hi all ive managed to get me photobucket account now and here is my 1985 XR3i. its black and brown (rusty!) its a custom model (yeah strange i know) its got all the custom model spec items and im the 2nd owner from new so i know its genuine!!!
the original owner was either blind or just plain lazy! it was absolutely standar when i bought it even down to the ford radio and mudflaps and other stupidly original stuff. when i bought it it was also sporting the normal rust ( inner wings, slam panel, rear inner arches and a bit in the rear floor and the front crossmember etc etc!) it also had a race spec engine (modified original) although it had standard brakes and suspension! even down to the rubbers!
so off it went to have the welding done and as you all know when you start you find more!!!! heres a small list!
inner sills outer sills inner and outer rear arches both rear floors and a little bit in the o/s footwell and the slam panel and surface on the battery tray (more of that later!!) then i used it to get to work and back for a week after the welding had bin done.
now the fun starts! the engine started developing the normal top end startup problem (RATTLE!) so i just had it serviced and hoped for the best (i'l get it done next week etc) i did'nt get it done cos i took it for a thrash one day and the bottom end went DOH!!!
so i phoned round getting prices for rebuild and got ridiculus quotes here and there £500-1000+ so i rang another place and the bloke said it'll be £560+ for the rebuilt engine but ive got a brand new one you could have for £500! and it was only down the road as a bonus!!!!
so i had it done and ran it in for 1000 miles (he said 500) just to be on the safe side. had it serviced again! ( id had it two months) and went to devon in it. 1000 mile round trip.
all seemed well until i took it for a B road spanking just to see waht we had and tap! tap! tap! bang! bang! bang! hiss! the engine seized!!!
it was 1 month to the day when i had bought the engine!!!
so i took it back and they said ring in 2 days.
i waited and waited and rang them and they said 'cant find owt wrong mate but weve put you another in!'
ive had it 1500mls now and no probs except losing me license
me own fault though being a lazy twat from the pub and yes ive learned my lesson
anyway to the resto. obviously im keeping it and its in bits as i type but its bin an interesting and eye opening experience to find out how bad the shell was bodged and im here to share and to ask a few questions myself.

firstly i took the wings off to cure the rot on the inner wings
this is the offside inner wing top

this is the bottom which is thankfully sound

at some point it had had a small but significant accident and had an offside wing and the owner had bodged the wing on

and this brings my first question. is there such thing as blue primer? cos this side of the car under the paint seems to be blue and it isnt anywhere else!
this is the nearside inner wing


as tou can see its not only rotten but stress cracked as well in the bootom pic.
and this pic explains why!!!

that was the surface rust on the battery tray concealed by underseal!!!

so ive took the dash out and found this little bit

and this is what it looks like inside now



ive also been doing little bits to make myself feel better and borrowed a few ideas from here and there



and now a dilemma what colour wheels?


the car is going to have a S1 kit and coilovers and maybe become silver cos white is a litle been there done that IMO. hope you enjoy me photo's so far and i'l keep posting. give us some encouragement and any ides will be much appreciated

 

Looking good fella, its a long hard struggle but well worth it

 

got your work cut out there dude , hope it all goes well mate,.

 

as said above you got your work cut out, but as long as you just stick to your guns and plod on it'll get there, and when it does it'll be soooo worth it

know how it feels to remove underseal etc and find rot and holes its soul destroying at times but once you cut it out and all you can see is clean metal it looks a million times better

look forward to the next update

 

thanx guys its nice to hear encouraging words rather than the girfriend moaning about 'the shed in the garage' and 'how much are you spending on that bloody thing this time!' ive got sum good news and bits coming 2moro. ive got scuttle panel, slam panel, both inner wings, front panel and genuine ford outer wings plus two genuine bumpers and lights and the light adjusters all for just £130!!!! all i need now is a welder
ive also got a mint S1 kit ready to fit (£240 including towing eye cover)
i also want sum 17" RS7's (doesnt everyone!) but then its probably going a little far on budget. i'l be in the garage today and i'l update 2nite so keep yer eyes peeled!!

 

good job mate

 

if you need any of the mfi set up give me a shout as ive just took it off my rs1600i

 

thanx red but mine is mint sum bits were in really good condition there was just the dreaded red stuff (orange??) it had taken hold due to bodged up repairs and crash damage. hows the zetec goin? where did you get your sticker set from? ebay?
do you know where i can get an RS16i crossmember and ARB steup from? im up now and i'l be in the garage soon. (i work nights-ive got two off!!)

 

bit of an update now ive bin at it since 7am! ive took all the carpet out and done some stripping to see what im up against with the floor, im pleasantly surprised its not bad at all!
its had some repairs alredy as i said but they were done to such a standard that it is still perfect here goes!
this is the o/s rear floor before i attacked it

this is it after i got them awful tar pads up

this is the o/s front floorwell

this is it after

i also found this and would like to know what it is for

i found this little bit of a bodge

and these in the rear seat framework panels

oh yeah and this is my S1 kit

this is the bootfloor (bit dusty but really sound)


see told you it was an XR3i

ive also got a set of these to go on the car when its done
and ive fitted me lights for you all to judge!


thats it for the mo im having me dinner. microwave lasagne
hope you enjoy the latest installment!

 

sticker kit was off ebay for 25 quid mate the zetec engine is built and sold, i just need to have it posted off to the new owner. for info on my car check the link in my sig as for the rs1600i crossmember and ARB setup, you'll just have to kee youre eyes peeled for things turning up on ebay and other for sale places. contact BROM off this forum as he makes something very similar to the rs1600i item i think.

 

coming along nicely marra nice to see the floor wasnt pretty good inside

 

DAL XR , is sellin a welder pretty cheap i think mate,.

 

sorted me welder now! me mates asked a favour and ive roped him into it! he helped build my mk1 escort and me mk2 so im in safe hands or should i say me car is!

 

Nice project ,like what you have done with the wheels

 

what courage must you have, in taking on this task
right, IMO go for the darker kind of wheemls, together with a silver colour will look superb

Weren't clover wheels for the XR3??? Not an XR3i??
Keep the updates coming

 

nah they were an option on XR3' and standard on XR3i's the XR3 got horrible wheel trims and most of the parts on a XR3i were standard on XR3i's the options on Xr3i's were standard on RS1600i's and turbos mine had a 5spd box and sports seats (which ive replaced!) they were covered the same as S1 recaros. it had driving and spot lamps (same as RS1600i') it also had the optional black paint (metallic was also an option caspian blue, strato silver, and nimbus grey i think)
mine also had opening rear quarter windows as per the turbo and yes they were standard as i have the original bill of sale! unfourtunately they were smashed and ive now got static windows on the rear and the catches in my garage

 

small update and sum new panels!!!!
ive stripped and now painted the floor and i am pleased to say there are no problems in thefloor or bootfloor except sum surface on the tank well underneath which will recieve a heavy dose of stonechip! right here we go!
this is the floors after painting


and these are my new panels

 

slight update again!

this is my old bodykit which is a ford motorsport kit anyone shed any light on it?

this is stamped on every panel

this is the complet(minus 1 arch) kit

an this is it on the car.
anyone tell me why this kit was produced or what it was orignally on? please tell me!!!!

 

oh yeah that sticker is the wrong pic this is what i meant!

 

All credit to you for bringing this motor back to life, I'm 15 months down the line from you with my saff and I don't regret it at all, the fun begins when you start putting it back together! The lads on here give Excellent support aswell so keep all your pics coming fella and Good luck!

 

thanx for all the support lads its really uplifting doing a bit more today on the car so i' try and post sum more before i got to work tonight
i didnt show pics of me new headlamps and adjusters and assorted other front end related stuff so i'l get pics up bout that! cheers oh yeah and someone let me know what that kit is? please please please!!

 

Cool man!!! I absolutely love the classic MK3 Escorts, it has such nice cool pure lines, like the MK1 Golf GTi

Keep up the good work mate

What about leaving it without the S1 kit and just keeping it looking like a XR3i? You see loads of S1 turbs, and look alikes but very few XRs these days, might be an idea if you want to stick out a bit

Let me know if you dont want the spats though

 

u can have the spats mate ive done the stansard look so im going to do the turbo with a twist look. its never gonna look like or be a replica of a turbo cos i dont like white cars (unless its a boreham prepped Mk2) its gonna be silver with 17" RS 7's and a few classy touches to make it stand out from the crowd. ( i'l be borrowing ideas from here and there but it'll be individual while retaining classic lines) thanx for the comments though (updates at the weekend)

 

hi everyone bit of an update now cos i havent done owt on the car as such cos of the weather and me mate not turning up
ive been busy with me dash cos i was a little jealous of you all for having nice dashboards and me just a standard one its not finished yet but here goes.
this is me masking up the area after making card up and roughening the sides for contact

this is the fibreglass after it was masked

this is the first filler before smoothing

this the filler smoothed and the holes being cut out

this is my gauges they are F+F the logo WILL change!!!

i dont know what to cover it in cos they're aint any flocking places near me
any thoughts on what i ought to do next? let me know and i'l have a go

 

this car brings bk so many good memories,ma dad bot a brand new 1 in 1984 on an a plate and it wiz black,he had 2 wait a while on his 1 cos the fussy bugger wanted leccy windows and it had 2 come from factory in germany,had a red stripe up it wi injection on front wing,il try and dig out sum old pics 4 u m8! look forward 2 c ing it wen finished!

 

My first car a B reg XR3I

 

this may be cut up for parts cos im getting a 90'spec XR3i now
ive got parts to get rid of like me genuine ford wings and S1 bodykit so Pm me for details