Ford Fiesta - launched 40 years ago today.

[r.welfare]

I think he means the Mk2 is basically a Mk1 with a smoothed out front and rear.

[AlabamaShrimp]

Ah! Sadly it's a bit more then that they have some different bits underneath too but I can see what he means.

[AndyW201]

Only ever had one. F260 FHH, a white 1.4S, exactly like the one pictured.

It was the first half-decent car I had after a few post-driving test shitters. It went extremely well with that nice hrrrruuuummmmpph! sound you also got from XR2s of the period.

Pretty well specc'd with the 1.4 engine, 5 speed box, XR2 spec Weber carb, the S also got slightly firmer shocks and the rear anti roll bar from the XR2. They looked the part with the XR2 bumpers and front fogs with some of the finest wheeltrims known to man.

Weird spec inside though, with the XR2 dash and steering wheel, but popular plus seats and only the shallow centre console. My sister had a 1.1 festival at the time and that had better seats!

I loved it though, insurance was a fraction of what it would have been for me with an XR2, but the S was far rarer and not that much slower.

[Negative Creep]

I've never owned one, although kind of feel duty bound to at some point. Most of the ones I've driven were mk.3s, which were easily the worst of the bunch with horrid ride and steering. Place I used to work for had a diesel van which apparently had something like 360,000 miles on it. One of the worst things I've ever driven, with an MOT that looked about as legitimate as a Nigerian election result. It just kept going though.

[danthecapriman]

I've only owned one Fiesta, a B reg 1.3 Ghia mk2 in Paris blue metallic with blue velour interior. It was rough but was a good little car. I loved it and wish I'd kept it now.

 

We've had a few in the family, grandad had a mk1 1.1L. My sister had an S reg 1.4 Ghia which absolutely flew then a W reg 1.3 base model and her current car is a 54 reg 1.25.

My dad had a 60 reg 1.4 diesel and my mum now owns a 16 reg 1.25.

It's safe to say as a family we rate the Fiesta highly!

 

 

My Grandad's one was written off. He came around a bend in it and an oncoming artic lost it's load of concrete drainage pipes! One of them rolled down the road and his Fiesta hit it head on.

Apparently it stopped the Fiesta dead and threw it off the road into a field. Grandad got out of it with barely a scratch. Though I think it that was more down to luck than the car being much good!

[AMC Rebel]

Being the sad sack I was/am, it used to amuse me (back in the day) spotting how many of the earlier Fiestas were running around with a later tailgate fitted.  The early ones were flat, but the later ones were more styled with a recess for the reg plate.  I guess there must've been a point where Ford stopped producing the flat ones and any cars that got damaged just got fitted with the later replacement - I used to see loads.

 

 

 

 

 

[bub2006]

I had a c plate 1.1 pop plus around 12 years ago. Cream paint, brown vinyl roof and brown tweed style scratchy seats. Paid 30 quid for it. Great little motor. Terminally rusty though.

[twosmoke300]

My wife had a brick red ( sienna red?) mk1 1.1 pop plus when I met her . Her dad put the mk2 brakes etc on it . Was pretty rusty so we scrappaged it on an aygo ! Kept the 5 digit Cornish plate tho

[TRW]

I never owned one. I used to occasionally borrow my late mum's MK3. A 1992 1.8DLX. It was DIRE.

 

Was that the same Diesel unit they offered in the likes of the Sierra and Orion?

 

If so - Jesus Christ, that was called motoring in the early 1990's.

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

My wife had a brick red ( sienna red?) mk1 1.1 pop plus 

 

Terracotta.

[Braddon81]

I've never owned a Fiesta....remember though picking up all the blurb from my very local Ford Dealer in Mumbles what must have been 40 years this week. My mate inherited his 1978 L from his mum...which we used to ride about in back in the late 80s. Later Fiestas have never done much for me.......but a full Amber Gambler spec Mk1 R plater green with Ghia/S spec optional alloys would do me a treat!

[TRW]

I've never owned a Fiesta....remember though picking up all the blurb from my very local Ford Dealer in Mumbles what must have been 40 years this week. My mate inherited his 1978 L from his mum...which we used to ride about in back in the late 80s. Later Fiestas have never done much for me.......but a full Amber Gambler spec Mk1 R plater green with Ghia/S spec optional alloys would do me a treat!images (10).jpg

 

Was there a Ford dealer in Mumbles? Never knew that!

[Braddon81]

Was there a Ford dealer in Mumbles? Never knew that!

Yep! Castle Garage. It was located between the Tivoli and the Tennis courts where the shopping arcade is now, I've still got my dealer stamped early Fiesta brochure from there.It closed its doors around 1980. Plenty of memories of shiny Daytona yellow Mk2 Capris and Escorts, the sliding showroom doors were nearly always open!

[twosmoke300]

Terracotta.

A quick google shows it was Sienna Brown . I remember saying to the fil that it was terracotta but when he got paint it was deffo sienna something he had to get