RE: Ford Fiesta XR2 | PH Auction Block
Discussion
I adored my Mk2 XR2 back in the mid 90s. Took it to Glastonbury one year and I never forgot the image of a bunch of hippies pushing us out of the 'car park' due to the mud lol.
The steering was very direct and it really sounded nice with a decent exhaust. Never got to drive the Mk1 and I wish I had.
The steering was very direct and it really sounded nice with a decent exhaust. Never got to drive the Mk1 and I wish I had.
Firebobby said:
Why would you? Back in the day they were, course, noisy, slow, and rotted like a pear in an abandoned orchard! Today they're good only for those who own a pair of the most rose tinted of glasses. Move on please.
It depends on the price though, doesn't it?I had two many years ago, although they weren't as sharp or fast as 205s, they also didn't oversteer dramatically like 205s, which was a good thing for a driver with a surfeit of enthusiasm over talent.
On a trailing throttle they would four wheel drift on demand, with a bit of understeer with a prod of throttle and a bit of oversteer with a prod of the brake. Taught me a lot about car control, and were good fun in a modest way.
Firebobby said:
Why would you? Back in the day they were, course, noisy, slow, and rotted like a pear in an abandoned orchard! Today they're good only for those who own a pair of the most rose tinted of glasses. Move on please.
What a lovely way to start a thread!We all know it's slow compared to any modern, never mind a hot hatch. We all now its build quality is poor compared to an Audi. We all know its rustproofing leaves much to be desired.
But Ford had to start somewhere. As an example of an early hot hatch it's no worse than anything else out there, and was probably cheaper by a margin than most of the opposition.
Evolution happens and cars get better as time passes. The Model T was a bit rubbish and basic, but they sold a few. The Beetle wasn't the fastest, but it proved quite popular. The Morris Minor was quite average in its day, but sold well and is now a cherished classic.
I'm not suggesting it's good value - far from it - but there won't be many about as good / sorted as this, so if you really, really want one this nice, you may not have too much choice.
Had one just like it as my first car in 1990, and I bloody loved it. Fitted central locking, electric windows, Janspeed exhaust and yellow Cibie front fogs with black covers. Even managed to find the uber rare headrest inserts this one has. All from climbing around old school scrap yards.
Misfired a bit, so me and my dad stripped the head, reseated the valves and it was good to go. Was finished off with a surprise brand new set of Pepper Pots and some P600s, free from one of my dads friends at Ford.
DEV 212X I am very sorry I crashed you through a wall...lift off over steer...what a plonker. Sold the wreck to a mate who put the running gear into a new shell.
I'll have to see if I can dig out the photos
Misfired a bit, so me and my dad stripped the head, reseated the valves and it was good to go. Was finished off with a surprise brand new set of Pepper Pots and some P600s, free from one of my dads friends at Ford.
DEV 212X I am very sorry I crashed you through a wall...lift off over steer...what a plonker. Sold the wreck to a mate who put the running gear into a new shell.
I'll have to see if I can dig out the photos
TEKNOPUG said:
These had ~90bhp when stock. I doubt that increasing the capacity by 4%, gasflowing the head and fitting a different cam is going to yield a 30% increase in power. It might make 100bhp now...
The work cost £4k in 2019 money and sounds like it was back a back-to-block rebuild; on that basis I'd be very surprised if a 1600XF wasn't doing well north of 100hp! Plenty of builders would do a 110-120hp rebuild today - for not much more. Horsebox Man said:
J4CKO said:
Firebobby said:
Why would you? Back in the day they were, course, noisy, slow, and rotted like a pear in an abandoned orchard! Today they're good only for those who own a pair of the most rose tinted of glasses. Move on please.
Nostalgia, memories ?Objectively it will be crap, but it looks great and will still be noisy, course, slow but fun.
And it looks great.
My memories are mainly around valeting one for a lady locally, the lovely Fiona, I was smitten with the car, but also her, she was a stunner but I only ever got to bath the car being a spotty herbert of about 15.
Drove a coupel of these and they were fun, same engine as my 1969 Capri that I had as my first car, so the engine was quite old even then, the MK2 was a bit better to drive I remember, used to work for a car dealers so we got loads of them through, they were typically showing some rust after 5 years.
clacs2 said:
Firebobby said:
Why would you? Back in the day they were, course, noisy, slow, and rotted like a pear in an abandoned orchard! Today they're good only for those who own a pair of the most rose tinted of glasses. Move on please.
It depends on the price though, doesn't it?I had two many years ago, although they weren't as sharp or fast as 205s, they also didn't oversteer dramatically like 205s, which was a good thing for a driver with a surfeit of enthusiasm over talent.
On a trailing throttle they would four wheel drift on demand, with a bit of understeer with a prod of throttle and a bit of oversteer with a prod of the brake. Taught me a lot about car control, and were good fun in a modest way.
Love it
The lightness, the simplicity, the all round vision
( yes I know compared to modern cars it’s a death trap)
We had loads of fiestas Mk1/2/3 back when they were current, my mum was a serial fiesta buyer sadly 1.1’s not XR2’s
Last one I had was a ‘78 950 pop in Sahara beige ( baby poo brown) bought when it was 18yrs old for £200 from a mate as it was his grans from new
The lightness, the simplicity, the all round vision
( yes I know compared to modern cars it’s a death trap)
We had loads of fiestas Mk1/2/3 back when they were current, my mum was a serial fiesta buyer sadly 1.1’s not XR2’s
Last one I had was a ‘78 950 pop in Sahara beige ( baby poo brown) bought when it was 18yrs old for £200 from a mate as it was his grans from new
It’s a massive yes from me, but I had a mk1 supersport , 2x mk2 XR2 , and xr2i which was the worst of the bunch ,I also had a modified one with a 2.0 zetec in went well, it does seem a bit expensive mind, but I would ,but have to be in white or maybe sunburst red. I’ve actually not really grown up and still own a small hot hatch , i20N and it’s bloody fantastic.
My late mum had a D reg MK2 XR2 which she bought at 2 years oldish by the time it was around 7 years old it was showing rust along the bottom of the doors.
At 21 my 2nd car was a 4 years old F reg Astra GTE 16V which was a far better car . My best mate also adored my mother's XR2 it took him 5 years of asking and he ended up with it.
Obviously car prices were different then and been my best mate since we were 11 mum let him have it for £950 with 11 months Tax at about 8 or 9 years old with less than 80,000 miles on it.
Wish I'd squirreled away mum's XR2 and my 16V GTE but you don't think like that over 25 years later.
At 21 my 2nd car was a 4 years old F reg Astra GTE 16V which was a far better car . My best mate also adored my mother's XR2 it took him 5 years of asking and he ended up with it.
Obviously car prices were different then and been my best mate since we were 11 mum let him have it for £950 with 11 months Tax at about 8 or 9 years old with less than 80,000 miles on it.
Wish I'd squirreled away mum's XR2 and my 16V GTE but you don't think like that over 25 years later.
In my teens back in the day I had a Supersport (Sunburst Red with Red Stripes) my mate two doors up had a black XR2, both great little cars.
The XR2 would run rings around the Supersport, I remember having a run in it Christ I was amazed how quick it was...then he said one day this new Peugeot thing had blewn off his XR2...yes you guessed correctly it was a 205 GTi.
The XR2 would run rings around the Supersport, I remember having a run in it Christ I was amazed how quick it was...then he said one day this new Peugeot thing had blewn off his XR2...yes you guessed correctly it was a 205 GTi.
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