RE: Fast Fiestas: a history lesson

[s m]

mwstewart said:

FRST or MK3.5 RS1800 for me. The Mk3.5 changes introduced a stiffened shell and quick PAS rack which completely transformed the car, but the Mk3’s reputation was too far gone by that point for anyone to really notice.

SVE magic just as on the 2.8 Capri and RS Sierra

[Walter Sobchak]

Why have they forgotten the RS Turbo?, always really wanted one of them when I was younger, along with the Renault 5 GT Turbo.

[k-ink]

mwstewart said:

FRST or MK3.5 RS1800 for me. The Mk3.5 changes introduced a stiffened shell and quick PAS rack which completely transformed the car, but the Mk3’s reputation was too far gone by that point for anyone to really notice.

It’s so good to drive a nice one these days as it makes you realise how characterless modern cars have become.

I went from a used 2.9i Granada to a new Fiesta Si back in 1995. It had the free insurance deal, plus I got a 25% F&F discount. I wished I could have afforded the RS1800 then, but the insurance made it impossible. I was only 18 or so and earning bugger all at the time. So I ordered an "Si" and factory fitted sports suspension.

So I presume my "Si" in 1995 would have had the updated chassis then, as it came out just as the RS finished. It handled extremely well at the time.

[dannodj]

The Mk1 was mentioned in comments, but not the Supersport yet, just thought I'd add it to the growing list of missing fast fiestas

[Limpet]

s m said:

SVE magic just as on the 2.8 Capri and RS Sierra

And not forgetting the mk5 Escort XR3i and RS2000. Both decent drivers cars almost "magicked" out of the most uninspiring and horrible starting point imaginable. Fantastic examples of skilled engineers polishing turds.

[loudlashadjuster]

dannodj said:

The Mk1 was mentioned in comments, but not the Supersport yet, just thought I'd add it to the growing list of missing fast fiestas

That, with a cherry bomb, was the weapon of choice in my home town.

[k-ink]

That mk1 is lovely. I actually fancy one as a garage project. I think it would have to be white, with a white roll cage. #nostalgia

[Hol]

GhostDriver said:

generationx said:

At the time the RS Turbo had a bit of a reputation for torque steer.

I´ll always have a place in my heart for Mk1s - amongst others I had a red Supersport (basically an XR2 with a 1300cc engine) and it was hours of lunatic fun.

The only thing the Mk1s were missing was that 5th gear.

I owned an RS Turbo for about 5 years. Yup torque steer was bad, however it was only bad if you had a heavy right foot. Turbo lag wasnt too bad for the era too.
Feed the power in gently and precisely and it was fine. This was the case with alot of cars from that era. It was a great hatch, excellent chasis, very chuckable, quick for its time, mine was totally reliable and well built. Wish I still had it.

Drove all the hot fiestas listed, the RS Turbo had more personality and was so much more fun that any of them IMHO

Yup, Torque steer from just 130bhp of old school drivetrain and quick wits needed for rainly days and manhole covers.

Today, we can put 310bhp through the front wheels of a fwd car and the modern electronics mean that they don't pull at all.

Definitely progress.

[Johnnytheboy]

dannodj said:

The Mk1 was mentioned in comments, but not the Supersport yet, just thought I'd add it to the growing list of missing fast fiestas

generationx said:

... amongst others I had a red Supersport (basically an XR2 with a 1300cc engine) and it was hours of lunatic fun.

[Hol]

Wasn't the RS1800 fitted with the 1.8 engine from the XR31 130? (130 bhp).
Basic 1.8 Zetecs having 105bhp.

I recall a neighbour dropping a salvaged 2.0 Mondeo engine and ECU straight into an RS1800 (could've been an SI 1.6) and getting an immediately torque increase for the same 130bhp.

[julianf77]

You should has spoke to my mate who has a concourse Mark 1.

I also had a Mark 1 and two Mark 2 and that's where I lost the love.

The Mark one 1.3 Super Sport was the prototype for the XR2 but without the American lights.

[k-ink]

Wasn't the 2.0 engine supposedly a real boat anchor?

[mwstewart]

k-ink said:

I went from a used 2.9i Granada to a new Fiesta Si back in 1995. It had the free insurance deal, plus I got a 25% F&F discount. I wished I could have afforded the RS1800 then, but the insurance made it impossible. I was only 18 or so and earning bugger all at the time. So I ordered an "Si" and factory fitted sports suspension.

So I presume my "Si" in 1995 would have had the updated chassis then, as it came out just as the RS finished. It handled extremely well at the time.

Yes, the Si was a Mk3.5. It's the same chassis as the Ka.

[generationx]

Hol said:

Wasn't the RS1800 fitted with the 1.8 engine from the XR31 130? (130 bhp).

The XR3i was available in 130 and 115bhp versions

But yes the 130 was the version in the RS1800. Always thought it was a shame they used that name on a Fiesta when it really means

[sticks090460]

My first ever new car was a Mk2. It was really well put together and attracted quite a lot of attention, despite being quite a common car. I thought it was the best thing since sliced bread until a Renault 5GT Turbo left me absolutely for dead heading out of London on the M4 one night. Needless to say a Renault soon replaced the Ford. I suspect C991TBY is long dead now......

[Johnnytheboy]

generationx said:

But yes the 130 was the version in the RS1800. Always thought it was a shame they used that name on a Fiesta when it really means

Yeah, whose idea was that anyway?

[chrispphunt]

generationx said:

The XR3i was available in 130 and 115bhp versions

But yes the 130 was the version in the RS1800. Always thought it was a shame they used that name on a Fiesta when it really means

The XR3i was actually available as 105bhp and 130bhp 1800 Zetec :-P
but yeah its the 130spec in the RS1800- the only real difference between the specs was a hotter cam.

The later 1800 zetecs where then all 115bhp as fitted to the mk6 escorts.
sorry I'm an escort anarok lol.
such a shame there no mention of the RST it was the really special MK3 imo.

[k-ink]

Would it be wrong to build a mk1 Fiesta like an RS1800 Escort? Fit supersport alloys, strip it out, make it RWD and spray it white. That would be amazing.

[Vroom101]

It's such a shame that Ford don't make the extra effort and put the Heritage Collection in a purpose built building and open it to the public like other manufacturers. I've been in that leaky old shed, and the cars that they have in there are amazing.


As an aside, I have to change the bulbs at the top of that lighting tower in the background. It's flippin' scary when it's windy

[mwstewart]

The 2.0 Zetec put the Mk3 on par with the 1.9GTi 205 and was a little quicker than the RS Turbo.

It's a shame Ford never released it. I had to build one!