Fat Ford - Racing Puma #014
Discussion
Alreet everyone!
Names, Zara (stating the obvious) im currently living in Loughborough, originally from Washington, North East and moved here for uni..
Anywhoos.. the car
More of a record of work and keeping track rather than a project but here goes...
I took ownership of FRP #014 in June 2010 after owning 2 standard Panther Black Puma's, after being offered the purchase from a good mate who bought himself an ST500 as an upgrade from the FRP.
My upgrade was to the FRP and wasn't looking at the time, but the opportunity arose and I snapped his hand off lol
The car itself was well-known on the Puma/Racing Puma forum and I know had been extremely well looked after by Tremona Garage in Southampton with a full servce history.
So, June 19th 2010 I travelled down to Bournemouth to collect the fat one and has been my daily driver ever since.
It was sold with:
The brakes are serviced yearly by an extremely good hobbyist and trusted Alcon specialist, full service carried out once a year and oil changes every 6 months.
Ive taken it to many meets and regular shows during the summer including our local Ashby Folville show.In August 2010 we had an anniversary meet at Duxford Imperial War museum (the original press pics were taken here) and an astounding 48 FRP's turned up
an awesome day out!
So far I have done to the car:
gutted was an understatement.
After buying a brand new bumper, took it to a recommended local bodyshop to get prices of spraying the new bumper and fitting etc. His advice was to check to see if it fit properly (as these cars are hand built they are all slightly different) which the honesty I appreciated.
After removing the old bumper and putting the new one on it was clear it wasnt going to fit properly, it would need alot of pulling in at each side and in time would more likely break..
So... he said he could rebuild my damaged one with some thicker fibreglass and reline the inside.
After nearly 2 weeks of being without the FRP I finlly got the call to go and collect her, the finished result:
In all cost me £275 and a job very well done.
In the morning my fears were confirmed and found a cracked thermostat housing, hence the leak only occuring after turning the engine off. As it was Sunday and bank holiday weekend no way would it get fixed as we were only there until Tuesday evening. I decided to take a slow drive home accompanied by a friend.
£200 later she was fixed. totally gutted Id missed out but glad Id got the car home safe.
last month I had this happen after an evening in the pub with friends:
I actually do not know what is wrong with people, no note or anything was left on the car so once again a trip down to my trusted body shop was needed. The scratches were too deep to be polished out and would require flattening back and respraying again. £160 and 2 days later I had her back.
Currently #014 is doing well and running sweet
Next month she is booked in for the annual brake overhaul and service,new hand brake cable, powerflex ARB bushes and a general check over.
Also I will be booking in for the cambelt change, water pump, auxilliary belt, various pulleys and a full service.
Future plans include:
Had it on the RR end on 2010 also and she was still putting out 151.3 BHP, which was followed by a full service and new plugs etc. pretty well for a 12 year old Ford
Sorry for waffling lol but I'll leave you with a few photos for now:
My previous black car:
and the Fat one:
and the latest sticker: PH
Names, Zara (stating the obvious) im currently living in Loughborough, originally from Washington, North East and moved here for uni..
Anywhoos.. the car
More of a record of work and keeping track rather than a project but here goes...
I took ownership of FRP #014 in June 2010 after owning 2 standard Panther Black Puma's, after being offered the purchase from a good mate who bought himself an ST500 as an upgrade from the FRP.
My upgrade was to the FRP and wasn't looking at the time, but the opportunity arose and I snapped his hand off lol
The car itself was well-known on the Puma/Racing Puma forum and I know had been extremely well looked after by Tremona Garage in Southampton with a full servce history.
So, June 19th 2010 I travelled down to Bournemouth to collect the fat one and has been my daily driver ever since.
It was sold with:
- Rear Excel Spoiler
- Window tints
- 6 CD changer with Steering wheel controls
- Blue interior LED light conversion
- Front and rear arch Armourfend protection
- One off tickford conversion badges in rear windows
- Alcon 4pot Calipers w/295mm ventilated Front discs
- 255mm Rear dics
- 17" speedline Wheels
- Extended Aluminium wings (front) and steel arches (rear)
- Increased track front - 35mm, rear - 45mm on each side
- Front splitter
- Uprated cams
- Numbered inlet manifold
- 153BHP
- Janspeed Exhaust system
- Sparco Tourino seats
- Blue Alcantara interior trim (rear seats, door cards (front and rear) front seats and steering wheel)
The brakes are serviced yearly by an extremely good hobbyist and trusted Alcon specialist, full service carried out once a year and oil changes every 6 months.
Ive taken it to many meets and regular shows during the summer including our local Ashby Folville show.In August 2010 we had an anniversary meet at Duxford Imperial War museum (the original press pics were taken here) and an astounding 48 FRP's turned up
an awesome day out!
So far I have done to the car:
- Full suspension change
- Rear brake rebuild including new pads and discs (mintex)
- Front brakes rebuilt
- Gear gaitor and handbrake gaitor trimmed in blue
- Decat - due to the cat being f
ked this year and wouldn't go through the MOT (does sound pretty amazing and is popping loads more ) - Machine polish once a year
- General maintenance such as bushes and wheel bearings replaced
gutted was an understatement.
After buying a brand new bumper, took it to a recommended local bodyshop to get prices of spraying the new bumper and fitting etc. His advice was to check to see if it fit properly (as these cars are hand built they are all slightly different) which the honesty I appreciated.
After removing the old bumper and putting the new one on it was clear it wasnt going to fit properly, it would need alot of pulling in at each side and in time would more likely break..
So... he said he could rebuild my damaged one with some thicker fibreglass and reline the inside.
After nearly 2 weeks of being without the FRP I finlly got the call to go and collect her, the finished result:
In all cost me £275 and a job very well done.
- 2010 Id planned a return trip to the Nurburg Ring, I'd been before in my standard 1.7 and loved every minute of it. I wanted to compare and see hor the FRP did on the same circuit but she had other plans. In Dover before the ferry I found a monster leak after turning the engine off, myself and a few other tried to see what it was with not much luck. Luckily we could see it was coolant, popped the bonnet and checked the hoses etc.. all fine and no splits. Managed to get some radweld and flushed that through the system. After 15mins: no leak. I decided to continue and stated that if it had leaked by the time we got to France Id be coming back home.
In the morning my fears were confirmed and found a cracked thermostat housing, hence the leak only occuring after turning the engine off. As it was Sunday and bank holiday weekend no way would it get fixed as we were only there until Tuesday evening. I decided to take a slow drive home accompanied by a friend.
£200 later she was fixed. totally gutted Id missed out but glad Id got the car home safe.
last month I had this happen after an evening in the pub with friends:
I actually do not know what is wrong with people, no note or anything was left on the car so once again a trip down to my trusted body shop was needed. The scratches were too deep to be polished out and would require flattening back and respraying again. £160 and 2 days later I had her back.
Currently #014 is doing well and running sweet
Next month she is booked in for the annual brake overhaul and service,new hand brake cable, powerflex ARB bushes and a general check over.
Also I will be booking in for the cambelt change, water pump, auxilliary belt, various pulleys and a full service.
Future plans include:
- 30mm rear spacers (on order)
- LSD
- Lower strut brace
- New stereo - the 6 CD changer is pants and just breaks all of the time
- Roof needs blowing over
- Serious rust treatment and underseal
- Spare set of wheels to be refurbished in anthracite and budget tyres on for track days
- This summers polish - i'll be doing this by hand this year
Had it on the RR end on 2010 also and she was still putting out 151.3 BHP, which was followed by a full service and new plugs etc. pretty well for a 12 year old Ford
Sorry for waffling lol but I'll leave you with a few photos for now:
My previous black car:
and the Fat one:
and the latest sticker: PH
Edited by Zara014 on Thursday 12th April 13:18
thanks both
R.e. spoilers - When I first got it I was abit undecided, I had the same one on my std 1.7 and thought it suited it well, not so much on the FRP though but I must say its grown on me. I am a great believer in opinions ( my friends know this lol) and I can take criticism - I give alot of it out if I dont like something and everyone has their own personal taste
If you want some extra oomph a la FRP try the FRP map on your 1.7 mate, that and a set of cams, 4-2-1 system will pick up the pace abit more
The FRP splitter does look good on a standard car aswell, just need some custom brackets made up (not hard)
I do my best to keep it tidy, this year just want to plow the cash at it to ensure I get more fun driving years out of it!
R.e. spoilers - When I first got it I was abit undecided, I had the same one on my std 1.7 and thought it suited it well, not so much on the FRP though but I must say its grown on me. I am a great believer in opinions ( my friends know this lol) and I can take criticism - I give alot of it out if I dont like something and everyone has their own personal taste
If you want some extra oomph a la FRP try the FRP map on your 1.7 mate, that and a set of cams, 4-2-1 system will pick up the pace abit more
The FRP splitter does look good on a standard car aswell, just need some custom brackets made up (not hard)
I do my best to keep it tidy, this year just want to plow the cash at it to ensure I get more fun driving years out of it!
Nice FRP, and I like the rear wing! Although some people obviously don't like the rear bumper too much... Having just come back to my car and found a substantial trolley-shaped dent in the NSF arch, I can sympathise - people are bds.
Also - Nurburgring tattoo?! Fair play, that's one up on a sticker!
ds.Also - Nurburgring tattoo?! Fair play, that's one up on a sticker!
Aye Loughborough
I was at Sutton Bonnington campus (part of the University of Nottingham) studying Animal Science. Apart from cars I have alot of ambition for Veterinary Science with a National Diploma behind me. Unfortunately the Animal Science degree was not what it was made to be and ended up leaving the course. Currently sorting my life out, and the FRP of course and saving for Vet School
what you driving? Ill keep a look out for you too!
I was at Sutton Bonnington campus (part of the University of Nottingham) studying Animal Science. Apart from cars I have alot of ambition for Veterinary Science with a National Diploma behind me. Unfortunately the Animal Science degree was not what it was made to be and ended up leaving the course. Currently sorting my life out, and the FRP of course and saving for Vet School
what you driving? Ill keep a look out for you too!
Zara014 said:
Aye Loughborough
I was at Sutton Bonnington campus (part of the University of Nottingham) studying Animal Science. Apart from cars I have alot of ambition for Veterinary Science with a National Diploma behind me. Unfortunately the Animal Science degree was not what it was made to be and ended up leaving the course. Currently sorting my life out, and the FRP of course and saving for Vet School
what you driving? Ill keep a look out for you too!
Ahhh nothing as exciting as yours... Got a grey 06 civic which is properly getting on my wick. Have to spend yet more money on it to fix front suspension which sounds like its literally just flopping about in the engine bay!! Clutch has no bite, interior rattles like a rattly thing! 40k miles, no durability. Nearly replaced it with an orange st though... Another fast ford fan. And probably showing my chavvy Middlesbrough ( smoggie) origins by wanting it in air hostess orange!I was at Sutton Bonnington campus (part of the University of Nottingham) studying Animal Science. Apart from cars I have alot of ambition for Veterinary Science with a National Diploma behind me. Unfortunately the Animal Science degree was not what it was made to be and ended up leaving the course. Currently sorting my life out, and the FRP of course and saving for Vet School
what you driving? Ill keep a look out for you too!
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