1985 Ford Granada Ghia X Estate
Discussion
I have recently acquired a third share in this large, very scruffy, but really rather good old shed. I had always assumed that Fords were rubbish - mass market tosh, cheaply made. This one, however, is a quality item, made in Germany at a time when Germans still made good cars. It has all the toys, 1985 stylee, and most of them still work. The 2.8 litre single carb Cologne V6 is peppy, and the three speed autobox is smooth. Great brakes, surprisingly good handling, and big enough to rent out for student housing.
I am only going to keep my share for a bit, and then let one of the other two loons buy me out, but it's great fun while it lasts!
I am only going to keep my share for a bit, and then let one of the other two loons buy me out, but it's great fun while it lasts!
Edited by anonymous-user on Monday 27th March 22:50
My old dad had one of these in the 90s, which he used as a van (complete with enormous splattery bucket and bags of cement in the boot). I recall Brian Sewell (who was a massive petrolhead) writing a rave review of the type in the Evening Standard.
It's a great dumpster truck for runs to the local tip (I stupidly sold my Series Landy that used to be the tip runner), and also a very comfortable and capable motorway cruiser, and it's not even as mega thirsty as I thought that it might be.
It's a great dumpster truck for runs to the local tip (I stupidly sold my Series Landy that used to be the tip runner), and also a very comfortable and capable motorway cruiser, and it's not even as mega thirsty as I thought that it might be.
I like your style, ClaphamGT3. When my daughter was at a very w
ky prep school in Hampstead, (the sort of place where a kid gets bullied because daddy's BMW is three years old, thus making Daddy a pov - not my choice of school, and daughter now at a sensible place instead), I used to fk with the heads of the socially competitive Mrs Hedge Fund yummy mummies by turning up in the most appalling old stbox I could lay my hands on. They just couldn't compute. The lacquer peely and slightly crusty Granny would be great for that sort of thing.
ky prep school in Hampstead, (the sort of place where a kid gets bullied because daddy's BMW is three years old, thus making Daddy a pov - not my choice of school, and daughter now at a sensible place instead), I used to fk with the heads of the socially competitive Mrs Hedge Fund yummy mummies by turning up in the most appalling old stbox I could lay my hands on. They just couldn't compute. The lacquer peely and slightly crusty Granny would be great for that sort of thing.Edited by anonymous-user on Tuesday 28th March 09:03
JakeT said:
Oh, how you've been missed BV. Stop posting in the stty legal bits of the forum and keep to the quieter parts. The fun parts with old bangers in. 
Totes will - no more S,P&L for me. I may do some employment law btty legal bits of the forum and keep to the quieter parts. The fun parts with old bangers in. ks in the jobs bit, but shall mainly come here and rant on about wrecks. I am all in favour of the fun parts of old bangers. ATCNBE.
70s and 80s Cortinas and Escorts don't do it for me. Early Capris, maybe, but nowadays they are expensive. Ford Scene Tax seems not to have hit Granada saloons and estates quite as badly as it has hit other old Fords. I would love a Mark 1 Granada Coupe, which is a sort of poor man's Jensen Interceptor, but I have probably missed the boat on Grannycoops already.
Yesterday the Granny flew to Cambridge and back for some daughter collectionage. She says that the car's interior reminds her of a shonky Beagle Pup 150 that I used to have a share in. This car really is quite fast, and managed to surprise a couple of white Audis.
For some reason, I found myself subject to unusually aggressive high speed tailgating by assorted cars and vans at various times during the journey (I wasn't MLMing at 60, I hasten to add - this car keeps up with the traffic). I don't know if they were just trying to read all the badges on the back, or what.
The trip computer mostly doesn't work, but it does show the fuel range remaining. At one point it sounded an annoying audible alarm for no apparent reason, which continued until I had randomly stabbed at all of its buttons a few times. I have a handbook for the car, but the trip computer would have had a separate instruction book, and I can't find one of those on eBay.
For some reason, I found myself subject to unusually aggressive high speed tailgating by assorted cars and vans at various times during the journey (I wasn't MLMing at 60, I hasten to add - this car keeps up with the traffic). I don't know if they were just trying to read all the badges on the back, or what.
The trip computer mostly doesn't work, but it does show the fuel range remaining. At one point it sounded an annoying audible alarm for no apparent reason, which continued until I had randomly stabbed at all of its buttons a few times. I have a handbook for the car, but the trip computer would have had a separate instruction book, and I can't find one of those on eBay.
SPL is bad, but not in the same way as NPE is bad. NPE is all bile, hatred, doom and gloom, antiscience and so on. It reminds me of a Trump supporters' convention. SPE has a bit of fk you selfish right wingery, but nothing like the amount you get in NPE. The SPL variety is mostly of the "I should be able to park wherever I like, drive as fast as I like, and all legal rules and obligations should apply to everyone else but never to me" kind. The place is full of wannabe lawyers dishing out massively incorrect legal advice in trenchant terms. Don't bother going there!
k you selfish right wingery, but nothing like the amount you get in NPE. The SPL variety is mostly of the "I should be able to park wherever I like, drive as fast as I like, and all legal rules and obligations should apply to everyone else but never to me" kind. The place is full of wannabe lawyers dishing out massively incorrect legal advice in trenchant terms. Don't bother going there!Mk 1 and 2 Granadas have apparently been ruthlessly destroyed via the banger ovals, whereas many Cortinas and Escorts and Capris have survived. Grannies, which in any event never sold in the same numbers as their smaller cousins, seem to be quite rare now. My (one third of) one might have been destined for bangering or scening if it had ended up on eBay, but it is far too good for either fate. One of the co-owners wants to do it up, the other to keep it more or less as it is, with just some mild tinkering. What will happen to it in that regard I do not know, but it will be kept going, and not raced or turned into a Scene Queen.
S. Gonzales Esq. said:
Breadvan72 said:
...the trip computer would have had a separate instruction book, and I can't find one of those on eBay.
Until you turn up a physical copy, try this:http://www.flickriver.com/photos/granada_turnier/s...
Loving the sci-fi font used for the RTFM! I reckon that the alarm I set off was the OMG U R SPEEDIN U R GO 2 JAYEL alarm. I must have accidentally set it at some point, and then hooned, or maybe it still had some 80s settings in it (eg 100 MPH for urban roads), and I, er, accidentally tripped it.
Cheers! The car is indeed a right gopping old shed, and much worse in real life than in the photos. I may post some horrible pics of the worst bits later. As to the ownership position, complex multi jurisdictional litigation involving various anstalts, stiftungs, blind trusts, BVI companies and so on has already commenced and is expected to continue for the next decade or so.
I did not feel forced to give up PH. I just gave it up for a while. Because reasons, but nothing to do with the forum itself; although the shouty rage monster bits of the forum can be enervating, and these days I avoid those bits.
I did not feel forced to give up PH. I just gave it up for a while. Because reasons, but nothing to do with the forum itself; although the shouty rage monster bits of the forum can be enervating, and these days I avoid those bits.
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