My Mighty Steed - At the age of 15!

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benzoboy

benzoboy

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benzoboy
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BenRB26
Hi all, thought I'd make a thread about my much loved Fiesta, which I named 'Fredrick' :D

Basically, my nan's elderly neighbour recently had a stroke and is now unable to drive. So she decided to sell her car, this is where me and my dad came in, £250 later and we were now the proud owner of a mint condition Mk3 Ford Fiesta 1.1LX. Such a brilliant little car! The plan is to keep it going, with subtle modifications and a lot of looking after for the next 1-2 years until I'm driving, at which point I'll be hitting the streets in it :D

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This was on the day that I got it, with my grandad's Mk7 Zetec (So much different to the Mk3)

Since then it's been destriped and debadged on the rear, and the Ford badge now hangs proudly from the tow hook :D

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My plans;

- Lowered 60mm
- Banded steelies
- Rolled Arches
- Mk3.5 Mirrors
- Stickers!
- Laguna splitter/lip
- New steering wheel
- New seats
- New exhaust tip
- Tinted RS turbo style lights
- Pressed number plates
- Clear side repeaters
- XR2i or RS roof spoiler, not fussed which one
- Subwoofer
- Headunit w/ iPod connection
- New speakers
- Mk4/5 locks
- Mk4/5 rear wiper
- Stubby aerial
- Thule roof rack

If anyone here's any good at photoshop, could you photoshop some of that on please? :D

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Also, big thanks to my mate Ed for some of the epic photos you see above :)

So, I'd like to know your thoughts on the car and what I've got planned, feel free to ask any questions :)
 
Hm, the headunit I'd be fitting would probably be an aftermarket one, which would probably be supplied with all the required kit, I think that's for the Mk4 Fiesta anyway, but thanks anyway dude :)
 
I did take the insurance into consideration, and I've done some research and apparently Adrian Flux don't take most modifications into account if they don't increase BHP. Also, most modifications I'll be doing would be OEM parts (from higher spec Fiestas etc.), which I've been told have minimal if any effect.
 
No it matches the year range. Honestly you shouldn't mod your car because of insurance and personally I like to keep the car stock. You could do a few upgrades to increase the performance a little but not by much. The mods are a bit over the top for a first car and I just feel sicked by what people do to their cars.
 
You might want to increase the security on it before you start improving the interior. I can break into a Mk3 with just a screw driver and a clothes hangar.
 
Dude, nice epic ride man!!!! Wish I had something like this! Not to mention for that price!
 
@nick09 - It doesn't, it says it fits Mk4/5 Fiestas ('95 - '01), mine's a Mk3 (From '89 to '95).

@ExigeEvan - Yeah, good point actually, I'm no expert at car security, and the only thing I've got on there related to that is the later model door locks, what do you suggest?

@NoxNoctis Umbra - Thanks man :)
 
Should've been an AE82.

I kid, I kid. Should be interesting to see what happens with this project.
 
benzoboy
@ExigeEvan - Yeah, good point actually, I'm no expert at car security, and the only thing I've got on there related to that is the later model door locks, what do you suggest?
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PM to tell you how to break into your own car!
 
Also, just a couple of vids I might as well add;


No, it's not a cold start in case you were wondering, and I'm not too sure on the cause of the smoke, any ideas?


Just after me and my mate washed it, not looking too bad!
 
Could be a little oil leaking past the valve seals, could be that the engine's running a little rich. Given the age of the car, I wouldn't doubt that the valve seals are just a lit-tle leaky, rings possibly too. If it's carb'd, there's a definite possibility that the carb has gone out of adjustment, whether it be from wear or other causes.
 
Hm, how would I go about fixing that? Is it costly? And do I run any major risk to my engine running it as it is for a while before I fix it?
 
Don't worry, it was only there for a photo, we put it there for another photo (Which turned out awesome) and forgot to take it off for that shot. This is the photo in question;

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I approve 👍

But then I would. Because it's a small Ford. Not made by Fiat.

However, tart it up too much and I will slap you. It's a 1.1 Fiesta, let it have its dignity. Though it does amuse me that they've fitted the 140mph speedo from a Sierra.


nick09
No it matches the year range.
Click to expand...

Nooope, it's for the next gen Fiesta which came with a double-DIN stereo wot like this:

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...and so needs the adaptor to fill the gap.

Benzo's has a smaller hole (oh shut up) so needs a different one. Or may just happen to be standard stereo sized. I forget.


benzoboy
@ExigeEvan - Yeah, good point actually, I'm no expert at car security, and the only thing I've got on there related to that is the later model door locks, what do you suggest?
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Until you can do anything else I'd disconnect the battery - that should confuse Mr Joyrider enough into simply giving up. After that, no idea. I imagine an aftermarket alarm or something (though that's a great way to annoy your neighbours if it's too trippy/has been fitted by an Argos employee). Not even sure what you'd do about immobilisers and the like. If all else fails, there's the grandmother's favourite method of vehicle security...

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EDIT


Oh and take the what I assume are packs of cigarettes off the dashboard. They might as well be tubs of play-doh for all the effect they're having on making you look cool.
 
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@Jondot: Well you have a look at the mods I've got planned and you tell me if I'm going too far :)

I've also got one of those locks haha, it's on at the moment. Also, not my fag packets, they belong to my friend Ed, the guy who took the photos/videos. I don't smoke, nasty habit in my opinion, I'm only 15 anyway.

@Sweetshopunion: Haha, maybe that'll have to do until I can get some money
 
As far as the smoke coming out your tailpipe you need to do more diagnosis.

1. compression test dry and wet, this will tell you the condition of the rings and valves.

2. Fuel injector leak down test, this will determine if you have a bad injector or injectors. Like stated above if it has carburetor you should make sure it is clean and adjusted properly.

3. If you plan on working on this car by your self get the factory service manual as it will be the best source of information.
 
Jondot
Until you can do anything else I'd disconnect the battery - that should confuse Mr Joyrider enough into simply giving up. After that, no idea. I imagine an aftermarket alarm or something (though that's a great way to annoy your neighbours if it's too trippy/has been fitted by an Argos employee). Not even sure what you'd do about immobilisers and the like. If all else fails, there's the grandmother's favourite method of vehicle security...
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As I explained to him in the tutorial-esque PM, it's not really the driving-away he needs to worry about, there's plenty of old Beemers still going or old hot hathces they'd try that with first.

It's simply breaking into the cabin and taking the head unit, speakers, subwoofer that he plans to put in there. It's terribly easy to get into, without so much as smashing a window.
 
benzoboy
I'm not too sure on the cause of the smoke, any ideas?
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Jim Prower
Could be a little oil leaking past the valve seals, could be that the engine's running a little rich. Given the age of the car, I wouldn't doubt that the valve seals are just a lit-tle leaky, rings possibly too. If it's carb'd, there's a definite possibility that the carb has gone out of adjustment, whether it be from wear or other causes.
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Looks like blue smoke, which is a sign of oil burning. If it were running rich it would be black smoke and it would leave traces of carbon behind. (For those interested white smoke is usually a coolant leak) So that could be a number of things depending on the age / condition of the engine but valve seals are likely as are the rings as Jim suggested. Re-doing the seals is expensive, but not as expensive as doing the rings.
It will keep going, as long as you keep the oil topped up, but is no good for economy or performance, let alone the enviroment. Quick fix cover up is to put in a little anti-smoke... Depends what you want to spend on the little guy
 
Alternatively, push the manual choke in a bit further?

Also, please stop. I had three Mk3 Fiestas (well, two and a Mk3.5) and rate them quite highly for chuckable, crap runabouts. They don't need to be "Lowered 60mm". If you want to improve it, buy some tyres that aren't DaiYung Skidmasters and stop there.
 
@GT Cruiser: Thanks for the advice, I'll look into it 👍

@Gilesguthrie: Thanks man, gotta love Fiesta, my mum used to own one identical to this but blue something like 16-7 years ago, she loved it.

@Famine: The choke was completely in at this point. I'm not really looking into improving the performance, after all, me and my dad timed to 0-60 (in the appropriate place), and it came out as 20 odd seconds. I'd love to buy an XR2i or RS Turbo in a few years' time, whenever I can afford it. Until then, I'm just trying to improve the looks of this a bit, I know that's not really your thing, but it's a lot better than a full fibreglass bodykit right?
 
Looks like a nice first car, but I wouldn't spend ANY money on "modding" it.
Just ain't worth it IMHO. Drive it until the wheels fall off then buy a better one.
 
In defence of the modifying idea, most parts will be cheap anyway, and when the engine does inevitably break in this I can just swap it for another engine the same, it's fairly straightforward as far as engine swaps go and not as expensive as you think. Thanks though
 
ExigeEvan
As I explained to him in the tutorial-esque PM, it's not really the driving-away he needs to worry about, there's plenty of old Beemers still going or old hot hathces they'd try that with first.

It's simply breaking into the cabin and taking the head unit, speakers, subwoofer that he plans to put in there. It's terribly easy to get into, without so much as smashing a window.
Click to expand...

Oh god yeah, don't put anything valuable in there. But I wouldn't dismiss the theft thing. He lives in the 2nd largest City in Britain, and the Mk3 Fiesta repeatedly appears in the top 10s of those 'most stolen cars in Britain' lists. And when it doesn't it's replaced by another Ford of the same age with similarly crap security bits. It's not gonna be particularly desirable, but if any idiot can steal it then they probably will.
 
I think it is still a bit too early to think about modding the car and what not.

Afterall, it is still 2 years away. Things change quickly at your age in 2 years.

I'd go along with the advice just to keep it stock, run it for a bit till its down or until you have more driving experience.
Then get a better car. :)

Those things you mentioned that can be done easily like engine swaps are not cheap if compared relatively to the cost of the car. (only cheap if you do all the work yourself and do it well)
A couple more hundred quid would most probably get you a better car.
 

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