FSO Cars UK

[skoda_fan]

Good grief. Another superhuman repair job already underway by Mr Cyanide. Am wishing now I'd kept mine and handed her to you with a fistful of cash, to work your magic. I'm in awe!

[CYANIDE STEVE]

Another gem we picked up a couple of weekends ago. A 1981 FSO Polonez. Unfortunately it had been mucked about with over it's 33 year life so is far from original. It has even been fitted with the XUD Diesel lump from the later FSO Caro! It drove fine though for a 33 year old FSO. 

 

The plan for this one is, in the short term we will use this as a donor for odd bits and pieces for the Green Polonez we are in the process of restoring from Scotland. You may have seen pics of it in the past. It had a few minor corrosion issues

 

Long term, probably in about 2 years time, we will restore this one back to it's original spec, including fitted the original spec 1500 FSO engine. We will also convert it to RHD too. 

 

 

 

[dollywobbler]

I'm starting to get slightly concerned that you're buying so many FSOs that the chances of buying one myself are somewhat hampered!

[KruJoe]

Reading between the lines... is this Polish acquisition gonna become the the "Loch Tay Monster"?!

 

[CYANIDE STEVE]

No, eventually the Loch Tay Monster and this Polish acquisition will both be on the road at some point. 

The green one should be on the road for spring 2015 and the blue one probably around spring 2017 

[KruJoe]

You have a busy year ahead then Steve!

[CYANIDE STEVE]

I'm starting to get slightly concerned that you're buying so many FSOs that the chances of buying one myself are somewhat hampered!

We've got to the stage now Ian, that we probably can't take on any more FSOs ourselves down here, so any more we find in the future, we are going to have to rehome rather than keep....A bit like the Cats protection league for FSOs.  

 

You have a busy year ahead then Steve!

I am fully booked up with FSO work until 2017! I've had to put a stop on any more work coming in that isn't already in the queue of work just to retain a little bit of what little sanity I have left. 

[Wilko220]

It drove fine though for a 33 year old FSO.

 

 

I know the natural thing is to think of these as having been shite since the day they were built - but I bet that Polonez looked bloody modern and advanced 33 years ago. Put that next to what BL and others were producing in 1981 and, in terms of outward appearance, it must have looked like the future.

[overrun]

Blimey. That's some brutal cutting of Caroline!

I know by now that you don't mess about, though.

[stuboy]

is it still sad id still like to own one again one day

[explosive-cabbage]

bit of what little sanity I have left. 

 

I didnt think you had any left!

 

You guys are mad!

 

 

[CYANIDE STEVE]

I made some good progress on Bennos FSO Caro diesel 'Caroline' today.

First of all I welded the new section of the shell in place after taking countless measurements.. Once I was happy this was in the correct postion and all lined up, I welded on the outer panel.

Next job was to trial fit all the lights and glass to ensure they all fitted ok.

Last job today was to fit the new exhaust front silencer, which funnily enough was a job I was going to do just before the Focus crashed into the back of it last year.

 

 

 

 

 

[phil_lihp]

Blimey, that's some excellent workmanship there.

 

It's threads like this that have convinced me that I'm going to have to learn to weld.

[KruJoe]

Hey, you don't even need to paint it!

 

Do you have a Pog-pink Escort Chairman lurking at the back there?

[CYANIDE STEVE]

Hey, you don't even need to paint it!

 

Do you have a Pog-pink Escort Chairman lurking at the back there?

The colour is a few shades out when you see it in the metal.

 

Yes the Escort is going for scrap. It blew a plug out of the head this week and the owners don't want to spend any more money on it. It is a bit of a heap

[Mr_Bo11ox]

wow super neat work. RESTECP!

[Lankytim]

Hey Steve, where are you based? I may know someone who would be interested in that scrote chairman. Is it petrol?

[CYANIDE STEVE]

East sussex. Yes it's petrol. It belongs to a customer of the garage in front of mine, so I'd have to ask them about it. Not sure when it's being collected for scrap.

[Lankytim]

Gah! too far away I think! Nevermind

[CYANIDE STEVE]

Update on Bennos Caro. Now ready for base coat and lacquer. I'll be painting this on Tuesday and Wednesday next week.

 

 

 

 

[KruJoe]

Look what you've done Steve.

You're gonna have to paint it properly now!

[stilo_active]

This thread is wonderfully epic! I really want one of these one day.

 

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk

[CYANIDE STEVE]

I sprayed the base coat on today. Lacquer going on tomorrow

 

[SambaS]

Nice one Steve!

[vulgalour]

I have maximum respect for these repair jobs.

[CYANIDE STEVE]

Caroline the FSO Caro 1.9 GLD is ready for her MOT and is booked in for Thursday next week and then she goes on to have her V.I.C check.

Just a reminder of what a state she was in on the first picture

 

 

 

 

 

[Shep Shepherd]

Superb!

[phil_lihp]

They probably didn't look that good coming out of the factory!  Superb work.

[Mr Lobster]

They probably didn't look that good coming out of the factory!  Superb work.

As someone who worked in an FSO dealership when the Caro was new, I can confirm that they indeed did not look that good.

 

Excellent work!

[CYANIDE STEVE]

Some of you noticed in previous photos there was an escrot chairman in the background. As I'd explained in a previous comment, it was due to be scrapped but now RichieG and I have in our infinite wisdom bought it

The original idea was to just sort the engine out as it has blown a spark plug out of the head leaving some of it in there, respray the roof, tidy it up, then sell it on. I'm not into buying cars just to sell them on usually as it's far more hassle than it's worth and as we have all experienced, there are far too many time wasting idiots out there.

Anyway, I have since found out that my Aunty is interested in it as my cousins little girl has Cerebal Palsy and now she is 10 years old and quite severely disabled she is getting a bit of a handful getting in and out of a normal car. So hopefully this will return to the road once I've tidied it up and repaired it for the use it was intended for Of coarse, this has now turned into a love job rather than a money making scheme but for a well worthy cause