XR2 Project

Hi everyone,

I've been MIA for a while now but i've started selling nova bits and thought i'd do a thread (for anyone who actually cares) on what i've been doing for the last 5 years ...

This XR2 does have some relevance to the Nova world, it did belong to a friend and old-school member from here; Steve Jura - who i recently learnt has passed away. He sold me the XR2 for a very modest amount, which had been in his family since new under the premise that "i know you'll look after it" the least i can do is make sure i continue to do this .

This is what it looked like ... before i left it in a barn for 4 years

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...k/IMG_1567.jpg

This is what it looked like afterwards ... (10 points to the person who guesses the shell in the background)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...ps961a3c4c.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...ps2441a9fc.jpg

A low temp steam clean and it looked ok - At this point i thought it was probably brown bread. Off it went to the body shop to get the verdict of how viable it was to repair.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...ps60dc254d.jpg

This is what they found .... On a 40k car

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...ps3a4785d8.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...ps4529b8ea.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...ps70a32375.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...ps6a19b747.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...psef7f1a18.jpg

After haggling a quote, which was pretty substantial . I decided to proceed and have everything done properly. The chap who did the work is impeccable, primarily they replaced arch lips, inner/outer sills and rebuilt the rear beam mount / spring seats with hand fabricated panels. All panels i sourced were genuine Ford and this stuff does not come cheap .

It got Painted . We decided to retain as much of the existing paintwork as possible as it came up really good and i didn't have the budget to pay for a whole respray, plus i want to keep the originality of it as it's never going to be an A1 concours car, just a well loved, used and cherished one. At their level of quality it would have been more thousands that the car is worth.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...psd6acd069.jpg

The finish is fantastic, i really struggle to see that it's been painted and i'm quite particular.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...ps135d126a.jpg

Genuine Rivet kit bought ... Body kit back on

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...ps573f8213.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...psf370897e.jpg


Pirelli P6000's aquired. These are hard to get hold of ! The fiesta comes on P600's , or P6's for the earlier models. Steve told me to make sure it always has P6000's on it, so it does.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...psb61f29f3.jpg

After 5 litres of new fuel, it fired up first time. I picked it up and drove it 300 Miles to its new home in portsmouth after it had been run once and driven 1.5 miles in 4 Years. Here's how it stands now.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...pse3cc009e.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...ps94b50247.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...pse81aa4f1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...ps5c7abbf8.jpg

I'm sure someone will notice it's got a parking ding in the door, the sunroof surround is a bit scabby and the wheels desperately need doing , but i love it and it's looking good for 25 years old .

Lessons Learnt
Genuine Ford stuff is expensive
Genune Ford stuff that also came on an RS is extra expensive
Fords Rot , really badly.
Spend more on your bodywork and paint, because it's worth it.

Nice to see a progress thread on it. Saw it in your garage that late Sunday night but never really had a proper look.

Great to see it being used.

That's stunning really nice example

Great job..:thumb:

I have a soft spot for the XR2..

I had a mint Mk1 back in '89/90 (subsequently stolen)..

It remains one of my favourite cars...

Anyway, well done, it looks fantastic...

love it :)

Nice ( yes I do actually like a ford lol)

Looks good, I love mk1 Supersports tho

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Edd

Nice ( yes I do actually like a ford lol)

Looks good, I love mk1 Supersports tho

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the Mk1 has a much better front end , but i'm stuck with this .

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Nick

the Mk1 has a much better front end , but i'm stuck with this .

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Well you're 'stuck' with a cracking car...:)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Edd

Nice ( yes I do actually like a ford lol)

Looks good, I love mk1 Supersports tho

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My ex's brother had one, in silver with the stripes up the side. I'm going back what, 16 years like so it could of been green with spots.

he bought it off a woman who's husband owned it. When he died it was chucked into a barn, with the windows down, and chickens. Lots of chickens. So many in fact that when pulled out of the barn it looked like 1 big chicken ****.

Saving grace for the ford believe it or not as the chicken **** had saved the usual places from falling off. It was no minter but great nick. A lot of money spent at the local valeting place and he was away.

My only real memory of driving it was shocked how spiritedly is was, 1300 iirc?

Oh, and grey clocks??

Looks great!

My friend owned a red mk2 XR2 on an F plate, the last one sold at a local Ford garage, told him not to sell it (many years ago) but I now have his white Mk1 Supersport in my garage, which I store for him!

I was almost tempted by a Mk1 1300s on ebay a couple of weeks ago..

You can still see it o completed items..

Yellow with the deck chair interior..

But in the end I didn't bite as I'm trying to keep away from Fiats & Fords for now..