XR2s/XR3is in the 90s.
Discussion
Hainey said:
That sounds about right. Do you know the 0-60 time on them? They seemed like lightning back then. It was the car we all judged everything else from in terms of 'proper fast' in our little group of backyard spanner monkeys 
I guess about 6 seconds and 150 vmaxOr not quite as quick as a Sierra Mordor if you like Fords and read the mags at the time
I spent the mid-nineties working the Summer holidays at my local Safari Park. Back then I had a DT50 and was then a named driver on my Mum's Corsa 5-door.
There was a lad who worked there full-time, presumably still lived at home as he appeared to have lots of disposable income, and regularly switched between S2 RST, 309 GTI etc.
He was a god to me!
There was a lad who worked there full-time, presumably still lived at home as he appeared to have lots of disposable income, and regularly switched between S2 RST, 309 GTI etc.
He was a god to me!
s m said:
I guess about 6 seconds and 150 vmax
Or not quite as quick as a Sierra Mordor if you like Fords and read the mags at the time
Sounds about right. I seem to remember the 944 Turbo being one of the earlier 'normal prices ' cars to break 6 seconds to 60 back when that was quite a barrier for a car like that.Or not quite as quick as a Sierra Mordor if you like Fords and read the mags at the time
That said, 6 seconds is still pretty quick now just that you can buy a good hot hatch that will do it rather than the next level up.
ruggedscotty said:
wasn't an xr but it was still a fun car to punt about Mk2 fiesta with a 1.4 cvh engine with a twin webber carb. Once it had a K&N and a tubular 4 2 1 exhaust fitted it did the biz as much as 85 90 hp could do.
enjoyed that car.
Thing with the CVH is that they were very hard on their Camshafts (Very high pressure valve springs to prevent valve bounce at high revs). They used to round off the lobes so a new standard cam used to bring the power back. Think this is why they got a bad reputation as they would be flat as a pancake once they started tapping.
I wanted to buy an XR2 as my insurance started to go down...but the prices have sky rocketed.
The 'Ford scene' tax or however you want to call it. I ended up getting my L spec instead, since I couldn't bring myself to spend all that coin on an XR2. The one I got now seems to fair alright for a 1.4 though
The 'Ford scene' tax or however you want to call it. I ended up getting my L spec instead, since I couldn't bring myself to spend all that coin on an XR2. The one I got now seems to fair alright for a 1.4 though
Hainey said:
Downward said:
I had an Orion 1.6i ghia.
Wanted one with an rs kit but they were rare and the ones I saw were bad.
Picked up this mint one.
![](https://thumbsnap.com/sc/BQ42dhHJ.jpg[/img]</a> <a href="https://thumbsnap.com/1H7A1BOb" Target="_blank" rel="nofollow">[img]https://thumbsnap.com/sc/1H7A1BOb.jpg)
Lowered it and it was good fun. Nice comfy seats and lots of electric bits.
Never did get round to clear front indicators
My cousin, God rest him, had one the same but in black with the RS kit on it. It looked smart and next stop was me putting an rs turbo engine in it for him.Wanted one with an rs kit but they were rare and the ones I saw were bad.
Picked up this mint one.
Lowered it and it was good fun. Nice comfy seats and lots of electric bits.
Never did get round to clear front indicators
Stolen one night from outside a club and found stripped to a near shell up a back road the next day. So that was that.
One thing I'm glad has moved on is car security. The manufacturers needed birching with how poor the locks were back then.
As Hainey says... not very secure.
Took a girl out one night, and it was pissing it down as we left the pub... so I told her to wait there and I'd go fetch the car. Ran to the car, tried to get my keys out of my pocket, and managed to drop them down a drain. Spare's were in the car.
I managed to grab hold of the top of the door frame, and pull it out enough to get my hand inside to unlock it. Pushed the frame back in, but it always whistled after that.
MH82 said:
ruggedscotty said:
wasn't an xr but it was still a fun car to punt about Mk2 fiesta with a 1.4 cvh engine with a twin webber carb. Once it had a K&N and a tubular 4 2 1 exhaust fitted it did the biz as much as 85 90 hp could do.
enjoyed that car.
Thing with the CVH is that they were very hard on their Camshafts (Very high pressure valve springs to prevent valve bounce at high revs). They used to round off the lobes so a new standard cam used to bring the power back. Think this is why they got a bad reputation as they would be flat as a pancake once they started tapping.
Really was a great little car.
Edited by daemon on Wednesday 24th May 20:55
Aye it is remembered fondly this car, did a fair bit to it, changed the wheels to xr2i wheels, sorted out the interior, pinstripe xr2 seats centre console boot release and a decent kenwood hifi ended up putting in mossiff speakers and amplifier with a bespoke rear shelf.
those were the days.... I worked at Ford and that was my second car after a fiesta pop plus.
The photograph was taken in a garden down near to Romford, actually the garden belonged to Bruno Drury who at one time owned Pinch Plant and he had his own F1 team, many many years ago before it got expensive. decent chap he was too....
those were the days.... I worked at Ford and that was my second car after a fiesta pop plus.
The photograph was taken in a garden down near to Romford, actually the garden belonged to Bruno Drury who at one time owned Pinch Plant and he had his own F1 team, many many years ago before it got expensive. decent chap he was too....
dme123 said:
LaurasOtherHalf said:
This may sound strange now....
But, there was a time in the early to mid ninties when this sort of thing was a status symbol. Regardless of whether you think they are any good (they genuinely were no matter how snobby folk get about them), if you could afford one you were doing alright.
I started off in the early nineties at 17 with a Nova SR, but switched to fords and a string of XR2, XR2i, RS Turbos (both fiesta and escort) and as enjoyable as they were (in that fine tradition of reasonably quick souped up hatches) at 20, to be driving anRS Turbo with its associated costs meant you were doing alright.
No I caveat that with the fact that me and my mates were northern, educated to GCSE standard at best and from either well off working class or aspiring middle class.
Simpler times I'm sure, but an XR2 and a pair of Armani Jeans did wonders with the local female population. Probably no different to a young lad now in an S Line Audi and a Stone Island Jacket.
Not of any concern for those studying at university then or now I suppose but back then for us apprentices they were something to aspire to.
That's a really good insight, and now I feel like a bell end for being such a snob about them.But, there was a time in the early to mid ninties when this sort of thing was a status symbol. Regardless of whether you think they are any good (they genuinely were no matter how snobby folk get about them), if you could afford one you were doing alright.
I started off in the early nineties at 17 with a Nova SR, but switched to fords and a string of XR2, XR2i, RS Turbos (both fiesta and escort) and as enjoyable as they were (in that fine tradition of reasonably quick souped up hatches) at 20, to be driving anRS Turbo with its associated costs meant you were doing alright.
No I caveat that with the fact that me and my mates were northern, educated to GCSE standard at best and from either well off working class or aspiring middle class.
Simpler times I'm sure, but an XR2 and a pair of Armani Jeans did wonders with the local female population. Probably no different to a young lad now in an S Line Audi and a Stone Island Jacket.
Not of any concern for those studying at university then or now I suppose but back then for us apprentices they were something to aspire to.
They were raced and rallied by a litany of teens/20-somethings, and subject to a lot of misguided 'modding' attention. Hence the reason that not many survive today.
ruggedscotty said:
Aye it is remembered fondly this car, did a fair bit to it, changed the wheels to xr2i wheels, sorted out the interior, pinstripe xr2 seats centre console boot release and a decent kenwood hifi ended up putting in mossiff speakers and amplifier with a bespoke rear shelf.
those were the days.... I worked at Ford and that was my second car after a fiesta pop plus.
The photograph was taken in a garden down near to Romford, actually the garden belonged to Bruno Drury who at one time owned Pinch Plant and he had his own F1 team, many many years ago before it got expensive. decent chap he was too....
Now that i think about it, i think i did the seats from an XR2 too. Must check my pics at home.those were the days.... I worked at Ford and that was my second car after a fiesta pop plus.
The photograph was taken in a garden down near to Romford, actually the garden belonged to Bruno Drury who at one time owned Pinch Plant and he had his own F1 team, many many years ago before it got expensive. decent chap he was too....
The only other thing i did was changed the bumper pinstripe to blue - by using appropriate width insulating tape. Those were the days....
Loved the Fiesta XR2s.
I had 2, both red.
First was a mk1 registered in Dec 81, so I believe one of the first ones on market.
By the time I bought it the engine was well past its best so a replacement was fitted (took a while to source a decent one even back then around 91).
Dropped engine n box out the bottom, and swapped unit over in around 3 hours.
4 branch manifold and big bore exhaust system fitted and sounded nice.
Always felt the lack of 5sp box was a problem with the mk1.
Loved driving around in it , then drove past local Vauxhall dealer with a genuine Nova Sport on the forecourt.
Traded the XR2 in immediately and never looked back.
Years later was working as MOT tester and a mk2 E-reg came in for test.
Give owner a list of very minor failures eg lightbulbs, wiper blade etc.
Owner says not throwing any more money at it (had a decent history) and offered it for silly money.
Walked with him to bank at end of street, paid him and gave him lift home all within about half an hour.
Really loved the mk2.
Quicker hot hatches around by then - Clio Williams, Pug Gtis etc but just loved the way the little Fiestas handled.
On twisty country roads they felt little little go karts to chuck around (reminded me of my previous 5GT Turbo that way), and had a certain exhaust rasp you could always recognise.
Only ended up selling it as other half was pregnant, and didn't think there would be much room for pram, baby seat etc.
Would have another in a flash but couldn't justify the crazy prices they are going for now.
I had 2, both red.
First was a mk1 registered in Dec 81, so I believe one of the first ones on market.
By the time I bought it the engine was well past its best so a replacement was fitted (took a while to source a decent one even back then around 91).
Dropped engine n box out the bottom, and swapped unit over in around 3 hours.
4 branch manifold and big bore exhaust system fitted and sounded nice.
Always felt the lack of 5sp box was a problem with the mk1.
Loved driving around in it , then drove past local Vauxhall dealer with a genuine Nova Sport on the forecourt.
Traded the XR2 in immediately and never looked back.
Years later was working as MOT tester and a mk2 E-reg came in for test.
Give owner a list of very minor failures eg lightbulbs, wiper blade etc.
Owner says not throwing any more money at it (had a decent history) and offered it for silly money.
Walked with him to bank at end of street, paid him and gave him lift home all within about half an hour.
Really loved the mk2.
Quicker hot hatches around by then - Clio Williams, Pug Gtis etc but just loved the way the little Fiestas handled.
On twisty country roads they felt little little go karts to chuck around (reminded me of my previous 5GT Turbo that way), and had a certain exhaust rasp you could always recognise.
Only ended up selling it as other half was pregnant, and didn't think there would be much room for pram, baby seat etc.
Would have another in a flash but couldn't justify the crazy prices they are going for now.
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