1987 Fiesta XR2 resto project

[foldy]

From the beginning

Just before Christmas, I popped a letter through the door where an XR2 has been sat for numerous years, not really expecting to hear anything from it (though I had mentioned to keep hold of my number, should they ever decide to sell it).

Thursday last week, just after getting our new runabout home, I received a phonecall asking if I was still interested in buying it.

I went to look it it that night (armed with a torch), had a lengthy conversation with the owner about anything and everything (he's much like me and will chat for hours )
We decided I needed to have another look during daylight hours.
So I popped round early evening on Saturday to get a better idea of what work was involved, and took some photos.

Decided I definately wanted to take it on as a project, and went round on Monday to sort out the documents, and tried to get it running, but no luck unfortunately.

Managed to get it recovered today though, so I need to chop on and get the Escort sold so I can crack on with this.

But that's enough talking, have some pics

[foldy]

She has a Capri Recaro as a passenger seat and a mk3 XR3i drivers seat.



Round the clock.



And plenty of rust!













On the truck she goes!



And one for the road.

[Ray Singh]

Nice find mate! Does the engine turn over?
Looks rusty, so it will need welding. Nut looks like a genuine car from the eighties - graphics and all!

These are getting hard to find in good nick and look what happened to the prices of XR3/XR3i's - these are next to rocket.

Good luck and keep us updated. I had a 1.1 ghia as my first car, so genuinly interested to see your updates.

[foldy]

May 14, 2015 20:19:28 GMT Ray Singh said:

Nice find mate! Does the engine turn over?
Looks rusty, so it will need welding. Nut looks like a genuine car from the eighties - graphics and all!

These are getting hard to find in good nick and look what happened to the prices of XR3/XR3i's - these are next to rocket.

Good luck and keep us updated. I had a 1.1 ghia as my first car, so genuinly interested to see your updates.

Thanks, the engine turns over, was sticky at first (by hand), but I dropped 10ml of oil down each bore and spun it over with the starter (plugs out).

She's really lazy to turn over with the plugs in, the starter needs replacing, the wiring to the solenoid got a tad hot and started to melt the plastic coating.
That, and the angle the car was at, the carb was getting zero fuel, but when I dropped some into the carb directly, she coughed and fired briefly. That's a minor issue to sort.

But yes, welding is the main priority. Aswell as hunt out all the rust! I know it's hiding under the bodykit!
I've had a few Fiesta's now, but always wanted an XR2.

[düdo]

Nice spiderman graphics! You're a brave man taking this on but good potential. Where is that Prince Albert boozer?

[foldy]

May 14, 2015 20:40:34 GMT düdo said:

Nice spiderman graphics! You're a brave man taking this on but good potential. Where is that Prince Albert boozer?

Haha, the bravery isn't in taking the project on per se, the bravery (read stupidity) is in pushing my wife to the limit! Hence needing shot of the Escort, or I won't have anywhere to keep the cars!

But I quite like the graphics, I'll have to see how close a match I can get as they've got to come off, but as it stands the bumper inserts and badges match the colour almost exactly, it's been done pretty well to be fair.

The Prince Albert is in Bexleyheath, Kent.

[brandane]

Looks a beauty with those graphics. Proper 80's machine. Good luck with the resto after you've smoothed things over with the wife and convinced her this fester needs a saviour (You) lol

[philsford]

This would have been a looker in the 90s.I like it but I fear for your bank balance with this one. I look forward to the pics with the kit removed.

[düdo]

Foldy wrote

The Prince Albert is in Bexleyheath, Kent.

I used to live in Lewisham and I was trying to place it. Near Abbey Wood - love that place.

I've seen your Escort thread so I know you've got a few other demands on your time. Might be hard squashing all the gang into the XR2? ( Unless they're all grown up and gone by the time it's finished!)

[tenman]

hmm, dunno why but I really do have a soft spot for MKII XR2's, will be watching this one

[breng]

I hope you can weld.

Good luck.

[grifterkid]

Blimey that has got a few rust spots...!!! Having said that what 80's Ford that has sat on a driveway for years hasn't got a few rust spots?!

I can see that this Fiesta has found a saviour so to see this get injected with a bit of life again will be great and I shall watch with glee!!!!

These are corking cars and there are not that many left nowadays...

[woodenspatulas]

Good luck with it mate

Just popped the thread up for Amy, lets hope she finds as good a home as this one has!

[foldy]

May 14, 2015 22:14:01 GMT brandane said:

Looks a beauty with those graphics. Proper 80's machine. Good luck with the resto after you've smoothed things over with the wife and convinced her this fester needs a saviour (You) lol

Lol, she's a good wife, kinda got used to my car addiction (we've been together for eleven years now )
The plan is to get the graphics reproduced once it's all done, the hardest bit will be getting the colour matched.

This would have been a looker in the 90s.I like it but I fear for your bank balance with this one. I look forward to the pics with the kit removed.

Indeed! on the first two anyway, I'm glad someone's looking forward to me removing the bodykit (SADIST! )
It'll be worth it in the end, you're the last person I need to explain to about the rewards of restoring a car by yourself, I'm just hoping it turns out anywhere near as good as any of your projects have .

I used to live in Lewisham and I was trying to place it. Near Abbey Wood - love that place.

I've seen your Escort thread so I know you've got a few other demands on your time. Might be hard squashing all the gang into the XR2? ( Unless they're all grown up and gone by the time it's finished!)

Do I sense a touch of sarcasm there? lol. But you're right, you could say more than a few other demands on my time lol, but if you've seen my other thread for my Corsa, you'll see I like to take my time , must be the Mediterranean blood . The kids probably will have flown the nest by the time it's finished! Hopefully not though, I'm looking forward to using her! Fitting all the kids in is no problem though, I just have to leave the Missus behind .

hmm, dunno why but I really do have a soft spot for MKII XR2's, will be watching this one

They're cool little cars. Don't hold your breath though!

I hope you can weld.

Good luck.

Cheers, but yeah, once I get back into the swing I'm not too shabby with a welder, saying that, my MIG has packed up, so best get that sorted!

Blimey that has got a few rust spots...!!! Having said that what 80's Ford that has sat on a driveway for years hasn't got a few rust spots?!

I can see that this Fiesta has found a saviour so to see this get injected with a bit of life again will be great and I shall watch with glee!!!!

These are corking cars and there are not that many left nowadays...

Exactly! I've seen Fiesta's far far worse than this (he says before he's seen under the bodykit and carpets), and with it being an XR2 and the number of them dwindling, it's going to be good to get it back to where it should be.

Good luck with it mate

Just popped the thread up for Amy, lets hope she finds as good a home as this one has!

Thanks Dean, I'll have a look, and I hope she does too, but as I said, here's definately the place to find the right match for Amy

[willowandmikey]

Can't wait to see this up and running didn't think the mileage would have been that high because it hasn't moved in years did the guy say how long it's been sitting ? It seems forever

[g52oyc]

M.O.T expired 10th July 2006, probably been idle a while then.

[bstardchild]

I'm really not a Ford fan at all and I prefer my hot hatches in a french flavour but I'm bookmarking this as I did a small scale resto on a 1.3 fiesta of a similar age about 20 years ago and it was a rusty thing then.....

So I reckon it will be fun to follow you on this journey and I'm in.

[düdo]

foldy wrote

Do I sense a touch of sarcasm there? lol

Did you think I was being sarcastic about my 'love' of Abbey Wood? I should have been clearer. Lesnes Abbey Woods I mean - with the ruin and loads of trees. Had a nice walk there one Autumn in the early 90s when I lived in Lewisham.

Re the revelation above that the Fiesta has been of the road since 2006, I would advise emptying out all the old fuel and having a look in the tank. If you look on my R21 Nevada thread you'll see what I discovered in the tank. It's what the Americans call 'varnish' - basically caramalised old petrol in the form of a sticky gloop. The fuel line from the tank to the pump was completely blocked with the stuff too .

My first car in 1988 was a 1977 Mk.1 Fiesta so I like them.

[foldy]

Can't wait to see this up and running didn't think the mileage would have been that high because it hasn't moved in years did the guy say how long it's been sitting ? It seems forever

Steve said he bought it from a friend round the corner and it's been sat on his drive for about seven years, neither of us checked the V5 for dates of transfers etc, so I'll have to wait for mine to arrive to check, Steve said he'll get in touch with his friend aswell. The mileage is pretty high and the interior shows this unfortunately.

M.O.T expired 10th July 2006, probably been idle a while then.

Cheers, maybe the car had been sat for a bit previous to being parked where I picked it up from, will have to wait for the V5 for that.

I'm really not a Ford fan at all and I prefer my hot hatches in a french flavour but I'm bookmarking this as I did a small scale resto on a 1.3 fiesta of a similar age about 20 years ago and it was a rusty thing then.....

So I reckon it will be fun to follow you on this journey and I'm in.

I hope you enjoy the ride .

Did you think I was being sarcastic about my 'love' of Abbey Wood? I should have been clearer. Lesnes Abbey Woods I mean - with the ruin and loads of trees. Had a nice walk there one Autumn in the early 90s when I lived in Lewisham.

Re the revelation above that the Fiesta has been of the road since 2006, I would advise emptying out all the old fuel and having a look in the tank. If you look on my R21 Nevada thread you'll see what I discovered in the tank. It's what the Americans call 'varnish' - basically caramalised old petrol in the form of a sticky gloop. The fuel line from the tank to the pump was completely blocked with the stuff too .

My first car in 1988 was a 1977 Mk.1 Fiesta so I like them.

Ahh, okay I'm with you! Apologies
Where in Lewisham did you used to live? I'm in Bromley myself, family's always lived round these parts.
Regarding the petrol tank and lines, I can smell the petrol's gone 'off' it's got that distinctively sweet smell about it. So if it won't get any new fuel up to the carb on level ground, I know where the issue lies, thanks
My first car on the road (was my third car) after I passed my test (2005) was an 82 mk1 Fiesta Ghia, absolutely loved it, and probably still would have it if some **** hadn't of written it off for me. Bought that one for a tenner, and it went straight through it's MOT with no advisories

[düdo]

Foldy asked

Where in Lewisham did you used to live? I'm in Bromley myself, family's always lived round these parts.

I first lived just behind Lewisham station in a funny little terrace near Tescos called Silk Mills Path. My then girlfriend came from the SE. I'm originally from SW London so that was a new scene for me - I love Blackheath and Greenwich especially the riverside boozers! We then rented a huge old house in Dacre Park, going up towards the heath. It was in need of work but that house must be worth a packet now. Then I shifted westwards to Brixton.

Good luck with the Fiesta. I've got a few kids so I know that time isn't always abundant for spannering!