1972 Granada Mk1 coupe build - Still going... 14-10-2024

Haha Paul, it's only the truth, lol!

The reason I hadn't yet opened the roof other than in tilt mode was that last time it was in, it was badly adjusted I think as the roof scratched the panel... Before paint luckily! Since painting I believed I had tried my best to get it working correctly. HAd to fix the little button that changes between modes etc. So I should have been fine to do so, but the rubber that is sold as new sunroof moulding is actually a tad thick. So it does not easily go from tilt to slide and back. I have to give the panel a few taps to get the moulding past the roof edge. I had once found a better fitting one but at 66 euro's I didn't have the money... And that is basically the story every time... The budget is always eaten by something!

But it was great seeing the sky above and the wind in my (short) hair etc...

I think the logbook in your name is something we can discus!





As long as it is accompanied by a big wad of cash or a bank transfer into my account for a considerable sum. I'll just start a next resto then...

I watched the video and I think you made a good introduction to the car. The sound could have been better to really give an impression of the sounds this beast is producing.
You really should make a video of you using the car on the open lanes.

Some pics for fun...showing the car gets used... In this case picking up my son from his dance class at the magnificent "Evoluon". I have 45 minute wait here every week as his dance class now starts and ends later.

Wow Thats really nice pictures of a sharp looking car

My car came with battered shields. I say shields as I also mean the ones in the wheel wells. They were the cardboard like stuff...

I'd really like to add the skid plate and the wheel well items back again. I'd like them to be metal though... but I currently don't have any.

I've never given thought to the handbrake lever. It's just what it is. But I rather like the design. Never even gave the later models a thought in this respect. I'd have to look up what it looks like. I'll keep the suggestion in mind...if it really would be a good look I might do something with it.

And yes, with autumn and winter coming I see the car being parked more and more soon. At least this year in the knowledge that it seems to work all round and just being ready for next year.

They are great cars for sure!

I'll have to google feathering of tires to know what you mean, but it's true that an alignment needs redoing, as I replaced the inner tie rods a while back. Just not gotten round to that yet, and yes, I'm pretty sure that will make a lot of difference in driving the car. It's not that bad now, but it was better when aligned correctly... If it had been dreadful I would have probably done it already. There's no real excuse. Yes life is busy and weird right now, but mainly I just find it a nuisance to find a hole in the calendar for... I do want to get it done pre winter still so I'll have to hurry...

Thanks Tom!

Haha, have I ever... I've addressed this before I think....

The wheels were the single most difficult choice on the whole car. As there are plenty of Granada's out there in the UK, Germany and even quite a few here in the Netherlands, there's a lot that in my opinion has been done to death. Banded steels for one. Honestly I don't really get the excitement over them. I get the owners' desire for increased width, but not why to use what is most often a very boring wheel to start with. Which then often gets covered with some sort of chrome looking cap. It's just not for me. In the Granada scene the black and silver sports wheels are often used for this, but it still doesn't rock my boat. Often the excuse of being more period correct is used. Probably true, but well, that is not what my personal car is about....

Having said the above, again, I'll say that I'm not easily pleased with alternatives. The BBS or like honeycombed designs have been done so often. Too modern wheels have been done too often. I think it's hard to really find a good wheel and I've only ever seen less than a handful that I like. The original Ghia wheels I do like, but they're too tame for my build.

So I chose something that came up for sale randomly and cheaply that I liked. I like the sort of blunt look. It makes them more period correct than current overly smooth designs. I like the spider like spokes, that only attach to the bed with a small contact patch and only deep into the bed face. In their current two tone I also like the match to the theme. Still, it's the first item I'd change on the car if I ever found anything nicer. But so far that hasn't happened yet. Last week on some tv car show, I saw wheels that really took my fancy but I 'd have to assume that those wheels alone would be 25% of my car's current value. And even then, them looking great on the car in the show is no guarantee they'd look equally as good on my car. They might have been a little to classic...

The first look way too expensive. Also the heart would have to be black. And I have a thing against those visible bolts... they detract from the clean lines of many wheels.

The wolf race wheels are probably the wheels that prove my point best. Done to death. I used to really love them but I've gone off them a bit.

Would you believe my car came with cragars? 17" monsters that stuck out from the arches several centimetres. To run them the p.o. had put blocks on the suspension arms effectively putting the car on the bump stops when at rest... you can imagine what that did when the suspension had to really do its job! Those were nice wheels visually though...

I've got some pics I think... I was sold on the car when I saw them but they were so very wrong for the car...

It sounds like you have got a vacuum leak but since you haven't dismantled anything it will be difficult to source. Eariler when I have had these problems, the leakage wa unerneath/after teh carb. You have no carb but there might be leakages past the injectors or in the inlet gasket.
An engine rebuild would probably be the best way to do it but also the most costly. I checked the prices on gasket sets for your engine, and ouch, it is costly.
You could try to spray around the engine with "start spray" thet can help in finding a leakage.
On the positive side, winter is coming and you have a bit of time to get ypuself a workbench and rebuild the spare engine.