[apj]

Just bought my first Puma a silver (is there any other colour) 2000 W 1.7 with 62K on the clock for a good price of our favorite auction site and will be picking up in Wednesday. Really looking forward to that after having two V8 Jags, the price of petrol and doing 30K a year has finally worn me down. So I went back to my wish list from the early 90's and went for a Puma.

Have already spent far too many hours trawling this excellent support website and frum and have a list of things to do over the coming months and hopefully years.

I noticed one member said his best two buys were a front strut brace to improve the handling and a K&N filter to improve the breathing, do you all agree or is there better mods out there that give you good bang for your buck ?

I don't want to go into engine rebuilds just looking for bolt on's and/or cosmetic improvement for the inside or outside that you have all learnt really work.

Thanks for your time in advance.

Andrew

[l33cw35tw3ll]

Took my induction off and replaced the original box but with K+N panel filter...This is your lucky day as i too have both front brace bars for sale against the price of a ford cambelt kit...As mine is a millie i'm reluctant to change anything that may 'change'the car...

[FlashBastd]

1. Full service and cambelt if needed (80k/60m)
2. Replace any worn bushes and top mounts with either original equipment or FRP spec.
3. Rear axle spacers, either 12.5mm or 20.5mm
4. Lower front strut brace, but beware of the OMP ones, they have a rep for not fitting well. YOG is doing a group buy of some better items.
5. Good tyres
6. Uprated pads, Mintex 1144, Ferodo, etc.
7. Replace suspension, either with OE, OE with Eibach springs, or Coilovers.
8. If you must change the wheels, don't go beyond 16" and stick with a circa ET34 offset.
9. Remove resonator assembly from airbox lid
10. If you consider going for a full exhaust system, manifold, sport cat, etc. don't forget you will also need to throw some money at your management to either stop it looking for the second lambda, or alternatively fit an earlier "TAPE" ECU, ideally with the FRP map on it.

Personally I wouldn't bother with the air filter, just improve the cold air feed to the box and stick with a new standard panel filter, see the how to for making an FRP air box.

See my project thread for what I have done to mine.

[apj]

Thanks both,

The Puma Black thread makes interesting reading and suggests a lot of trial and error which saves us all going through all of that to achieve that standard of finished car, great stuff.

The car I am getting has just had the cambelt replaced plus a full service (chances are that means oil and filter), so I will take a look at the brakes and bushes and note the comments on sticking with Ford parts as opposed to going Powerflex.

I had thought to improve what is already fitted and then if needed upgrade (exhaust etc) but will fit a CD player as my Puma comes with a cassette player not CD and I have noted threads here showing how to improve the music side of things (changing speakers, amps etc).

Are the strut braces up for sale ? and what type are they ? Any idea of price plus postage unless you live near Chorley, Lancs where I am picking the car up this week ?

Thanks again

[l33cw35tw3ll]

for sale section pm if interested

[3Ddunk]

Removing the resonator from the air box is a good mod

FRP left - Standard with resonator right

[butch]

if you need any bits go onto for sale i have a lot of stuff and open to offers. number is on there

[FlashBastd]

http://www.pumapeople.com/forum/index.php?...mp;#entry851535

OMP ones can be dodgy, these should be better

[l33cw35tw3ll]

Had anyone tried to fit the OMP lower to a brand new puma way back then ? The issue is the car and it's age,Not the bar ! Yes some people have had issues and some have got round it...

Lol @ "should be better " It's like trying to plug your ipod into ya grandads old wireless only with an FM transmitter would this be possible...The FM transmitter being invention and innovation...Catch ma drift???????????

This post has been edited by l33cw35tw3ll: 02 August 2009 - 03:17 PM

[FlashBastd]

Mate, I appreciate you are trying to sell your OMP braces, but there are many stories of poorly fitting OMP lower braces, and from what I gather the upper ones often need a bit of modification due to one of the underbonnet fluid reservoirs.

I had a lower one on my car, which fouled, so I replaced the engine mounts (at great expense) and it made no difference at all, so perhaps it isn't the cars that are at fault, but rather poor manufacturing tolerances on the part of OMP?

[l33cw35tw3ll]

It's not the fact that the bar doesn't fit the car but the car doesn't fit the brace...And where is it mentioned that these are OMP ?

This post has been edited by l33cw35tw3ll: 02 August 2009 - 04:38 PM

[FlashBastd]

Other than the special order items from PumaBuild, OMP are the only other manufacturer that I am aware of who makes these.

With new engine mounts, the car is essentially as new, so clearly the bar is incorrectly designed if it fouls the bodywork. With tired engine mounts I can see how you could consider that the car doesn't fit the bar, but with new items, I don't really see your point.

[l33cw35tw3ll]

"With new engine mounts, the car is essentially as new" If only...

[apj]

I see there is a little dispute over the quality of build of the OMP struts I have read this on forums before. If it is possible to "make them fit" what is involved - serious surgery ?

And why is it a company such OMP cannot make a component that fits the Puma, anyway ? Surely it is a known size and they all have the same components in the engine bay don't they or am I just being naive ?

[apj]

Flash,

In your reply to me today you suggested, rear axle spacers, either 12.5mm or 20.5mm, if i fit lowering springs say -30mm but leave the rest of the suspension standard other then replacing any knackered bushed with Ford ones is it best to go for 10mm or 20mm spacers. I found both on ebay for £25 new but I don't what ones would be best for me ?

Any comments ?

Thanks again

[l33cw35tw3ll]

Mate, I appreciate you are trying to sell your OMP braces, but there are many stories of poorly fitting OMP lower braces, and from what I gather the upper ones often need a bit of modification due to one of the underbonnet fluid reservoirs.

I had a lower one on my car, which fouled, so I replaced the engine mounts (at great expense) and it made no difference at all, so perhaps it isn't the cars that are at fault, but rather poor manufacturing tolerances on the part of OMP?

I cant believe i'm having to defend OMP braces but just to prove a point heres my upper brace photos taken 5 mins ago to fit i removed one screw Take note of the mint condition of the item

[FlashBastd]

Flash,

In your reply to me today you suggested, rear axle spacers, either 12.5mm or 20.5mm, if i fit lowering springs say -30mm but leave the rest of the suspension standard other then replacing any knackered bushed with Ford ones is it best to go for 10mm or 20mm spacers. I found both on ebay for £25 new but I don't what ones would be best for me ?

Any comments ?

Thanks again

You should be fine with standard wheels, a 30mm drop and the 20.5mm spacers. However, if you plan to fit rear discs at a later date, then go for the 12.5, as you can't get away with 20.5mm spacers and rear discs (rear disc hubs are wider).

I cant believe i'm having to defend OMP braces but just to prove a point heres my upper brace photos taken 5 mins ago to fit i removed one screw Take note of the mint condition of the item

Nice to see yours are OMP.

You can see in the lower pic that the upper brace won't mount centrally due to the positioning of the expansion tank, however, it wasn't the upper item that I was questionning the quality of.

Any you have taken my statement above out of context. I merely meant that with new engine mounts, the engine should be in the same position as a brand new car.

This post has been edited by FlashBastd: 02 August 2009 - 06:01 PM

[eldoodarino]

personally i'd leave the modding until the car is running as was originally intended first..

new dampers and bushes all round...a good alignment and new tyres should have the car feeling great....

Braces to me look bloody awfull.. but thats just me.... why **** up the handling...?? FORD did a damm good job TBH with the puma, so restore that first BEFORE deciding whether they got it wrong and changing it further....



Chris

[GavTheMighty]

personally i'd leave the modding until the car is running as was originally intended first..

new dampers and bushes all round...a good alignment and new tyres should have the car feeling great....

Braces to me look bloody awfull.. but thats just me.... why **** up the handling...?? FORD did a damm good job TBH with the puma, so restore that first BEFORE deciding whether they got it wrong and changing it further....



Chris

100% signed and agreed

[apj]

Thanks all an interesting debate.

I wasn't suggesting I was going to reinvent the wheel by no means, I just wondered at the start of the thread whether through 10 plus years Puma drivers had found improvements that did add to the Puma package, not making it worse of course.

As a matter of interest would you all expect the bushes to need replacing on a car with 62K on the clock, or is that almost irrelevant as what is being suggested is to return the car's set up to the day it left the factory or as near as damn it ?

Would your local National Tyres or the like be able to spot worn out bushes or is it a case of buying the replacement bushes and just replacing them come what may ?

I had assumed a car with a new 12 month MOT with low mileage would not have an issue or am I wrong ?