Love it or loathe it Fso Polonez . .

[Wilko220]

 

Am I right in thinking that this has the later rear that inspired the Caro, rather than the original rear. I'm sure for a short while in the late 80s/early 90s the Polonez had a Polonez front and a Caro rear.

 

Original Polonez rear

 

 

Later Polonez/Caro rear

 

It's the only model of car I can think of to have, in later life, an arse lift rather than a face lift...

[Richard]

I looked at an A plate Polonez in early 1991. It was advertised in the local shop as a "1500cc car", no make or model, for £100 or £150. I went to look at it but didn't buy it because it looked a little crispy even for me. There were no actual holes but the sills seemed to be uniformly rusty and I could have put my finger through any part of them.

 

I'm still trying to work out whose yard it is. It looks like it could be Mr Grumpy/James Dillon's.

[ProgRocker]

Wow, excellent! Looks like a tidy example too.

 

I've always had a perverse admiration for the Polonaise. Will look forward to reading about this.

[boobydoo]

The quality of cars on here just goes up and up all the time! That's fabulous!

I excitedly got out my late '80s FSO colour chart and can confirm that the colour is Lagoon Blue.

[AnthonyG]

FSO Matiz?

 

 

Daewoo bought the FSO factory sometime in the late 1990s. For a time you could buy Polonez based light commercials badged as Daewoos - I think Lukas off OJC has pictured a couple in Austria, including the crew-cab vam thing like the one in Mr B's Polish ads.

 

When I worked in a Hereford scrapyard in the mid 90s we would get the odd F/G reg 125p or Polonez in, a good five years younger than anything else in the yard, including Ladas/Skodas. They were worthless after a couple of years.

[Pillock]

At least the scaffold bar appears to have saved it from damage lifting it by the windows, can't see much out of line on the side pics.

I know this is said a lot in jest, but "I've taxed worse". Seriously.

[Richieg]

Cheers Guys!

Boobydoo that is great about now knowing what the colour is as i didn't know that and will need to know when she gets the rust removed properly!

I need a brochure myself actually . . think i will look on Ebay in a bit!

In all fairness to this car it isn't that bad considering i bought it from the first picture on page one and you can't see any dents or rust but i am over the moon with it,i am just praying i can get the bumper repaired by a specialst as i don't know where i would find one now?

 

chat soon

 

Richie

[carlo]

Great stuff, my old man had a wonderful brown 'W' reg, must have been one of the first out, when he was a trader in the eighties. Loved the interior, is it right the seats don't fold down?

[Split_Pin]

The early Polonez's didnt have a folding rear seat, but soon got one.

[eddyramrod]

The rear seat didn't fold on early models, but by the time mine was built (86) they'd rectified that. It did make a rather good van.

[Vinylseats]

I need a brochure myself actually . . think i will look on Ebay in a bit!

 

There seems to be quite a few for sale! I'd completely forgotten about the 125p ESTATE!

 

Just a few examples:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

http://shop.ebay.co.uk/i.html?_nkw=fso+polonez+brochure&_sacat=0&_dmpt=Automobiles_UK&_odkw=&_osacat=9801&_trksid=p3286.c0.m270.l1313

[eddyramrod]

Oh now really, how could you forget this????

Nearly as big as a Volvo in the back, you can definitely lie down...

 

I used to have most of the brochures shown, but I think they died when we cleared off. Now that I'm moving again, I'll have a look while I'm packing, but I don't hold out a lot of hope.

[Vinylseats]

^^

That's a proper man's car. I wish the budget brands were still like that, rather than the likes of the tiny Peroduas.

[eddyramrod]

I've been a hospital in-patient just once, for nearly two weeks in 1986, and while I was in, that's what my dad bought to replace his Marina that I'd smashed up (not the reason I was there, btw). It did bloody good service! And yes, this is exactly what you should still be able to buy for next to nothing: a strong, comfy, subsidised family car. These plastic shopping trolleys they do now are just too shite for words. In a bad way.

[In The Pit]

Good call on saving the car it had to be done. A couple on one of the farms in the village bought a FSO 125P pickup in red on an F reg they had it for years but they do seem to take good care of their cars, they currently have a purple MKIII Astra.

[ProgRocker]

^^

I wish the budget brands were still like that, rather than the likes of the tiny Peroduas.

 

I'm hoping that Dacia import the Sandero and Logan to the UK as well as the Duster 4x4.

[qwerty]

You sir are my hero! Fantastic save!

[stoterstangen90]

I have 4 new brakediscs for the FSo

[greengartside]

What an epic car to save! Take a bow young sir! Keep us updated with progress on this beastie!

[Autoplas]

In the later 1980s someone where I was working bought one of these new, in white, and had a lift home in it a few times.From memory,it had an Autoplas on the hatchback screen.

 

It was without the worst car I have had the misfortune of riding in, definitely not comfortable as someone on here as said. Sorry but I can see no point in sentimentalilty for badly built cars constructed out of substandard materials to outdated designs.

 

Still, each to his own.

[Richieg]

Hi Guys,

Just a little update ,i went to go and see my Polonez which is being stored with my good friends on the Norfolk border and we gave her a wax and clean up to make her look presentable,we turned the engine over by hand and it actually turned by hand even though it had a spark plug missing and a carb she hadn't siezed up which was fantastic!!

Anyway here are pictures taken today of her and the funniest thing was looking for my friends new place and we came across the Polonez with this in the window! i did laugh lol

 

Next step to get the new carb i managed to source which is worth more than the car and a new battery plus leads,plugs,oil,filters plus antifreeze and fingers crossed she will spring in to life again??

 

Cheers

 

Richie

Ps i am in the pic with the duffle coat and my friend Craig was polishing the bumper just so my friend Craig doesn't get tarred with the same mental bloke brush lol

[ladalout69]

Ha Ha, I was there !!!!. She is a super machine and I can't wait to have a go of it. It will be compared with the superior Lada Riva, as the owner of four Lada's, it will be interesting..............

[Richieg]

Ha Ha Ha !

I forgot to tell everyone what happened when i was standing by the drivers front wing when you turned the engine over by hand when it spat petrol watery stuff straight in my face!! pmsl!!

[trigger]

Ha Ha, I was there !!!!. She is a super machine and I can't wait to have a go of it. It will be compared with the superior Lada Riva, as the owner of four Lada's, it will be interesting..............

 

Can't just come on here and say that!, We need photos! (welcome BTW!)

[pogweasel]

OMG FSO.

 

also

 

OMG SHERPA!!!!!!!!!!!1!

[Alexg]

Great stuff! I really cant wait to hear if she will spring into life

[Richieg]

I will keep you posted Alex i promise!! lol

cheers

 

Richie

[boobydoo]

_

Ps i am in the pic with the duffle coat

 

 

PEDANT:

 

Duffle Coat:

 

 

Parka:

 

[scooters]

well done mate .....!!!!

 

that is what it is about - insane car save!!!!

 

you can stick yer MG up yer nose!!

[dollywobbler]

Sorry but I can see no point in sentimentality for badly built cars constructed out of substandard materials to outdated designs.

 

Still, each to his own.

 

How will future generations know just how awful they were if we don't save a few? Is it really any worse than an Austin A35 or Ford Sidevalve? Yes, it should be a lot better, given that it came along a lot later, but every car no matter how awful deserves to be saved. I'm sure the buyer is under no impression that this might be a good vehicle. That isn't really the point of this forum!