Rightnider

That Ford van… I want it. Had the old buses been driven there? They look a bit stationary.

Congratulations!

You’ll be fine!

Car from the past #8: 1983 Ford Granada 2.8 Injection Since my old friend @Nibblerhas started writing here, I need to step up! When working as a cab driver, it was easy to keep an eye out on Uppsala's diminishing fleet of 70s and 80s Fords. This one, LUR153 was a stunning one-owner car when I moved there in 1999, but fell into the wrong hands and just a few years later it was standing unused in a car park. It may have been 2002, I contacted the owner, and asked to buy it. He was offered £50, which was accepted. I can't remember what was wrong with it, but it must have been something minor, as I remember I drove it home, and that it sailed through the MOT. I used it for some time, but it was horrendously thirsty, more so than any other 2,8 I've had. It was generally in decent condition otherwise, had Recaro seats and all, including a cassette player and a Cat Stevens tape. Fun fact: I forgot the keys to the car in the car for one whole week, on the parking outside the block of student's flats where we lived. Not only that, the keys were actually in the driver's door. Such was the demand for old Fords back then. It was later sold to a cousin, he used it for some years. It is now owned by the chairman of the Swedish Cortina club, so there's still hope for the old "LUR".

My favourite tool! This must be one of the last Mk1 Capri's ever to be sold by its first owner.

That’s a great car, Nibbler! If I’m not mistaken I’m behind the Honda in the collection picture?

I don’t know. Maybe he had a lot of red paint and wanted a car that looks like a hot rod from underneath? I can’t make my mind up whether I’ll stick with the original colour, metallic blue or, to go for Cardinal red which is perfect for an 80’s sporting Ford in my opinion. It will never be an unmolested original car, so I’m leaning towards the latter.

Subconsciously you want it to be a Honda!

Welcome Nibbler, old friend! I do think your Aygo is a Toyota… 😉

And, while I’m at it, why not change the old 14 inch wheels to my favourite alloys for the mk2 after original TRX wheels. The previous owner has done a lot to it, he also likes red.

The Granada has been out for a bit of Sunday tinkering. Replacing the dreaded 2.8i boot for the fuel distributor that always cracks. And obviously the ‘good one’ is showing signs of being on its way as well.

Hello and welcome Nibbler! Great to have my best old friend here as well! I’m quite sure the Saab was a 2-litre, and I definitely haven’t had another one, even though an early Turbo would be very nice. I think you were driving the first time the lights cut out, it was quite scary!

Car from the past #7: 1992 Ford Escort 1,8 D CL I know the Mk5 Escort doesn't have a massive following, and it may not be the sexiest car ever produced. But in 2002 or 2003 my then GF, now wife, was going to study about 70 miles away. We needed something thrifty. And this is by far the cheapest car to run I've ever had. If I remember correctly I paid roughly £500 for a well worn German import with 250,000 miles on the clock which needed quite a lot of TLC and a new timing belt. But with that sorted it went on to be quite a nice aquaintance. It was not quick nor refined, and it was a reluctant starter during winter. But it returned 56 mpg overall, and diesel was cheap back then. We put 40,000 miles on it, and I sold it to a friend who did another 40,000 in it before it went to greener pastures.

Car from the past #6: Mercedes E 280 T CDI Bought in 2019, sold one year later. A lovely car to drive, but quite needy in terms of repairs. Injectors, rear air springs, brake lines, the list went on. We never really got on together and I was happy to see it go. Sold at a substantial loss.

I’m certainly none of those. I didn’t do any thorough background checks on the previous owner, but he didn’t strike me as an oligarch. But who knows?