Project40: Midlife crisis yellow Mk2 Punto HGT 1.8 16v

I had a 2000 “new shape” punto as my first car in 2002 (you can find out what happened to it here), 21 years later and with my 40th birthday coming up I thought it was time to revisit the best version of my first car.

So welcome to Project40, a very yellow 2002 Punto HGT!



It’s had 10 previous owners and it’s not been serviced in at least a decade! But I think it has reasonably solid bones, so I will getting it back up to standard in the next couple of months.

As it’s a HGT it has a great spec (for the early 2000s), 1.8 16v with 130bhp, it has an inverse VTEC where the higher power cam comes on song first. Factory sat nav, side & curtain airbags, a 5 cd in dash sound system with six speakers & a subwoofer!

Next up will be giving it a much needed service!

Thanks! It’s a bit of fun really.

So next up is servicing, the looks like it has returned for pure crude. Looking at the history I think the last time it was serviced was the late 2000s.

After the basic service, I need to get the timing belt, water pump, the aux belt changed and the cam variator spring/seal changed. The timing belt needs a special tool that’s rare as hens teeth these days but I’ve found a local specialist that can do it.

The cam belt should be changed every 4 years, so it’s a little over due. I’ll be getting the car transported there as I don’t want the belt to snap and the engine go bang.

Then it’s a new exhaust system, I’d like to keep it stock for now but there seems to be some nice upgrades (new cams, manifold & exhaust that could tempt me).

Oh and and maybe give it a clean.

Then it’s time for a roadtrip!

They were great cars for the time

I had a 2004 "active sport" 1.2 16V was a nice car but gutless.

Friend had a punto gt, worthy successor to the uno turbo ie

Yeh it was a 80bhp one.

I traded it in for a SEAT Ibiza 1.4TDI with 85bhp but with the torque it went a lot better.

This was me in 1998! I had a 1.2 SX which I px’d against a Broom Yellow GT.

Completely irrational but of all the cars I’ve owned over the last 20+ years the GT was the one I loved the most!

Enjoyed the vid OP

You're in Southend aren't you I actually follow you on Twitter lol, didn't realise you were on here too.

Cool little project and good idea revisiting your first car. That would mean a Corsa GSi for me... could be done. I actually had a yellow Punto, and as it happens just happened to find a image of it. It was very chavved up! Fun little thing when it worked, which to be honest wasn't very often:

Small world! Revisiting upgraded first cars is a fun thing to do. You should totally get one!

LOL same here, the 84bhp 'FIRE' lump couldn't cash the cheques that the somewhat over-styled bodykit wrote.

Had a 1.4 16V version for the past 12 months as a runaround, despite the meagre power-bump over the 1.2 (95bhp quoted for the 1.4) it's nice having the extra torque up inclines etc., and the 6 speed gearbox vs. 5 speed in the 1.2 makes it a bit easier to keep 'on the boil' so to speak, also seems to return >40mpg no matter how hard I thrash it.

Always wanted a go in an HGT but could never find any for sale, nice one for taking the plunge OP!