So I have recently found myself in need of a car again.. and I decided that rather than buy te first banger I could find/afford, I would use a bit of actual money (only a little bit, as there isn't much!)and buy a car I have the fondest memories of, before they skyrocket up in price, and ideally a car I will want to hang on to.
To that end, I wanted a Mk3 Ford Fiesta.
These were everywhere when I was a child (I lived in Romford), and I have a fair few memories of them! my first car was one (a base model 1.1, cant remember reg but an early one in a maroon), which I bought off a lady in the local shop. Although I never got to drive it on the road (it konked out before my test) I drove about fields in it plenty. My second (or third) car was another one, which I bought from a car auction. Had many a fun teenage memory with that car. This one had been rear ended, so I had to bash the rear end out with a sledgehammer, to enable a scrapyard sourced silver tailgate (the car was also maroon, but a 1.8 diesel) to vaguely fit. One of my earliest memories also involves another one, which as I am feeling lazy rather than paraphrasing I will copy and paste from the thread where I have prattled about it before:
'For my early years i grew up in Romford, Essex. Ford's were everywhere, my grandad had work for ford so had an Escort, so did an uncle, and I liked ford. Grandad told me years later that that most of my early words were the Ford model range, and I could identify them all at about 3 years old! Anyway I digress, when I was about 6 years old we went to a local fair at the big school grounds, and on the field was BSM driving school. No age limit to drive the cars, just to be able to reach, see and steer. Now I'm 6'4" tall now and have been always above average height, so I passed the requirements, though only for an automatic of course. There were a few different cars there, a 205, a nova and so on however I had spotted one ford. A bright red, J reg Mk3 fiesta, amd it was an automatic. Me and Grandad qued up. I got to the front of the que and was presented, to my utter delight, with the fiesta.
I hoped in, belted up and was about to go when I noted the hazard lights were on. I turned to grandad, safely sitting in the back and asked how to turn them off? He smiled and said to me "don't be silly boy, you know how to do that" and I did. He knew that I did, and that simply in the childish excitement of the moment I had forgotten. Not only did remembering give me confidence, it taught me a lesson regarding when to give an answer, or allow somebody to learn for themselves. I remember the pride on his face as I drove that car around the field. My of only been a square track in a field with some makeshift fences telling you wjere to go, but I thought it was brilliant. '[/i]
So in short I wanted a Mk3 Fiesta!
My mum came to visit me, and we had a perusal at a few. Not many about, and prices seem to vary from £500 or so for a project, to upto £3k for a decent one with all manner of prices in between. I should also point out I only wanted a a cooking spec (ish) 1.1 or a Ghia. Some of them had amazing advisories, including 'metallic foil stuck to bodywork' (the seller assured me it wasn't rusty...) but then me and mum spotted this one. It was way up at a motor dealers in Cheshire (I live in Somerset) but it looked genuine. A 2 owner car, with a documented 78k on the clock and near enough full service history, including a full annual service for the last 25 years. It also looked really solid. It also was reasonably priced! Lots of detailed conversations were had, and it was mine. Super excited! Delivery mildly delayed due to the storms, but on Monday she was driven down to me! and here she is!
A late model Mk3, in really good nick! I am not actually joking, the sills and arches are all lovely! I don't recal seeing a more solid example, at least not since I was about 6 years old anyway! There are the odd bits of rust, such as on the front lower panel, and dents here and there but that's to be expected! The history file was impressive, I discovered she was sold new in Hackney, where she spent two years before being sold to a chap in Walthamstow who kept her for 25 years. S basically until ending up at a car dealers, she had never really left east London! I was even considering using my more Essex accent, make the car feel more at home! Took her for a drive (to show her some country roads and views) and she drove really well! A real trip down memory lane. Well a bit different, as this car has electric windows, airbags, cubbyholes, electric windows and central locking! Astounding luxury. I am going to assume that the Sapphire special edition got you the rather snazzy metallic paint colour. She even has her original cassette radio! Se also has a remote boot release which threw me completely.
few bits of tinkering to be done though. The headlights are odd, the temp gauge doesn't work (will need a new sensor I suspect) the clutch needs a bit of adjustment and the steering wheel has a flat bit at the top. I also will be fitting orange front indicators. partly as I like them more, but also as Ford, being ford, only changed the front to clear, so the rear and side are orange! I will also be sorting some alloys, as the wheel trims, whilst actual Ford ones, are very gnarly. I will also, given past issues, be looking to upgrade the front brakes, so will be looking at how to go about that. I was going to fit a boot spoiler, but the jury is out on that one, and lows, but I wont be doing the lows I am afraid!
All in all though, chuffed with her!
To that end, I wanted a Mk3 Ford Fiesta.
These were everywhere when I was a child (I lived in Romford), and I have a fair few memories of them! my first car was one (a base model 1.1, cant remember reg but an early one in a maroon), which I bought off a lady in the local shop. Although I never got to drive it on the road (it konked out before my test) I drove about fields in it plenty. My second (or third) car was another one, which I bought from a car auction. Had many a fun teenage memory with that car. This one had been rear ended, so I had to bash the rear end out with a sledgehammer, to enable a scrapyard sourced silver tailgate (the car was also maroon, but a 1.8 diesel) to vaguely fit. One of my earliest memories also involves another one, which as I am feeling lazy rather than paraphrasing I will copy and paste from the thread where I have prattled about it before:
'For my early years i grew up in Romford, Essex. Ford's were everywhere, my grandad had work for ford so had an Escort, so did an uncle, and I liked ford. Grandad told me years later that that most of my early words were the Ford model range, and I could identify them all at about 3 years old! Anyway I digress, when I was about 6 years old we went to a local fair at the big school grounds, and on the field was BSM driving school. No age limit to drive the cars, just to be able to reach, see and steer. Now I'm 6'4" tall now and have been always above average height, so I passed the requirements, though only for an automatic of course. There were a few different cars there, a 205, a nova and so on however I had spotted one ford. A bright red, J reg Mk3 fiesta, amd it was an automatic. Me and Grandad qued up. I got to the front of the que and was presented, to my utter delight, with the fiesta.
I hoped in, belted up and was about to go when I noted the hazard lights were on. I turned to grandad, safely sitting in the back and asked how to turn them off? He smiled and said to me "don't be silly boy, you know how to do that" and I did. He knew that I did, and that simply in the childish excitement of the moment I had forgotten. Not only did remembering give me confidence, it taught me a lesson regarding when to give an answer, or allow somebody to learn for themselves. I remember the pride on his face as I drove that car around the field. My of only been a square track in a field with some makeshift fences telling you wjere to go, but I thought it was brilliant. '[/i]
So in short I wanted a Mk3 Fiesta!
My mum came to visit me, and we had a perusal at a few. Not many about, and prices seem to vary from £500 or so for a project, to upto £3k for a decent one with all manner of prices in between. I should also point out I only wanted a a cooking spec (ish) 1.1 or a Ghia. Some of them had amazing advisories, including 'metallic foil stuck to bodywork' (the seller assured me it wasn't rusty...) but then me and mum spotted this one. It was way up at a motor dealers in Cheshire (I live in Somerset) but it looked genuine. A 2 owner car, with a documented 78k on the clock and near enough full service history, including a full annual service for the last 25 years. It also looked really solid. It also was reasonably priced! Lots of detailed conversations were had, and it was mine. Super excited! Delivery mildly delayed due to the storms, but on Monday she was driven down to me! and here she is!
A late model Mk3, in really good nick! I am not actually joking, the sills and arches are all lovely! I don't recal seeing a more solid example, at least not since I was about 6 years old anyway! There are the odd bits of rust, such as on the front lower panel, and dents here and there but that's to be expected! The history file was impressive, I discovered she was sold new in Hackney, where she spent two years before being sold to a chap in Walthamstow who kept her for 25 years. S basically until ending up at a car dealers, she had never really left east London! I was even considering using my more Essex accent, make the car feel more at home! Took her for a drive (to show her some country roads and views) and she drove really well! A real trip down memory lane. Well a bit different, as this car has electric windows, airbags, cubbyholes, electric windows and central locking! Astounding luxury. I am going to assume that the Sapphire special edition got you the rather snazzy metallic paint colour. She even has her original cassette radio! Se also has a remote boot release which threw me completely.
few bits of tinkering to be done though. The headlights are odd, the temp gauge doesn't work (will need a new sensor I suspect) the clutch needs a bit of adjustment and the steering wheel has a flat bit at the top. I also will be fitting orange front indicators. partly as I like them more, but also as Ford, being ford, only changed the front to clear, so the rear and side are orange! I will also be sorting some alloys, as the wheel trims, whilst actual Ford ones, are very gnarly. I will also, given past issues, be looking to upgrade the front brakes, so will be looking at how to go about that. I was going to fit a boot spoiler, but the jury is out on that one, and lows, but I wont be doing the lows I am afraid!
All in all though, chuffed with her!
