Mods and Consequences
You’ll have no trouble picking up a decent Puma for around £1000, which leaves plenty of budget for performance and handling gains
Ford Puma
’We fitted one Puma with the engine from a Focus RS MkI’
Based on the Fiesta MkIV, the Ford Puma is a car that in theory has it all for the enthusiast on a budget – sharp looks, great handling and low prices. But these were always cars aimed at the relatively financially challenged, so while there’s an immense amount of fun to be had from Puma ownership, performance was never blistering and the Puma was built down to a price. As a result, many survivors are now suffering from tired mechanicals and few are rust-free, which is why if you’re lucky enough to have a really tidy Puma, the first thing you should do is get it professionally rust-proofed.
There were three different engines fitted to the Puma during its four-year production run. At first all cars came with a 1.7-litre unit with variable valve timing. Rated at 123bhp, this was joined in 1998 by a 90bhp 1.4, which in turn was superseded by a 103bhp 1.6-litre four-pot. Along the way there was also the 153bhp Ford Racing Puma (FRP), but these are already very collectible, so making significant changes to one isn’t a good idea.
If improving power and speed are key, there’s little point in starting with a 1.4-litre engine. That said, engine swaps are easy; there are more tuning parts available for the 1.6-litre engine, but it was the 1.7 that formed the basis of the FRP and that’s hardly lacking. By working on the ECU, inlet manifold and plenum chamber, intake, camshafts and exhaust, the power was boosted by 30bhp.
Most FRP parts, including the ECU remap, camshafts, airbox and exhaust, can be fitted to a regular Puma 1.7, but the inlet manifolds are very scarce so you’re unlikely to find one as just 500 were made.
Pumabuild’s Phil Wheatley says: ‘The craziest thing we’ve done to a Puma is fit a turbocharged 2.0-litre engine from a Focus RS MkI. The engine bay didn’t have to be modified, but it took a lot of work to get the gearbox and wiring sorted. I also know of a 1.7-litre car with a bored-out engine, throttle bodies and race cams – it’s possible to really turn up the wick but it’s not cheap.’