Fiesta Mk6.5 and a half.
Discussion
Copied over from another forum thought I'd share my Fiesta and a half. (The half will make sense later)
Bought the Fiesta in November 2015 to replace my Mk4 Golf, Had the Golf 2 years and to be fair it was relatively faultless, but it was only a 1.4 so it was time to move on!
I didn't really know what to replace it with, I was looking at normal 1.4TDCI Fiestas but then found the only TDCI Zetec S for sale in Ireland at the time so jumped at the chance!
It had some random Focus alloys and the rear lights were tinted (Looked awful IMHO) Had 98k Miles and I'm the 3rd owner (First Irish owner as is a UK import) But other than that it was an original unmodified car which is exactly what I wanted.
Focus alloys got swiftly removed and sold, Replaced by a set of Borbet 16'' (Original Fiesta Alloys) Came up as new, Not bad bad considering they were about 8 years old! :detailer:
Then I added some electric colour coded mirrors and a pair of G3 Wind Deflectors,
Then had the chance to buy back some alloys I sold a few months previous to me buying the Fiesta came up, So they were quickly purchased and tyres swapped over from the 8 Spokes
Rub Strips and Door Handles got colour coded, ST150 Side Skirts were sourced and had them painted to match. (Correctly fitted by using original clips not tigersealed to death like most!)
Then a Tripple R Composites front splitter and bonnet lip and an eBay 'S' badge were fitted.
Front brakes needed replacing, So decide I'd upgrade them to ST170 300mm Front and a 280mm rear disc conversion. A simple upgrade using original Ford parts that just bolt straight on!
Wasn't a fan of the original cloth interior, Wanted full leather but they were fairly hard to come by as I specifically wanted the correct Zetec S seats, ST are the exact same with the addition of an ST logo on the backrest which I didn't like!
30th Anniversary/Celebration chequer door sills got added, Matching DMB Graphics heater rings. Replaced the original 6000 CD radio with the factory optional Sony. And an Armster II Armrest to complete it! :driver:
To carry on the chequered theme I had the the roof wrapped, Similar idea to the Anniversary/Celebration models but it's all individual squares in charcoal black rather than one piece in black/white.
Then a set of alloys came up for sale that I didn't even know they existed but a bit of Googling later told me they were a rare option and slightly wider and lower offset than my current ones. (16x6.5J ET40 compared to 16x7J ET35!)
Shown in the 1990s Rs Accessory Catalogue for the Puma and Mondeo.
Had them powdercoated and wrapped in Hankooks Ventus Prime 3,
Managed to find a 5th matching wider alloy on eBay, So got the tyres swapped over with my current spare so I now had a proper set of 5! :thumb:
7J on left, 6.5J on right
Bought the Fiesta in November 2015 to replace my Mk4 Golf, Had the Golf 2 years and to be fair it was relatively faultless, but it was only a 1.4 so it was time to move on!
I didn't really know what to replace it with, I was looking at normal 1.4TDCI Fiestas but then found the only TDCI Zetec S for sale in Ireland at the time so jumped at the chance!
It had some random Focus alloys and the rear lights were tinted (Looked awful IMHO) Had 98k Miles and I'm the 3rd owner (First Irish owner as is a UK import) But other than that it was an original unmodified car which is exactly what I wanted.
Focus alloys got swiftly removed and sold, Replaced by a set of Borbet 16'' (Original Fiesta Alloys) Came up as new, Not bad bad considering they were about 8 years old! :detailer:
Then I added some electric colour coded mirrors and a pair of G3 Wind Deflectors,
Then had the chance to buy back some alloys I sold a few months previous to me buying the Fiesta came up, So they were quickly purchased and tyres swapped over from the 8 Spokes
Rub Strips and Door Handles got colour coded, ST150 Side Skirts were sourced and had them painted to match. (Correctly fitted by using original clips not tigersealed to death like most!)
Then a Tripple R Composites front splitter and bonnet lip and an eBay 'S' badge were fitted.
Front brakes needed replacing, So decide I'd upgrade them to ST170 300mm Front and a 280mm rear disc conversion. A simple upgrade using original Ford parts that just bolt straight on!
Wasn't a fan of the original cloth interior, Wanted full leather but they were fairly hard to come by as I specifically wanted the correct Zetec S seats, ST are the exact same with the addition of an ST logo on the backrest which I didn't like!
30th Anniversary/Celebration chequer door sills got added, Matching DMB Graphics heater rings. Replaced the original 6000 CD radio with the factory optional Sony. And an Armster II Armrest to complete it! :driver:
To carry on the chequered theme I had the the roof wrapped, Similar idea to the Anniversary/Celebration models but it's all individual squares in charcoal black rather than one piece in black/white.
Then a set of alloys came up for sale that I didn't even know they existed but a bit of Googling later told me they were a rare option and slightly wider and lower offset than my current ones. (16x6.5J ET40 compared to 16x7J ET35!)
Shown in the 1990s Rs Accessory Catalogue for the Puma and Mondeo.
Had them powdercoated and wrapped in Hankooks Ventus Prime 3,
Managed to find a 5th matching wider alloy on eBay, So got the tyres swapped over with my current spare so I now had a proper set of 5! :thumb:
7J on left, 6.5J on right
From looking around online, It was an option when new to have Bluetooth and Voice Control, Mine didn't have this! 
So I set about trying to retrofit it, First off the column stalk controls for the radio needed fitting.... Luckily Ford had all Mk6.5 pre wired with the wire being tapped to another loom so it was just a case of finding the wire and getting the stalk and column plastics and connecting it all up.
Next I bought the Nokia module and microphone from a breakers, Luckily Ford do a retrofit loom for this (Although it ain't cheap!) but it's a straight forward fit. The loom takes power from radio, Connects to Nokia module behind glove box and also extends to connect to the microphone on the drivers A pillar.
Connected it all up and it works as it should! :thumb:
Was even sad enough to rename my phone's Bluetooth so I could have this on the display!
Got some show plates made up to match the roof, Pic taken at the RS Owners Ireland show in New Ross.
eBay sent me a £15 voucher so put it against some ST150 Aluminium pedals, These are an exact fit. Clutch/Brake just being covers and the accelerator being a complete electronic unit but it all bolts in and works as it should.
So I set about trying to retrofit it, First off the column stalk controls for the radio needed fitting.... Luckily Ford had all Mk6.5 pre wired with the wire being tapped to another loom so it was just a case of finding the wire and getting the stalk and column plastics and connecting it all up.
Next I bought the Nokia module and microphone from a breakers, Luckily Ford do a retrofit loom for this (Although it ain't cheap!) but it's a straight forward fit. The loom takes power from radio, Connects to Nokia module behind glove box and also extends to connect to the microphone on the drivers A pillar.
Connected it all up and it works as it should! :thumb:
Was even sad enough to rename my phone's Bluetooth so I could have this on the display!
Got some show plates made up to match the roof, Pic taken at the RS Owners Ireland show in New Ross.
eBay sent me a £15 voucher so put it against some ST150 Aluminium pedals, These are an exact fit. Clutch/Brake just being covers and the accelerator being a complete electronic unit but it all bolts in and works as it should.
Edited by E36Ross on Sunday 22 July 20:44
An update with a difference, Bought this a month ago in Galway (A few miles from the coast) Guy had bought it for parts for his own.
It's a 2004 Mk6 Fiesta Van.
Tried everywhere to try get a detachable towbar for a Zetec S, Didn't want a visible cut on bumper or visible electrics!
There's about 2" cut on diffuser but it's not visible, Electrics fold up and towbar detaches.
I stripped what remained of the van, (Diesel tank, Interior Plastics etc..) and dropped it up to a guy in Dublin.
And a few weeks later, The van was back on the road......
Looking a bit different than before. It got LOTS of attention on the motorway! :thumb:
All orginal Fiesta rear axle/suspension in place. Working factory handbrake and all lights wired, jockey wheel etc..
More for show use than anything but it will be used when needed, Ideal for tip use.
Will be painted Moondust Silver with Zetec S Bumper/Spoiler and ST Skirts to match, Factory van interior in place with all plastics/carpet trimmed to fit and lowered.
I'm also half way through a Mk6.5 rear light conversion.
It's a 2004 Mk6 Fiesta Van.
Tried everywhere to try get a detachable towbar for a Zetec S, Didn't want a visible cut on bumper or visible electrics!
There's about 2" cut on diffuser but it's not visible, Electrics fold up and towbar detaches.
I stripped what remained of the van, (Diesel tank, Interior Plastics etc..) and dropped it up to a guy in Dublin.
And a few weeks later, The van was back on the road......
Looking a bit different than before. It got LOTS of attention on the motorway! :thumb:
All orginal Fiesta rear axle/suspension in place. Working factory handbrake and all lights wired, jockey wheel etc..
More for show use than anything but it will be used when needed, Ideal for tip use.
Will be painted Moondust Silver with Zetec S Bumper/Spoiler and ST Skirts to match, Factory van interior in place with all plastics/carpet trimmed to fit and lowered.
I'm also half way through a Mk6.5 rear light conversion.
Edited by E36Ross on Sunday 22 July 20:18
Collected it from bodywork this evening, Really happy with how it has turned out! :thumb:
Before, Front had just been tacked on in places,
It's now fully welded and cleaned down to a nice smooth finish, A few other imperfections including a dent on the arch was also done.
Side Skirts modified to fit and mould around the front, Stapled together and plastic welded. These are genuine ST skirts!
And a quick few pics on the way home, Mk6.5 mouldings fitted and ST Spoiler fitted.
Have some LED marker lights ordered for the front of it, So will have those fitted and then it's off for paint!
Trailer has been fitted with a set of adjustable springs so I can change height, Took me ages to try find someone willing to sell just the rears... These had only previously been tested fitted so were as new.
And it's been finally painted in Moondust, Boot door was removed and all the inner boot shut was painted to match so no obvious signs of its original colour. :thumb:
]
Was only painted last week so havnt even washed it yet, Few little bits to tidy but nearly there.
My badges arrived, Not cheap at €80+ even after discount
Few things to still match on the rear but nearly there. :thumb:
Before, Front had just been tacked on in places,
It's now fully welded and cleaned down to a nice smooth finish, A few other imperfections including a dent on the arch was also done.
Side Skirts modified to fit and mould around the front, Stapled together and plastic welded. These are genuine ST skirts!
And a quick few pics on the way home, Mk6.5 mouldings fitted and ST Spoiler fitted.
Have some LED marker lights ordered for the front of it, So will have those fitted and then it's off for paint!
Trailer has been fitted with a set of adjustable springs so I can change height, Took me ages to try find someone willing to sell just the rears... These had only previously been tested fitted so were as new.
And it's been finally painted in Moondust, Boot door was removed and all the inner boot shut was painted to match so no obvious signs of its original colour. :thumb:
]
Was only painted last week so havnt even washed it yet, Few little bits to tidy but nearly there.
My badges arrived, Not cheap at €80+ even after discount
Few things to still match on the rear but nearly there. :thumb:
Edited by E36Ross on Sunday 22 July 20:14
poing said:
Do you work for Ford? If not, that is some proper geek stuff managing to use Ford parts almost everywhere. Impressive stuff regardless.
The trailer is rather brilliant!
On the trailer the rear window needs to be painted black to pretend it's a window.
No, I drive a bus. The trailer is rather brilliant!
On the trailer the rear window needs to be painted black to pretend it's a window.
Just use as much Ford parts as possible where i can, a lot of it isn't noticeable but it's the little touches that I enjoy doing most.
Yeah iv thought about it but a wrap/paint wouldn't look original up close so if I were to match it'd be van panels on the car.
Ordered a KAP Industries Fire extinguisher mount, Advertised as a Mk6/Mk7 bracket. Turns out it was made just for a Mk7, But a quick message to the UK supplier and a few measurements later and they've custom made and sent me the correct one all the way from head office in Australia at no cost! :thumb:
Also fitted my Mk3 Mondeo interior light, Direct replacement for the Fiesta unit so it means I now have individual map lights.
Spent ages looking for a factory parking sensor kit (Or Reverse Proximety Sensors as Ford call them) to keep the OEM+ theme going.
Couldn't find anyone willing to sell seperate from a bumper and I didn't fancy my chances of finding an individual sensor should one ever go wrong without paying €€€ to Ford.
It's a Dolphin D400 kit, Came pre painted and matched to Moondust. Lifetime warranty!
Sensors fitted in factoryish positions, Also showing off my detachable Witter and foldable electrics.
They give a solid beep when about 12" away from a wall etc... Towbar doesn't interfere with them either. Don't need them but it's another one ticked off the options list.
Trailer roof has been wrapped to match so that's pretty much finished now, :thumb:
Another OEM+ mod that's not noticeable to the majority, Mk6 Fiestas have a key slot on the drivers door as standard, I used a blank from the rear door of a 5 door.
Needs slight trimming inside to clear the barrel but once done fits 100% :thumb:
And pics of a clean car for once, TRC Side Skirt Splitters fitted to match the front splitter.
Also fitted my Mk3 Mondeo interior light, Direct replacement for the Fiesta unit so it means I now have individual map lights.
Spent ages looking for a factory parking sensor kit (Or Reverse Proximety Sensors as Ford call them) to keep the OEM+ theme going.
Couldn't find anyone willing to sell seperate from a bumper and I didn't fancy my chances of finding an individual sensor should one ever go wrong without paying €€€ to Ford.
It's a Dolphin D400 kit, Came pre painted and matched to Moondust. Lifetime warranty!
Sensors fitted in factoryish positions, Also showing off my detachable Witter and foldable electrics.
They give a solid beep when about 12" away from a wall etc... Towbar doesn't interfere with them either. Don't need them but it's another one ticked off the options list.
Trailer roof has been wrapped to match so that's pretty much finished now, :thumb:
Another OEM+ mod that's not noticeable to the majority, Mk6 Fiestas have a key slot on the drivers door as standard, I used a blank from the rear door of a 5 door.
Needs slight trimming inside to clear the barrel but once done fits 100% :thumb:
And pics of a clean car for once, TRC Side Skirt Splitters fitted to match the front splitter.
Muzzer79 said:
I'm loving the trailer, but doesn't the bluff front of it make it rather like towing a sail or a parachute?
Nothing different to a normal box trailer, It weighs 300kg and has about 30kg noseweight. I know it's a cliche but you don't know it's there when towing. Ideally I'd have made it a bit bigger, (There is a Fiesta trailer done from the A pillar out there) but it'd mess about with noseweights and be a pig to tow. As it is, it's perfect.
Appreciate all the positive comments.
Edited by E36Ross on Tuesday 24th July 09:34
I had a set of those wheels on a Mk5 RS2000 and its brought the memories flooding back! Gassing Station | Readers' Cars | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff