport kit

Cheers mate. Nah everyone has them wheels, I have something else in mind that will be a little different ;)

i have two sperate mates both restoring Red mk1 Fiestas at the minute!! One of them fella's has a spare one for parts. Will sk him what he need's/doesn't need for you!!

Though I really don't see the fascination in mk1 or mk2 fiesta's!!

@lsofreak- if that colour was on a mk2 escort, you probably wouldn't call it gay!!! I personally think its one of the best shades of blue Ford ever put on a car - "Nordic Blue"

fair point actually ^

used to see a mk1 escort in that colour with a matching blue roll cage at windsor cruise years ago when that used to go on

i dont have a progress thread on here no. i may have to sort one out though!

Nice one mate cheers! As for the colour, I am sure when it's freshly painted it will look alot better as the paint is heavily faded in places on the car. It's growing on me the more I look at it aswell tbh!

Get one sorted mate! :y:

Ok so the Fiesta got delivered today, and as soon as I got it me and my mate didn't hang about and started stripping her out to check for rust! All we could find was rust in the drivers footwell and as anyone who knows the mk1/2 shells they usually rust heavily! Was very pleased to find hardly any. That was all we got done today as the car didn't car delivered till about 4pm.

Bonnet removed to start with to check the engine over. It doesn't start as it has no battery but ran it via jump leads off my mates car and it turns over which is good!



Engine bay. Will be a different engine in its place at one point!


Interior, seats will be replaced with some for Recaros.



Stripped the car out, then was time to check for rust.




Boot, all solid only surface rust.


Only surface rust, this is where the washer bottle goes for the rear window in the bott. Usually a place prone to rusting on these cars.




This was the only place we could find rust, there is a few hols around the area by the pedals. Will be easy to fix though, cut out and weld a new sheet in.


That is as far as we got today. Will update again when more progress has taken pleace :y: