Pumas made to order??

[STEAVIE]

I was chatting with a customer and came up with this idea, would people be interested in buying pumas already modified?? The level of which would be down to the new owners preferences but I'm doing one at the moment for a customer coilovers splitter exhaust etc. And taking his old car as a trade in. I might then modify that but its not easy to sell pumas at the best of time never mind a modded one?? Don't know if would be narrowing the market too much?!

If you cod have a Puma built you your price range and spec, would you be interested??!

 

[Hillzy2k]

Hey Steve, I was thinking about this a while back, getting hold of decent shells and building "ltd editions" or in combinations that Ford didn't offer. In all colours, all engine options from 1.25 to 2.0duratec or more, auto/manual, allsorts.
Just need a big barn and a few donors.

 

[JSP]

In a word, yes. I'm currently very happy with mine but I appreciate there may come a time to change/replace it and I'd like something similar or better to what I currently have, without the headache of getting bits done here and there.

I imagine that the issue would be by the time it's done it'd be pricey and as far as an insurer is concerned it'd still be a Puma. So you pay £6k or £7k and the maximum they'd insure it for would be about £4k.

But I like the idea, a lot.

 

[moondustka]

I got mine on an agreed value for twice that, and they said to ask for higher next year. Some insurers will be realistic, especially if you have a receipt for the work carried out by a garage. My particular insurer just wanted photos for the valuation.

 

[JSP]

Who's your insurer? As I'm with Adrian Flux and the most they'd offer me on my agreed value policy was £4,500 despite receipts for over £6k !

They said that regardless of what'd been done, it's the most a Puma could ever be worth. (Excluding FRP's, obviously).

So come renewal time I'd be interested in trying your insurer for a quote.

 

[AshLaw]

I wonder what Ford would think if "we" built a new Puma? Would "we" be allowed?

 

[moondustka]

Greenlight insurance, Liverpool Victoria are their undewriters.

They seem to value very modified cars sensibly.

 

[JSP]

Magic, thanks.

If you don't mind me asking, how much was the premium?

 

[Wild E. Coyote]

[post]349509[/post] I wonder what Ford would think if "we" built a new Puma? Would "we" be allowed?

In a nutshell - no. You will have to take down any badges denoting as a Ford if you modify it to heavily and start making some serious money. There is also a problem of homologation; puma was homologated as 1.4, 1.6 and 1.7 model. I am not sure how is your legislation in these matters (obviously not very strict) but that would be serious problem in my country or on Continental part of EU.
Finally, if someone (God forbid, but still) died in a crash because the car was heavily modified and that modification was found as the reason for a crash that would be very, errrrr - unfortunate for the builder. If there would follow some negative publicity (and I believe you guys have the worst press in the world, for that matter) that would label the car as a Ford (without bothering to investiagte further) they would hire an army of lawyers to distance themselves and to make your life miserable.....

 

[JSP]

I think that there's an element of scale that comes into play here.

From how I read the first post, basically the customer is buying a Ford Puma with any after market modifications he/she might like, already done. This is no different than buying a modified car from Autotrader, or purchasing a Puma and then taking it into a garage to have aftermarket mods done. So I don't see how Ford would have an issue, as once you own the car what you do with it is your business, as long as it's road legal.

Plus, the number of modified Puma's you'd sell, (in Ford's terms), would be insignificant so not really worth their bother I'm sure.

This didn't sound to me like a standalone business, set up to sell thousands of vehicles heavily based on the Ford Puma, but marketed as brand new. This would be a different matter completely I feel, and something I'm sure Ford would have an issue with.

 

[AshLaw]

As we know the Puma is an amazing car with an immense following (particularly as you don't tend to see probe and cougar followings in the same vain).

There are Kitcar companies in both UK and abroad that produce vehicles that look like the real thing (Ferraris, Lambos, etc.) - so would it not be possible to approach such a company and produce a Puma "Kitcar" (in the loosest sense of the word).

A rust-free Puma (utilising the lastest technology (carbon / alu bodies), newest tech, different engines, etc.

 

[moondustka]

I think that sort of car would cost tens of thousands to build.

The cheapest way is to modify existing with regard to the original post. I think the angle of question was from the engine conversion point of view - like companies offer upgrade kits for newer cars - this would be a bit more involved. In other words you say I want a puma with 2.0 duratec on TBs please or ST180 engine please from the latest Fiesta. Someone else might say I want a 2.0 Diesel or duratec turbo.

A lot of converted cars like this, however, have been built by the owner because of the cost in labour required to build something properly and make it reliable.

 

[AshLaw]

I really think Ford ought to get their heads out of the asses and build a new Puma - problem is these days you would probably be looking at a £50k price range.

Question with regards to another engine for a 1.7 Puma - would it take another engine from another company? Such as the 1750cc engine from the Alfa 4c?

 

[Wild E. Coyote]

The first law of engineering: What isn't there, can't break. (i.e. keep things simple)
The second law of engineering (applicable here): if the price isn't an issue, ANYTHING can be done (as Bugatti proves)....

 

[red]

I don't think a new (as in brand new) Puma would fetch £50k if it was in the same vein i.e. Fiesta based etc. Look at the Mustang and FocusRS - both sub £40k new.

 

[JSP]

A good way tu gauge price I imagine would be to compare the list price of the Puma when new against the list price of a Fiesta at the same point in time. Then apply the percentage difference to the price of a Fiesta today.

That shouldn't be too far off, as guesses go.

 

[red]

Not that it's likely to happen any time soon. :lol:

 

[JSP]

Exactly!

Mend and make do, being the order of the day for the foreseeable future unfortunately.

 

[Hillzy2k]

It can be done. One chap built his own puma a couple of years ago using brand new genuine ford everything and ran it on a RS turbo CVH. He was even able to have it SVAd and registered as brand new.
Another case is Cropredy Bridge garage near Banbury. They specialise in sales and restorations of Jensen Interceptors and Healeys,
For a price they will scratch build (from a donor) a complete custom Interceptor with all modern running gear, LS6 V8, bespoke interior, the full works. Comes out on it's original plate but otherwise it's an as new car. They drive great too! Price was in the region of £75k

 

[Hillzy2k]

Look up Jensen Interceptor S