Show me your old Fords :)

I am a bit like Andy, I have had quite a number of cars over the years and most of them were Fords. My first car was a Mini Van that I paid 30 quid for back in 1967. My dad said it was a wreck and he was right, it lasted me about a month. Then I stupidly bought an old Jaguar that I could not afford to insure, so, that went. I then bought a Z cars style Zephyt V6 which my dad insured for me. I loved that car till I blew the Fibre drive on it and left bits of the engine scattered all along the M8. Common sense prevailed after that and I had a few Mk1 Cortinas, then a Mk 2 1600E a MK3 2000E A 2 Ltr Capri a 3Ltr Capri a Mk 4 Cortina an Ex Demonstrator Mk 5 Cortina that set me back around 5 grand then I got the chance to buy a 2.3GL Granada Mk4 through my work, ex company car that I got for 3 grand, only 32K miles on it. I tried to sell the Cortina, but, Sierras had just been introduced and I eventually gave it away for 2 grand. A few years later I bought another Granada, a 2.8GL with 45K on the clock and got that for 3 grand as well, ex company car. Then I stupidly bought a brand new 24V probe when I sold my house in South Queensferry for a massive profit. A 23 grand car that I got offered 7 grand for in a trade in against a Cougar when they first came out. The probe was less than 2 years old with around 11K miles on it. I then had a succession of 5 different Probes, Teal Mist, Boisonberry, Blue, and two black ones, all 24V. Then I bought a Volvo S40 which I hated driving so looked for a Cougar and found the one I now have in Portsmouth. I also have a Fiat Punto 1.3JTD and I also owned three vans for my Disco over the years, 2 Transits and a Bedford CF.
 
Hmmm, so I only have digital pics of my last 3 cars. I'll have to raid my parents' attic and see if I can find some photos of the others.

My first car was a 1984 Austin Metro 1.3HLE in black, a hand-me-down from my sister - it had 92K on it when I got it, I took it up to 97K then wrapped it round a concrete lamppost - not my finest hour...

Next was a 1988 Sierra Sapphire 2.0LX in white, with tinted windows (that me and a mate did one summer afternoon - in retrospect it looked ****ing awful, but I was well pleased with it at the time) - it was a totally rusty shed that I took from 118K miles to 153K, and I loved every one of them. Gave it away in the end - thought I was helping someone out, then the guy I gave it to sold it for £80 to someone else!

Then came a 1983 Capri 1.6LS in blue - twin-choke carb with K&N filter, Ashley exhaust and pepperpot alloys from a 2.8. Never ran right, and was just noisy and slow, but I never tired of looking at it. Sold to my now brother-in-law, who did nothing with it for months and then sold it on.

Followed that with a 1989 Mazda 626 2.0GLX in white - bought for £300, 140K miles, blown head gasket. Ran it for 3 months, putting 4-6 litres of water in it per day, then scrapped it. No great loss IMO. It was really comfy to sit in though.

Then came this:
Mondeo mk1.jpg
1995 Mondeo 2.0GLX (shown ribboned up for a friend's wedding).
Note the 17" Mille Miglia 5 spokes, which completely ruined the ride - I soon found out they were pretty badly buckled. They looked cool though. Sold for way less than I was happy with, but I needed rid because I'd bought this:
Mondeo mk2.jpg
2000 Mondeo 2.0 Zetec (coincidentally also ribboned up, this was at our wedding - we needed a car for the bridesmaids, and it matched the colour scheme).
Loved this one, had it for 7 years (and 3 pairs of front wishbones) and eventually sold it for banger racing.

And now I have this lovely beast:
IMG_0871_1.jpg


Mrs W's had a few Fords of her own too - MK4 Escort 1.3 (base model, not even an L!) in silver, MK7 Escort 1.8 Ghia X in pepper red and 2 black Pumas.

The one that started the Ford bug in me was a 1978 MK2 Granada 2.8GL that my dad owned when I was 8/9. 2 tone brown and beige with tan leather interior. I loved that car, and then some scrote stole it and we never saw it again... :(
 
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My Ford ownership started with a Mk2 Mondeo 1.8 Zetec - bought back in 2002 and it was just on 18 months old at the time. Kept pretty much standard apart from a full leather interior:

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....until it was crudely "murdered" by a dozy bint in a 4x4 who'd had a bit too much to drink (December 2007 - about a month after I met Kathy). End result - insurance write off :(

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So....after a few weeks of a diesel Astra courtesy of the insurance (I hated it with a passion), What to buy? Well, it could only be a Mondeo. This time, a Mk3 2.0L Zetec (going up in the world!):

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This was the car where I caught the modding bug. Was bog standard when I bought it but added leather, alloys from the Titanium X, final facelift rear lights, factory satnav, dimming rear view mirror.......and the list went on! Drove this for a couple of years until in early 2010 I stumbled across some strange car forum "UKCOUGAR.COM" - god knows how. Anyway, got chatting to a dodgy bloke from Bolton whose mate was selling an Amazon Green V6 C2. Went for a look and was smitten. The deal was done:

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This one was modded too - including a rather lovely stainless zorst from MIJ (loved the sound it made). Then came a visit to another dodgy Bolton fella who owned a garage and was selling a disgusting blue Zetec C1 with a difference (4x4!). I took it for a test drive and was absolutely smitten, so I bought it. Got it a full respray, completed the C2 interior including cruise and had the alloys repainted in the white they were when I bought it. Loved this one, of all the Cougars I've owned - this is the one I truly miss. Regret selling it still :(

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The dodgy Bolton fella I was speaking to when I first joined the forum ended up selling his C1 V6 4x4 - so, well....I just had to do it didn't I? :)

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Had a major falling out with this car due to the damn fuel filler which persistently leaking after several attempts to stem the flow. Eventually lost patience and went Jap and sold this onto another member. Only to buy it back again. Then sell it again to the same bloke :LOL:

Anyway, that's where my Ford ownership came to an end - seduced by Jap RWD :eek:

** Update **


.........aaaaaaaand, then came another one :)

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Well I doubt I'll be able to find pics of any but my last two; I'll start with my Dad's list first as it'll make more sense:-

Around 1975 Dad learned to drive in Escort MK1s, when he passed he acquired a
B reg Ford Anglia in grey (£90) and ran it for a year. During which time he changed job (same company) and commuted from Lowestoft to King's Lynn in various company fleet Escort MK2s and Cortina MK3s; these also used to get us to house viewings around King's Lynn.

Next was a H reg Ford Zephyr V4 which came in time for the move; this died on black ice helped by a zig-zag road layout and Ford's first attempt at IRS.

Replaced by a L reg silver Cortina MK3 4-door Kent 1600 with fibreglass wings.

This then replaced by a M reg blue facelift/1600 Pinto Cortina MK3 estate.

Next came a X reg metallic blue Cortina 2.0GLS (MK5) estate. This was stolen from the driveway; several weeks later it was found recently placed in a layby doused ready to torch, someone bought it and replaced the interior and wheels from a lesser model, we saw it about a couple of times.

Dad was about to purchase a Sierra estate but a friend he took with him to pick it up noticed it didn't seem straight, doors not fitting or something, so he went for his second choice (probably really his first !), a B reg Granada 2.8 Ghia auto estate reg B882 BTV (his initials).

The replacement for that was a F reg metallic green Sierra 2.0 Ghia auto estate, called Poppy reg F490 OPM geddit? (this became briefly mine after his next car) -

A W reg Mondeo 2.0 Ghia estate in metallic blue. This was an ex demonstrator and the newest car he ever had, lasted him 10 years and sold without ever having the battery changed.

The current car is a 58 Mondeo diesel Zetec estate (you guessed that bit, right?) frugal and really the ideal car but just, well bland.

There were a couple of other Fords in there; a P reg Cortina MK3 2 litre GT (white with brown vinyl roof) bought cheap as a spare engine for the MK5 estate but instead it became Mum's work car, replacing her blue N reg Escort MK2; some Cortina MK4s whenever a temporary runabout was required and some 2 litre Sierras (I think a 5-door and a Sapphire) which he got cheap.

He's never owned a non-Ford though he's always been tempted by Jaguar.

So Mum's were a MK2 Escort 4 door (1.3L I think) and the MK3 Cortina GT, then she went onto Metros (because the then new 5-door Fiesta had the spare wheel slung beneath the boot floor).

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

So my first Car in 1986 was a 1963 Ford Consul Classic 315, mostly dark blue (and primer) with a grey roof, those things had a huge boot for the class, and my school mates called it The Batmobile. I was driving it to a car show in Norwich when it threw a conrod out the side of the engine, Dad came by with his Cortina MK5 and took me the rest of the way without it, then on the way back towed it home, I acquired an engine from a club member which came from a Cortina MK1 and I fitted it myself but never got it running; at the same time it needed floor welding which we towed it to someone to have done but he never got round to doing it; a lad delivering parcels spotted it and came as his brother had one and they trailered it for spares.

Once I had a full-time job and had been cycling to work for a few weeks I thought about another car, there was a Cortina MK4 1.6L 4-door saloon in white up for sale in someone's drive for about £230 so it became mine.
I swapped the wheels with those from the MK3 GT and painted them white with red highlights, fitted an aftermarket grill with spotlamps within, also painted white and changed the blue ovals to red, very mild personalisations.

After about a year, my work colleague went for a MK2 Fiesta XR2 on finance from Lynfords (local main dealer at the time), he really ought to have kept his black Escort MK2 RS2000 Custom but his list of Fords probably beats most of those I've read so far in this thread apart from his temporary foray into Fiats with the 5-cyl Coupe;
Anyway on my 21st birthday I collected F773YVG a delivery-mileage Orion 1.6i Ghia with heated windscreen, graphic equaliser and metallic Mercury Grey paint (and blue velour trim).

In 1994 that was stolen from works car park whilst I was on night shift.

It was found the same day in a field, without wheels and with every pane and panel smashed or dented. Write-off.

I had read about these American cars that could compete (performance) with the likes of Audi and BMW for a fraction of the cost; two of the three the article looked at were Fords, the Taurus SHO and the Thunderbired Super Coupe. A work colleague was due to visit friends in the states and he very kindly brought me back dealer brochures for the current Ford range. This switched me from wanting a Mustang 5.0GT (TV show Vegas) to wanting a SHO or Super Coupe, I found a 1989 Thunderbird LX for £6000 privately in London, G73KFL so bought that, it had the 3.8L V6 EFI (not the supercharged) but it had the keypad entry, dual electric seats, passive seatbelts (you only have to buckle the lapbelts, the shoulder parts move over and away from you when you start the engine or open/shut the door) and automatic on/dipping lights and self-dipping mirror, and the electronic dash with fuel computer, and of course being US, auto and cruise.

In 2000 I found the perfect! car, a 1994 Thunderbird Super Coupe in pearlescant white (a sort of metallic) with red half-leather interior. This was a facelift version compared to the LX which means it gained airbags and lost passive seatbelts, no digital instruments on the SC, but they get the manual option (though the auto which I had is controlled from the ECU and is very smooth, allegedly out-accelerates the equivalent manual), soft-firm electronic controlled dampers, electric seats with side bolsters and lumbar (8-way) on driver and unusually also passenger. Also the facelift came when the 4.6L modular V8 replaced the ancient 5.0, this meant that to keep the SC ahead in performance the charger was upgraded and BHP was now 230 instead of 210.
Ford dropped the SC option with the 1996-7 facelift I'm sure that was because the SC wasn't adaptable to the OBD interface or whatever ECU went with the modular engines (or would cost too much for the predicted sales).

I met someone with many kids and I needed to have a car with six seats to transport; also I was without full-time employment, so my Ford days had to take a break, we went through many cheap (for a reason) people-carrying vehicles; 7-seat Austin Montego (that was nice, quick too, no wonder someone else decided they'd have it without consulting me Grrr); Mazda 626; Nissan Vanette Minibus (van with 7 basic coach seats); Nissan Vanette Largo (much more comfortable with 8 seats and options of facing sideways or each other or all forward), the best though was a scruffy 1987 2.5L diesel Peugeot 505 family estate 8 seater with still a large boot when fully populated. Then we separated and I bought a Daewoo Lanos as a cheap (and very temporary - 6 years!) runabout.

This is where I came in, T241MOB was for sale in the village when the Daewoo spat the cambelt, so £400 not to have to travel around looking at diesel Fiestas and Focuses.

After the severe overheat of 23rd December '16 I borrowed my mechanic's C3 "for as long as it takes to find your V6" aka MV51HJZ during February of this year.

Our other vehicle is a Fiat....6-berth motorhome.
 
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spjmorris said:
I love these cars, one of the best looking Fords ever IMO
Back in the eaaly 2000s I looked at a 2 door GT in dark blue with a white roof, but walked away as the guy wanted silly money for it!
Click to expand...

Mine was Gold with the black Vinyl roof and a private plate RLR 643. Bought it from Alexanders in Edinburgh.
 
This is the only pic I have of a pre owned old Ford....

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History though is as follows

Ford Anglia van - first vehicle owned
Ford Escort 1300 GT van
Capri 1300 GTXLR Mk1
Ford Escort RS2000 Mk1
Ford Fiesta XR2 Mk1
Ford Escort RS2000 Mk2
Ford Capri 3000GT Mk2
Ford Granada 2.8i Ghia X Mk 2
Ford Capri 3.0S Mk3
Ford Mondeo 2.0L Mk2
Ford Cougar V6X Frosty C1 x 2
Ford Cougar John Deere C1
Ford Sierra Cosworth 3 dr as above
Ford Cougar V6X Frosty C2
Ford Cougar V6X auto Tourmaline C1 - current

Probably forgotten a couple of non-descript Fords as well
 
Found a pic of my old Capri, this must've been taken when I first got it - I replaced those wheels and the front bumper:
Capri1.jpg
That's me and my sister stood behind it - I actually had hair back then :)


Also found these - how my first car ended up:
Metro1.jpg
Metro2.jpg
I think I was lucky not to wind up with the engine on my lap :eek:
 
I've not actually owned that many fords. I've put this list on here somewhere before and probably slightly different but here goes.
Can I include my main motorbikes ?
Honda CB 200
Honda CB250N ( Brand new, my dad stood as guarantor on the loan ! )
Bond Bug as I was so so close to getting banned on the bike!
Suzuki GS 550, never officially on the road bought and sold it.
Triumph spitfire
Various works Vans including a very quick MK Astra 1600, it went like stink !
Honda CB750
Audi 100 with the 5 cylinder 2.2. That was a sleeper, I used to burn of the XR3s and Astra GTEs
At the same time I bought a Honda Goldwing 1100 to replace the 750
The audi and honda got sold to fund house no 1.
Nissan Micra ( official my wifes )
Suzuki SJ410
VW Polo breadvan in white.
We then became a 2 car family I had a series of older cars for the hell of it.
Austin Maxi
Got involved in buying and exporting Mercs w123s had quite a few but each only for a couple of days.
2 Sunbeam Rapier fastback.
Ford Capri 2 1600
Approx 3 Opel Manta GT hatchbacks.
Daimler double 6, with the glorious v12 engine ( 5.3 litre )
Numerous Metros including a Radford convertible.
Reliant Scimitar SS1 1600
Citroen BX
Austin Montego ( MG ) that was quick.
Rover 800 ( slow after the MG, comfy though )
Suzuki GT 500
At this time also had a triumph Vitesse and a Matra Murena ( both stolen )
Opel Monza 3 litre.
Jaguar XJS 3.6 manual. self ignited and written off.
Honda CB1000
Renault Safrane, ( v comfy with a talking computer and it was always right, the bonnet was only part locked. It tried to gas us with fumes from a never discovered source
Subaru SVX 3.3 flat 6. 4 wheel drive 4 wheel steer,to replace the XJS. boy did that SVX beast corner.
Rover 75 estate 1.8
Kawasaki 750 Zephyr
BMW k1 ( without the full fairing )
Skoda Fabia VRS. ( 1.9 diesel. Ugly bug but boy it was a great little go kart of a car. Not many things I didn't overtake in that, even beat a 4.4 litre bmw X5 in a drag from the lights, He wasn't happy but I just managed to get ahead.
VW Passat Diesel
Suzuki GSX 1400
Citroen C4 mk 2 ?
Yamaha FJR 1300
Currently
Ford Cougar
Kawasaki ZZR 1400 ( only my 2nd new bike )
Citroen DS5
 
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