I want a classic fast Ford
Discussion
TooMany2cvs said:
Yertis said:
TooMany2cvs said:
davgen7 said:
I was involved in a low-speed road accident that in practice wasn't my fault, but by law technically was
Go on...davgen7 said:
I drive a Mondeo ST and haven't crashed it yet - I don't see why I should be disregarded for certain jobs just because most others my age are stupid, can't drive for sh*t and end up crashing.
Famous last words, eh?Mind you it's exactly the sort of thing I would have done.
Yertis said:
The reaction to having had an accident struck me as bit unusual too: "I've had an accident so I'm going to go out and buy an older type of car, commonly seen in period wrapped around lamp-posts and trees, or in ditches, and that given my age and driving record will now be more difficult to insure."
Mind you it's exactly the sort of thing I would have done.
Yeah, but in 1979-80 when I started driving, no-one thought a 30yo car was cool. I didn't want to be seen in 1949 Morris 8 or whatever.Mind you it's exactly the sort of thing I would have done.
I wanted something which was okay to be seen in. A 1969 Hillman Hunter fitted the bill perfectly.
If only we'd had hindsight then ... some of the prices for old Astons & E-Types etc ...
Classic RS's Fords are now into Silly Money and the one thing I look back on and wish Id never sold any of mine.
The amount of 1600 Sports that knocked around that I was offered for bits was a joke, but the one that REALLY got away that I turned down was the MK2 Harrier. Great car, insurance was a little easier and with a set of twin webbers well set up and a janspeed you were sorted.
Hadnt seen one for years, then got buzzed by two on the M3 a little while ago (sunday afternoon return car show time). anyway, I digress......
As above for £5k find a nice XR2 Fiesta and keep it clean and standard. Great entry to the fast ford scene and will get alot of attention on the road.
http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C781608
http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C779185
Fix
Often
Repair
Daily
Would sell one of my kids for another....
The amount of 1600 Sports that knocked around that I was offered for bits was a joke, but the one that REALLY got away that I turned down was the MK2 Harrier. Great car, insurance was a little easier and with a set of twin webbers well set up and a janspeed you were sorted.
Hadnt seen one for years, then got buzzed by two on the M3 a little while ago (sunday afternoon return car show time). anyway, I digress......
As above for £5k find a nice XR2 Fiesta and keep it clean and standard. Great entry to the fast ford scene and will get alot of attention on the road.
http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C781608
http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C779185
Fix
Often
Repair
Daily
Would sell one of my kids for another....
Well, since I've obviously gathered a fair amount of attention purely based on my accident, I will now explain and hopefully put it to rest.
I am in the left hand lane stopped at a red light. There is nobody behind me and someone is trying to reverse off their drive. I willingly reverse slowly to allow them space and all is good. There is a petrol station on the left hand side and a man comes straight out without looking at what is actually going on on the road and I slam on my brakes as he appears in my mirror but it is too late and he rear-ends me. Had he been looking where he was actually going nothing would have happened, but he wasn't and although I stopped instantly, because I was in reverse gear I know by law this is technically my fault, although the obvious follow-up question would have been to ask why he wasn't looking where he was going. This was so unfortunate that I have had 50-year driving veterans, who've never had accidents, tell me themselves that something as bizarre as that could just as easily have happened to them. The damage was very minor. I have been advised many times to contest this - not much doubt that I'd win - but then there will definitely be an increase in my premium for a non-fault accident. It is cheaper for me to just pay out of my pocket in this instance (it was a minor accident), to bite the bullet and just find some comfort in the fact that I couldn't have done more.
I'd also like to thank you for trying to make me out to be an idiot. When I rear-end someone at a roundabout, roll the car, wrap it around a tree, hit someone under normal circumstances - an instance whereby I really am just wrong - you are more than welcome to criticise and talk about my "famous last words". But in this instance, I'm just trying to not bite my nose to spite my face despite the injustice. I had a job driving long-wheel-base Sprinter vans between Birmingham and central London in rush hour for a while and nothing happened; I had a job driving a Suzuki Wagon R to deliver pizzas around the area for a while too. In each instance, absolutely nothing happened. If there were going to be "famous last words", it would have happened then - not now under such bizarre circumstances.
Thanks to everyone who has given advice regarding the car so far, it is greatly appreciated.
I am in the left hand lane stopped at a red light. There is nobody behind me and someone is trying to reverse off their drive. I willingly reverse slowly to allow them space and all is good. There is a petrol station on the left hand side and a man comes straight out without looking at what is actually going on on the road and I slam on my brakes as he appears in my mirror but it is too late and he rear-ends me. Had he been looking where he was actually going nothing would have happened, but he wasn't and although I stopped instantly, because I was in reverse gear I know by law this is technically my fault, although the obvious follow-up question would have been to ask why he wasn't looking where he was going. This was so unfortunate that I have had 50-year driving veterans, who've never had accidents, tell me themselves that something as bizarre as that could just as easily have happened to them. The damage was very minor. I have been advised many times to contest this - not much doubt that I'd win - but then there will definitely be an increase in my premium for a non-fault accident. It is cheaper for me to just pay out of my pocket in this instance (it was a minor accident), to bite the bullet and just find some comfort in the fact that I couldn't have done more.
I'd also like to thank you for trying to make me out to be an idiot. When I rear-end someone at a roundabout, roll the car, wrap it around a tree, hit someone under normal circumstances - an instance whereby I really am just wrong - you are more than welcome to criticise and talk about my "famous last words". But in this instance, I'm just trying to not bite my nose to spite my face despite the injustice. I had a job driving long-wheel-base Sprinter vans between Birmingham and central London in rush hour for a while and nothing happened; I had a job driving a Suzuki Wagon R to deliver pizzas around the area for a while too. In each instance, absolutely nothing happened. If there were going to be "famous last words", it would have happened then - not now under such bizarre circumstances.
Thanks to everyone who has given advice regarding the car so far, it is greatly appreciated.
Edited by davgen7 on Friday 2nd September 20:19
I don't know why on earth you even mentioned it in the first place!
I take it you were in slow moving traffic? Otherwise why stop to let a bloke reverse off his drive into the road? SO how did this other bloke career out into slow moving traffic so fast he couldn't stop.
We need a diagram.
I take it you were in slow moving traffic? Otherwise why stop to let a bloke reverse off his drive into the road? SO how did this other bloke career out into slow moving traffic so fast he couldn't stop.
We need a diagram.
I'm sorry, I'm honestly trying to not talk so much about the accident (and I agree, it wasn't worth me bringing up) and more about the car but now I've started I will try to sketch out a diagram. For now I will try to clarify what I am saying.
I wasn't going to be moving forwards because I was at a red light and there were no cars behind me. Hence, I tried to give the other bloke space to reverse out his drive. Another driver then comes out the petrol station behind me and hits me just after I'd finished reversing (I slammed on the brakes and still in reverse gear). Hence, I was under the impression that because I'd reversed, by law it was most likely my fault. I also knew however that in practice, it was not my fault. I would have had to contest this, and I would have won. This would have meant that it would have gone down on my record as a not-at-fault accident, and this would have resulted in my premium raising far beyond the cost of just repairing his bloody car, so I swallowed my pride and made the best I could out of it. Had I been older, this would not have been worth doing. Hopefully the confusion that has arisen already is testament to the bizarreness of the incident. A diagram would also not make things much better and I've tried to use one to explain to people already, to no avail.
In all fairness, as much as I hate to admit it, if I were reading this thread from someone else's perspective, I'd probably be asking similar questions in such a bizarre situation.
I wasn't going to be moving forwards because I was at a red light and there were no cars behind me. Hence, I tried to give the other bloke space to reverse out his drive. Another driver then comes out the petrol station behind me and hits me just after I'd finished reversing (I slammed on the brakes and still in reverse gear). Hence, I was under the impression that because I'd reversed, by law it was most likely my fault. I also knew however that in practice, it was not my fault. I would have had to contest this, and I would have won. This would have meant that it would have gone down on my record as a not-at-fault accident, and this would have resulted in my premium raising far beyond the cost of just repairing his bloody car, so I swallowed my pride and made the best I could out of it. Had I been older, this would not have been worth doing. Hopefully the confusion that has arisen already is testament to the bizarreness of the incident. A diagram would also not make things much better and I've tried to use one to explain to people already, to no avail.
In all fairness, as much as I hate to admit it, if I were reading this thread from someone else's perspective, I'd probably be asking similar questions in such a bizarre situation.
davgen7 said:
Hence, I was under the impression that because I'd reversed, by law it was most likely my fault.
There simply is no such presumption AT ALL.What there is, though, is two people both saying different things. He's saying you reversed into him. You're saying he pulled into you, but you'd been reversing. Now, on the balance of probabilities, if YOU were listening to two random people saying these things, which would you believe? And that's your problem. Not some presumption that you'd been reversing, therefore it's automagically your fault. Do you see the difference? And that's why reversing towards the exit to a petrol station is a really bad idea... Because people leaving simply don't expect it, so they aren't looking.
I absolutely understand what you're saying. It was a freak accident, but that decision was certainly questionable. Hence, while it may not have been my fault (obviously it doesn't mean much over the internet, but he really did go into me) I am appreciative that I didn't make it easier for anyone. I will be buying a dashcam and back mirror camera as a result of this incident, however.
Hopefully that's cleared up, can we talk about classic Fords again please?
Hopefully that's cleared up, can we talk about classic Fords again please?
Good luck OP!
So here we are, the RS2000 I sold for less than £2,500 back in 1981 (So I could buy a MKII Granada Ghia, followed by a Capri 2.8 Injection)!
If only............
Not sure what has happened with the photos on PH of late - why does it just put up a link to "thumbsnap" FFS!? Sponsorship deal presumably.............
Anyway being realistic I don't think you will get any classic fast Ford in any budget under 5 figures - they are all silly money now! Decent Capri Injections sell for as much as my Z4Coupe cost, but have (allegedly) 160bhp rather than 265bhp!
Given a choice I prefer RWD BMW with another 100 bhp to any shonky, rusty Ford!
Just getting ready to be shot down now!
So here we are, the RS2000 I sold for less than £2,500 back in 1981 (So I could buy a MKII Granada Ghia, followed by a Capri 2.8 Injection)!
If only............
Not sure what has happened with the photos on PH of late - why does it just put up a link to "thumbsnap" FFS!? Sponsorship deal presumably.............
Anyway being realistic I don't think you will get any classic fast Ford in any budget under 5 figures - they are all silly money now! Decent Capri Injections sell for as much as my Z4Coupe cost, but have (allegedly) 160bhp rather than 265bhp!
Given a choice I prefer RWD BMW with another 100 bhp to any shonky, rusty Ford!
Just getting ready to be shot down now!
uk66fastback said:
Not taxed since 1988
OP, following on from some posts in another thread, Turbo Technics XR4x4s were mentioned.
They are hard to find and still reasonably quick by modern standards, but the standard XR4x4s were also fun.
You could get a tidy one well under budget...
What sort of Mondeo ST is it? There's a big difference between the ST TDCI and ST V6 2.5/3.0 ST24/200/ST220. Any of the petrol ones will run rings around the Escort of Fiesta RS turbo and the awful CVH engines. I speak as an XR4x4 owner and Mondeo V6 driver.
You may be able to get a Sapphire Cosworth for £10K, but a car like that will have "history" and probably similar sized bills in the near future.
You may be able to get a Sapphire Cosworth for £10K, but a car like that will have "history" and probably similar sized bills in the near future.
Mr Tidy said:
Given a choice I prefer RWD BMW with another 100 bhp to any shonky, rusty Ford!
Hmmm your not wrong in a way but they aren't comparable. I could think of nothing worse than using my Escort as a daily, that's why I have a BMW! Escorts/Capris etc are in many ways crap but they are old cars. Dynamically a modern BMW is better in every respect but they certainly are not fun cars to drive. Nice yes, fun no. I reckon my 170bhp 900kg Escort is quicker to 70mph than my 330 and with a proper LSD the fun you can have at sensible speeds you can't have in the BMW.
I'll give votes for the XR2 and Mk6 RS 2000 too. Had both and loved both. The Fiesta is very different to a modern car and a great amount of fun. They are easy to work on and generally cheap to run. Probably not a bad investment either, prices are on the way up.
The Escort was also great, a very underrated car and now that all the ordinary Escorts have disappeared, everyone isn't saying 'just looks like an Escort'. Unsurprisingly drives much more like a modern as well but with a bit of old school character. Mine had aircon, heated windscreen etc so was good in all conditions.
Someone mentioned the XR4x4, a car so good that I bought it twice (anyone spotted a theme yet), they too are shooting up in value and there don't seem to be many left. I'd try it though, it might not be different enough to driving the Mondeo for your purpose.
I'd act fast though, prices on any interesting old Fords are rising fast. Good luck, I look forward to seeing how you get on.
The Escort was also great, a very underrated car and now that all the ordinary Escorts have disappeared, everyone isn't saying 'just looks like an Escort'. Unsurprisingly drives much more like a modern as well but with a bit of old school character. Mine had aircon, heated windscreen etc so was good in all conditions.
Someone mentioned the XR4x4, a car so good that I bought it twice (anyone spotted a theme yet), they too are shooting up in value and there don't seem to be many left. I'd try it though, it might not be different enough to driving the Mondeo for your purpose.
I'd act fast though, prices on any interesting old Fords are rising fast. Good luck, I look forward to seeing how you get on.
Edited by LanceRS on Saturday 3rd September 19:44
Impasse said:
How much is a tidy XR4i these days?
I was going to suggest that as wellI reckon you could get something useable for 5 or 6k
http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C774777
Your top limit is right in the midst of the guide price on this if you like a coupé
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/232068750534
'First person with 4K has it' ......
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/112115760320
Edited by s m on Saturday 3rd September 23:09
Thanks everyone for the suggestions. I think so far I've compiled a list of five or six cars that are interesting to me.
One problem I think I may face with slightly newer cars like the Mk5/6 Escort RS2000 and the Sierra Sapphire is that a second car was only really viable with classic car insurance and I fear these cars may be too modern to be eligible. Am I wrong?
One problem I think I may face with slightly newer cars like the Mk5/6 Escort RS2000 and the Sierra Sapphire is that a second car was only really viable with classic car insurance and I fear these cars may be too modern to be eligible. Am I wrong?
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