Go Big or Go Home!

[gimmickyflea]

**Long post alert**

So, I am embarking on a huge resto mod on my faithful and trusted Puma just so long as MOT next week doesn't reveal the floor is about to drop out!! Anything else we can deal with because she's been kept well maintained during our time together. There were no corrosion advisories last year so fingers crossed all will be well because.....

New wheel arches have been ordered via Ex-pressed Steel Panels and the car is booked into the bodyshop for first week in April for them to be replaced, other small rust spots treated and a complete respray with colour change with further rust treatment of every panel thereafter. I am also planning annual underbody treatment with Lanoguard once the bodywork is done unless anyone can give me good reason why this would not be a good idea or offer a better alternative perhaps? The old girl will be away for 7 weeks and then in the summer she is going for a complete interior re-trim.

Yep I know it's going to cost me, but I am going into the 9th year of owning this car and on the brief occasions we have thought about replacing her for something newer within the budget allocated (now to her ) I just cannot find a car I prefer, or even given a higher budget. She even out lived my FRP which as much as I loved the look of, I didn't prefer driving, so it went to another loving home.

This soon to be 23 year old car and I have built up a history of driving the best part of 50k miles together now. 15 months of those blasting 100+ miles daily up and down the M5 in all weathers and she never missed a beat or let me down. She had just over 40k on the clock when I paid a meagre £650 for her, just wanting a temporary run around for approx 6 months and now has just over 91k on the clock and almost 9 years together!

I know some think I am insane and tell me to buy something newer, but this little pacific green Puma just stole my heart. I had new cars before her and I guess some people have never been lucky enough to find the car that fits them as perfectly as my Pumie fits me. So, regardless of the nay-sayers i think she now deserves a beautiful face-lift and some proper TLC to keep her going for hopefully a long time to come (with me).

This is where you come in guys, I need some peripherals if anyone has any and willing to part with them at a reasonable cost. I need some decent rear bumper reflectors, a decent set of back lights (the ones I have now are full of dust and reading on here seems I cannot get them open to refurb) and finally a decent set of headlights. The eyes in the car are okay and I've kept them polished but talking with the bodyshop they said some of the deterioration is actually on the inside of the lens. They will still do their best to restore them if I cannot find another set.

I also know people on here will understand my actions and so I would love to share the project with you. Maybe someone could advise how I can add photos to this thread so I can show progress when we start because I don't know how to do it and any help with getting bits and bobs, or advice will be gratefully appreciated.

Wish us luck that all is well on MOT day. March 6th so project 'transform the Pumie' can finally start.

 

[yippeekiay]

Good luck with the MOT, but I doubt you'll need it from the sounds of it.

Not got any parts available but I'm guessing you could possibly get the headlights better with a simple clean inside - at least that's all mine required & the difference was incredible, plus it was a fairly easy thing to do myself. CLICK HERE FOR THREAD I POSTED

Also, to add photo's the simplest way, you should see an "Add Files" button at the bottom of the page, just above the "Post Reply" tab. Note that each attachment has a 10mb limit so you may have to adjust them.
Alternatively add them to your own picture gallery on this site by clicking your username at the top of the page, then user control panel, gallery, then upload image(s), then you can link each image required into a thread with the links [GALLERY=media, your image number here][/GALLERY] for a small picture or [GALLERY=media, your image number here][/GALLERY] for a bigger picture, like below :thumbs:

View media item 1593View media item 1593

 

[John Woodward]

I followed your guide to cleaning the headlights, took me a few hours to do the 3 pairs, one for each car and a spare set. The red Puma I've recently purchased, doesn't need any cleaning of the headlights, they look like new.

 

[YOG]

Here's an alternative link for cleaning inside the headlights:
https://www.projectpuma.com/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=1091&hilit=cleaning+headlights

If you can't find another set of rear lights, you could try the "De-Tango" method of cleaning (without changing the indicator lens!):
https://www.projectpuma.com/viewtopic.php?t=31289

There's also a lot of useful "How to Guides" on this website:
https://www.projectpuma.com/viewforum.php?f=51

And finally, a Facebook link which has some more useful links, including a download for the Ford Puma 1.7 Workshop Manual:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/fordpuma/files/files

 

[gimmickyflea]

Thanks all for the replies and links which are very helpful. I also found a thread from 'Bok' about cleaning the lights showing the clips to undo and get inside them but I'm not attempting it until we have some spares...just in case

 

[red]

Good luck with the project, some great replies here already. Fingers crossed for the MOT

 

[RICHARD MANSFIELD2]

Hi.
I so agree with your sentiments and motivation. Bumper reflector/fog lights are hard to come by. Remove the ones you have, flatten them with 400 wet and dry then lacquer, they will come up like new. With regard the rear lights I have been told by an experienced person in this field that the cover can be removed from the body by gently prizing with wedges i.e. a wooden clothes peg. This needs to be done very slowly in stages, could take a couple of hours or more. How? find a suitable place to start and gently insert the wedge under tension then leave for a while when it has gone slack move along and repeat, then repeat..... The secret is NOT to force it and be patient. I have a rear light were the lense is coming off easily of its own accord so it would appear that the bond loses strength over time.
Regards
Richard

 

[gimmickyflea]

Thanks Richard, some top tips there

 

[gimmickyflea]

Well we had a hiccup!!

I had my gall bladder out end of Feb and then ended back in hospital for 3 weeks with complications . My garage, in the meantime had taken the Puma for MOT and it failed, tyre needed (which I knew anyway) and a rear wheel bearing. Not bad for a 23 year old car. There were a few advisories but nothing to really be overly concerned about. MOT now sorted.

Then as I lay in hospital a post popped up on my FB feed from the bodyshop the car was booked into for April. Thankfully I had followed them or else I would still be none the wiser and it said the bodyshop is closing down end of May because of owner's ill health. Sad for him, but no good to me if there were any problems with the work and nobody to go back to, plus he was advertising the equipment for sale so the car might not have even got finished. Booking had to be cancelled and felt very deflated and disappointed

Finally out of hospital and I visited another local and well established (since 1978) bodyshop with hubs and the Puma. Turns out they have quite recently restored a local FRP that had been bought as salvage. I knew of this car and where it is, so after leaving went to visit the owner (who also owns a local garage and its there) He said he wouldn't use anyone else and highly recommended this bodyshop. So Pumie is going to go there now.

I had also found a lady only 2 miles away from where we live with a unit who does car re-upholstery and she had spoken to me in the day of my original op. I contacted her again and we visited her with the car and she's given a very reasonable quote for full re upholster including the doorcard inserts. A lovely lady who also refuses to give up her 1995 Nissan Patrol after 9 years and totally understood my love for my car. She's now booked

So Project Puma is back on track with probably no further updates now until June when the bodyshop said that's when we can look at getting her booked in.

Exciting times

 

[red]

Epic, good luck!

 

[Cubatoo]

So sorry you have not been well.
No you are not mad, I have had mine for a similar time and mileage and although she is no longer my daily driver I still love her to bits! She was off road for a few years but I got her through the MOT with some sill welding and she has been helping out her little sister Ginnie Mini One who is of an age where she is burning out sensors (having just got to 100,000 miles herself) so Pumy had to take me to work. It is still the greatest pleasure to see her waiting for me across the car park and I was very proud when 3 people offered to buy her while she was waiting for the sills to be done. Garage guys also very impressed by the engine compression given that she is 23 too!
Got her mapped for higher octane fuel as was advised that the ethanol load might not be the best thing and that seems to have improved the mileage.
Going to need more major welding this year and probably re spray next year.
I believe it must be time for Pumas to be awarded actual Classic status now rather than 'future'! they have always been classic to me!

 

[Cubatoo]

Good luck with the MOT, but I doubt you'll need it from the sounds of it.

Not got any parts available but I'm guessing you could possibly get the headlights better with a simple clean inside - at least that's all mine required & the difference was incredible, plus it was a fairly easy thing to do myself. CLICK HERE FOR THREAD I POSTED

Also, to add photo's the simplest way, you should see an "Add Files" button at the bottom of the page, just above the "Post Reply" tab. Note that each attachment has a 10mb limit so you may have to adjust them.
Alternatively add them to your own picture gallery on this site by clicking your username at the top of the page, then user control panel, gallery, then upload image(s), then you can link each image required into a thread with the links [GALLERY=media, your image number here][/GALLERY] for a small picture or [GALLERY=media, your image number here][/GALLERY] for a bigger picture, like below :thumbs:

View media item 1593View media item 1593

OO think I am going to need that too!

 

[XIIVVX]

I know some think I am insane and tell me to buy something newer, but this little pacific green Puma just stole my heart

My V8R cost me about £5,000 some four or five years back.

Since then I have spent at least the same again on arresting the swift descent into the scrapyard that it was on when I found it, to the point where it is now very close to perfect. (Well 'good enough' - I am not a concours obsessive). I just need to fix the original headlights and refit them, and replace three 'R' badges. Tiny little rectangles that come in at £60 a piece.

You are not insane. You are a wholly Good Person

 

[Stepeo]

**Long post alert**

So, I am embarking on a huge resto mod on my faithful and trusted Puma just so long as MOT next week doesn't reveal the floor is about to drop out!! Anything else we can deal with because she's been kept well maintained during our time together. There were no corrosion advisories last year so fingers crossed all will be well because.....

New wheel arches have been ordered via Ex-pressed Steel Panels and the car is booked into the bodyshop for first week in April for them to be replaced, other small rust spots treated and a complete respray with colour change with further rust treatment of every panel thereafter. I am also planning annual underbody treatment with Lanoguard once the bodywork is done unless anyone can give me good reason why this would not be a good idea or offer a better alternative perhaps? The old girl will be away for 7 weeks and then in the summer she is going for a complete interior re-trim.

Yep I know it's going to cost me, but I am going into the 9th year of owning this car and on the brief occasions we have thought about replacing her for something newer within the budget allocated (now to her ) I just cannot find a car I prefer, or even given a higher budget. She even out lived my FRP which as much as I loved the look of, I didn't prefer driving, so it went to another loving home.

This soon to be 23 year old car and I have built up a history of driving the best part of 50k miles together now. 15 months of those blasting 100+ miles daily up and down the M5 in all weathers and she never missed a beat or let me down. She had just over 40k on the clock when I paid a meagre £650 for her, just wanting a temporary run around for approx 6 months and now has just over 91k on the clock and almost 9 years together!

I know some think I am insane and tell me to buy something newer, but this little pacific green Puma just stole my heart. I had new cars before her and I guess some people have never been lucky enough to find the car that fits them as perfectly as my Pumie fits me. So, regardless of the nay-sayers i think she now deserves a beautiful face-lift and some proper TLC to keep her going for hopefully a long time to come (with me).

This is where you come in guys, I need some peripherals if anyone has any and willing to part with them at a reasonable cost. I need some decent rear bumper reflectors, a decent set of back lights (the ones I have now are full of dust and reading on here seems I cannot get them open to refurb) and finally a decent set of headlights. The eyes in the car are okay and I've kept them polished but talking with the bodyshop they said some of the deterioration is actually on the inside of the lens. They will still do their best to restore them if I cannot find another set.

I also know people on here will understand my actions and so I would love to share the project with you. Maybe someone could advise how I can add photos to this thread so I can show progress when we start because I don't know how to do it and any help with getting bits and bobs, or advice will be gratefully appreciated.

Wish us luck that all is well on MOT day. March 6th so project 'transform the Pumie' can finally start.

Right, I want you to think about this. I had a Ford Escort XR3i, Cabriolet. I wanted it to be rust protective underneath, and done properly. I got in touch with J R . Classics, in Doncaster, (I live in Merseyside). Joe and the team did a fantastic job with Dynatrol. It comes with a 3 year guarantee. I don't own the vehicle now, but the condition underneath of a 1988 sold it for a very good price.

 

[gimmickyflea]

The project is underway!

In the end I decided to use Pumabuild for a few reasons;

Advice from a classic Porsche owner at a car show who advised to always take your car to a company who knows the vehicle after learning the hard way with poor bodywork repairs on his 911 that had to be redone. Well Pumabuild were built on Pumas!

They were much more reasonably priced than local bodyshops - could get the car in earlier and they did a fabulous job of my FRP back in 2016.

So, she is there now and after 23 years of wearing Pacific Green is going to change her overcoat to a new colour which will be revealed later on and yes I know many think one should stick with original colours but she's having a complete face-lift into the 2020's.

 

[gimmickyflea]

A quick update,
So PB were delayed with other works but the project is underway with arches cut out and the discovery we need new inner & outer sills on both sides. Not unexpected if I'm honest and sure they are going to do my little car proud.

 

[Cubatoo]

**Long post alert**

So, I am embarking on a huge resto mod on my faithful and trusted Puma just so long as MOT next week doesn't reveal the floor is about to drop out!! Anything else we can deal with because she's been kept well maintained during our time together. There were no corrosion advisories last year so fingers crossed all will be well because.....

New wheel arches have been ordered via Ex-pressed Steel Panels and the car is booked into the bodyshop for first week in April for them to be replaced, other small rust spots treated and a complete respray with colour change with further rust treatment of every panel thereafter. I am also planning annual underbody treatment with Lanoguard once the bodywork is done unless anyone can give me good reason why this would not be a good idea or offer a better alternative perhaps? The old girl will be away for 7 weeks and then in the summer she is going for a complete interior re-trim.

Yep I know it's going to cost me, but I am going into the 9th year of owning this car and on the brief occasions we have thought about replacing her for something newer within the budget allocated (now to her ) I just cannot find a car I prefer, or even given a higher budget. She even out lived my FRP which as much as I loved the look of, I didn't prefer driving, so it went to another loving home.

This soon to be 23 year old car and I have built up a history of driving the best part of 50k miles together now. 15 months of those blasting 100+ miles daily up and down the M5 in all weathers and she never missed a beat or let me down. She had just over 40k on the clock when I paid a meagre £650 for her, just wanting a temporary run around for approx 6 months and now has just over 91k on the clock and almost 9 years together!

I know some think I am insane and tell me to buy something newer, but this little pacific green Puma just stole my heart. I had new cars before her and I guess some people have never been lucky enough to find the car that fits them as perfectly as my Pumie fits me. So, regardless of the nay-sayers i think she now deserves a beautiful face-lift and some proper TLC to keep her going for hopefully a long time to come (with me).

This is where you come in guys, I need some peripherals if anyone has any and willing to part with them at a reasonable cost. I need some decent rear bumper reflectors, a decent set of back lights (the ones I have now are full of dust and reading on here seems I cannot get them open to refurb) and finally a decent set of headlights. The eyes in the car are okay and I've kept them polished but talking with the bodyshop they said some of the deterioration is actually on the inside of the lens. They will still do their best to restore them if I cannot find another set.

I also know people on here will understand my actions and so I would love to share the project with you. Maybe someone could advise how I can add photos to this thread so I can show progress when we start because I don't know how to do it and any help with getting bits and bobs, or advice will be gratefully appreciated.

Wish us luck that all is well on MOT day. March 6th so project 'transform the Pumie' can finally start.

About to do the same for mine. Fingers crossed for both our MOTs
Oo you have already started! Fab!

 

[gimmickyflea]

About to do the same for mine. Fingers crossed for both our MOTs
Oo you have already started! Fab!

Hey what are you doing to yours? Mine has needed not only new arches, but inner & outer sills both sides, some welding at seat belt mount, bottom of A pillar into the floor and a bit on front wings poor old girl was in a bad way , but is now on the mend and soon to be resprayed

 

[Cubatoo]

At least inner sills, new rear wheel arches, bottom of front wings, respray ouchy!
Had new outer sills, hole in passenger side inner sill and seatbelt mount done last year!
MOT booked for Friday week

 

[gimmickyflea]

At least inner sills, new rear wheel arches, bottom of front wings, respray ouchy!
Had new outer sills, hole in passenger side inner sill and seatbelt mount done last year!
MOT booked for Friday week

How did the MOT go? Here is what mine looked like a week ago but has to get worse to get better we've got to save them because they're just such great little cars and disappearing fast