In search of the P reg puma

I sold my Millie a while back as I found a very original and solid Land rover Discovery 1 after a 2 year search for a decent one ( much harder than you,d think). Wifey has still got her 2002 Thunder with only 34K on the clock and it got me wanting another Puma project, but not any old model, not even the Ltd editions.

As the Puma was launched in June 97 it only had 2 months before R reg so there couldn't have been many P reg examples, and considering they're now 18 years old there will be very few left.

BUT after the usual Ebay/gumtree/autotrader etc etc searches for months I've finally found one, and I'm off to collect on Thursday, but are there any more out there ?? Anyone know of or own one. Not private plate examples but genuine P reg cars reg'd before August 1st 1997 ??

I think the P regs were all dealer and press demonstrators originally, so there's not many around.

The one I'm getting was registered mid July 97 and does have a private P reg plate on it which does detract from the fact its P reg as any Puma could have that on it so I will be taking the private plate off it and maybe putting it up for sale ( it does relate to the puma). Current owners had it 6 years and one private owner before that and claims it was a "managers" demo first, now whether that's dealer or Ford themselves will be interesting.

The only one that springs to mind is one of the first Turbo cars that Turby did was P56PRT.

Registration number: P56 PRT



✔ Taxed

Tax due: 01 March 2016


✔ MOT

Expires: 22 February 2016


New keepers must get tax before using the vehicle. Please be aware that if you have taxed, made a SORN or had an MOT in the last 5 days these details may not have updated.

Vehicle details
Vehicle make :FORD
Date of first registration :15 July 1997
Year of manufacture :1997
Cylinder capacity (cc) :1679cc
CO₂Emissions :Not available
Fuel type : PETROL
Vehicle status :Tax not due
Vehicle colour :BLUE


Still alive according to the DVLA

I recently watched the old Top Gear episode including the Puma - obviously an early P reg.



P121 RVX looks to have been very recently SORN'd. Wonder if the owner knows what they've got?



YouTube
http://youtu.be/0V_lG4GZNsM" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I do remember watching the test drive done by Tiff Needell with Clarkson and Quentin Willson in the car at the same time. Tiff was really giving it stick and Clarkson came out with the classic statement " that was 3 different directions all at the same time. How Tiff never rolled the car is a miracle, or maybe the Puma was - still is - that good.

redexr said:

How Tiff never rolled the car is a miracle, or maybe the Puma was - still is - that good.

Click to expand...

The puma simply IS that good a handling car. Throwing the back end out like that has very little likelihood of rolling over if you are in control.

A quick image search found these

http://www.pistonheads.com/pics/news/18277/media-L.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.performance-car-guide.co.uk/images/L-Red-Ford-Puma.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://i40.tinypic.com/23r93t1.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

redexr said:

I do remember watching the test drive done by Tiff Needell with Clarkson and Quentin Willson in the car at the same time. Tiff was really giving it stick and Clarkson came out with the classic statement " that was 3 different directions all at the same time. How Tiff never rolled the car is a miracle, or maybe the Puma was - still is - that good.

Click to expand...

This one?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R3QuH7z1Z1o" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

YOG said:

redexr said:

I do remember watching the test drive done by Tiff Needell with Clarkson and Quentin Willson in the car at the same time. Tiff was really giving it stick and Clarkson came out with the classic statement " that was 3 different directions all at the same time. How Tiff never rolled the car is a miracle, or maybe the Puma was - still is - that good.

Click to expand...

This one?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R3QuH7z1Z1o" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Click to expand...

yep, that's the one.

I got my P reg home tonight after a 250 mile round trip with a discovery and trailer. registered in Gravesend today !!!!! 18 years ago by the dealer with the reg P22 UMA it was the dealers demo for 6 months. It then went to a lady until 3 years ago when another lady bought it. Its still only done 63K but the MOT's nearly out and its leaking power steering fluid and has central locking/alarm issues. The panther black paintwork is also a complete mess. I'll get some pics of the car up ASAP. Its got the original handbooks etc with stamped history to 35K and MOTs back to 2004. I'm storing it for now but I hope to do a full resto on it eventually

excellent news!

Power steering pipes is probably an easy fix but I imagine you'll be doing a proper back to basics restoration anyway!

Here it is. It seems to be in good nick structurally and mostly mechanically so I may be doing a" quick fix" on it to get it up and running before deciding what to do about the paintwork. I do know its definitely not staying black though. I have vision in white as per the Pumas Silverstone circuit had in 97.

The power steering leak is a bit of a pain on the early pumas, its hard to find the pipes for them. The later pumas pipe curves back round on itself but the earlier one joins up to another part. Though tbh I haven't looked into it much, just been keeping it topped up. Might be possible to retrofit the newer pipe. I did find a place which sold new early pipes, think they're about £100 though and you have to get the right type, not sure which mine is though:
Male connectors: https://www.fordpartsuk.com/shop/ford_puma_power_steering_twin_hose_1997-1998_f_1041213_c_775.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Female: https://www.fordpartsuk.com/shop/ford_puma_power_steering_twin_hose_1997-1998_f_1044829_c_775.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
I don't actually know for sure if they have them in stock though :/
I accidentally bought an early pipe so going to look into retrofitting instead.

There were some N plate prototypes on the road but all went for destruction, well almost all!
They were pre production and used for engine development, colour development and such like.
I have some interior panels with 'prototype panel' printed on them, they are thinner plastic than the production items.

Foray (fordpartsuk) certainly had the power steering pipes in stock last year as I bought one. It's whichever of the two is the most expensive from memory (I bought the wrong one but they happily exchanged it and didn't even charge me for postage - really nice people to buy from). Changing it is dead easy though once the front bumper is off.