This year's shed - Puma...
Discussion
So, after my 1990 Eunos died of death, it was time to delve back into the depths of bangernomics (although, for £550 my Eunos was technically a shed).
After a thourough search on gumtree for everything less than £500. I was decided upon the make and model of which I would hunt, searching for the perfect balance between mechanical soundness and least life threatening rust.
I landed upon this beauty. A 2000 Ford Puma 1.7 in Red. With a striking, stone chip littered vibrant red front end, sweeping back, following the voluptuious curves as the paint fades into MK2 Escort-esque 80's pink. All the while separated by a promonous pair of period rusticy rear arches.
After a (very) quick t-cut, the paint came up ok:
The interior is in excellent condition, to be fair. With blimholes that can be counted on only 3 adult's hands and feet. An added security feature, only available on vintage, well maintained models is that the passengfer side door doesnt open from the outside. Useful, for someone who maybe has 2 young children, complete with necessary childseats - like me.
Mechanically, it's sound. Needed a bit of oil when I got her home, but pulls really well. Well balanced, it pulls slightly to the left under acceleration and to the right under braking. All but a characteristic, along with a clutch bighting point as high as Kilamanjaro.
However, for the princely sum of £400 with 12 months MOT - how could I refuse!
Thanks for reading!
Mike
After a thourough search on gumtree for everything less than £500. I was decided upon the make and model of which I would hunt, searching for the perfect balance between mechanical soundness and least life threatening rust.
I landed upon this beauty. A 2000 Ford Puma 1.7 in Red. With a striking, stone chip littered vibrant red front end, sweeping back, following the voluptuious curves as the paint fades into MK2 Escort-esque 80's pink. All the while separated by a promonous pair of period rust
After a (very) quick t-cut, the paint came up ok:
The interior is in excellent condition, to be fair. With blimholes that can be counted on only 3 adult's hands and feet. An added security feature, only available on vintage, well maintained models is that the passengfer side door doesnt open from the outside. Useful, for someone who maybe has 2 young children, complete with necessary childseats - like me.
Mechanically, it's sound. Needed a bit of oil when I got her home, but pulls really well. Well balanced, it pulls slightly to the left under acceleration and to the right under braking. All but a characteristic, along with a clutch bighting point as high as Kilamanjaro.
However, for the princely sum of £400 with 12 months MOT - how could I refuse!
Thanks for reading!
Mike
Edited by Mikeyplum on Thursday 28th November 10:57
RE: Rust - the arches are well and truly f
ked. Will need rubbing down and either welding or fibreglassing/filling then respraying/covering in stickers. Depending on how much I can be arsed.
Handle - The seller snapped the key in the lock a couple of days after the MOT (apparently). As a result, it appears he has tried to resolve the problem with the delicacy of a bulldozer, screwdriver marks everywhere where he's tried to pry things off, rather than undo those nifty things called screws.
Not sure what the pulling could be. Yes, the tracking seems a little out. But on hard acceleration (Slamming your foot down) it tends to have a little snatch at the steering wheel. It's odd. I suspect bushes so will have a look. Sometime. In the next 12 months.
The oils doesnt seem to have dropped since I put some in, so thats good. Not too bothered about feeding her a litre every few months to be honest.
The handbrake is awesome. Has been thoroughly tested (No, not in McDonalds Carpark!! my works carpark), and got some M&S tyres to pick up later so looking forward to the snow
The only things that annoy me about it at the moment are the seating position. It feels so high! As well as the stainless steel gearnob ball thingy. fk me it's cold in the mornings! 
A few of us are doing a Top Gear type challenge to the ring next year. One criteria being the car must cost less than £500. I'm thinking it's a perfect candidate (if it's still alive by then!)
ked. Will need rubbing down and either welding or fibreglassing/filling then respraying/covering in stickers. Depending on how much I can be arsed. Handle - The seller snapped the key in the lock a couple of days after the MOT (apparently). As a result, it appears he has tried to resolve the problem with the delicacy of a bulldozer, screwdriver marks everywhere where he's tried to pry things off, rather than undo those nifty things called screws.
Not sure what the pulling could be. Yes, the tracking seems a little out. But on hard acceleration (Slamming your foot down) it tends to have a little snatch at the steering wheel. It's odd. I suspect bushes so will have a look. Sometime. In the next 12 months.
The oils doesnt seem to have dropped since I put some in, so thats good. Not too bothered about feeding her a litre every few months to be honest.
The handbrake is awesome. Has been thoroughly tested (No, not in McDonalds Carpark!! my works carpark), and got some M&S tyres to pick up later so looking forward to the snow
The only things that annoy me about it at the moment are the seating position. It feels so high! As well as the stainless steel gearnob ball thingy. f
k me it's cold in the mornings! A few of us are doing a Top Gear type challenge to the ring next year. One criteria being the car must cost less than £500. I'm thinking it's a perfect candidate (if it's still alive by then!)
Mikeyplum said:
RE: Rust - the arches are well and truly fked. Will need rubbing down and either welding or fibreglassing/filling then respraying/covering in stickers. Depending on how much I can be arsed.
Handle - The seller snapped the key in the lock a couple of days after the MOT (apparently). As a result, it appears he has tried to resolve the problem with the delicacy of a bulldozer, screwdriver marks everywhere where he's tried to pry things off, rather than undo those nifty things called screws.
Not sure what the pulling could be. Yes, the tracking seems a little out. But on hard acceleration (Slamming your foot down) it tends to have a little snatch at the steering wheel. It's odd. I suspect bushes so will have a look. Sometime. In the next 12 months.
The oils doesnt seem to have dropped since I put some in, so thats good. Not too bothered about feeding her a litre every few months to be honest.
The handbrake is awesome. Has been thoroughly tested (No, not in McDonalds Carpark!! my works carpark), and got some M&S tyres to pick up later so looking forward to the snow
The only things that annoy me about it at the moment are the seating position. It feels so high! As well as the stainless steel gearnob ball thingy. fk me it's cold in the mornings!
A few of us are doing a Top Gear type challenge to the ring next year. One criteria being the car must cost less than £500. I'm thinking it's a perfect candidate (if it's still alive by then!)
This guy took his to the ring ked. Will need rubbing down and either welding or fibreglassing/filling then respraying/covering in stickers. Depending on how much I can be arsed. Handle - The seller snapped the key in the lock a couple of days after the MOT (apparently). As a result, it appears he has tried to resolve the problem with the delicacy of a bulldozer, screwdriver marks everywhere where he's tried to pry things off, rather than undo those nifty things called screws.
Not sure what the pulling could be. Yes, the tracking seems a little out. But on hard acceleration (Slamming your foot down) it tends to have a little snatch at the steering wheel. It's odd. I suspect bushes so will have a look. Sometime. In the next 12 months.
The oils doesnt seem to have dropped since I put some in, so thats good. Not too bothered about feeding her a litre every few months to be honest.
The handbrake is awesome. Has been thoroughly tested (No, not in McDonalds Carpark!! my works carpark), and got some M&S tyres to pick up later so looking forward to the snow
The only things that annoy me about it at the moment are the seating position. It feels so high! As well as the stainless steel gearnob ball thingy. f
k me it's cold in the mornings! A few of us are doing a Top Gear type challenge to the ring next year. One criteria being the car must cost less than £500. I'm thinking it's a perfect candidate (if it's still alive by then!)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U0reE3mubrk
Mikeyplum said:
RE: Rust - the arches are well and truly fked. Will need rubbing down and either welding or fibreglassing/filling then respraying/covering in stickers. Depending on how much I can be arsed.
The handbrake is awesome. Has been thoroughly tested (No, not in McDonalds Carpark!! my works carpark), and got some M&S tyres to pick up later so looking forward to the snow
The only things that annoy me about it at the moment are the seating position. It feels so high! As well as the stainless steel gearnob ball thingy. fk me it's cold in the mornings!
Don't worry about the arches - as bits fall off it improves performance as it morphs into a Puma Superlegerra.ked. Will need rubbing down and either welding or fibreglassing/filling then respraying/covering in stickers. Depending on how much I can be arsed. The handbrake is awesome. Has been thoroughly tested (No, not in McDonalds Carpark!! my works carpark), and got some M&S tyres to pick up later so looking forward to the snow
The only things that annoy me about it at the moment are the seating position. It feels so high! As well as the stainless steel gearnob ball thingy. f
k me it's cold in the mornings! The handbrake on the Puma is awesome. For three years straight I did a big hadbrake drift around the 90 degree corner out of the works carpark each and every day. One of the best 'handbreakable' cars I have ever had. Use the handbrake at every reasonable opportunity - be quick with the 'dab of oppo' though as with a wheelbase that short they swap ends very quickly.
If you want some 'fun' on greasy roads I can highly recommend P6000's on the rear and anything decent on the front - it will adopt ludicrous oversteer angles with the slightest lift of throttle if the front wheels aren't dead straight - see above comment about being quick with the oppo though.
Enjoy it. I swapped mine for an Audi A8 - and I really miss it.
ETA - pull your jumper down over your hand until the gearknob warms up.
Mr Gearchange said:
Don't worry about the arches - as bits fall off it improves performance as it morphs into a Puma Superlegerra.
The handbrake on the Puma is awesome. For three years straight I did a big hadbrake drift around the 90 degree corner out of the works carpark each and every day. One of the best 'handbreakable' cars I have ever had. Use the handbrake at every reasonable opportunity - be quick with the 'dab of oppo' though as with a wheelbase that short they swap ends very quickly.
If you want some 'fun' on greasy roads I can highly recommend P6000's on the rear and anything decent on the front - it will adopt ludicrous oversteer angles with the slightest lift of throttle if the front wheels aren't dead straight - see above comment about being quick with the oppo though.
Enjoy it. I swapped mine for an Audi A8 - and I really miss it.
ETA - pull your jumper down over your hand until the gearknob warms up.
I like your style. The handbrake on the Puma is awesome. For three years straight I did a big hadbrake drift around the 90 degree corner out of the works carpark each and every day. One of the best 'handbreakable' cars I have ever had. Use the handbrake at every reasonable opportunity - be quick with the 'dab of oppo' though as with a wheelbase that short they swap ends very quickly.
If you want some 'fun' on greasy roads I can highly recommend P6000's on the rear and anything decent on the front - it will adopt ludicrous oversteer angles with the slightest lift of throttle if the front wheels aren't dead straight - see above comment about being quick with the oppo though.
Enjoy it. I swapped mine for an Audi A8 - and I really miss it.
ETA - pull your jumper down over your hand until the gearknob warms up.
The tyres are pick n mix at the moment. All the same size luckily, the best being a Yoko Parada on the front left.
However, I picked these up yesterday. Brand new (still have the coloured lines on them) M&S tyres for £80. They are slightly narrower with a taller profile so should see me through some snow (if we see any!).
They are Admiral something or others. But for £80 the pair, this close to the "snow season" - can't complain!
Sorry for the poor pic quality!
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