The £100 Puma Project

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Trikki Sixx

New member
Joined
Jun 29, 2021
Messages
16
Morning guys, first post here but have been mooching on the forum for information over the last few weeks.

I'll try to keep it short and sweet for now as I don't have many updates (plus this is more for me to log my progress as am not sure how active the forum is nowadays?).

Background: I worked for Ford a number of years ago and took a little green Puma in PX for a new Zetec S Fiesta. We didn't give the chap any money for the Puma but it saved him the hassle of selling it privately, I guess he wasn't that fussed. It sat out the back with the PX cars and awaited the weekly trader visit, as it was not one we would put on the forecourt due to age. I couldn't let it go, I had to buy it myself. £100 later and it was on my driveway.

The missus and I used it as a runabout whilst I had my "proper car" for fun weekend drives. At the time this was either a Nissan S13 with an SR20DET, and MX5 turbo or a Celica GT4, I can't remember which one...

The Puma lived on the street, having it's wing mirrors snapped off by crackheads and tree sap ruining it's paint, the battery and tyres were going flat, it was just neglected as other cars came and went.

We moved house and the Puma came with, but it was seriously on it's last legs. I sold my drift cars and bought a sensible daily in the form of a comfy Jag S Type, the Puma's time had come. I had always loved driving it and often drove it much faster than it's more powerful stablemates, I was finally allowed to turn the Puma into a track car since my other half wanted something newer!

I dragged the Puma out of it's pigeon-sh*t-splattered space and got it down to my rented garage.

The goal: lose as much weight as is safely possible, polybushes, exhaust, coilovers, brakes, tyres, paint, send her on track for cheap thrills.

I'll update with pics in the next post.
 
Whilst I am waiting for my posts to be approved so that I am able to post pictures, I will take this opportunity to warn other members:

Do NOT buy the Hoffman "Race Tube" if you are after a cheap exhaust alternative. The quality is hideously dire; the pipes are different sizes, the bends are awful and not mandrel-bent, the welds were done by Stevie Wonder and the fit is non-existent. Even though it is very cheap, it is still a total waste of money. I'll be having a stainless cat-back made in the future. What a piece of crap!
 
Welcome to the site, sounds like it was a bargain when you got it.

Have fun turning it in to your track car and good luck!
 
Trikki Sixx said:
Do NOT buy the Hoffman "Race Tube" if you are after a cheap exhaust alternative. The quality is hideously dire; the pipes are different sizes, the bends are awful and not mandrel-bent, the welds were done by Stevie Wonder and the fit is non-existent. Even though it is very cheap, it is still a total waste of money. I'll be having a stainless cat-back made in the future. What a piece of crap!

I've had a couple of them.. one on a Puma and currently one on my Fiesta.
I wouldn't say my experience with them was that bad, but I will admit the most recent one I got for the Fiesta didn't fit as well as the last one I bought.
But, for an aftermarket item we should always expect things not to be perfect.

For a quick bit of extra noise and a different sound they aren't too bad... but for anyone who does carriageway/motorway buy something else... they drone like crazy!
 
the puma is the top for the track, because you have a little light weight car, but with few money, the time to buy the puma is now! :grin:
 
red said:
Welcome to the site, sounds like it was a bargain when you got it.

Have fun turning it in to your track car and good luck!

Thank you! I need to get some pictures so this isn't just a wall of text. Am having fun with it though, do love something cheap and cheerful!
 
CherryVimto said:
Trikki Sixx said:
Do NOT buy the Hoffman "Race Tube" if you are after a cheap exhaust alternative. The quality is hideously dire; the pipes are different sizes, the bends are awful and not mandrel-bent, the welds were done by Stevie Wonder and the fit is non-existent. Even though it is very cheap, it is still a total waste of money. I'll be having a stainless cat-back made in the future. What a piece of crap!

I've had a couple of them.. one on a Puma and currently one on my Fiesta.
I wouldn't say my experience with them was that bad, but I will admit the most recent one I got for the Fiesta didn't fit as well as the last one I bought.
But, for an aftermarket item we should always expect things not to be perfect.

For a quick bit of extra noise and a different sound they aren't too bad... but for anyone who does carriageway/motorway buy something else... they drone like crazy!

I have heard they used to be better so perhaps they've just gone very downhill recently.

Yes I always expect aftermarket to require a little fettling but this has been the worst haha
 
Lorenzo Zaga said:
the puma is the top for the track, because you have a little light weight car, but with few money, the time to buy the puma is now! :grin:

Absolutely! I was never allowed to mess with the Puma before, but now it's mine haha! And yes, I'm sure the values will start to creep up in the coming years.
 
Still no pics (sorry about that, but imagine a green Puma covered in bird sh*t and you just about got it...)

However, in exchange for helping a mate out, he gifted me a set of 195/50/15 Toyo R888's! They're slightly worn but were on his Golf G60 Syncro which at the time, didn't see the road on them so they're pretty new!

I've also got a pair of KW V1 coilovers for the front of the car, they need a slight bit of love but for £60, you can't go far wrong! Will see if I can get a pair of rears from KW, but failing that, I think GAZ might be a good shout as well as you can have them built to spec.

Any opinions on either brand are welcome :) Also if I do get some GAZ made, I would be interested to hear what spring rates etc people have found to work well.
 
wooow nice gift the toyos, the r888 are absolutely sick, i've installed in my puma the toyo tr1 in 195/50/15 like yours but in a set of japan rims jr9 with 8 width, and for road use are more than perfect, you can have a lot of fun because the car have more grip than a cat that climbs in a wall made of wool :grin: :grin: :grin:
 
Lorenzo Zaga said:
wooow nice gift the toyos, the r888 are absolutely sick, i've installed in my puma the toyo tr1 in 195/50/15 like yours but in a set of japan rims jr9 with 8 width, and for road use are more than perfect, you can have a lot of fun because the car have more grip than a cat that climbs in a wall made of wool :grin: :grin: :grin:

I did consider a set of more JDM-style wheels such as some 15x8 Grid V's but think I'll grab some Compomotives or Speedlines. I am looking forward to seeing what it's like on the R888's :)
 
I'm having real trouble adding pictures here for some reason. The forum uploader doesn't seem to work and sadly my work PC blocks IMGUR which I normally use :(
 
Trikki Sixx said:
Lorenzo Zaga said:
wooow nice gift the toyos, the r888 are absolutely sick, i've installed in my puma the toyo tr1 in 195/50/15 like yours but in a set of japan rims jr9 with 8 width, and for road use are more than perfect, you can have a lot of fun because the car have more grip than a cat that climbs in a wall made of wool :grin: :grin: :grin:

I did consider a set of more JDM-style wheels such as some 15x8 Grid V's but think I'll grab some Compomotives or Speedlines. I am looking forward to seeing what it's like on the R888's :)

mine are 15x8 et20 and i have reached a good width and a very nice jdm look and i'm using it for the summer, for the winter at the moment i have a pair of bwa, made in italy rims, fixed and repainted by me. as soon as possible i post the photo :)
 
Just a test to see if the pictures work. If they do, you should see my little track "starter pack".
 

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And a few more random pictures :)

I managed to get a hold of some Team Dynamics last night, they're 15x7 and I think they're the originals Pro Race? The blue is not totally to my taste so they'll get painted white at the same time as the car.

Speaking of which, my paint turned up this weekend (Ford Frozen White) as well as some nice new front lower arms, drop links, bushes etc :)

Hopefully before the end of next month, it should be all painted and looking fresh!
 

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The threads on the coilovers were absolutely knackered. I think a previous owner must have gunned on a nut which was either the wrong thread or just totally crossed it, either way they were toast (but this was why they were so cheap). A quick few passes with a die and they're nearly as good as new :)

Also a pic of two of the new wheels!
 

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