At what cost??

RICHARD MANSFIELD2 said:

You see I am mad.

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I better keep my wife from seeing this, as she would swiftly put me in the same category :wink:

I've spent maybe £800ish on the car to start with, £2k on bodywork/welding, and easily another £1k on mods/repairs/improvements etc. As it stands it's not an economical proposition, realistically if I could find a buyer today I might get £2k or £2.5k back. Hopefully the market will improve and I may stand a chance of getting my money back in the next couple of years. But that's not why I'm doing it! It's basically a toy/hobby and I've always wanted a Puma since they came out. I worked at Ford 1997-2000 and watched in envy as my colleagues got big discounts on a Puma. Also there was an FRP in reception that I walked past every day.

Another reason I chose the Puma as a project is that we have a big family estate for practical purposes and long journeys, so I only really need a car for me. I like small, lightweight cars that are fun to drive and Puma ticks those boxes.

I also don't see my puma going in the foreseeable future. The car was bought new by my mother and came to my pocession in 2005. I drove it through the years that I was in the university. Some very nice late night quick rides to remember. Then i blew the 1.4 engine and left it a couple of years standing. I bought a 1.7 conversion kit from Ian and changed the engine myself. Meanwhile I changed cams to FRP genuine ones. Gradually I started making other changes. Full polybushing it, vibra engine mounts, KW V1 coil overs, ST150 front brakes and rear discs, 16" MO5s and last thing that went on it is a custom 4-1 manifold with 60mm cat back. Now I have a rotrex c30-74 next to the room that I'm sitting :twisted: and I hope it'll be the next mod. As you see it's a never ending story.

Alex

Hi all got Millie another year on the road
Only needed drive shalt rubbers replaced and the rear brakes adjusted uneven
Great result 22 years old and still going strong
Done wheel arches in the summer so no rust there
Does any one know if you can get replacement head lights
Regards Alan and Teresa

Hi all.
well...... since my last post I have spent about £1200 on a Lightening Motorsport inlet system. Now the power is that of a FRP, not to mention brake pads and an engine service. It rolls on, I have now had the car for 18 years. Oh I almost forgot to mention the £2.6K on the custom wrap. I have definitely decided I will be keeping the car now. With the prices on the rise and the Puma now reaching classic car status I am hoping more owners will preserve their Puma's. As the saying goes....Once they're gone they're gone.
Regards,
Richard.

I was really interested in one of their manifolds but just can't justify spending that much on what is essentially an box plenum bolted to half an original manifold. If it were around the £600 mark then yeah id go for it but not at 1k+. Even my anembo plenum for my mk2 focus st was just under £500.

^up^

Any community with an unhealthy obsession with a cheap car will go through this same argument.

People who stay in cheap cars forever tend to be more willing to keep old, cheap cars on the road until something major comes up. Usually, if not a wreck, its rust that causes the enthusiast to finally give up.
People who financially grow into more expensive or newer cars are likely to move on sooner. Either they just don't have room for an old car anymore or they fall out of love with it.