Essexman's Mk2 Granny estate, Slow progress......

[Bren]

TBH I think I would rather have a pinto engined granada than a carb fed cologne.

 

They are a bit lethargic to say the least - the fuel injection makes a world of difference.

[EssDeeWon]

A few years ago I nearly bought a B reg 2.3LX saloon. It was really basic, and the 2.3 V6 was gutless! I'm sure the 2.0 was actually faster! This one didn't have that steering wheel either, so it must have been limited to base models.

I don't know why I didn't go back with the cash for that LX, only £500! It was very solid too. I think it ended up on the oval in the end.

A mate of mine had a pre facelift diesel (ex taxi) this was basic as you like too. The engine died in it and he lobbed a 2.0 pinto into that. Certainly made it quicker.

 

My dad had an A-reg 2.3 LX way back in the late 80s. I think it only had front electric windows.

[warren t claim]

In 1978 the Granada Ghia was the only Ford fitted with electric windows and even then only in the front.

[danthecapriman]

TBH I think I would rather have a pinto engined granada than a carb fed cologne.

They are a bit lethargic to say the least - the fuel injection makes a world of difference.

The carb fed cologne 2.8 V6 is fine, honestly! Mines a 2.8 carb with an auto box and it's pretty quick, even with nearly 200k miles on it. Personally I avoid the injection models, once the injection stuff wears or breaks they are more of a pain than a carb, and the power output isn't that much more.

 

 

That green one on the previous page is Highland Green, Vangaurds do a model of one in that colour, I've got one here!

[HMC]

Small update

 

There a lot of collective knowledge here about old fords, thanks for the info! It seems that L's may not have had overriders in 1982- there's non on the rear of mine but a pair on the front bumper.......

 

 

 

 

I say 'on' they wernt actually attached, more hooked over; no holes in the bumper for the fixings, I could remove them with one hand, and off they stayed....

 

 

 So its one small step closer to povo level. Also think a bulb may be out to the left, but the lights do look feeble!

[Shep Shepherd]

Shepfact: the headlamp reflectors on mark 2 Granadas are identical to mark 2 Cavalier ones. I know this is true, as I read about it in Car Mechanics in 1995

[greengartside]

Check this out - 1982 MY Granada 'L' estate specs...

https://www.flickr.com/photos/61090099@N04/6986844077/sizes/o/

[twosmoke300]

I think both headlights are out but the drivers sidelight bulb is blackened

[Richard]

If it still has 40/45W Tungsten bulbs you should be able to improve output by fitting 55/60W Halogen conversions.

[Junkman]

The only way to improve Granada MKII headlights is by fitting auxiliary ones that actually emit light.

[Taff]

TBH I think I would rather have a pinto engined granada than a carb fed cologne.

 

They are a bit lethargic to say the least - the fuel injection makes a world of difference.

 

I had a carb'd cologne in mine and I don't recall it being a slouch. Then again, I never drove the injected Granny so can't compare.

 

I broke mine up after 9 months smoking about and transplanted the entire running gear into a model t hotrod before selling the remains to bloke who sent it round the oval. Does this make me a bad person?

[worldofceri]

Does this make me a bad person?

 

You built a hot rod with insufficient cylinder count.  So, yes.

[HMC]

In a bit of a quandary re wheels-

 

Presently- Ghia alloys, crappy tyres, one front wheel is either badly in need of balancing or may be bent.

Options-

 

1. Leave as is. Replace tyres as required. Not original and has a bit of a wannabe higher trim level vibe. The lazy ( and cheapest) option.

 

2. Source some OEM steel wheels. Trouble is I think they've mostly been binned/ bangered toward extinction, and they came with some ( presumably unobtanium) centre caps, without which IMO they would look crap.....

 

3. Lob some mk3 granada 24v wheels on. Ive got a few lying about already. They're 16 rather than 14in, are a much less fussy design and I recon suit the chunky bold mk2 styling well. They are a bit wider which won't help the non assisted steering, have an identical rolling radius to the standard steels and gives it a bit of a king of the 90s council estate look ( not a criticism- bit of nostalgia for me growing up TBH)

Tried one one for size earlier for comparison ( ignore the half flat tyre)

[Shep Shepherd]

I'd keep the alloys it came on. After all, they were available as official Ford accessories back in the day

[cort16]

Are the wheels it came with metric? I like the slabs too.

[HMC]

No these arnt those TRX ones, just 14 inch ones. Maybe it's the masses of sheet metal at the back but the 14 inch wheels do look quite small from the rear 3/4 view. Then again from what shep said the ghia alloys being a dealer option makes them seem less out of place now. Hmmmmm decisions....

[xtriple]

Ghia alloys for the win! They look 'period correct' and were (as said before) a pukka option when new.

 

They suit the car, leave as is.

[Jon]

Personally, the larger alloys have been done to death, most likely because they replaced TRX wheels. The 14" Ghia ones look OK though the steels you've got your eyes on are only £10 at the moment, so worth a punt if they stay that price, as perhaps a banger racer may be able to help source the centre caps? Or, these options are on Ebay at the moment:

 

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Ford-granada-mk1-Ghia-14-inch-Alloy-wheels-/252005404580?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item3aacb14fa4

 

MkI but still worthy. However, be king of the council estate with these:

 

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FORD-GRANADA-mk1-2-wheels-/201374958725?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item2ee2e20485

[Largactil]

 

But I too prefer the steels - eBay rims worth a punt, and try and source a set of centre caps from the oval boys...

[cort16]

venoms 

 

[danthecapriman]

I'd keep the Ghia alloys it came with, but keep looking for a really nice set of original spec steels and caps. Or try to find a set of steels from a pre facelift Granny, the ones with the black painted bits on. They are a nice looking wheel IMHO.

If you can find a banger racer with some they might even do you a swap. They will use alloys or the steels, probably favouring the alloys for their scrap value after they've smashed them up!

[twosmoke300]

Keep the ghia alloys , look fine to me

 

Oh and if you need tyres pm me some sizes and I will see if I can get them cheap for you . May be worth a drive to cornwall

[Angrydicky]

Steels all the way. They look great, and EVERYONE swaps them for alloys on their Granadas. Should be able to flog or swap the Ghia alloys quite easily. The later wheels look really crap IMO.

[HMC]

Did a bit of digging about its recent history. Although registered originally in Reading, it gravitated toward Dagenham and was registered to owners in Dagenham in the early 2000's I found a screwed up receipt from that time for cheap 20w50 in the boot from a local motor factors- it does smoke like a good'un on start up presumably tired valve stem Oil seals. It was then off the road for 10 years until surfacing on e bay last year, a stones throw from its spiritual home of Arena Essex Raceway.....

 

 

Somehow despite not going for a lot of money, and MOT-less it avoided being ovalled and found its way back onto the road.

[Shep Shepherd]

^

It looks so right with the alloys and roof rack in that photo

[HMC]

I did a final mock up after pinching a wheel off the mk3 granada, there was an auction ending tonight on a set of the 24v alloys and I was sharpening up my sniper's finger....

In the end thanks to your input and looking at it with these later wheels on I reallised it wasn't the way I wanted to go with it. As several of you have suggested, I recon I'll keep the Ghia wheels it arrived with, maybe for good but ill keep an eye out for a set of steels. How far do you go with "originality" ? I assume the roof rails have been added later but taking them off will leave holes in the roof. Plus its possible the ghia wheels it came with were a dealer fit option. So for now I'm just going to leave RRX exactly as it is.

[Shep Shepherd]

I reckon that the roof rack was fitted by a Ford dealer when the car was new or nearly new; I wouldn't have fancied trying to fit it myself!

[CHRIS1980]

The headlights on my Frontera were shameful candle in the wind style. So I changed them for the Rally bulbs from helfrauds and made such a difference that people flash their lights at me even when I don't have high beams on. Could be worth a swap on the bulbs you have. It's been a long time since I saw one of these on the road. They look like a very bloated Cortina 80s....note I didn't say mk5

[Taff]

Whatever you do, please trim those leylandii before they start to weep sap

[HMC]

This is still around, lack of time meant its been shoved into the garage.....

 

 

And had assorted items stacked around it. All the makings of being forgotten and subsequently headlining in Bonham's 2040 barn find auction in Monaco, still with my oily fingerprints and crap over it/ in it.

Except I decided to pull my finger out and make some progress....

 

The tired Weber 32/36 DGAV (with automatic waterchoke for those that do not speak weber) was ditched and a lower tech 32/36 DGV (manual choke) was fitted. This necessitated simplifying the route of some coolant hoses and adding a manual choke cable etc.

 

If only the rest of the car was as nice!

 

Granada+pinto= lots of engine bay with no engine in it. (The engine is in the middle of the photo if you are struggling to spot it)

 

The tyres have had it and need replacing before it returns to the road. The MOT is up in December and with quite a bit of building work at the house about to start I'm about to loose vehicle access to the garage soon, for a few months. Maybe it wiil end up in a 'barn find' auction in 25 years after all? Failing that I hope to have it on the road for Shitefest '16....