Project 1975 Ford Granada Coupe - Lots & lots of tinkering

[balford]

Absolutely gorgeous. A credit to you, sir.

[TripleRich]

Blimey! Already onto the next page in 2 days!  Glad you guys like the car and have enjoyed the thread so far.  It's been a crazy amount of work but I'm well pleased with it.  The car is only part of it, all the skills learnt and stuff I've been able to do while building it.  Good fun, an experience I'll never forget.

This thread might be quiet for a few weeks while I finish the polishing and wait on the weather to improve.  Don't fancy going out right now in all those salt ridden puddles!

In the meantime I'll try to answer some questions...

• What's it worth?  Super nice ones can fetch upwards of £25k
• What you spent?  I'm not sure but it's probably a little over £15k certainly no more than £20k.  Despite doing almost all the work myself things like storage, sundries, blast/powder coat, rack refurbishment, parts, upholstery, tyres and machining all cost a few quid.
• If you were a customer?  Including vat you'd be looking at about £80k once you factor the hours into the costs above.
• Are you terrified of using it?  Not at all, it's meant to be driven.  I'll avoid bad weather and heavy traffic where possible but I want to drive and enjoy the car for what it is.
• Thought getting the car into TV/Film work?  Not really but if somebody wants to drive it through some cardboard boxes I'd chuck them the keys.  Certainly not against the idea.
• What battery is that?  Its a regular lead acid battery with the correct ford style terminals.  I put some stickers on it from DMB graphics for that period look.
• Take it to shows? Yes of course, not all the time but I'd certainly like to display the car at the odd show.
• Where's the car from?  Germany, imported to the UK in 1985.  Sold from a dealer in Bentlage originally if the sticker in the back window is correct.

[Banger Kenny]

I. Like. This.

Congratulations on a fantastic job - this probably isn't the best Mk1 Granada in the country.

 

It's the best one in the world.

 

Thankyou for sharing here.

Looking forward to seeing you looking awkward next to it in a glossy car mag in the future.

[Talbot]

29 minutes ago, TripleRich said:

If you were a customer?  Including vat you'd be looking at about £80k once you factor the hours into the costs above.

Blimey.  My guess above for an insurance valuation wasn't far off.

[NorfolkNWeigh]

Obviously a stunning job and if that is really only £80k worth of work then you need to put your prices up. I know a man that spent over £120,000 on a Triumph TR4A restoration that started with a nice £20k car and when it was finished is definitely not concours, my favourite bits were the ashtray stuck in with blutak and the garden hose drains visible in the arches.

Oh, you should tell the bloke with the Sweeney Consul where you got your tyres from, that looks like it’s on 185/70’s. Spoils the whole car.

[TripleRich]

Here's some pictures taken over the past 26 years.

1994 or close to it.  Taken by Steve my boss at a show.  Car came off the road not long after this was taken.  Stickers relate to a charity run it did to Euro Disney or Disneyland Paris with some other cars.

2005 arriving with Dave the previous owner.  Had sat in a garden from the mid 90s to 05.  Non runner at this point due to failed water pump.

Engine removed around 2006 or 2007, not sure.  Unable to weld Dave begins collecting panels and parts for the restoration.

2015.  Dave takes the car apart some more and starts to discover how bad the rust is.

 

Unable to finance or take on the metalwork Dave sells the car to me in 2016.  

Early stages of fabrication shortly after I realised I wasn't getting this done over a weekend.  

2 years later.  One of the most enjoyable jobs after completing most of the metalwork.

Early stages of paintwork.  I found this perhaps the hardest and most challenging part of the restoration.

The most memorable moment for me hundreds of hours later was building and fitting the engine.  Being able to see the car sit properly on the suspension for the first time was very welcome on a cold Thursday night.

[puddlethumper]

If there were 12 pics of the build with the final one of it parked in front of some 70's building and it became a calendar I would buy one. I'm sure there are a few others who would as well.

[eddyramrod]

I thought my Cyprus Granada was a nice one, but... wow.  I mean seriously WOW.  If you read my Life in Shite thread you might infer that I've gone off Granadas after my experience of two 25 years apart, but this one could seriously turn my head.  It looks purely gorgeous.

Well Done.

[bezzabsa]

That is gunna confuse a lot of Granny Ford Lickers  being the 2.3 LOL

Must admit I drove a 3.0 coupe the day I passed my test and all I can remember was the noise and how big the bonnet was!!

[beko1987]

14 hours ago, TripleRich said:

 

• Thought getting the car into TV/Film work?  Not really but if somebody wants to drive it through some cardboard boxes I'd chuck them the keys.  Certainly not against the idea.
•  

Excellent, we'll get collecting them and see you at the FoD in the summer! 

[Coprolalia]

Absolutely amazing work to a beautiful car.

This has got to be a 2020/21 highlight of Autoshite.

[wuvvum]

Where did you get the tyres from?  If I ever get my Volvo back on the road I'm going to need a set (or at least a pair) of 175R15s and they don't seem to be easy to come by nowadays.

[Spottedlaurel]

Wondrous! Truly a joy to see it having got to this stage.

[DSdriver]

This is the 21st century equivalent to the apprentice pillar in Rosslyn Chapel. Don't let your boss sneak up behind you with a lump hammer.

[Datsuncog]

Crikey, what a ride. It's been a real privilege, and a genuine pleasure, to watch this car come together and regain its former glory. And thank you for sharing it all in such detail with us; an object lesson in patience and dedication!

[TripleRich]

On 2/10/2021 at 8:01 PM, wuvvum said:

Where did you get the tyres from?  If I ever get my Volvo back on the road I'm going to need a set (or at least a pair) of 175R15s and they don't seem to be easy to come by nowadays.

Longstone Tyres.  They do all sorts of old style tyres in uncommon sizes.  Vintage Tyres and Brockley Tyres are also worth checking out.

[Tickman]

I have to ask, what next?

Is there another car you would consider? 

You will have a huge amount of free time on your hands if you don't get something else.

[2flags]

This is a fantastic job you have done there. It really is a tribute to your dedication and skills. What you have there is a work of art.

[Out Run]

Apologies if already covered, but are you EverArd Junction on YouTube @TripleRich?

[TripleRich]

On 2/14/2021 at 4:49 PM, Out Run said:

Apologies if already covered, but are you EverArd Junction on YouTube @TripleRich?

Yes that's me.  I'll be doing a video on the car once I get it out on the road. 

[TripleRich]

On 2/12/2021 at 7:15 PM, Tickman said:

I have to ask, what next?

Is there another car you would consider? 

You will have a huge amount of free time on your hands if you don't get something else.

I've don't have any plans for another car straight after this project.  I'm going to enjoy the Granada and get my weekends back. 

Another car project will probably happen at some point.  I like most cars so would consider almost anything.  

[TripleRich]

After some very valuable tuition from a professional detailer I've had another crack at the polishing.  I'm now much happier with it and look forward to getting out on the road.

Its certainly not pebble beach but its good enough for me.  Not bad for somebody who hadn't painted before.

[GrumpiusMaximus]

That should come with an NSFW warning.  Phwoar.

[Spottedlaurel]

1 hour ago, TripleRich said:

I've don't have any plans for another car straight after this project.  I'm going to enjoy the Granada and get my weekends back. 

Another car project will probably happen at some point.  I like most cars so would consider almost anything.  

Errr, after your self-imposed lockdown working on this wondrous thing you probably don't realise that there's no such thing as weekends at present.

Fancy a small, RWD, rusty Datsun?........

[beko1987]

The beading porn on that will be fantastic! What wax are you sealing it in with? 

[EssDeeWon]

Lovely.

Everard Junction?

[Out Run]

4 hours ago, TripleRich said:

Yes that's me.  I'll be doing a video on the car once I get it out on the road. 

Fantastic, mate. I look forward to the vid.

I have been subscribed to you for a while, I love the scrapyard. Never knew it was you, until you sneaked in the footage of your Coupé.

Where do you find the time?!

[Formula Autos]

9 hours ago, EssDeeWon said:

Lovely.

Everard Junction?

A brilliant YouTube channel Rich runs - mostly about his ever-evolving model railway, and sometimes about this Granada. 
 

Well worth a look if you’re into either subject.

 

Recent uploads have included the building of a chod-tastic scrapyard as part of the model railway.

[Twiggy]

14 hours ago, TripleRich said:

After some very valuable tuition from a professional detailer I've had another crack at the polishing.  I'm now much happier with it and look forward to getting out on the road.

Its certainly not pebble beach but its good enough for me.  Not bad for somebody who hadn't painted before.

 

No, it`s not - it`s better !

[adw1977]

On 18/02/2021 at 21:05, TripleRich said:

 

It looks absolutely stunning.  This is such a great thread and it's brilliant to see all your hard work come together so beautifully.