GRAFTERS: Mk2 Fiesta
Ghia given a new lease of life thanks to its young owner and a good neighbour.
The fact that we’re even documenting the restoration of a severely-rotten Mk2 Fiesta Ghia is down to two things: good neighbours, and the recent mass-availability of repair sections and panels for these later classic Fords.
The good neighbour is Ben Szanto who’s no stranger to Classic Ford. We’ve featured a number of his projects over the years, with his most recent, a Mk1 Cortina, now a regular in the Our Cars section. When Ben moved house last year, it didn’t take long for his obsession with classic Fords to wear off on his immediate neighbours, the Moulds, and they were soon asking him to help find them a suitable car. A Germanimport Mk2 Escort four-door was the result, which has since been joined by a Mk4 Estate, and this, a Mk2 Fiesta 1.1 Ghia — destined to be son, Sam’s first car. Sam’s Grandad, Peter, who’s sadly no longer with us, used to own a Ghia in the exact same colour, so when Ben mentioned that he’d seen one for sale and it was at the right money, destiny intervened and the car was duly purchased and delivered to the Mould’s door.
That’s not quite the end of the story, of course, because it didn’t take long for the Fiesta to be pushed next door and into Ben’s workshop thanks to a severe dose of tinworm.
Only a couple of years ago, that would have probably spelt the end of this particular car’s life, but thanks to the reintroduction of panels and repair sections for the Mk2, in this case courtesy of Magnum Classic Ford Panels, it’s been given a reprieve, with the added bonus of teaching Sam some basic welding and fabrication (as well as teamaking) skills, as under Ben’s tutelage, he’s helping to turn this Mk2’s fortunes around. Everybody needs good neighbours, right?
What was the car like when you picked it up? Let’s just say that it wasn’t as described. It had some accident damage which I wasn’t told about and once I started prodding, it just started crumbling away — pretty much everything 3 inches inwards of the sills is rotten, though the chassis rails are OK, as is the boot floor.
A couple of years ago I picked up another Mk2 to break and kept a door and the bootlid so they will be used, plus we’ve bought almost every panel available from Magnum for this one — thank God you can now get them as otherwise this one wouldn’t be returning to the road.
How far have you got with the repairs? We’re probably about halfway through now — I’m working on it as and when I can. It’s kind of in the way of all my other projects but I quite like that as it reminds me that I need to push on!
Has Sam been able to help? Yes, he’s as keen as mustard. He’s been helping me by making up card templates for the repair sections and then transferring them onto the sheet steel — and he makes a pretty good cup of tea. I’ve been teaching him basic fabrication skills, but I’ve not let him near the angle grinder yet — mine’s particularly vicious.
Are you planning on making any changes to the car? The 1.1 still runs fine, and as it’ll be Sam’s first car, the engine’s staying put for now — in fact, it’s the only classic Ford in my yard that works at the moment...
If there’s time, I’d like to smooth the engine bay — the battery tray was completely rotten so rather than weld in a new one, we’ll remove it
completely and relocate the battery to the spare wheel well. We will be making some subtle changes to the exterior too — the car will all be one colour and the lower plastic trims won’t be going back on, plus we’re planning to fit the slimmer, base-model bumpers and smooth some areas like the passenger-side door lock. Essentially though, it will still look like a Ghia.
You’ve changed the wheels already, haven’t you?
Yes, Sam bought a set of four-spokes which AP Tyres then kindly refurbished, so it would’ve been rude not to have fitted them up. The car will sit slightly lower too — thanks to a set of springs from Outlaw Motorsport, which will go on with a full set of their bushes.
What’s been the hardest part of the build?
The welding, for sure. It’s not that it’s difficult, it’s just relentless!
What about the interior? The original grey cloth seats and trim unique to the Ghia were still in the car and in pretty good shape, too, so it would be daft not to refit them. We are planning to fit a rear roll cage though — after seeing the state of a friend’s Fiesta after a crash last year, it’s essential.
When do you hope to have the car finished?
It would be great to have it done ready for
Ford Fair in August — we’d love to have it there parked alongside the Cortina (see page 62).
Anyone you’d like to thank who’s helped out on the project so far? Yes, James Johnstone who supplied a lot of the Magnum panels, James Pepper for the engine refresh parts, Steve Harris at Outlaw Motorsport for the bushes and springs, Tom Jackson and everyone at AP Tyres for the wheel refurb, Chris Trollope for help with the eventual paint job, Wayne Day for transporting the car from the south coast, Kilnhurst Tyres, and Sam’s Mum and Dad.