"Dave the car guy , still here" (a3dave)
07/21/2016 at 21:30 • Filed to: None
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"Dave the car guy , still here" (a3dave)
07/21/2016 at 21:30 • Filed to: None | 1
| 5 |
Thanks to him for letting us know that 40 yrs ago the Mk1 got its start.
I loved mine and wish I’d never sold it . I have not only the two crappy scanned old slide pictures of mine but also have saved a bunch of pictures from all over the web. These are all saved so if one day I find a Mk1 that hasn’t rusted away I will restore it to be the same quick little sleeper I had in the early 80s. They are to be my inspiration for making a masterpiece. I bought mine just after learning Donald Healey bought one to modify. Yes, that Mr Healey.
They never received the respect here in the States that they had elsewhere. Mine was just over 100 hp after mods and was running 0-60 in about 8.5 seconds. It was fast enough that a friend with a 1977 Firebird 400 used to ask to drive my car when we went out to run against some other guys in town for burnouts. It would burn up a right front Michelin and I took down more than a few Chevelles is the early 80s. Nobody thought a 4 cylinder could outrun a V8. Walt from Kitty Hawk if you read this, you’ll remember those days on the Outer Banks. Its a wonder we never got any tickets. With a Kamei front spoiler like in the 1st picture I got 42 mpg on the highway. That front lip was even certified by the EPA for energy conservation. It was quick , frugal and fun. My first Pocket Rocket.
Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies
> Dave the car guy , still here
07/21/2016 at 21:37 |
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My Dad had a friend with an early Fiesta, his first thing to say about mine was how much less it felt like a tin can.
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Dave the car guy , still here
> Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies
07/21/2016 at 21:40 |
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OMG, they were only 1850 lbs and yes they were so thin. Great power to weight ratio because of it. Every small mod I made got it to scoot even better. Much like a Mini in that respect.
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Dave the car guy , still here
> Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies
07/21/2016 at 22:03 |
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Should have added that with some of that tin construction came issues. After pulling the second of two rh front CV shaft support bearings off the unibody frame rail I modified the next new one. I made a 1/8" thick steel strap to go over the bearing and bolt in the stock holes. I used JB Weld to epoxy it over the assembly. The extra horses never pulled it off the frame again. It had crazy torque steer but the car was so light and crisp running that I never saw it as an issue.
Roundbadge
> Dave the car guy , still here
07/22/2016 at 08:53 |
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As a kid in the early 90's, I always wanted one of these. It was such a shame that so few were left at that time. I worked with a guy that had one and he loved to talk about how fast it could be, but never would do anything with it.
My first and only hot hatch was an ‘86 Civic Si, bought in 1992. I loved that car so much, and to this day it’s still the one that got away.
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Dave the car guy , still here
> Roundbadge
07/22/2016 at 09:24 |
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I never did anything to suspension. Just changed carb, cam , exhaust and some ignition pieces. Tires went from Michelin 155sr12 to Vredestein 175/70sr12 on stock rims which supplied plenty of grip for such a light car. It was a blast to own.