|
|
|
I've been thinking for a while it's really about time I did a Readers Rides thread for a ride or two & seeing as Granny is the one you'll most likely associate with me I thought I'd start there she's also getting the bulk of my attentions at the moment so there may actually be some updates.. What follows is a potted history of the last 18 months or so, bringing you almost up to date with how she stands at the moment My automotive tastes have diversified somewhat in recent years but at heart I've always been a Ford boy and for a long while had hankered after what was (to my mind anyway) their ultimate retro luxo-barge daily: the Mk2 Granada saloon ;D Being the picky barsteward I am what I really wanted was a 2.8i Ghia X Executive 2-door in champagne gold (good luck with that!) I looked for probably a year & found nothing the breakthrough came after a chance meeting with members of the Granada Drivers Guild (that's right bitches, these old girls are waaaay to cool for a 'club' ) at the NEC Classic Car Show (Nov 08?) when I was alerted to the possibility of a Ghia X Exec. that 'might' be for sale To cut a long story short, numbers were taken, calls were made and a deal was done. Next thing I knew I was borrowing a mates pickup (Hilux diesel - awesome!), renting a trailer & hammering down the M4 to the Welsh countryside! A quick once over to make sure the conversations we'd had matched reality & I found myself saying "load 'er up!" - the seller was one of the nicest, most honest people I've ever met (certainly that I've bought a car from) & I felt I'd done quite enough haggling over the phone (was a bargain tbh..) The way home was slightly more 'eventful' (run-in with the man / VOSA) but that's a whole other storey.. So here she is, the day I took her for an MoT a few weeks later (was between Xmas & NY) - a completely standard Mk2 Ford Granada 2.8i Ghia X Executive 2 4-door in champagne gold light metallic blue (sorry about the gash camera phone pics, it was really fekking cold)All I'd really done between getting her home and the MoT was the normal recommissioning type stuff (had been in a barn on a Welsh farm for quite a while..) service, fluids, brake check, etc.. It was a big PASS first time ;D with one advisory - leak from headlamp washer jet (damn modern cars with their fancy features.. ) Anyway, enough ramblings! That's how things started... I rolled her like this every day for about 6 months & touched literally nothing. Next update: Granny spends a week being processed Hardcore style, then goes to the RR Gathering! ;D
|
|
Last Edit: Apr 24, 2010 18:14:35 GMT by rmad
|
|
|
|
|
|
So, it's 2 weeks before the Gathering and I've amassed myself a pile of seemingly unobtainable parts to build myself something I've always wanted: a Lowrider ;D Do we take a cool old car to the Gathering then strip it down & rebuild it later when I've got plenty of time? Do we fukc! (Note that I took hardly any pictures while I was doing this - sorry about that! Will try harder in future..)2 x chrome CCE pumps, dumps & Accumax solenoids built up & mounted on a frame, all ready to go in the boot trunk: Batteries go in the middle (solenoids moved to the back rail - mounted in a retarded place in this pic) 2 massive truck jobbies - haven't got any pics of that. 'Junk' in her trunk.. Shock absorbers removed & replaced with hydraulic rams:- Front: (spacers not added yet in this pic - ram would be in the middle)Rear: Note - springs not yet fitted in either of these pics. I started out with a standard spring cut down to about half its original length in each corner.. Knock-off adapters for chrome standard-laced wires: & the results of my first attempt at juicing a ride: That's on full drop - not the look I was going for! Massive failure! Attempt 2: it's the weekend before the gathering at this stage & until now I haven't run any hydraulic pipes or wired in the batteries & switches.. Rams moved up in the shock towers, bump-stops removed (curse word bump-stops) & springs cut down all round (now about 3 turns left in each corner) Note plumbing in now.. Whitewalls re-painted - enlisted Dr. Sexy's help (notice it's dark outside, I think we're into weekday evenings in the week running up to the Gathering by now..) Looking good RESULT! Looking the shiz ;D ;D ;D Chrome arches fitted (I actually only did the fronts, ran completely out of time - did the rears at the campsite ) I feel I should point out here that the first time I drove this car after fitting the hydraulics was when I left on the Friday morning to go to the Gathering.. it wasn't entirely without incident.. I dropped the front so hard it smashed into the floor, splitting a pipe from the autobox to the cooler trans fluid on a hot manifold makes plumes of white smoke! Had to drive to Halfords with the torque converter slipping like mad to buy some more & top it back up (after fixing the pipe in the road outside Dr. Sexys house) - consequently missed the SE convoy at Fleet services, managed to catch them tho & made it to the Gathering! (that's me^^) (thanks to anyone I've pilfered pics from)Next update: our eventful trip home...
|
|
Last Edit: Apr 25, 2010 19:06:15 GMT by HARDCORE
|
|
|
|
|
One of my fave pics. Kind of a sumary of the times out with cars.
|
|
|
|
rtlkyuubi
Posted a lot
Low and Slow
Posts: 2,922
|
|
|
Granada low rider is the shiz!
|
|
|
|
carmad
Posted a lot
Posts: 2,000
|
|
|
what did you paint the tyres with ?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Awesome build!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Apr 24, 2010 10:46:09 GMT
|
Thanks Gents ;D Carmad - (sorry if this sounds stupid) it's whitewall tyre paint that I got from the guy that sold me the wheels & tyres. I can look on the tin for more details if you're interested but tbh it's rubbish. It goes yellow very quickly and scuffs easily - I'll get some done properly in the future ( Mr Whitewalls)... So, our trip home from the Gathering didn't go quite as planned! Having stopped for a quick pint at one of our favorite pubs I juiced the car up to go over the speedbumps into the car park, accelerated away and failed to spot the next bump (smaller, not painted). I hit it pretty hard and with the car on full lift the drive shafts are already at the extent of their travel - cue nasty grinding noises & loss of drive ! Haynes Motor Museum to the pub - 102 miles. Pub to home - 12 miles! Nearly home... fail! Is this what CV joints are supposed to look like? I've had my first lessons in lowriders: - OEM components are not designed to move in these ways and the forces involved WILL break stuff. - You can't throw a system together, with no previous experience & expect it to ride anyway decent (anyone who sat behind me in the convoy will know what I'm talking about, lol) bouncy bouncy! Next up - fixing it & making it better.. ;D
|
|
Last Edit: Apr 24, 2010 10:49:18 GMT by HARDCORE
|
|
gumpy
Part of things
Posts: 93
|
|
Apr 24, 2010 10:58:09 GMT
|
this is fecking brilliant !
|
|
|
|
smile
Part of things
snappin' necks and cashin' cheques
Posts: 84
|
|
Apr 24, 2010 11:44:20 GMT
|
You're an inspiration! Really glad you've finally made a readers ride thread.
It's my aim/dream to turn my merc into a lowrider when I finish Uni. Did you pick up all the components through Ebay? Seems insanely expensive buying new...but I guess you've gotta pay for quality in lowriding.
|
|
Feelin' high as hell, flyin' through Palmdale, skatin' on Dayton rims
|
|
will
Posted a lot
Posts: 4,023
|
|
Apr 24, 2010 13:29:30 GMT
|
Great stuff, and about time too I too was gonna ask about the tyre paint, did hear mr.whitewalls can only do a thin band and liking your fat one bestest.
|
|
|
|
|
Sinky
Posted a lot
Run Baby Run......Please!
Posts: 1,395
|
|
Apr 24, 2010 17:15:22 GMT
|
Nice one! keepin the grannies alive Good work mate.
|
|
2001 Volvo XC70 wagon
2003 Piaggio X9 Evo
|
|
|
|
Apr 25, 2010 19:22:45 GMT
|
Not a fan of lowriders exactly, but I am a fan of Granadas
|
|
There is no such thing as a curse word car just overstretched expectations................. Herald 10/10 Gasser 10/10 Total score 20/10
|
|
|
|
Apr 25, 2010 19:42:26 GMT
|
its always nice to see a Grannie thats not been ragged round the banger track!! and yours is especially nice one.. i do like rides when they been juiced(or bagged for that mater!!)
|
|
|
|
|
|
Apr 26, 2010 20:15:05 GMT
|
Love it. I saw it at RR09 and didn't realise it's just been operated on. I take it, it's an Auto? I always really fancied a 2.8S, as I think it'd be awesome with a manual box.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Apr 26, 2010 22:15:35 GMT
|
Thanks for all the positive comments guys, really really appreciated You're an inspiration! It's my aim/dream to turn my merc into a lowrider when I finish Uni. Did you pick up all the components through Ebay? Seems insanely expensive buying new...but I guess you've gotta pay for quality in lowriding. An inspiration? Wow - I certainly would never consider myself a sensible role model dude That said, go for it! But yes, lowrider parts cost a fortune. I got lucky with some parts off eBay but they rarely come up & the rest I had to buy new. One thing I have found is that there are a good number of people striving to keep the scene alive who are more than happy to offer help and advice Great stuff, and about time too I too was gonna ask about the tyre paint, did hear mr.whitewalls can only do a thin band and liking your fat one bestest. That's true at the moment but I've been led to believe he's working on it Love it. I saw it at RR09 and didn't realise it's just been operated on. I take it, it's an Auto? I always really fancied a 2.8S, as I think it'd be awesome with a manual box. Yes indeed - 'just' is the word.. It was a steep learning process & I'm now upgrading / improving the system having gained that experience. I did get a manual box for it as historically that's what I'd always preferred but I kinda went off the idea after I drove it for a while. In this sorta car an autobox just seems 'right'
|
|
|
|
|
|
Apr 26, 2010 23:15:07 GMT
|
Awesome car, love the Granada Got a Estate myself ;D You`re not the only one on wire wheels tho, mate had them a year or 2 back also on his `84 granny Gold roof on black granny looks awesome aswell
|
|
"Your Not Drunk, If You Can Lay On The Floor, Without Holding On"
1974 Ford Escort Mk1 1300L 1983 Ford Granada 2.3 V6 GL Combi
|
|
|
|
Apr 26, 2010 23:20:32 GMT
|
Righto, final very quick posthumous update - after this you're up to date as of about 3 weekends ago when I finally started getting Granny sorted out for the summer ahead and making a few 'changes' I had planned.. So, the first job after our acrimonious journey home from Yeovil was to replace a fekked inner CV joint (see pic above^^ - it's very fekked). I didn't take any pics of me changing a CV joint. Next up a thorough clean inside & out, polish the paintwork & buff the chrome. It'd never been given any such attention (in my ownership) and it was really starting to look shabby. That done I took her to the Old School Ford end of summer show (at the ex-British Airways Wingspan Club).. It was a really good event with a great turnout of excellent cars (mostly Fords (duh!) but a good non-Ford contingent too) - bumped into a few RR'ers too ;D Imagine my surprise when leafing through the Nov issue of Classic Ford Mag and seeing this: Here's a close-up: ;D I've NEVER had a car in a mag before - this made me very happy! (small things...) "looks great" - why thank you Next up - the hydraulics get better & Granny gets lower..
|
|
|
|
Chops
Club Retro Rides Member
Don't touch me I've been somewhere
Posts: 454
Club RR Member Number: 36
|
|
Apr 26, 2010 23:31:38 GMT
|
Great to see the build thread up at last, looking good HC There's a lot of mistakes you could of made especially as it's your first attempt but you've done a bloody good job there mate. Have you had any luck with the bouncy ride yet?
|
|
Last Edit: Apr 26, 2010 23:46:14 GMT by Chops
|
|
Speedle
Posted a lot
Need a Country Rock band in the Hampshire Area? https://www.facebook.com/DirtRoadDiaryUK
Posts: 2,221
|
|
|
awesome stuff and getting in the mag is awesome dude! Was'nt sure on it until you put on the chrome arches then for me it all came together! looks awesome dude!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Apr 27, 2010 12:03:03 GMT
|
Still have a huge soft spot for Mk2 and Mk1 Grannies. I settled for a Mk4 Cortina in the end but will still own one of these epic machines! Awesome work done so far keeping tabs on this
|
|
|
|
|