Will be updated every day I work on the car....This post will be edited so it's easier to read through the whole project

15th Feb 2012

I've just bought my first car to drive on the road. She was up for £300 and I got him down to £250. To be honest I was expecting to find something major wrong with it. But so far im VERY happy. I took the car home this afternoon and cleaned it up. The exterior looks pretty decent except one scratch on the driver side which I will fill, sand and paint; and on the passenger side there is a rust spot under the wheel arch.

The other problem is the interior which is very shabby, it needs a new steering wheel ideally, the seats are tacky and the door panels are clinging on. So im going to get a steering wheel from the scrap yard, will get some seat covers and try tidy up the door panels.

I'm going to get the car on axle stands tomorrow and check underneath, the car by the feel of it needs new brakes so i'm going to change those next week also along with a service

Any work that needs doing on this car I will mostly be doing myself. The car is TAX'd and MOT'd until April.

Anyway planning to lower it a little and maybe fit some alloys, I have got some 6x9 speakers for the parcel shelf and a sub for the boot (chavy I know but I love it haha)

Enough of talking anyway I'm Toby, 17 and from Cambridgeshire, this is the car so far...opinions?











16 Feb 2012

Didn't have much time working on the car today as I've been helping my dad fit the new kitchen! (what a bloody job that is!!)

So First of all got the front up on axle stands and whipped the wheels off. I then checked the brakes. The disks are in pretty good nick, but the car is in need of some new pads though. I then Checked underneath the front of the car, couldn't see a single rust spot! After than I cleaned the engine up, changed the spark plugs and air filter. (Picture was before engine was cleaned). When I took the plugs out they were stiff as anything, obviously not changed in a long time, one of them was even broken! (See picture)

I then got the rear up on axle stands, but didn't have time to check the brakes (tomorrows job) but looked underneath, yet again no rust! Also noticed the exhaust was like brand new.

Anyway after that I wired the 6x9's to the head unit (no pictures yet) and that was all I had time for. Will get some more pictures tomorrow, plan for tomorrow is check rear brakes, take interior out and give it a thorough clean and wire the sub in!

Driver side:



Passenger side:



Engine before cleaning:



Broken spark plug:



17th Feb 2012:

What a day! Again didn't have much time to work on the car today but this is what I did get done.

Firstly I stripped all of the seats out the car, which was surprisingly easier than I thought it would be! It only took 10mins to get them out!

Then I thoroughly cleaned the seats and the carpet in the car which took bloody ages!

While the seats were drying I then wired in the amp to the battery, then I refitted the seats. Also took the wheel trims off as they need a little fixing.

Thats all I managed today as I didn't have long. Won't have another update til Sunday or Monday when I will be checking the drums. Anyway heres some pictures:

Seats taken out:





Clean interior:



Seats refitted:



Sub and 6x9s:



Wheel trims taken off:



23/2/12

RIGHT!

Today I popped down to wilco at lunch to get a few bits for the car, but din't have enough room in my bag for the rest so i'm getting it tomorrow but today i got:

- WD40
- Brake pads
- Radio
- Oil filter

Tomorrow i'm popping back in to collect the following:

- Oil
- Air filter
- Spark plugs

Didn't have time to fit the parts tonight as it was to dark

Piccy:



24/2/12

Picked up my air filter and plugs today and changed them over. I couldn't fit the oil in my bag so need to get that when I can get a lift.

Here are a few piccys....I was REALLY surprised to see how dirty the old filter was!

P.S I havn't given up on the K&N i just need to make the parts I need at college first!





18/2/12

WOW! I finally managed to find a minute to update this thread! I have had a hectic few days with not alot except work and sleep

Anyway heres what i've done over the last few days

On sunday I started by changing the pads on the front brakes which took me longer that i'd expected. Either the person who changed the brakes last did up the calliper bolts unbelievably tight or they havn't been touched in so long and the bolts had seized :L

either way I managed to get the bolts off in the end although I did snap two sockets and a hell of a lot of heat from the blow torch before they decided to free up!

Anyway after that I checked the drums and they look pretty knackered too so will be buying some new shoes next week

I then spent around 3 hours fannying around trying to get the bloody radio to work. When I was getting close to throwing the bloody thing at a wall the old owner of the car happened to come down the drive to give me a spare set of keys he'd found, so I asked him if there was a problem with the radio wiring. He then said yeahh its very dodgy! I then went to the trouble of re-doing all the wiring for the radio myself, right from the battery and to all the speaker points etc.

I then plugged the radio in and the bloody thing still wouldn't turn on!!!!!

So thought it must be my wiring or the brand new radio i bought was broken, so i wired the radio into my dads car which i NEW the wiring worked on and it still didn't work!

So took the radio back yesterday, got a replacement and wired it in and BOOM! we have sound (finally) I was really impressed with the sound even though i only have the 6x9s and sub in atm

Anyway heres a few piccys (your probably bored of me droning on now. Sorry there aren't many my bloody phones been playing up all week. I will get some better ones of the radio etc and possibly a video :icon_lol:





29/2/12:

Walked into college this morning and one of my mates had a surprise for me. He had an old set of lexus lights lying about so he gave them to me I haven't fitted them yet as they need a good clean up as one is covered in bird shit lol.

Not sure if i will keep them on the car, just gunna see how they look

anyway lil piccie:



3/3/12

Had a few goodies arrive off eBay today! (seat covers, neon footwell lights and a few tools i ordered

Anyways started off by fitting the seat covers. They are neon green and the pictures don't do them justice. I know its a blue car but im going for a neon green theme.

I then fitted the neon lights to the footwell, but no pictures of them yet as Im waiting for the flick switches which I will wire into the dash. They will be to switch the sub on and off and to turn the neons on and off.

I ordered a third neon light which was supposed to go on the centre console but it didn't look right so I put it on the sub and at the moment it turns on when the sub is on.. However I'm going to take it off and put it on the bootlid and make it turn on when the boot is open. I just need to buy a push to break switch.

I also removed the "classic fiesta" badges and moved the ford badge to the middle. But ive decided im going to remove it altogether as i think it will look better

I also fitted one of the lexus lights to see what it looked like. But it looked bad so im going to sell it on eBay.

Anyway here are some pictures:













10th April 2012:

sorry havn't really updated this lately! Long and the short of it was I MOT'd the car and it needed 1ft of the sills welded, CV gaitor, rear wheel bearing and the brake drum adjusting. I did all of the above myself on a low budget (parts only)

Also I got some alloys as the car failed on a bald tyre, I paid £30 for the alloys with like new tyres. This is how the car stands as of yesterday:




Toby

 

Wicked restoration thread... I'm subscribing mate...

 

Thanks hopefully have some more exciting work soon

Toby

 

same here, should be good

did you sort out the k&n air filter ?

 

Not yet, I'm looking for a cheaper altenative to the genuine K&N's if worst comes to worst I'll just get the filter and make all the piping etc myself to make one like this:

http://www.fiestaguides.co.uk/conten...induction.html

Toby

 

Good start mate, ill keep my eyes on this one.

 

welcome to the site mate. got a nice little base project here mate! ah i remember the old ovh engines - i had one in my escort!

thats all a 17 year old needs, a cheap run around, 6x9's and a sub!

ive still got my sound system and im 22 now


LOVE IT!!

 

Haha thanks yeah love my sound. Have to be honest ive had the 6x9's and sub for about a month before i got a car! haha....although I did hook the sub up in my room which was awesome...even if my parents hated me!

Toby

 

More updates coming saturday.

Sorry about the lack of updates I was planning to work on the car sunday, yesterday and today but i've had work. I've now twice as many hours at work so the only time I can be working on the car now is saturdays and most tuesdays.

Anyway more updates coming saturday (hopefully), I just thought id keep you lot updated

Toby

 

23/2/12

RIGHT!

Today I popped down to wilco at lunch to get a few bits for the car, but din't have enough room in my bag for the rest so i'm getting it tomorrow but today i got:

- WD40
- Brake pads
- Radio
- Oil filter

Tomorrow i'm popping back in to collect the following:

- Oil
- Air filter
- Spark plugs

Didn't have time to fit the parts tonight as it was to dark

Piccy:

 

coming along nicely mate

 

thanks mate

 

this fiestas looking nice. And are the shocks on the front the same? they're different colours. Great condition car you have anyway. good luck

 

Thanks and no one has been replaced I guess.

Toby

 

You got brake pads and oil filter from wilkos?

Coming along nicely though mate

 

Yeahh...not wilkos as in the bog off shop though haha! An automotive parts company: www.wilcodirect.co.uk

Toby

 

Was going to say i thought maybe ive missed an aisle at some point...

 

Haha noo. I was pretty impressed with the prices really-

Oil filter- £2.50
Brake pads- £11
Radio- £50
WD40- £2

Most high street shop prices are through the roof normally...cough*halfords*couth

Toby

 

You should get a halfords trade card if you can, i get everything for pittence really, just always have to check to make sure its the right one as ive found out a few times

 

Thanks, I use my college tutors trade card if I buy something expensive like when I got my toolbox

 

24/2/12

Picked up my air filter and plugs today and changed them over. I couldn't fit the oil in my bag so need to get that when I can get a lift.

Here are a few piccys....I was REALLY surprised to see how dirty the old filter was!

P.S I havn't given up on the K&N i just need to make the parts I need at college first!





Toby

 

Looking good mate.

 

thanks mate

 

18/2/12

WOW! I finally managed to find a minute to update this thread! I have had a hectic few days with not alot except work and sleep

Anyway heres what i've done over the last few days

On sunday I started by changing the pads on the front brakes which took me longer that i'd expected. Either the person who changed the brakes last did up the calliper bolts unbelievably tight or they havn't been touched in so long and the bolts had seized :L

either way I managed to get the bolts off in the end although I did snap two sockets and a hell of a lot of heat from the blow torch before they decided to free up!

Anyway after that I checked the drums and they look pretty knackered too so will be buying some new shoes next week

I then spent around 3 hours fannying around trying to get the bloody radio to work. When I was getting close to throwing the bloody thing at a wall the old owner of the car happened to come down the drive to give me a spare set of keys he'd found, so I asked him if there was a problem with the radio wiring. He then said yeahh its very dodgy! I then went to the trouble of re-doing all the wiring for the radio myself, right from the battery and to all the speaker points etc.

I then plugged the radio in and the bloody thing still wouldn't turn on!!!!!

So thought it must be my wiring or the brand new radio i bought was broken, so i wired the radio into my dads car which i NEW the wiring worked on and it still didn't work!

So took the radio back yesterday, got a replacement and wired it in and BOOM! we have sound (finally) I was really impressed with the sound even though i only have the 6x9s and sub in atm

Anyway heres a few piccys (your probably bored of me droning on now. Sorry there aren't many my bloody phones been playing up all week. I will get some better ones of the radio etc and possibly a video :icon_lol:





Toby...more updates coming soon!

 

Ordered seat covers and green neon lights for the footwell today

Toby

 

29/2/12:

Walked into college this morning and one of my mates had a surprise for me. He had an old set of lexus lights lying about so he gave them to me I haven't fitted them yet as they need a good clean up as one is covered in bird shit lol.

Not sure if i will keep them on the car, just gunna see how they look

anyway lil piccie:

 

Lexus lights.... BIG NO! don't even think about it. Bin them now!

 

Don't bin them!!!!









BURN them!

 

Bang em' on ebay, put them on and it will look totally gash.

 

seond that mate, get rid of the lights, dont spend all your money on things to make the car look different or chavy, by all means work on the car and get it running good handling good, bettere brakes etc but save the money you would spend tarting up the outside for you next car or the bits to convert it to an xr2i rep..... a decent one!

 

Looks a good first car mate shouldn't waste money on neon lights etc n try get a xr2i or si kit n some cheap springs and like Mondeo alloys

 

3/3/12

Had a few goodies arrive off eBay today! (seat covers, neon footwell lights and a few tools i ordered

Anyways started off by fitting the seat covers. They are neon green and the pictures don't do them justice. I know its a blue car but im going for a neon green theme.

I then fitted the neon lights to the footwell, but no pictures of them yet as Im waiting for the flick switches which I will wire into the dash. They will be to switch the sub on and off and to turn the neons on and off.

I ordered a third neon light which was supposed to go on the centre console but it didn't look right so I put it on the sub and at the moment it turns on when the sub is on.. However I'm going to take it off and put it on the bootlid and make it turn on when the boot is open. I just need to buy a push to break switch.

I also removed the "classic fiesta" badges and moved the ford badge to the middle. But ive decided im going to remove it altogether as i think it will look better

I also fitted one of the lexus lights to see what it looked like. But it looked bad so im going to sell it on eBay.

Anyway here are some pictures:













Toby

 

It was all going so well and then youve spolit it with seat covers, neons and lexus lights. Please take them off and sell them, the standard ford stuff from rs turbos and euro lights are the way to go!

 

Took the words right out of my mouth.

 

ditto.

 

give it a week or 2, 30 pages and 20k views

 

yip then the OP getting pissed cos everyones slating the car when they originally tried to give some decent advice. looks like its going to turn out bad so far.......

 

If this car was mine id put on some mondeo steels and rst springs and dampers - they're slightly lower but not too different nasty insurance man would know

 

we gotta find this kid some fezzy parts boys !!!!!

before hes turned to the dark side by them bloody neons !!

 

Be nice beef if everyone donated something for this lad... Would
Be ace ..!