Ford KA gone to KA heaven

[Marm Toastsmith]

Seeing  that Ka go round the track is interesting. Show's what putting the 1.7 Puma engine into something that weighs the same as a small Belgian waffle can result in fun times. 

 

I think there's a cheap Puma for sale on another forum at the moment too... Honestly I think it would be fun on a track as-is... but yeah, faster...yeah.

[vaughant]

They are extremely capable reliable cars, until last year I must have had one in the family since about 2005. My son learnt to drive in one, I've been to every job interview I've ever had in one (and got offered every job), done probably 60000 miles overall in these cars and while they aren't the most refined or comfy, they do everything perfectly, including rust.

Mechanically strong, VERY strong, rust like mad and that's what kills them.

 

This one however looks clean and in my experience W,X,Y,51 are the best years for rust, my 2007 one was rotten to the core, a 2004 one not so bad but still going in the fuel cap areas.

[PiperCub]

I hated them with a passion when new but find them more appealing as time passes. I'm aware of their issues but feel I'm going to have to own one sometime before they all disappear and we collectively start to miss them! 

[davehedgehog31]

I'm not a particular Ford fan, but these are excellent cars, I would absolutely have one but the rot puts me right off. 

 

It's amazing when you consider they were designed at a time when the Rover 100 was still one of the UK's best selling cars. The Ka still looks like quite a fresh design. 

[Aston Martin]

How come these were only available in silver, silver, silver and silver?

[Fabergé Greggs]

I have occasional use of (a silver) one of these, 18,000 miles with FSH and not a spot of rust.

 

It’s flipping ace man, and makes a pleasant occasional change from my selection of hanging chod.

[Marm Toastsmith]

How come these were only available in silver, silver, silver and silver?

 

Don't you remember the late 90s? Everything was silver.

 

All my cars (and motorcycles) have been silver recently as I find it to be the best value colour on the market these days. Which is a shame because really red is my favourite. Red cars are getting a bit old to be proper shite, they're "classics" now.

 

 

I hated them with a passion when new but find them more appealing as time passes. I'm aware of their issues but feel I'm going to have to own one sometime before they all disappear and we collectively start to miss them! 

 

When they came out they were the first interesting thing Ford had done in decades. This was pre Focus, and really at that stage, Ford's range was looking pretty dull and dated. I remember being blown away by it, a properly different "basic" car. Very brave project! It was headed by Claude Lobo, who also designed the original Capri... Check out the quotes below. Quite an interesting story - he had carte blanche to do whatever he wanted in order to create something completely new:

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Claude_Lobo#Ford_Ka_and_Focus

 

 

I would absolutely have one but the rot puts me right off.

 

This isn't all that rusty. It's much better than my £100 Mini was in 1997...Honestly I don't think it'll need all that much for an MOT but it depends who's testing it I suppose. Maybe a small patch on the sill, but if it does need it it's going to be a cheap or an easy one. A year's motoring in this isn't going to be costly if you're not bothered about cosmetics.

 

Main reason I didn't MOT it was the starter motor issue... and not really needing the Ka, as I say. My wife is currently refusing to drive a manual, and if we were going to have a second car in the family it would really need to be a small estate or van. Having this and the Beetle just made no sense... although if I'd had my way I would have sold the VW and kept this!

 

With that in mind swaps with cash your way considered (a small cheap auto or estate).

[Marm Toastsmith]

Any interest at £50?

 

Can't work out how to edit the thread title to show new price...

[Pillock]

Any interest at £50?

 

Can't work out how to edit the thread title to show new price...

If you edit your first post you should be able to change the title. Shout up if you've still got probs and we'll change it.

[AlabamaShrimp]

At £50 its a bargain! Shame it's so far away as I'd get it just for bits to go on mine even though I've driven it about twice

 

Tbh I know they are a love or hate car and although they do rust that can be fixed. They drive nice and being of the blue oval you know they'll all be gone soon then the prices go stupid.

[sierraman]

Eh? Drive it down the breakers, easy £80 minimum weighing that in.

[vaughant]

I got £140 from a local breaker (X2 kas so £280) came and collected it, don't waste your time, scrap is going up fella, capitalise on it.

 

Cash in my account within an hour or so.

[sierraman]

Let's face it, its not going into someone's hands who will be bringing it back to glory.

 

Frag it and drain whatever is in the tank.

[purplebargeken]

Sadly no storage space is available as I would have taken this on. 

[stephen01]

Passed my test in one of these nearly 16 years ago, my sister had one which turned out to be rotten as fuck,

 

I genuinely like them, they are very capable little cars, it's a shame that young uns don't want to start with a cheap 2nd hand motor, they are just to basic for the ever demanding young new driver.

 

I'd live to take it on, because in 20 years I'll reget passing up in the £50 scrapper that's now featcing stupid money.

[AlabamaShrimp]

If there's one thing we can guarantee on is that in 20 years it'll be the Ka and Puma bringing in stupid money.

 

 

Which is why although I already own too many broken cars I can't afford I don't think I'll be selling my Ka any time soon.

[egg]

How about change the starter motor (on the Bay for £35 refurbished) and then pop it in for a test and see what's what? Friendly tester might put it through.  Apparently need access from above and below to change the starter tho.

 

[sierraman]

If its the same as a Focus 1.6 I have one in the loft.

[Marm Toastsmith]

How about change the starter motor (on the Bay for £35 refurbished) and then pop it in for a test and see what's what? Friendly tester might put it through.  Apparently need access from above and below to change the starter tho.

 

 

 

Thanks! Yep, it's a good idea, and £35 is less than I'd assumed. I reckon it might well go through the test OK, pretty sure there aren't any actual holes in it...

 

The thing is I've not really got time to mess about with it at the moment, but if nobody expresses any interest this is probably what I'll do sooner or later. IMO it's too good a car to scrap, but the economies of it are what they are.

 

Not in any great rush to get rid of it anyway., I'd just rather it was on the road than sat on my mother in law's drive. She says it's OK to leave it there though, and in fact there's an empty garage it could go in.

 

Could always put it away for 20 years. Or save it for the kids to learn in (ten years)...

[Marm Toastsmith]

Saw the Ka today and felt sorry for it. Maybe I'll fix it... Unless anyone else wants a go?

[chancer]

Fix it and love it...i colleced mine from jonathan-dyane last week and out of the 4 available cars here its the one i always grab the keys for. These defo need saving...basic no frills motoring at its best

[phil_lihp]

I'm very tempted to volunteer for taking this on...I do like them a lot and have never owned one but honestly cant think what I'd actually use it for.  Hmm.  Would go quite well with the Focus.

[Guest SholingUteMan]

So good to read some of the comments on this thread. I thought I was the only one who could the KA becoming a future classic ! To my mind the MK1 KA is everything the "new" Mini should have been. I once worked in the local docks driving cars on and off of ships ,out of the cars I drove I always liked the KA best , so when a couple a months the wife said she would like a little car to run around in.... I went searching for a KA. I found one one with 16K  (2002) on the clock and not a spot of rust. 1 old lady owner since new . They are a great little car, get a decent one while you can ... they are the Morris 1000/ Mini ... of the future... wait and see

[phil_lihp]

They do have a charmingly simple, slightly dated appeal, whilst also looking every bit like a product of that turn-of-the-millenium era.

[bezzabsa]

no tow bar or trailer

and I hate driving in that there  L-on-don with a passion!!!

[Marm Toastsmith]

I hate driving in that there  L-on-don with a passion!!!

 

Yeah, obviously, but 2 things.

 

First it's only just in London as long as you approach from the north - just off the A10 and outside the north circ, really not that awful from the M25 as long as you don't come at the wrong time.

 

Second, hating driving in London is a reason to buy it - this Ka is a tonic for that ailment.

 

...

 

Anyway I've pretty much convinced myself I'm going to keep it.

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

So good to read some of the comments on this thread. I thought I was the only one who could the KA becoming a future classic ! To my mind the MK1 KA is everything the "new" Mini should have been. I once worked in the local docks driving cars on and off of ships ,out of the cars I drove I always liked the KA best , so when a couple a months the wife said she would like a little car to run around in.... I went searching for a KA. I found one one with 16K  (2002) on the clock and not a spot of rust. 1 old lady owner since new . They are a great little car, get a decent one while you can ... they are the Morris 1000/ Mini ... of the future... wait and see

 

 

Indeed, and some folk hate them like folk used to hate BMC 1100's. They themselves were rusty old shit at 6-7 years old with some appalling reliability issues and often a right bastard to work on. Now there are so few left they are becoming a classic because, despite the rust, the rust and the rust, they were so much better than crap like the 105E and HA Viva.

[GrumpiusMaximus]

It's either:

 

i) Break up with Lady Grumpius, find somewhere else to live pronto only having just moved into our newly-owned house with mortgage, etc. bearing in mind I earn the square root of sod all.

 

Or

 

ii)  Buy the Ka.

 

What a horrible dilemma...

[Marm Toastsmith]

I've still got this... I'm not going to fix it. I want something else...ideally a convertible, or a van that I could sleep in. Would give it away really to someone nice and/or genuinely up for saving it, or even better swap for something (preferably not another broken car), a bicycle? A musical instrument? A tape of your favourite LP?

 

A replacement starter motor for one of these is ridiculously cheap. And anyway, last time I tried it started fine anyway. Then (maybe) a patch on a sill and you have an MOT. Maybe the tester won't poke it too hard and it will go through. I haven't poked it too hard, I can't see a hole.

 

Did I mention it's got Eibach springs, new shocks and 2 new front tyres. Handles like a go kart! It's generally a well looked after example and by my standards drives like a brand new car.

 

I just don't want to have to deal with the scrappers. It'll make me sad.

[phil_lihp]

Oh go on then, I reckon I could give this a home for a bit.  I'll PM you.