The Oft Unloved Mk3 XR3i Restoration UPDATED 16-06-13
04-01-2013, 09:23 PM
#43
First of all 'wow' thanks very much for all your support and interest. I'm genuinely amazed by how many XR fans there seems to be. Lovely to see I'm not the only person who ran a 3i as a first car.
Anyway, enough emotional BS, you guys only want me for my pictures, soo here you are...
Today's plan was to wash the car, have a poke about and bolt some temporary seats in, all looks like it's going to plan so far then.
Amazing what a quick wash can do to a car. Came up trumps
That's just a shampoo and rinse too, no wax or polish. Good to see that the religious weekly Saturday morning wash, polish and wax I used to give her actually seems to have had some long term benefits.
Told you that boot seal did sweet FA
(that's Nan's Fiesta by the way, she was obviously desperate for that stool!!!)
Decided to have a quick look at the condition of the floor before the seats went in
Yes, yes that's not a seat I know, I know. That is something I found in amongst the 5 year old floor litter. That is a nylon lathe off cut, only time I ever turned up white nylon was the first year of my apprenticeship, but sod knows how it ended up in the car. Pointless photo I know, just took me back is all, thought I'd share.
Drivers side floor looks well solid, that ancient patch looks to have cracked along the weld rather than rot through, and the surrounding surface rust seems to be caused by water ingress through the crack. Will be easily sealed for future repair
A big scary van pulled up whilst I was poking around in the footwell
I was asked to sign for what looked like a raw turkey and a skinned greyhound
Despite first appearances it was actually a full stainless exhaust and manifold I bought 2nd hand off JasonXR2 on here before Christmas
none of that mild steel Ashley tosh here 
Took some more speakers out the drivers side whilst I was there. If I thought footwell speaker pods were rare, imagine the amount of arse I'm gonna have to lick to find a set of blank trims without 4 holes drilled in them
Even the top of the sill and the wiring loom look tip top!
By now it was getting cold and dark so I put the car away. With an old carpet off cut glued up to protect the door, admit it, you like that don't ya? After all, real cars don't have rubber door strips
Anyway, enough emotional BS, you guys only want me for my pictures, soo here you are...
Today's plan was to wash the car, have a poke about and bolt some temporary seats in, all looks like it's going to plan so far then.
Amazing what a quick wash can do to a car. Came up trumps
That's just a shampoo and rinse too, no wax or polish. Good to see that the religious weekly Saturday morning wash, polish and wax I used to give her actually seems to have had some long term benefits.Told you that boot seal did sweet FA
(that's Nan's Fiesta by the way, she was obviously desperate for that stool!!!)Decided to have a quick look at the condition of the floor before the seats went in
Yes, yes that's not a seat I know, I know. That is something I found in amongst the 5 year old floor litter. That is a nylon lathe off cut, only time I ever turned up white nylon was the first year of my apprenticeship, but sod knows how it ended up in the car. Pointless photo I know, just took me back is all, thought I'd share.
Drivers side floor looks well solid, that ancient patch looks to have cracked along the weld rather than rot through, and the surrounding surface rust seems to be caused by water ingress through the crack. Will be easily sealed for future repair
A big scary van pulled up whilst I was poking around in the footwell
I was asked to sign for what looked like a raw turkey and a skinned greyhound
Despite first appearances it was actually a full stainless exhaust and manifold I bought 2nd hand off JasonXR2 on here before Christmas
none of that mild steel Ashley tosh here Took some more speakers out the drivers side whilst I was there. If I thought footwell speaker pods were rare, imagine the amount of arse I'm gonna have to lick to find a set of blank trims without 4 holes drilled in them
Even the top of the sill and the wiring loom look tip top!
By now it was getting cold and dark so I put the car away. With an old carpet off cut glued up to protect the door, admit it, you like that don't ya? After all, real cars don't have rubber door strips
Last edited by the_frozen_one; 04-01-2013 at 09:36 PM. Reason: Typo (using her iPad, I don't do iPads!)
05-01-2013, 06:11 PM
#46
Didn't get time last night to put the temporary seats in.
The original seats were loaned to a friend for a car show about 3 years ago. Never got them back, he flogged the car and gimme £50 for the trouble
Did a bit more today which ill put up when I get in
The original seats were loaned to a friend for a car show about 3 years ago. Never got them back, he flogged the car and gimme £50 for the trouble
Did a bit more today which ill put up when I get in
05-01-2013, 07:35 PM
#47
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if i was you id hav a go at filling the holes in the panels and get the innotec spray for a once over for now until another set comes up.....
also wot products do u use for the shampoo etc???
06-01-2013, 11:59 AM
#49
Did a few hours work yesterday, which I've only just found time to put up:
Visibility for getting out the garage isn't great without the stool
Checked the general condition of the interior, only major issue is this damage to the carpet behind the passenger seat, it's from a bottle of brake fluid I had to carry around with me back in the day, obviously leaked and ate the carpet
Took all the necessary trim bits out to put the carpet up and remove the last of the speaker wiring, no more chavtastic sound system
All the sound deadening is still in one piece, not tears or crumbling.
There is a small patch on the passenger side, similar area to the drivers side patch, although this one has faired better. Other than that, the floor are minty fresh
Didn't have much time to work yesterday so I put the interior back in with the temporary seats. Looks like a car again now
The reason they are other temporary is the runners have been cut up by whoever I bought them off, (they are very wobbly to sit in with only rear mounting points), they aren't in the best nick, and have a few wrong features for this age of Mk3.
Did a bit of history research on the car too, it was built Jan 1983 and registered in Birmingham area on the 28th Feb 1983. The XR3i was released until Jan 1983 so shes one of the first.
And now an apology....
After being told, very convincingly, years ago that it was Titan Blue, painted to use up XR3 paint etc etc etc, I found a paint code sticker:
I checked it out and it's Caspian Blue. Must be very faded?
Thanks for looking,
Tom
Visibility for getting out the garage isn't great without the stool
Checked the general condition of the interior, only major issue is this damage to the carpet behind the passenger seat, it's from a bottle of brake fluid I had to carry around with me back in the day, obviously leaked and ate the carpet
Took all the necessary trim bits out to put the carpet up and remove the last of the speaker wiring, no more chavtastic sound system
All the sound deadening is still in one piece, not tears or crumbling.
There is a small patch on the passenger side, similar area to the drivers side patch, although this one has faired better. Other than that, the floor are minty fresh
Didn't have much time to work yesterday so I put the interior back in with the temporary seats. Looks like a car again now
The reason they are other temporary is the runners have been cut up by whoever I bought them off, (they are very wobbly to sit in with only rear mounting points), they aren't in the best nick, and have a few wrong features for this age of Mk3.
Did a bit of history research on the car too, it was built Jan 1983 and registered in Birmingham area on the 28th Feb 1983. The XR3i was released until Jan 1983 so shes one of the first.
And now an apology....
After being told, very convincingly, years ago that it was Titan Blue, painted to use up XR3 paint etc etc etc, I found a paint code sticker:
I checked it out and it's Caspian Blue. Must be very faded?
Thanks for looking,
Tom
06-01-2013, 01:51 PM
#51
Is it difficult sourcing parts for early xr3s?
Who cares about the exact colour , the car will be a nice usable classic that will get attention no matter the exact details
Who cares about the exact colour , the car will be a nice usable classic that will get attention no matter the exact details
06-01-2013, 03:39 PM
#53
Advanced PassionFord User
Looking great 
The XR3 is one of my favs... had a fair few of them in my day.
The XR3 is one of my favs... had a fair few of them in my day.
06-01-2013, 08:35 PM
#59
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Car looks sweet as a nut
Still like the Mk3's and if I wsnt racing the Mk4 I'd have one as a daily
Glad the exhaust arrived safely
Will sound nice with that on
Still like the Mk3's and if I wsnt racing the Mk4 I'd have one as a daily
Glad the exhaust arrived safely
Will sound nice with that on
06-01-2013, 09:15 PM
#66
Good stuff. Trying not to be too serious about anything, it's a bit of fun for me to write this all up and figure it should be a laugh for anyone reading it. I only noticed what it looked like when I uploaded that pic, must be the angle.
17-05-2013, 08:05 PM
#69
The most recent and well overdue update pics are from the bank holiday weekend, the write up is way overdue. Anyway....
Found some spare time ( with matching reasonable weather) to get the car out, looks lovely in the sunshine
Took the seats out and replaced the runners which had been cut about, the seats now don't try and fall backwards, and the sliders work. They're still not correct to the car but they'll do for now. Not sure I'lll ever find a correct set.
Took off the door cards, home to the last pieces of the nightclub install.
And swapped the door pockets for an uncut set, the door cards themselves were 100%, so just a pocket change was needed. Hard to find a set of pockets without leccy window switches though, but we got there.
Changed the wheel back to a 2 spoke. When I got it came with one, assumed it was wrong and fitted a three thinking only XR3s used a 2 spoke. Having spoken to some other owners of Y plate 3i's I now believe the early 3i's used the 2 spoke wheel, so it's gone back on. Good job I don't throw owt away.
Put the glove box and cubby hole back in
Interior looks proper now
Fitted a set of rubber shelf straps, think the rubber ones are correct for this age? It's all I've got anyway.
Another tedious update. Sorry it's not more exciting. Work is more than likely postponed till autumn, haven't had a ford for the summer shows since I was in the 40th anniversary cavalcade in 2008 with the s1. Engine/chassis wise this will never get finished in time so I'll probably blow the cobwebs off the other Escort and enjoy that (if I can get an MOT)
Thanks for looking,
Tom
Found some spare time ( with matching reasonable weather) to get the car out, looks lovely in the sunshine
Took the seats out and replaced the runners which had been cut about, the seats now don't try and fall backwards, and the sliders work. They're still not correct to the car but they'll do for now. Not sure I'lll ever find a correct set.
Took off the door cards, home to the last pieces of the nightclub install.
And swapped the door pockets for an uncut set, the door cards themselves were 100%, so just a pocket change was needed. Hard to find a set of pockets without leccy window switches though, but we got there.
Changed the wheel back to a 2 spoke. When I got it came with one, assumed it was wrong and fitted a three thinking only XR3s used a 2 spoke. Having spoken to some other owners of Y plate 3i's I now believe the early 3i's used the 2 spoke wheel, so it's gone back on. Good job I don't throw owt away.
Put the glove box and cubby hole back in
Interior looks proper now
Fitted a set of rubber shelf straps, think the rubber ones are correct for this age? It's all I've got anyway.
Another tedious update. Sorry it's not more exciting. Work is more than likely postponed till autumn, haven't had a ford for the summer shows since I was in the 40th anniversary cavalcade in 2008 with the s1. Engine/chassis wise this will never get finished in time so I'll probably blow the cobwebs off the other Escort and enjoy that (if I can get an MOT)
Thanks for looking,
Tom
16-06-2013, 03:58 PM
#70
So another tedious update. Kinda feels awkward doing these, most resto type thread updates tend to have the car having sprouted 5 new turbos or having changed colour over night. Mind tend to involve a fisher price spanner set and 7 removed screws but anyway...
As some of you may have read the reason the car isn't being used this summer is because of the state of the suspension, mainly the bushes. And I thought there would be no point changing the bushes and leaving the 30 year old suspension parts looking all crusty and horrible. So a full paint up/powdercoat is in order.
Decided to start at the rear, because it's simpler and I want good access to drill a few holes anyway. Surprisingly the ancient fasteners didn't put up any kind of fight.
The rear chassis is in great knick, and other than surface rust and a scabby top coat all the suspension components will do again. Checked all the part number etc and it's all still genuine Ford, even the dampers, which is nice.
I also took the tank down, again for access (and so I don't set it on fire) the tank is in great nick, as is the floor above it. A day without nasty suprises is a good day.
Also got hold of a few bits over the lsat few weeks:
Age correct headrests, just need the cushion inserts now (and for no one to realise they're the wrong colour )
A nice P21 radio with cage and face plate trim thingy
And a set of footwell speaker pod blank kickplate doodahs without holes in like mine. Again I think the wrong colour but it should be too dark in the footwell to show it.
And now for a teeny weeny bit of excitement. As some of you may know I have been know to nail an engine together from time to time, so for years I've been collecting high performance N/A cvh parts, aftermarket, 905, 909 you name it. It's always been a little personal gripe of mine that the n/a cvh is always overlooked. But sensibility has finally taken over, time and money and effort doesn't justify the reward, so I went looking in my shed fro inspiration:
That'll do nicely. Had it a while, got it all cheap, never been sure what to do with it, nearly sold it a few times but never did. Figure I'll drop this in a totally standard looking XR3i and have some retro fun with a kick.
Thanks for looking. You can click the back button and go and read something interesting now.
As some of you may have read the reason the car isn't being used this summer is because of the state of the suspension, mainly the bushes. And I thought there would be no point changing the bushes and leaving the 30 year old suspension parts looking all crusty and horrible. So a full paint up/powdercoat is in order.
Decided to start at the rear, because it's simpler and I want good access to drill a few holes anyway. Surprisingly the ancient fasteners didn't put up any kind of fight.
The rear chassis is in great knick, and other than surface rust and a scabby top coat all the suspension components will do again. Checked all the part number etc and it's all still genuine Ford, even the dampers, which is nice.
I also took the tank down, again for access (and so I don't set it on fire) the tank is in great nick, as is the floor above it. A day without nasty suprises is a good day.
Also got hold of a few bits over the lsat few weeks:
Age correct headrests, just need the cushion inserts now (and for no one to realise they're the wrong colour
)
A nice P21 radio with cage and face plate trim thingy
And a set of footwell speaker pod blank kickplate doodahs without holes in like mine. Again I think the wrong colour but it should be too dark in the footwell to show it.
And now for a teeny weeny bit of excitement. As some of you may know I have been know to nail an engine together from time to time, so for years I've been collecting high performance N/A cvh parts, aftermarket, 905, 909 you name it. It's always been a little personal gripe of mine that the n/a cvh is always overlooked. But sensibility has finally taken over, time and money and effort doesn't justify the reward, so I went looking in my shed fro inspiration:
That'll do nicely. Had it a while, got it all cheap, never been sure what to do with it, nearly sold it a few times but never did. Figure I'll drop this in a totally standard looking XR3i and have some retro fun with a kick.
Thanks for looking. You can click the back button and go and read something interesting now.
16-06-2013, 06:57 PM
#74
Advanced PassionFord User
I really like what you've done to your XR3i yet. I also like the XR badged cars. RS ones might be faster, better, and more expensive, but an XR is always something different. And as you already mentioned, nowadays they're getting rare as everybody is after RS Turbos and RSis.
I also like the MFI N/A CVH and I hope you keep it. I had one in my XR2 for several years
01-10-2017, 08:17 PM
#77
Update
Hi All,
An update on this, I am said dad who brought this xr3i for "the frozen one" (he called himself that in honour of the Disney film , which is his all time favourite) but I digress.
When I got this for him it was an honest, straight tidy example, until he started taking it apart and 'borrowing' stuff from it for his S1 RS that he got at age 18 (he's 27 now), the RS is long gone and this xr3i has , as you know sat in a garage ever since.
As the thread title suggests he decided he was going to 'do it up' in 2013, alas his enthusiasm for it waned until one day, about two years ago he decided to give it back to me as a birthday present! A nice present indeed or an expensive liability, depending on which way you look at it.
So, I have it back, it was a nice present to be fair, which means I can revive this thread and see it to its conclusion.
Since the last post on it we( he does help with the resto) have been quite busy.
We have;
Removed the complete rear suspension, hubs, springs etc had it all blasted and powder coated, replace all the bushes with new poly items, new bilstein shocks and new springs and reassembled it so it now stands on it own back feet and not axle stands.
Removed front suspension, steering rack, drive shafts, hubs etc, pretty much everything, some is going to the powder coaters, other stuff is being replaced, we have a new steering rack, new shocks and springs, new brake calipers, new rod ends and a few other bits waiting to go back on.
We have the engine and gearbox out, the gearbox is being replaced with an S1 item with a LSD, this is currently at the local gearbox specialist for an overhaul.
The head is off and stripped ready for the machine shop and the block is dismantled, ready too for the machine shop (southern rebores used to be near me but the guy retired in September, just my luck).
I have a pile of new bits waiting to go on but the next job is to get the head and block sorted and put back together. I think frozen has some new pistons for it somewhere hence the need for a rebore.
I will continue to update and will get some pics sorted too.
PS does anyone have or know where I can get a dipstick tube for it, as I may have bent mine a bit getting it out of the block
Thawed
An update on this, I am said dad who brought this xr3i for "the frozen one" (he called himself that in honour of the Disney film , which is his all time favourite) but I digress.
When I got this for him it was an honest, straight tidy example, until he started taking it apart and 'borrowing' stuff from it for his S1 RS that he got at age 18 (he's 27 now), the RS is long gone and this xr3i has , as you know sat in a garage ever since.
As the thread title suggests he decided he was going to 'do it up' in 2013, alas his enthusiasm for it waned until one day, about two years ago he decided to give it back to me as a birthday present! A nice present indeed or an expensive liability, depending on which way you look at it.
So, I have it back, it was a nice present to be fair, which means I can revive this thread and see it to its conclusion.
Since the last post on it we( he does help with the resto) have been quite busy.
We have;
Removed the complete rear suspension, hubs, springs etc had it all blasted and powder coated, replace all the bushes with new poly items, new bilstein shocks and new springs and reassembled it so it now stands on it own back feet and not axle stands.
Removed front suspension, steering rack, drive shafts, hubs etc, pretty much everything, some is going to the powder coaters, other stuff is being replaced, we have a new steering rack, new shocks and springs, new brake calipers, new rod ends and a few other bits waiting to go back on.
We have the engine and gearbox out, the gearbox is being replaced with an S1 item with a LSD, this is currently at the local gearbox specialist for an overhaul.
The head is off and stripped ready for the machine shop and the block is dismantled, ready too for the machine shop (southern rebores used to be near me but the guy retired in September, just my luck).
I have a pile of new bits waiting to go on but the next job is to get the head and block sorted and put back together. I think frozen has some new pistons for it somewhere hence the need for a rebore.
I will continue to update and will get some pics sorted too.
PS does anyone have or know where I can get a dipstick tube for it, as I may have bent mine a bit getting it out of the block
Thawed
07-10-2017, 02:21 PM
#78
Hi All,
An update on this, I am said dad who brought this xr3i for "the frozen one" (he called himself that in honour of the Disney film , which is his all time favourite) but I digress.
When I got this for him it was an honest, straight tidy example, until he started taking it apart and 'borrowing' stuff from it for his S1 RS that he got at age 18 (he's 27 now), the RS is long gone and this xr3i has , as you know sat in a garage ever since.
As the thread title suggests he decided he was going to 'do it up' in 2013, alas his enthusiasm for it waned until one day, about two years ago he decided to give it back to me as a birthday present! A nice present indeed or an expensive liability, depending on which way you look at it.
So, I have it back, it was a nice present to be fair, which means I can revive this thread and see it to its conclusion.
Since the last post on it we( he does help with the resto) have been quite busy.
We have;
Removed the complete rear suspension, hubs, springs etc had it all blasted and powder coated, replace all the bushes with new poly items, new bilstein shocks and new springs and reassembled it so it now stands on it own back feet and not axle stands.
Removed front suspension, steering rack, drive shafts, hubs etc, pretty much everything, some is going to the powder coaters, other stuff is being replaced, we have a new steering rack, new shocks and springs, new brake calipers, new rod ends and a few other bits waiting to go back on.
We have the engine and gearbox out, the gearbox is being replaced with an S1 item with a LSD, this is currently at the local gearbox specialist for an overhaul.
The head is off and stripped ready for the machine shop and the block is dismantled, ready too for the machine shop (southern rebores used to be near me but the guy retired in September, just my luck).
I have a pile of new bits waiting to go on but the next job is to get the head and block sorted and put back together. I think frozen has some new pistons for it somewhere hence the need for a rebore.
I will continue to update and will get some pics sorted too.
PS does anyone have or know where I can get a dipstick tube for it, as I may have bent mine a bit getting it out of the block
Thawed
An update on this, I am said dad who brought this xr3i for "the frozen one" (he called himself that in honour of the Disney film , which is his all time favourite) but I digress.
When I got this for him it was an honest, straight tidy example, until he started taking it apart and 'borrowing' stuff from it for his S1 RS that he got at age 18 (he's 27 now), the RS is long gone and this xr3i has , as you know sat in a garage ever since.
As the thread title suggests he decided he was going to 'do it up' in 2013, alas his enthusiasm for it waned until one day, about two years ago he decided to give it back to me as a birthday present! A nice present indeed or an expensive liability, depending on which way you look at it.
So, I have it back, it was a nice present to be fair, which means I can revive this thread and see it to its conclusion.
Since the last post on it we( he does help with the resto) have been quite busy.
We have;
Removed the complete rear suspension, hubs, springs etc had it all blasted and powder coated, replace all the bushes with new poly items, new bilstein shocks and new springs and reassembled it so it now stands on it own back feet and not axle stands.
Removed front suspension, steering rack, drive shafts, hubs etc, pretty much everything, some is going to the powder coaters, other stuff is being replaced, we have a new steering rack, new shocks and springs, new brake calipers, new rod ends and a few other bits waiting to go back on.
We have the engine and gearbox out, the gearbox is being replaced with an S1 item with a LSD, this is currently at the local gearbox specialist for an overhaul.
The head is off and stripped ready for the machine shop and the block is dismantled, ready too for the machine shop (southern rebores used to be near me but the guy retired in September, just my luck).
I have a pile of new bits waiting to go on but the next job is to get the head and block sorted and put back together. I think frozen has some new pistons for it somewhere hence the need for a rebore.
I will continue to update and will get some pics sorted too.
PS does anyone have or know where I can get a dipstick tube for it, as I may have bent mine a bit getting it out of the block
Thawed
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turbo m (30-09-2018)
30-09-2018, 07:44 AM
#80
Advanced PassionFord User
Glad to see it being given some love again. Those wheels looks fantastic
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