Rightnider's past and present - Mercedes S210 test tour and Mk2 Granada progress

[Rightnider]

Thanks for a warm welcome! As I wrote in the 'introduce yourself' thread, I've followed this forum for several years. I've made an attempt to be a little more active before, it ended with saying hello in the beforementioned thread. Now I'm starting with a brand new login and a strong determination to contribute! I live in the south of Sweden, and have been buying, driving and selling cars since before I got my license in 1996. There's been a lot of Fords, the only reason being my grandfather passing on his 1975 2-litre Granada 2-door saloon to my mother when he stoppped driving in 1985. Fords have always been frowned upon in Sweden where Volvo's and German have a strong following, as well as american cars, but all in there own socio-cultural habitat. Old RWD Fords have been the choice of yank-enthusiasts to thrash in winter time.

I plan to use this thread to remember my past fleet and share some of it with you.

So what does the fleet look like today?

This is my daily driver, a 2012 Mondeo 2.0 TDCI. It's the newest car I've ever had, and I bought it in december 2020 when I thought I was going to get a long commute for work. It turned out the opposite, I can now walk to work when I have the time, so this will be sold within the next months, though sadly missed as I like it a lot. It might be replaced with a Mk3 Mondeo petrol estate, and it may well be bought today.

It's been fairly dependable, I've had to replace starter, battery, brake discs, fuel filter housing and rear brake calipers. 

 

[Rightnider]

It happened! I’ve just bought a replacement for the mk4 Mondeo.

It’s a 2006 Mondeo 2-litre petrol with 48,000 miles on the clock. Bought from its second owner, son-in-law of the first. It’s been treated to new oil and filter every year despite low mileage. Not perfect but overall decent condition. To be picked up next weekend, as I didn’t have an extra driver with me today. 

[Rightnider]

Enough with the new stuff. I've got some old cars as well.

First up is a couple of interesting ones. The white Granada 2,8 Injection one was bought late 2020. It was advertised quite close to where my parents live for approximately £300, and I managed to get it transported home to my parents as part of the deal. I was quite convinced it would be shot, but it had Recaro interior and the other Injection specific parts left so I bought it just to use as a donor car...

Which was lucky! A couple of months  later I managed to source this one!

A 1983 2,8 Injection which has been restored in the late 90's with new genuine Ford panels. It doesn't have the Recaro interior, and the gearbox is four speed, probably from a 2-litre Granada since reverse is on the left of first. A genuine 2,8 box should have it on the left of second. Anyway, that's all right since I've got all parts needed on the white one. Did I mention that the engine is recently restored, bored, new pistons and everything and a fast road Kent cam?

I drove it home last summer, circa 200 miles, and it's very slow, would easily be taken for a 2-litre, probably down to leaking hoses and lean mixture. 

It also features a home built 'sports exhaust' which sounds deafening and horrendous. It also needs proper springs to make it look normal. The price was alright to say the least, approximately £ 1,200, including  a vast amount of spares, brand new Ford front wings and a set of  RS alloys, the seven inch model. 

 

[Rightnider]

Time for a car from the past. As I said earlier, most of my previous cars have been Fords. This was one of them. I bought it in 2005 when we were living in Uppsala. It was a 1984 Escort 1,6 Laser with 25,000 miles on the clock, and it had been standing for 17 years. I bought it from the widow of an elderly man who had just passed away. The story behind it was that he had smashed the side of the car into something, denting the front wing, door and rear wheel arch. The owner didn't have full coverage and thought the cost of repair was to high, so he bought a new Escort instead and just put this one in the garage. I bought it, replaced the dented parts and had the side painted in lovely beige. I also had the privilige of replacing the orginial timing belt. 

The car was used for family duties, touring around the south of Sweden when our first child was just a year old. It was quite fun in town as it didn't weigh a lot, but obviously not great for motorways.

When checking it now, it is still owned by the same person I sold it to in 2008, but it's been off the road since 2010. Last recorded milage was 55,000.

[stuboy]

beautifully beige

[Eyersey1234]

Phoooaaarrr they are all chodtastic. 

My grandparents had 3 red Escorts in a row in the 80s, A reg (1983) , C reg (1985) and E reg (1987)

The E reg was bought when my grandad went in to buy some oil and came out with a new car. 

[Rightnider]

3 hours ago, Eyersey1234 said:

Phoooaaarrr they are all chodtastic. 

My grandparents had 3 red Escorts in a row in the 80s, A reg (1983) , C reg (1985) and E reg (1987)

The E reg was bought when my grandad went in to buy some oil and came out with a new car. 

The mk3 is such a nice car, I understand your grandad. I’ve had an ‘81 GL and an Orion as well, I hope to find pictures of them. 

[Eyersey1234]

4 hours ago, Rightnider said:

The mk3 is such a nice car, I understand your grandad. I’ve had an ‘81 GL and an Orion as well, I hope to find pictures of them. 

He liked new cars. They had a several Fords themselves over the years, a 1955 Prefect, B reg Anglia Estate, D reg Cortina Mk1, K reg Escort Mk1, T reg Fiesta Mk1, then the 3 red Escorts, two Citroëns, a H reg BX then a J reg ZX then back to Ford for their last car, a M reg Fiesta which became my first car in 2006

[Shite Ron]

I am looking forward to updates, I am a big fan of 60’s, 70’s and early 80’s Ford’s. Your Granada’s look great, I like the 2.8 injection a lot and would love to see more pictures. I have a mk1 and early mk2. Cortina’s are my favourite car ever, especially the later models. The prices you paid sound great and like 20 years ago in the UK. 

[Rightnider]

Thanks! 
 

The plan for the 2.8 is to give it a respray this year. I’m not aiming for showroom condition, I want it to be a good usable car. 
 

To be fair, the prices I paid were very good for being in Sweden as well, but I didn’t offer,  just paid what the seller asked. 
 

Having said that, the Swedish market for old Fords is very small. We haven’t had banger racing, but most Fords have been sold to Norway, Holland and Germany where they’re more in demand. 

[Rightnider]

I can now reveal that I will be making two collections this weekend, one of the previously mentioned Mondeo, as well as another one, which will be kept a secret until it’s picked up. Maybe another thread?

[Rightnider]

This 1978 Daimler Sovereign was bought just over a year ago. The story behind it is a little odd. From what I've understood it had a full respray, new front wings and other things done to it in the UK, then sold to a Swedish guy working in Britain. Soon after that he, for some reason, had to "rush" back to Sweden for a new job in the year 2000. On the way home the exhaust fell to pieces and a lot of money was splashed out on a brand new full stainless steel exhaust, and it sounds lovely.

It was then put in a garage and left there, until it was sold in circa 2014 to a Jaguar enthusiast in Ystad, where "Wallander" is from.  And yes, the new owner was a cop. He was planning to have it registered in Sweden but never got round to it. When I found it advertised a year ago on a Swedish Jaguar club website it had been for sale for more than six months. I bought it for £ 1,300 which seemed fair, but I've obviously had to so more than I first anticipated.

It is now on Swedish plates and MOT'd, but the speedometer angle gear on the transmission side has broken (again, is there anyone who has one?), and there is a lot of small jobs to do. The interior needs to be put together properly which it isn't now.

It's a good looking car, and it runs fine but it might have to go. We'll see.

[High Jetter]

3 hours ago, Rightnider said:

This 1978 Daimler Sovereign

OOF! Bit smokey though.

[Rightnider]

Haha, yes it is. It’s sorted, runs a bit leaner now. 

[Eyersey1234]

11 hours ago, High Jetter said:

OOF! Bit smokey though.

Hasnt anyone told it smoking is bad for its health? 🤣🤣

[Rightnider]

It's quite a heavy drinker as well.😀

[Rightnider]

Car from the past #2

The first car I bought after I got my licence 1996 was obviously a Granada. And not just any Granada, it was a 1975 3-litre GL estate. I think I paid £300 for it. It was quite rough around the edges, and had been welded up around the front inner wings in a not very delicate manner. But it was mine, and it ran beautifully thanks to having been given a reconditioned engine less than 50,000 miles earlier. 

Obviously, I ruined it by trying too much. Just days after buying it I gave it a full service including new air filter. For some reason I removed the air filter housing,  not realising that I dropped a washer into the carburettor. You can imagine the result. Lots of clattering. I was sad. 

The upside, however, was that I had to source another engine and replace it myself, paying for someone to do it was out of the question. My parents have always been absolutely indifferent to cars and mechanics, so I had to figure it all out myself. This was great, I learned a lot and gained a lot of confidence when it came to tinkering on my own. 

The 'new' engine was never as good as the old one. The oil pressure wasn't inciting confidence, and it was quite rumbly in the bottom end. I drove it for a year or so, not too much though due to its fuel consumption. It was put into storage and replaced the engine a second time to a very good one. I sold it a few years later, it may have been 2003. The buyer was going to restore it, but it ended up in a compound in mid Sweden and was scrapped a couple of years later according to my research. I still miss it, I think it is one of the greatest Granadas of all. 

[Dick Cheeseburger]

22 minutes ago, Rightnider said:

 

 

Thanks for sharing! You've managed to find some great cars over the years. What a shame your '75 Granada didn't survive for longer - at least it did better than most of its counterparts here in the UK! 

Cracking photo above. Have you ever seen the Dukes of Hazzard? If so, you'll know exactly what I mean! 

Looking forward to updates. 

[Shite Ron]

That is a fantastic first car, I wanted a 3 litre GL Granada as my first car but the best car I could insure at 17 was a 1.6 GL Cortina. I could not afford insurance on anything bigger until I was 19. Roman bronze is a great colour too, my mk1 estate is also Roman bronze but is a 2.0 L . I love your Daimler too, it is a great colour and also has the best wheels for a series 2. You have very good taste in cars, keep the updates coming, I look forward to your posts.

[Missy Charm]

20 hours ago, Rightnider said:

This 1978 Daimler Sovereign was bought just over a year ago. The story behind it is a little odd. From what I've understood it had a full respray, new front wings and other things done to it in the UK, then sold to a Swedish guy working in Britain. Soon after that he, for some reason, had to "rush" back to Sweden for a new job in the year 2000. On the way home the exhaust fell to pieces and a lot of money was splashed out on a brand new full stainless steel exhaust, and it sounds lovely.

It was then put in a garage and left there, until it was sold in circa 2014 to a Jaguar enthusiast in Ystad, where "Wallander" is from.  And yes, the new owner was a cop. He was planning to have it registered in Sweden but never got round to it. When I found it advertised a year ago on a Swedish Jaguar club website it had been for sale for more than six months. I bought it for £ 1,300 which seemed fair, but I've obviously had to so more than I first anticipated.

It is now on Swedish plates and MOT'd, but the speedometer angle gear on the transmission side has broken (again, is there anyone who has one?), and there is a lot of small jobs to do. The interior needs to be put together properly which it isn't now.

It's a good looking car, and it runs fine but it might have to go. We'll see.

That's a lovely looking car!  I've been to Ystad and have visited the television studio, the Sekelgarden, a System Bolaget, a supermarket and various other places.  I didn't get murdered either, which was somewhat disappointing.  

[Rightnider]

@Dick LongbridgeThanks! Yes, I’ve seen parts of of Dukes of Hazzard, and I can see what you mean… 😀

@Shite Ron Insurance is overall cheap here compared to the UK. Especially if you live in the countryside as I did when growing up in the south east of Sweden. Do you have a Roman bronze mk1 estate? That’s super!

@Missy Charm Ystad is a lovely little town. Were you on a trip just to see the setting of Wallander or did you visit other parts of Sweden? 

[Missy Charm]

We were prompted to go by Mankell and stayed mostly within the vicinity of Ystad.  We went to Copenhagen for the day as well as Smygehuk, Malmo, Kalmar, Oland and a few other places.  My parents later returned and went to Stockholm, although I've yet to go there.  I'd go back, certainly.  Are you a bit further north?  

[Rightnider]

I live just outside Höganäs, some 60 miles north of Ystad.  I grew up on Öland, though. 

[Shite Ron]

2 hours ago, Rightnider said:

Do you have a Roman bronze mk1 estate?

Yes, this is it:

 

And this is my mk2 2.8 GL saloon:

[Rightnider]

Wow! A fantastic pair of Granadas. I do like the early mk2 better than the late. But they’re rare now. 

[Rightnider]

Car from the past #3: 

When we moved to Öland in 1985, my mother was given this 1975 Granada 2000 2-door saloon by my grandfather. He had realised his bad eyesight made him unsuitable for driving. She used it until 1991 (when she bought a Mk2 estate instead). It was quite rusty, as they all were, but I liked it. A neighbour in the village had a 3-litre Ghia, and I realised  there was a plethora of models to choose from, and this was the most basic one available in Sweden. Bad luck! It was put in storage in 1991, I got it back on the road, maybe in 1998. But then, there were so many nicer ones to choose from, and the prospect of six cylinders and plush interiors outweighed the sentimental value, and it went back into storage. I sold it at the same time as the 3-litre estate. It's had a hard life since then I suppose. It now on its 16th owner, who's had it for five years, last in use in 2017.

Here's a picture from when I saw it advertised some ten years ago, it was then green.

[Rightnider]

Current car - 1969 Jaguar XJ6 S1 2.8 auto (August 2020 - present)

I've always had a soft spot for Jaguars, and the S1 XJ6 is simpy the best looking of them all. I remember going to a Toyota dealership in the eighties with my father. He was going to buy another Tercel or Corolla. In the used section was a red 2.8, and it was probably half the price of a new Toyota. The eight year-old me couldn't understand his logic when he went for a new car. Maybe I still don't. 

In the summer of 2020 I wacthed a video on the surviving press fleet Jaguar XJ6 and thought to myself 'I've got to have one, before it's too late'. Within minutes I had found this one on the Swedish equivalent to Gumtree, "Blocket". It was located in mid-Sweden, so I asked my trustworthy second cousin who lives there go and have a look at it. He did, and said it was relatively solid. It's been used as an enthusiasts' car since 1979, first by a father, the inherited by his son who was the seller. We reached an agreement at approximately £ 2,500. My second cousin picked it up, drove it home and had it MOT'd for me, and I went up by train to pick it up. 

It's decent, with a rather sorry looking paintwork which it was given in the late 80's or early 90's according to the previous owner. I've treated it to new dampers, breakerless ignition, refurbed the carburettors, a second hand stainless steel exhaust and a refurb of the seats. There is probably more, I just don't remember now. 

It is a very nice car to drive, not at all as sluggish as people suggest. The engine has a very nice tone and loves to rev. 

It's quite early, I think it's the 350th LHD 2.8, registered on the 10th of July 1969.

More pictures to come.

[Shite Ron]

You have excellent taste in cars or similar to mine, which is the same thing in my opinion 😀

I love the Jag and agree the series 1 is the best looking, I also have one but not as nice as yours. Yours is the same age as me.

This is the best picture I can find of mine, I am not a great photographer.

[Rightnider]

Haha! Your S1 looks good to me! Is it auto or manual? Lovely Cortina. Is it an ‘S’?

There are more cars from my past about to be revealed. That might make you reconsider your views on my taste in cars… 😉

[Shite Ron]

The Jaguar is a 2.8 manual with red interior. The Signal Amber Cortina is a 2.0 S manual, the picture flatters both cars, they do not look so good close up but I will sort them one day, I have just insured the Cortina S and mk2 Granada for the year so hope to use them a bit more.