I was looking for a fiesta (my sister-in-law had a reliable little runner) but then realised for the same money I could pick up a Puma of the same age, seemed a bit of a no brainer! I set about hunting for cars in my area, but the closest I could find in my budget was in Ipswich. I left it a couple of days and decided to go on the friday after work, with the intention of placing a deposit if all was well.
I checked the net that morning and the car had gone. I hadn't looked the car over yet, but I had somehow become attached (I know this is a bad thing). I contacted the dealer, who told me that someone liked the car and was coming back for a second look. I shot the 40 odd miles to Ipswich, crazy I know! When I arrived the car was gone..... wasted trip!
But as it turned out it was only on a test drive. Cut a long story short, person on test drive didnt buy car, I bought car, person coming back for second look in afternoon missed out! popular little cars! :grin: And that was that, I had fallen for Pumas, she has a peachy little engine, the body was a little rough around the edges (somebody had gone crazy on the rear arches, with something that looked like Hammerite).
I have had her for just under a month and I think this project is turning into a bit of an obsession. We have affectionatley nicknamed her Ayia. I want to get the suspension, bodywork and rust sorted as my primary goals, I will eventually modify her, but only subtly and in favour of enhancing the handling and performance.
The first picture of the car, complete with caved in front wing and horrific arch repairs:
Ayia (29) by Slayllian2, on Flickr
I will update this list as I go (check back on this list, as updated often)
Since February, the previous owner had replaced:
- exhaust, middle and rear sections,
Both inner CV boots,
Both anti roll bar drop links,
3 tyres (need to get another matching on the rear)
The car also received a new remote key and had a full service carried out. It had been kept running but that was about it, everything had been done on the cheap. One omission I noticed was no cambelt change, so I had my ford dealer (Busseys) replace it. I got the water pump changed at same time, all in for £360.
I want to get all major components back to OE quality or better if I can. A lot of the suspension bushes and mounts were shot, so they need sorting.
Things done:
- Cambelt & water pump change
Fix air filter box, and reattach intake pipe
Replace missing front rubber skirt
Replace leaking rocker cover gasket
Install new speakers all round
Replace stereo, with correct silver CD6000
replace broken door handle trim</STRIKE>
Fit OEM floor mats
Remove exterior panels, check for rust/clean up
Fit stereo remote controls
Replace rear view mirror
Clean headlights internally
Replace broken gear shroud trim
Fix gearbox oil leak
Fix water leak (into drivers footwell)
Strip, clean interior, treat any internal rust
Replace gearbox oil
Renew gearbox breather
Clean up and underseal chassis
Replace drivers front seatbelt
Recondition alloy wheels (Black)
Replace number plate fasteners
Fit Focus 2011 fan washer jets
Fit ford gel overlays on badges
Repaint wing mirrors and bumper inserts gloss black
Replace rear axle spacers
Clean and lubricate rear brakes
Weld sills
Fit new top mounts & bearings
Clean MAF sensor
Rust treat beams and sills internally (Bilt-Hamber Hydrate 50)
Replace OEM rear bushes with PowerFlex Poly
Replace rear ABS probes
Fit stainless back box
Sort rusty arches & sills
Respray doors, wings and bonnet
Fit clear side repeaters
Oil & filter change
MOT
Replace fuel filter
Renew spark plugs
Renew rear top mounts
Replace n/s taillight
Replace pollen filter
Remove spare wheel, replace with tyre repair
Renew both rear ABS rings
Fix ABS gremlins
Fit braided brake hoses and renew brake/clutch oil
Replace wheels (Fox FX004's Black)
Replace tyres (Toyo TR1's)
Things to do (in order I plan to do them):
- Fit front mud flaps
Install Fiesta ghia external temp sensor
Fit Aerotwin wipers
Replace handbrake cable
Replace aux belt
Clay & detail car
Fit Pipercross Viper induction kit
Fit uprated headlight bulbs
Renew HT leads
Fit uprated Brembo discs and pads
Sort jammed drivers door lock
Fit Spax struts and springs
Fit front & rear strut braces
After a good clean and some touching up on the rear arches:
AYIA by slayllian, on Flickr
http://www.flickr.co...N05/5925893574/
264951_10150254095274655_769604654_7259339_7922390_n by slayllian, on Flickr
When I got the car back, I gave her a quick wash only to discover the next morning that the drivers footwell was sodden (I bought the car in lovley sunshine, when we were having that dry spell). I set to work trying to find the leak and managed with the help of my wife and a hose pipe to trace it back to the bottom of the windscreen. I had to remove wipers and cowling to get at it properly. to fix I simply ran a bead of clear bathroom sealant along to bottom of the screen making sure not to block the drain holes. This seem to date, to have cured the leak (touch wood).
Now that the car is water tight, I removed a lot of the the rotton underlay and the rest has finally dried out. I can now go and get some fancy velour mats which I have ordered form the main dealer today. With the carpet back I also cleaned up the footwell the best I could. When refitting the carpet I also fixed the clips which hold the edge of the carpet to the sill, this rather annoyingly kept pulling up evertime i got in!
Next thing after fixing the leak I decided to remove the wheels and arch liners and give both a thorough clean, there was at least 2 inches of dirt sitting in the bottom of both front wings and so much on one side that the whole bottom of the wing has rotted through so the wing is only fixed at the top. I then painted all the exposed areas of the suspension and brakes I could get at.
Front arch after cleaning, painting:
269632_10150251245154655_769604654_7231021_55171_n by slayllian, on Flickr
Rear Arch (liner replaced):
261315_10150251244564655_769604654_7231013_1154565_n by slayllian, on Flickr
267512_10150254095169655_769604654_7259338_7096226_n by slayllian, on Flickr
Here is a picture of the rear after I gave it a quick polish the other week. When I picked up the car it had a terrible bodge job on the rear arches, so I sanded them down and used halfords primer and moondust silver and laquer, this gave a much smoother less noticable finish, but there is a slight difference in tones between the panels which really annoys me. But this is only a temp soloution as I already have a quote for £550 to fix both arches and replace the front N/S wing.
264292_10150251244719655_769604654_7231015_7441454_n by slayllian, on Flickr
262249_10150254095054655_769604654_7259337_2020978_n by slayllian, on Flickr
Here is what I was up to last weekend, I had the spare wheel off and both rear wheels. I then removed the rear bumper using one of scubasteves great guides. There was a fair bit of rust on the underframe at the rear, the rest of the car was ok tho as it has been undersealed in the past.
But back to the rear, I cleaned it up with a wire brush and removed the fuel filler pipe (as there was a lot of rust under here). I then used kurust and treated the whole underneath of the rear. I then used the trusty Hammerite and gave the whole back end including the leading edges of the bumper beam a good coat. I also treated the rear wheel arches in the same way, and made sure to get into all the little rust traps! When fixing everything back together, I gave the spare wheel and holder a coat of hammerite black, and re pressurised the spare wheel to the correct level. And also while I was underneath I cleaned up the rear beam and gave a coat of hammerite black.
This weekend I plan on going under again and tyding up a bit and polishing all pipes and fixings.
when I get the funds together I will also invest in a waxoyl sprayer as I intend to fill all the box sections and sills full of the stuff before winter.
After a quick wash down, there is a fair bit of rust on the N/S box section
265131_10150254095449655_769604654_7259341_8092909_n by slayllian, on Flickr
Arches, Bumper beam treated
263568_10150251244384655_769604654_7231010_1638030_n by slayllian, on Flickr
Before replacing fixings and spare wheel:
270180_10150251244459655_769604654_7231012_7608871_n by slayllian, on Flickr
Finished off
262356_10150254094909655_769604654_7259335_2072169_n by slayllian, on Flickr
Spare wheel
270415_10150254095529655_769604654_7259342_4537725_n by slayllian, on Flickr
Ayia (92) by slayllian, on Flickr
Gave the engine a good gunking (which it needed from rocker cover oil leak) then started detailing the engine bay, noticed the air filter housing lid was bust so i put good old super glue in the holes and put the screws back in, this seems to have generated new threads, result!
I then found the intake into the filter box, which stangely comes out of the near side wing? was broken where it attaches ti the box and kept falling off, I fixed this by slipping a self tapper into the attachment. There was also a cable hanging off near the gearbox which I reattached.
Quick clean up:
270026_10150251245499655_769604654_7231028_5234401_n by slayllian, on Flickr
I bit the bullet and bought a new front valance from my local ford dealer, after much searching ebay with no sucess. This was a really easy job to fit, but I decided to use bolts and locknuts instead of the rivets provided, just incase I want to remove it in the future, plus I had no rivet gun lol!
Before:
264815_10150251245324655_769604654_7231026_1968866_n by slayllian, on Flickr
After:
270476_10150251245424655_769604654_7231027_1709358_n by slayllian, on Flickr
I also sprayed the bottom edges of the bumper as it has previously been scuffed ito a pavement or something similar. Im really pleased with the results, I think the valance tidies up and finishes the front of the car.
I swapped the the stereo which came with the car, which was the wrong colour and really bugged me. I managed to find the correct cd6000 in silver on ebay for £45. I though about getting the mp3 version from the mondeo but these seem like gold dust!
before
263561_10150254094994655_769604654_7259336_344053_n by slayllian, on Flickr
after
268569_10150254095344655_769604654_7259340_566107_n by slayllian, on Flickr
This post has been edited by slayllian: 27 April 2012 - 09:25 AM