Series 1 vs series 2 the differences???
Discussion
QBee said:
cejsmith said:
So by 96 a chim should be serp, with updated diff and gearbox, but older body style? Or is it still the case that it could be made of what ever was lying about in Blackpool???
It should be serp engine (longer, grooved aux belt vs shorter V belt on pre-serps), T5 box, BTR diff, mark one front and rear ends, with fiesta rear lights (later ones, 98/9 on, are 4 single lights behind smoked perspex each side, and are landrover), earlier dash layout I think.The rare tow-bar and roof rails were optional extras on later cars for customers who had spotted the Landrover rear lights and were on their way to Specsavers
jojackson4 said:
QBee said:
cejsmith said:
So by 96 a chim should be serp, with updated diff and gearbox, but older body style? Or is it still the case that it could be made of what ever was lying about in Blackpool???
It should be serp engine (longer, grooved aux belt vs shorter V belt on pre-serps), T5 box, BTR diff, mark one front and rear ends, with fiesta rear lights (later ones, 98/9 on, are 4 single lights behind smoked perspex each side, and are landrover), earlier dash layout I think.The rare tow-bar and roof rails were optional extras on later cars for customers who had spotted the Landrover rear lights and were on their way to Specsavers
As others have said, it's a bit misleading to think in terms of "Mk1 / Mk2", because the changes were more progressive than that.
Here's what I can think of (almost certainly not a complete list), working from the back to the front:
Here's what I can think of (almost certainly not a complete list), working from the back to the front:
- Rear number plate was 'flat' and honeycombed, with a back-light. Newer ones have an angled number plate and a more conventional light above.
- Did early ones have a bump-strip on the rear bumper, or am I imagining that?
- Rear light clusters were Fiesta, but later ones are a bespoke design.
- Some say that later boot lids have more of a 'lip' on them, but I've never noticed the difference myself.
- Later boot lids have hidden hinges, and the lid opens more vertically.
- Earlier cars have the door opening button just in front of the boot lid corner. Later ones have the button underneath the side mirrors.
- Different diff.
- Very early cars have the Rover gearbox (reverse is left-and-forward); changed to Borg-Warner T5 (reverse is right-and-back) quite early on.
- Change to position of the internal door-opening knob.
- Windscreen wipers. On earlier cars, they work more symmetrically - but on later cars the driver's wiper wipes much further than the passenger one. Also, the wiper motor used to live in the rear left corner of the engine bay, but on later cars it's inside the cabin just above the driver's knees.
- Supposedly, the rear edge of the bonnet has a more pronounced upward lip on later cars, but not sure I can see it myself.
- Serpentine engine introduced early in the run.
- Otter switch moved from swirl pot to radiator.
- Later cars have a 'splitter' design to the air intake.
My 96 car has
Revised body with split grill and moulded rear bumper, later bonnet and later boot lid
door buttons in wing but no key hole
fiesta rear lights, and back lit number plate
later chassis and later larger brakes
t5 box
serpentine engine
later top dash, early 3 button lower dash
BTR Diff.
interior door release in its own recess not shared with gear lever.
There are at least 3 different bonnets and 3 different boot lids with 4 types of boot hinge, and i thin the fuel filler moved a little too.
dont forget the final mk3? with covered headlights and tuscan seats.
Revised body with split grill and moulded rear bumper, later bonnet and later boot lid
door buttons in wing but no key hole
fiesta rear lights, and back lit number plate
later chassis and later larger brakes
t5 box
serpentine engine
later top dash, early 3 button lower dash
BTR Diff.
interior door release in its own recess not shared with gear lever.
There are at least 3 different bonnets and 3 different boot lids with 4 types of boot hinge, and i thin the fuel filler moved a little too.
dont forget the final mk3? with covered headlights and tuscan seats.
Hi Op,
you are clearly looking at getting one of these cars given your questions - very thorough!
I would recommend that you give Fernhursts a call. Be up-front with them that you are looking for cars and would like to try a couple but can not guarantee buying one. Arrange a convenient time and go and visit them, allowing a couple of hours. They will have lots of stock ranging from good to excellent. They may even have one that they dont want to retail with their multi-year warranty that they will sell at a competitive price. When i last visited they had one and Chuffmeister also bought one that way.
Go alone, see the variations but importantly, get a feel for what good looks like.
I didnt like the feel of the 400 or 450s with power steering but loved the pre-cat Griff. The colour put me off and the next week a non-PAS car came up locally, I bought it on the spot and decatted it! Happy days.
you are clearly looking at getting one of these cars given your questions - very thorough!
I would recommend that you give Fernhursts a call. Be up-front with them that you are looking for cars and would like to try a couple but can not guarantee buying one. Arrange a convenient time and go and visit them, allowing a couple of hours. They will have lots of stock ranging from good to excellent. They may even have one that they dont want to retail with their multi-year warranty that they will sell at a competitive price. When i last visited they had one and Chuffmeister also bought one that way.
Go alone, see the variations but importantly, get a feel for what good looks like.
I didnt like the feel of the 400 or 450s with power steering but loved the pre-cat Griff. The colour put me off and the next week a non-PAS car came up locally, I bought it on the spot and decatted it! Happy days.
cejsmith said:
So by 96 a chim should be serp, with updated diff and gearbox, but older body style? Or is it still the case that it could be made of what ever was lying about in Blackpool???
By 1996 it should have the serp engine and T5 box, but as for the rest of it it can be a mixture.Mine is late 1996 with the mk 2 body, i.e split grill and one piece rear bumper, door buttons without
the keyhole by the door pillar, fiesta rear lights, honeycomb rear number plate, and the older style
dash,260MM Brakes and the expansion bottle by the drivers wing, near the radiator.
I think of these cars in 3 brackets
Mk 1 - with the open front grill,and the black insert in the rear bumper, but some with lt77 and pre-serp, some with T5 and serp engines.
Mk 1 1/2 - which describes mine, T 5 box,serp engine, new body style but with the old door buttons, older dash and rear lights. I think it was TVR using up whatever old stock they had left.
Mk 3 - T5 box and serp engine, new body style complete with door button under the mirror, new dash and new rear lights and recessed rear number plate.
Mk 4 - with faired in lights and tuscan seats.
Have i missed any???????????????
There may be even more variations, and some will have had accident damage and changed front/rear ends at the repair stage.
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