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

WOW, just WOW

it's taken just over a week to read the entire 42 pages
The title change to on fire had me worried.

I love all of it - the attention to detail is amazing

I cannot wait to see this finally "finished"

Man.... you had my heart stop! I know all too well how a small welding accident can end!

Hey Grizz,

Thanks for still hanging in there following my thread!

As for your comments, I can imagine your friends laughing and as long as all ends well without severe burns that's ok. I had some welding related issues as well. I was once practicing when a spark lit my sweater. A wooshing flame went from the bottom to the neckline over my whole sweater. Sweater never caught fire itself and was fine, but the flame swooshing up it was a very strange sensation. Burning a hole in my hair from a spatter was more down to earth in that respect.

I too was glad the damage was minimal and easily rectifiable. Of course, I did feel a little bad, as I'd rather not have had any damage, but well, we all thought we had the bases covered and it just happened. No point in getting mad at myself or anyone else for that matter.

Back to updating the story. This will be a bit picture heavy as it also contains some of the pictures that should have accompanied the previous update.

So let's start there:

These are the brackets I made to hold the seat backs locked in place... They work excellent!




And these are the reglued window hinges that so far seem to hold. The new rubber was too thin and the Original replacement too thick so a new replacement that is in between these is to be sourced. Finishing the full back area hinges on the lack of this rubber moulding.




Some goodies for the rear seat are to keep the kids happy. Power sockets of different varieties and in duplicate to emphasize the two plus two nature of the interior cabin.





Then some pictures of the rear interior side panels mounted in place after milling away some of the back panel to prepare for the seat belt mounting hole. Personally I love how this came together and how well the lines on the alcantara inserts line up front to back. The passenger side (your driverside) is taken with the door not fully closed.






Also replaced a faulty Sport switch on the gear lever.



Some more goodies arrived form RR friend SPOT (thanks Paul!) and an internet store.





That sort of catches the pictures up to where I last left you...

As this week I was ill I focussed on things I could do mostly at home. I needed to work on the little things so the bigger interior can be finished finally. Remind me never to go custom again in there, lol!

So I started with a small thing, part of the centre console inlays. Needed covering with alcantara.




Then I bit another bullit. In a previous pic you've seen me receiving a fibreglass DIY kit from frost. I felt that would be a nice starter to try and get my speaker pods to look more like I wanted them to. I dreaded this for a couple of days, but finally just dove in. It had to be done!

So I created a new speaker ring (so I could still sell the old interior as complete from front to back if ever it came to that) and some supports to glue to the back panel for the footwells. After that had set (hot glue) I started pondering how to get the smooth shapes I wanted. Foam was considered but rejected as it would be hard to keep away from the places I didn't want it and also because there wasn't much panel left to foam up anyway. So I did what I had read online and on here and took an old t-shirt and tightened that donw over the shape of the mdf ring. I stapled it to the panel in roughly the way I wanted it to come out. It started looking good. After a couple of days I had the nerve and a bit of a higher outside temperature to try and do the glassfibre. I prepared by gloving up and tearing pieces of the cloth so I could quickly layer it all up. Once started I actually had great fun doing this and seeing how complex shapes could be easily managed as soon as the resin soaked the glassfibres. I took care to mix the quantities in such a way that I should have about an hour to work it allas it was my first time ever to do this. It worked out well and after leaving them overnight, I trimmed the edges with a flap disk in the grinder. So far success!! Now to get them covered in vinyl. Now that caused me headaches. I've not been able to get the pattern made right to have a go. I may leave this to a more experienced person.



















I was also fighting the issue that the Scorpio mirror didn't fit the Granada stalk and what to do about it. Glueing the Scorpio stalk to the glass was one option, but as a grnada screen has no blacked out area, how do you get a black look from outside yet a decent adhesion to the screen? So I investigated a modification to use the Granada stalk. I had an idea that might work. I had to grind donw the lip on the Scorpio "ball" and cut it and a little bit of it's stem from the bracket/stalk.








From there I went to the back of the Scorpio mirror. I had to get the wires out of the mirror in a different place as there would be no way of getting them through the "ball" as per Original. So I drilled a slotted hole for them to exit.




The result when put together with one of those screws and threaded sleeves as often used on door furnishings.



Now only to remeber how the mirror was attached in the roof. I can feel a little bracket, just can't determine if it is screwed in or just a clamp fit.

I turned my attention to another small job. I had sanded and degreased the inner sill trims as they weren't great. I kept them an easy silver for future fixes. These will get hit from use for sure.





That brings me up to date. It feels like no real progress was made, yet these things have to be done so some real big progress can be made soon.

I'll leave you with a question I need answered. Can anyone tell me from what motorisation these springs came. They are from a granny front end, I just don't know if it was a 1,7 or a 2,8 or anything in between. I do know this front end had a bigger anti-roll bar then my 2,6 originally had. I believe it's a 24mm one. The reason I ask is that the current lowering springs sag too much and I hope these standard springs will lift the front slightly. But if they are for instance a 1,7 I don't think I'll achieve that as that engine is so much lighter. Once answered I can get this blasted and coated and replaced on the car!

They are standing on the flat end, so probably the colour code should be read the other way round.



Thanks for sticking with me so far!

Truly inspirational stuff in this thread. I've spent quite an enjoyable time reading through all 42 pages (Hadn't caught it on any of the other updates somehow) while wallowing in self pity as I'm too ill to do anything else this weekend and it's made me feel considerably better. Not only that, this is one of those threads that really puts into perspective what I'm trying to achieve with my own projects and helps me realise I'm not alone struggling along with a thankless old heap and that in the end the efforts will be rewarded. I really don't have far to go and this whole build reinforces that, you've had some pretty big hurdles to overcome throughout.

The car itself looks really very nice. I'm not keen on the individual elements and wouldn't have thought to apply them to the car you have but as a complete image it looks right. The wheels, mirrors, graphics and seats are impossible for me to imagine an improvement on seeing them all together. The work on those door cards is stunning and the engine choice perfect to match the overall feel of this project.

Regardless of whether or not I or anyone else like elements of it, as a whole picture you've absolutely nailed this. You're building your car, your way and it's working exceptionally well.

Thank you for sharing your thoughts on my build(thread). Perhaps I should first applaud you for reading through all 42 pages of the saga and hanging in there! Glad you enjoyed it though! Funny how one can miss a thread for years right? I've had it happen to me as well. Hope you are feeling better by now!

I like what you've said. First, I do build this car to MY desires and the only one who really has to like it is me. And fortunately I do. I haven't found anything yet that I would do differently regarding the look I created. Can't say the same for the process of getting there though. Let's say there are things I'd do differently next time around. But it is Always nice if others appreciate what you've tried to do as well.

I do like how honest you are about my build, about possibly not liking every change I made, probably not having done the same had it been your car, but still acknowledging that the overall outcome does suit the Original vehicle and creates a good looking appearance. I can appreciate this kind of honesty. I know I did things that are controversial and not everyones cuppa' tea.

I do admit, as I'm not in the trade or anything, just a regular Joe with an addiction to or passion for old iron the restoration has had it's struggles for sure. I am glad I hung in there, but at times I have wanted to set fire to the whole thing, hahaha. It's responses like yours that have Always kept me going when it got tough though, so thanks for contributing. I did learn a lot! From making doorcards, to shaping metal somewhat and even using fibreglass (no not as a body repair lol).

I to love how some things worked out. The door cards and rear panels being high on the list as well as modifying the entire floor structure just to fit nicer seats... The interior to me is just right.

Again, thanks for your genuine interest and opinion. Much appreciated!

Thanks!

My goal was exactly that. I wanted old school looks with a bit more refinement. The engine is a lot newer, yet also 20 years old... The mirrors are really a modern touch. Things like Cruise control (to be executed once on the road but fully prepped now), central locking, electric windows, even the 12 fold electric seats are more common, though none Original to my vehicle. I guess I'm a gadget/creature comfort person by hart (not to the extreme of waiting inline for the newest iPhoney or anything like that), I like the luxury feel those items give the car.

And although I'd Always like to add more, I'm quite happy with what I've got at the moment. Adding an alarm would even provide remote start and follow me home lighting features etc. But as I have a PATS car and I don't want to bypass that, the remote start will be unavailable to me.

Hm, the patience isn't Always by desire... The build celebrated it's 6 year anniversary 3 days ago... March 13th, 2010 I started all this by removing the 2.6 liter engine for the Cosworth BOA swap. And from there it spiralled out of control... But different circumstances dictated the speed of working on the project. I do however posess the ability to work at a high level of detail and with a high level of focus. It's got to be great before it meets my standards. My friend Paul refers to that as AA standard, lol. I guess this is also driven by the fact that I want the outcome to be something I'm both happy with and that won't leave me thinking I could have done better. Anything you see on the car is basically done to the best of MY abillities. And that does not mean there is nothing on the car that couldn't have been done better. But some of those things are also the result of trying everything myself. Like the headliner for instance. A pro would have gotten a 100% result whereas mine is 95%. To me that is great seeing I did it myself as a complete novice.

Haha, I'm with you on the driving thing. I wish I could. Well at least i have and I know it will move. But with the steering rack still out and the brakes to refill/bleed, there's no chance of that yet. Although the rack is supposed to be todays job at the rebuilders. I'm axiously awaiting any news...

Anyway. I'm getting very close to being able to drive it again! Legally!

You're cracking on and even small progress steps are worthwhile!

Can I bring in another question...how big is the Granada Coupé scene in the Netherlands?

Reason I ask is my old Coupé, that I sold back in 1994. That car was very special to me, the first car I bought for myself and even though I had it a short time it was with me through some really defining moments of life. I have randomly kept track of it, and it has been with the same older gentleman for many years. He bought it from the guys I sold it to.

The other day I checked again and I was shocked to see that it had swapped hands late 2015, and now one of my friends here in town was the listed owner. Remember that I owned that car in Stockholm and I now live in Skellefteå, 800 kilometers north... My friend Jörgen is a true Granada freak and I know he regularly buys cars. So I checked with him.

Unfortunately, he explained that he didn't have the car anymore, it was part of an exchange he made, to get a solid Granada MkII 2-door shell - from the Netherlands! He drove my old Coupé down to the Netherlands on a trailer (Skellefteå to Amsterdam is 2200 kilometres), and brought the 2-door back.

Is it possible that you know of someone who got a MkI Coupé donor from Sweden?

Jörgen was unsure about it if was just being used for parts. He said it was really rough now and had some pictures to prove it.







Doesn't look too bad on those images though, but he said there were lots of bodges. When  I sold it, it was decent, by no means mint, but time has not been nice to it.

I feel somewhat sad, the old man said he would restore it the last time I spoke to him. But his ambitions must have been overstated... On one hand, I am glad it is not still here in town, because I sense that I would have made a stupid decision...

Gustaf

Thanks for the info! I heard that it was brush painted and there were some real bodges too. I'm not sure how much hid under the decent paint it had when I drove it - it was bought from a rather shady underground garage in the more dubious parts of Stockholm.

I have hardly any photos of it from back then but I will dig a bit.

Please ask him to give her a pat from me, she is named Louise :-)

Gustaf

I had a standard 4-speed in it when I had it. In Sweden, the 2.8i (Granada, Sierra, Scorpio) was the only V6 with a 5-speed, so if there is a 5-speed in it now, it most likely is a 2.8i gearbox. Probably Sierra or Granada in order to have a mechanical speedo.

The only picture I found of it is from a rescue operation of a Taunus... But see. Shiny paint!



Isn't the Internet wonderful? I traced a car I used to own 22 years ago, when I lived 800 kms away from here. It was bought by a now local friend, shipped to the Netherlands where it ends up close to another newly found friend!

Gustaf