Harrison's Garage

[rob88h]

On 24/09/2023 at 19:43, rob88h said:

Harrison’s History #61 - Ford Focus Ghia

Hmmm. I appear to have accidentally bought myself another Focus. 

Bugger. It happened again. 

[rob88h]

Harrison’s History #62 - Ford Focus

It’s hard to keep track sometimes even though I’m living it. The day before I collected the Granada that I’ve not posted about in this thread yet, I collected this Mk2.5 Focus. The last car I got was also a black Focus, but it doesn’t seem like that was the last car as the BX only just left and the other black Focus went months ago. 

10 years have passed between this black Focus and the other black Focus, so I’m hoping it hasn’t bloomed in rust as much as the other crusty juggler. 

So then, why am I here again? It’s not some weird Cat N Focus perversion (well actually, it kind of is looking that way), it’s that I’m weak in saying no to cars “that are too good to scrap” but are nevertheless being scrapped. I have a real weakness for rescuing these vehicles into my vehicular based donkey sanctuary sort of way. 

This Focus, moderately rear ended (and written-off as a result), also is due its cam belt and needs some work on the exhaust. Any one or two of those complaints would have ensured it’s survival with its previous owners no doubt, but collectively the F**k-it towel is thrown in and I’m left soul searching as to why I shouldn’t save someone else’s car. 

And it’s filthy, inside and out. At this end of the market it’s close to “just scrap it” filthy. 

It’s a 1.6 petrol, less than 80k mile car and underneath a few jobs is a an car waiting to shine though.

I wasted no time and upon returning (almost) home I parked on a neighbouring street so no-one had to know it was mine and left it there 2 weeks while I instead collected another car and attended to a general life as if I didn’t own 7 cars. 

Well, I do , so I need to chip away at the collection and chose to start with some easy wins. The tailgate before was stoved in. Quite a high up impact in that beneath the bumper skin the crash  bar is not at all bent.

Facebook Marketplace breakers and a quick carpark changeover and we’re unblemished once again!

It only took a little adjustment to get the panel gaps acceptable and now we ride with a fancier Zetec rear end on this Focus Style. 

Remaining jobs are 1) to stress over the V62’d V5 because reasons. 2) look at what needs doing with the exhaust - rumour from the previous owner is the rear hangar has rusted off (to be fair my “main” Focus did that). 3) cam belt service and service service.  4) I hate making “clean it” a notable job, but oh boy cleaning it will be an undertaking. 5) probable odds and sods. 6) Sell and move on with my life. 

[sierraman]

Good A N cars those Focus. What’s craic with the exhaust? Has it gone on the flex? Hope it’s not the Ti-VCT with the twin cats as per Mk3. 
 

If it’s the exhaust hanger you can just weld a hanger on or as I’ve done in the past just ignored it. 

[Schaefft]

Very easy to understand the "too good to scrap" argument. I'm not saying that every base model Focus needs to be saved (there are too many more interesting and rarer cars that need saving out there), but when the opportunity comes up and you got the space, absolutely try your best. I don't even mind cleaning cars, its probably one of the more rewarding parts of it all. With an everyday car like this there might even be enough demand to make a little profit.

[HMC]

Great save! Nice to retrieve something the insurance  industry deems not worth bothering with. Looks tidy.

[greengartside]

Mind. Blown.

I follow a guy called Peter Marshall on Flickr. He has taken various shots of inner London in the 90’s and has captured a very interesting and fascinating insight into how life was back then.

Well, he’s just posted an image he took in 1995 of the Rockmount Estate in Greenwich.

And I don’t believe what I’ve just seen.

Ooo, a Sierra…

IT’S THE DIESEL!!! Holy SHIT!

[wesacosa]

Wow. Thats bloody cool.  Well spotted .  Going to have to find out where that was taken now as it must be near me somewhere. I already regretted not buying the car , now I really regret it as I could go and replicate the picture

 

[wesacosa]

Looks like Grosmont Road, Plumstead

[rob88h]

Thanks for sharing. It’s wonderful to see stuff like that.

That Sierra DieseL was epic. I do miss it.  I never found it too slow either.  Geared a bit like a taxi, it could get out at roundabouts just fine. Top speed was irrelevant as the limiting factor was the ear bleeding diesel clatter.

[grogee]

On 07/07/2024 at 22:26, rob88h said:

crusty juggler

Ha ha ha I watched a bit of Hot Fuzz last night, I'd forgotten how good that film was! 

[rob88h]

By mostly chipping away at readying the Focus for resale in the late evenings I have crossed the following off the to do list:

1) Cambelt**
2) Exhaust repair**
3) Deep clean** and polish**

**crossed of the to do list does not equal done, simply ignored. 

I had been been driving it round for a bit and it’s pretty nice. I did contemplate sacking off all the other rammel I have to live the simple life run just this bangernomics style. …Then the V5 arrived in the post on a particularly golden evening and I decided to snap some nice For Sale shots and the next day it was gone. 
Ah well, another one saved from a farcical insurance related death and a load of jobs I was going to do are gone from my mind and transferred over to the new owner. 

[mrbenn]

I can understand the temptation to keep it. I've got a virtually identical Focus, but a Zetec with another 40k miles on yours. I don't love it, but it does acquit itself admirably as an car.

[rob88h]

Harrison’s History #63 - Ford Granada

The day after I collected the Focus I went and picked up this beauty! I think it’s my first ever two-cars-in-two-days milestone.

I’m running a separate thread like I did with the BX. Lately I’ve more enjoyed following single car’s stories - and maybe after me it’ll stay on the forum a while.

I got it from HMC, who got it from his mystery bag of car hook-ups presumably. It’s wonderfully shabby and useable. Read on at the below link:

 

[rob88h]

Congratulations Focus! 1.8L petrol Duratec HE. Yes, much oil was burned in getting it here... 

[rob88h]

How are we back to head-torch-in-the-evening-car-repairs already! Sad face. 
Laughably, we made it all the way until about 200,008 miles before the car shat itself. 

New fault. Not had this one before! It drives fine during its tantrums and a quick Google has me sending the binnacle off for reconditioning. Dry joints on the main connector, TADTS. Fingers crossed. 

[rob88h]

We’re back in business with the Focus. Binnacle repaired and after some* test drives no faults have appeared 

The Volvo 440 meanwhile stepped up to full duties and gave many happy miles without incident, the stalwart Man servant. 

[sierraman]

A mate of mine has offered his 05 plate one in need of back brakes for scrap money. Tempted. 

[rob88h]

Delinquent thread update

Car hobbies have been dwindling in recent weeks thanks to the trifecta of little kids, moving house and work. And running. I do running now. Anyway, with a house move on the cards there have been realisations of rationalisation in the accumulation of crud I call a Fleet. First to go were all the Raleigh Runabouts. They’re ace little things, but with three project bikes that were always well and truly at the bottom of any to-do list I decided to let go and just buy a working one if I ever fancied them again. I wasn’t particularly attached to any of them sentimentally. I also sadly let the mk2 Granada go, now with Semi-C, as it was in the last-in-first-out slot and was the most instantly saleable thing (other than my wife’s car, haha).

 

 

 That leaves me with the Focus, Volvo (both now with MOT until 2026!) and the Mini as roadworthy and running.

 

 

 

The mk1 Granada and MX-5 are targets for this year. The MX-5 I keep having fantasies of scrapping, but it’s blocked in by the Granada which has ensured its survival thus far. The current plan is to trailer these two heaps to the new house (hoping that all goes through!).

 

 

 

With plans afoot to make these projects ready to move I’ve finally removed my head from the sand and accepted what a disaster my Garage is. Once I can get into it maybe I can do some work on the cars! At the very least it’s time to get rid of all the stuff that’s not coming with me to Harrison’s NEW Garage.

[Bren]

That Granada😍