Spare parts for what were common cars
Discussion
Bought a 1987 Ford fiesta XR2.
Pretty much all original even down to the period correct Ford radio cassette with joystick control for speakers.
Its in good condition for its age but is far from a show winning car.
Problem I knew about at purchase was seller said it needed a tune up as was running poorly & brakes need quite a shove before much happens.
I was pretty certain even before I checked that the servo had failed and that was causing in effect a quite large vacuum leak causing the poor running.
Upon checking the servo has failed and a vacuum can't be pulled on the servo. If the servo pipe is disconnected and plugged the car runs quite sweet.
Of all the older cars/classic cars I have owned I have always managed to find pretty much most parts I was looking for apart from maybe trim parts.
On my last two classic cars, 1976 & 1981, parts supply has been good with a couple of specialists that carry pretty much all parts despite the cars being low production numbers of the cars made.
When I started to look for a servo for the XR2 I pretty quickly realized that I might struggle when I could find nowhere with new stock.
Looked around used and there are the occasional one for sale but they sell for quite strong money even untested and looking quite rough.
There are a couple of other servos that can be modified to fit but they themselves are quite rare now and sell for good money.
Only new option is a bias brake dual master cylinder setup that is pretty much the only bolt on option available.
Quite shocked that I am struggling to find spares for what was a very common car.
edited due to managing to loose the original post when trying to correct spelling.
Pretty much all original even down to the period correct Ford radio cassette with joystick control for speakers.
Its in good condition for its age but is far from a show winning car.
Problem I knew about at purchase was seller said it needed a tune up as was running poorly & brakes need quite a shove before much happens.
I was pretty certain even before I checked that the servo had failed and that was causing in effect a quite large vacuum leak causing the poor running.
Upon checking the servo has failed and a vacuum can't be pulled on the servo. If the servo pipe is disconnected and plugged the car runs quite sweet.
Of all the older cars/classic cars I have owned I have always managed to find pretty much most parts I was looking for apart from maybe trim parts.
On my last two classic cars, 1976 & 1981, parts supply has been good with a couple of specialists that carry pretty much all parts despite the cars being low production numbers of the cars made.
When I started to look for a servo for the XR2 I pretty quickly realized that I might struggle when I could find nowhere with new stock.
Looked around used and there are the occasional one for sale but they sell for quite strong money even untested and looking quite rough.
There are a couple of other servos that can be modified to fit but they themselves are quite rare now and sell for good money.
Only new option is a bias brake dual master cylinder setup that is pretty much the only bolt on option available.
Quite shocked that I am struggling to find spares for what was a very common car.
edited due to managing to loose the original post when trying to correct spelling.
Edited by DalekBuilder on Saturday 31st July 16:21
Is this any good? https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/141678899636
I`ve never had anything to do with these Fords, Probably if you check with an XR2 club or what ever there will be a way round it. I`m sure there are other servos that can be fitted without losing the originality. Much better than going to all that bias pedal box job.
I`ve never had anything to do with these Fords, Probably if you check with an XR2 club or what ever there will be a way round it. I`m sure there are other servos that can be fitted without losing the originality. Much better than going to all that bias pedal box job.
This is one of several reasons that I decided to sell my Sunbeam-Lotus about 15 years ago, as some parts were getting too hard to find and with such a small number around, and with an ever decreasing number of Avengers and Sunbeams being broken in yards, the 'hunt' for spares was something I decided was not for me. While some people find that all part of the 'fun' of ownership, as you get start to get on in years, missing out on driving the things as you need to spend more time at autojumbles or what ever in search of parts to stash away, becomes more hassle than its worth.
When getting back into old car ownership a few years ago, I had already decided that it would only be for something that has a big enough reproduction spares backup from specialists that mean you can get most of what you need 'off the shelf'.
The problem with newer cars like this is that by the 90's Ford dealers had stopped having parts depts with large stocks of parts filling the shelves, with knowledagble parts managers etc and there are now not so many parts around as a result.
When getting back into old car ownership a few years ago, I had already decided that it would only be for something that has a big enough reproduction spares backup from specialists that mean you can get most of what you need 'off the shelf'.
The problem with newer cars like this is that by the 90's Ford dealers had stopped having parts depts with large stocks of parts filling the shelves, with knowledagble parts managers etc and there are now not so many parts around as a result.
When I was considering building my 'special' some 32 years ago I had an epiphany concerning the problem of long term spare parts obsolescence:
I decided that the best way to keep an old car running was for it to be (or in my case be based upon) an established or obviously future classic.
MGBs / Minis / Beetles / Alfa Romeo GTVs etc: Hundreds of marque specialists. All over the world. And owners clubs.
And/or
Cars that people think will appreciate / or that owners want to preserve as a reminder of their youth
The second point is important because these sort of cars that are taken off the road might be unrestorable, but will provide a good source of second hand parts
The cars that are hard to keep running are high sales volume cars with no obvious enthusiast base. Once existing spares have been used up there is very incentive for re-manufacture of anything other than consumables.
If you have the space, buying a 'spares' car might be a good long term solution.
I have a budget for running my car. If I have a 'cheap' year I occasionally buy (if I see them cheap) spares for stock, as it were. That way, I hope, I will have some cover, should I need a part.
My special uses an Alfa Romeo engine/gearbox and MGB running gear. I have spares for most of these consumables - collected over 20 odd years. And I can reproduce fibreglass bodywork at any time.
To the OP a XR2 is still a popular can so there may well be marque specialists who can help. Google (may be) your friend.
https://www.onlinecarparts.co.uk/spare-parts/ford/...
https://www.google.com/search?q=ford+fiesta+mk2+br...
I decided that the best way to keep an old car running was for it to be (or in my case be based upon) an established or obviously future classic.
MGBs / Minis / Beetles / Alfa Romeo GTVs etc: Hundreds of marque specialists. All over the world. And owners clubs.
And/or
Cars that people think will appreciate / or that owners want to preserve as a reminder of their youth
The second point is important because these sort of cars that are taken off the road might be unrestorable, but will provide a good source of second hand parts
The cars that are hard to keep running are high sales volume cars with no obvious enthusiast base. Once existing spares have been used up there is very incentive for re-manufacture of anything other than consumables.
If you have the space, buying a 'spares' car might be a good long term solution.
I have a budget for running my car. If I have a 'cheap' year I occasionally buy (if I see them cheap) spares for stock, as it were. That way, I hope, I will have some cover, should I need a part.
My special uses an Alfa Romeo engine/gearbox and MGB running gear. I have spares for most of these consumables - collected over 20 odd years. And I can reproduce fibreglass bodywork at any time.
To the OP a XR2 is still a popular can so there may well be marque specialists who can help. Google (may be) your friend.
https://www.onlinecarparts.co.uk/spare-parts/ford/...
https://www.google.com/search?q=ford+fiesta+mk2+br...
Where we with older cars can claim an advantage is the use of common suppliers' standard parts.
My car is one of perhaps 100 built on the same rolling chassis and one of the only three made with the bodywork concerned. Nevertheless the parts made by Girling (brakes), SU (carbs and fuel pump), Lucas (electrical system), ENV (rear axle) and a few others are the same as fitted to many, more common, cars.
ETA The OP's servo problem is the result of combining servo and master cylinder. Before they did that, the servo could be a pretty standard unit, whatever car it was in - as could the master cylinder.
My car is one of perhaps 100 built on the same rolling chassis and one of the only three made with the bodywork concerned. Nevertheless the parts made by Girling (brakes), SU (carbs and fuel pump), Lucas (electrical system), ENV (rear axle) and a few others are the same as fitted to many, more common, cars.
ETA The OP's servo problem is the result of combining servo and master cylinder. Before they did that, the servo could be a pretty standard unit, whatever car it was in - as could the master cylinder.
Edited by Allan L on Monday 26th July 13:06
Allan L said:
Where we with older cars can claim an advantage is the use of common suppliers' standard parts.
My car is one of perhaps 100 built on the same rolling chassis and one of the only three made with the bodywork concerned. Nevertheless the parts made by Girling (brakes), SU (carbs and fuel pump), Lucas (electrical system), ENV (rear axle) and a few others are the same as fitted to many, more common, cars.
ETA The OP's servo problem is the result of combining servo and master cylinder. Before they did that, the servo could be a pretty standard unit, whatever car it was in - as could the master cylinder.
Yep.My car is one of perhaps 100 built on the same rolling chassis and one of the only three made with the bodywork concerned. Nevertheless the parts made by Girling (brakes), SU (carbs and fuel pump), Lucas (electrical system), ENV (rear axle) and a few others are the same as fitted to many, more common, cars.
ETA The OP's servo problem is the result of combining servo and master cylinder. Before they did that, the servo could be a pretty standard unit, whatever car it was in - as could the master cylinder.
Edited by Allan L on Monday 26th July 13:06
I've long been of the opinion that long term, its going to be much harder to keep a post-1980 era built car on the road than a pre-1980 era car, not only because of this issue, also the issue with electronics and chips etc in post 80's era, but also as mentioned, the way the manufacturers changed the way the dealers dealt with spares, meaning there just wasn't the big stocks of spares that got sold off by dealers when the time came....that then ended up on the shelves of specialists.
I have already searched ebay and google with no stock of the correct item.
Sadly the ebay item doesn't include the main seal which has failed.
A lot of companies list the later servo as compatible. It isn't. The xr2 is a totally different to the later xr2i despite sellers disagreeing.
There are a couple of servos that can be modified to fit but only bolt on option is the bias dual master cylinder setup.
Wasn't aware of JLspares will send a email to see if they can help.
I am more than happy to modify a servo to fit but my insurance are not so keen.
The insurance are happy to cover the bias dual master cylinder setup as its commercially made but not any home modified parts.
I remember the days of going into the ford parts department and the storeman knowing the part number of the part just from a basic description and the car model plus they always had the parts on the shelf even if it was covered in dust from sitting there.
Been a little spoiled with my previous two classics as there was good spares support and parts remanufacture despite being low production cars.
Never thought I would struggle to find parts for what was a common car.
Edit: Just incase anyone comes across this thread thought would add my solution.
Sadly nowhere had the correct size seal that is needed on the original servo nor can I find anywhere that has stock or repair kits or servo's.
Was just about to buy the dual master cylinder conversion when a used servo/master cylinder appeared on ebay.
Its far from perfect but works better than original non working servo that was fitted to the car.
Fingers crossed I will find a better servo but if not always got the dual master cylinder conversion to fall back on.
Sadly the ebay item doesn't include the main seal which has failed.
A lot of companies list the later servo as compatible. It isn't. The xr2 is a totally different to the later xr2i despite sellers disagreeing.
There are a couple of servos that can be modified to fit but only bolt on option is the bias dual master cylinder setup.
Wasn't aware of JLspares will send a email to see if they can help.
I am more than happy to modify a servo to fit but my insurance are not so keen.
The insurance are happy to cover the bias dual master cylinder setup as its commercially made but not any home modified parts.
I remember the days of going into the ford parts department and the storeman knowing the part number of the part just from a basic description and the car model plus they always had the parts on the shelf even if it was covered in dust from sitting there.
Been a little spoiled with my previous two classics as there was good spares support and parts remanufacture despite being low production cars.
Never thought I would struggle to find parts for what was a common car.
Edit: Just incase anyone comes across this thread thought would add my solution.
Sadly nowhere had the correct size seal that is needed on the original servo nor can I find anywhere that has stock or repair kits or servo's.
Was just about to buy the dual master cylinder conversion when a used servo/master cylinder appeared on ebay.
Its far from perfect but works better than original non working servo that was fitted to the car.
Fingers crossed I will find a better servo but if not always got the dual master cylinder conversion to fall back on.
Edited by DalekBuilder on Saturday 31st July 16:04
Edited by DalekBuilder on Saturday 31st July 16:06
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