Decison time

[big e]

Hello forum land . I have a non stag related dilemma, dare I say its ford related . I have owned a 4 wheel drive granada for almost 15years. I have been toying with the idea of having the bodywork and paint professionally sorted. The prices for this range between £3000 &£5000 , this is for new inner and outer sills , both rear arches and a front wing plus paint .Apart from a worn driver seat cover and a traditional cracked eighties ford dash the interior is good and mechanically is very good. As this has been an excellent car in our custody and with it being a rare(ish) 4x4 version I am not really wanting to send it to the great motorway in the sky, but can I justify ( especially to she who must be obeyed) spending that sort of money on it . Help.
P.s. I promise my stag will not suffer in the event of me going ahead with crazy idea

[jleyton]

Not crazy at all - I got my latest issue of Classics monthly this morning and a couple of things caught my eye.

Firstly, they're saying that, in their next issue, they'll have part one of a major Stag restoration . But of more relevance to your enquiry is that there's an ad for an Escort 1300GL. Ie bog standard 70's rep fodder and it's advertised for £2950. Well, my point is that someone must have looked after that car really well and you're now at that point with your Granny.

I reckon you've got to make a pretty fundamental decision. Will it be / can it be your every day car? If so, you could be saving thousands or even tens of thousands if you don't have to go out and buy a new or newish daily car. Obviously, the chances of things going wrong are probably a bit higher than with a newish car so can you afford the risk of being let down ?

But I reckon the most important thing is, do you want to keep the old girl going ? I've made the decision to do my very best to keep my 4 year old daily going for as long as possible and so it's getting the Bilt Hamber treatment along with the Stag (I know, moderns don't rust unless they're X types or Ka,s) but that's because I really want to as I just haven't seen anything else that will do what my current car does.

I reckon you need to have your heart and soul behind it, if you want to keep it going, but if you have then I'd go for it.

Just think, a new car, anything like your Granny, is going to shed far more than the cost of doing her up in depreciation in the first year of ownership.

There's so many considerations but I just hope that maybe I've given you a little bit of food for thought

Cheers

Julian

[martin]

That's a rare interesting car - go for it. Martin.

[big e]

Decision made. Im gonna start accumulating the various parts needed and hopefully it goes in to be done early November(ish). Then its just a case of trying to get the trim codes sorted so the drivers seat Can be recovered again.

[Multi-Tech]

Fair play to you, I restore cars for a living and it's always nice to see these rare cars being saved which is why I love my job.
Please keep us posted with pictures and updates

[Seaking]

nice to hear that another will be saved my little pug 306 is a 97 i posted Head gasket off subject back in may 2007 and still running without any more attention to the gasket body work average no real rust i think maybe time to give it a clean and start to look after it a bit..swmbo has a 2001 ka that has been welded but is one of the better ones around might fix that up a bit better soon lol.

[Phil]

Big e.

Did you see my pm

Phil

[big e]

Sorry Phil I hadn't but I have now. I think I have replied direct to you but if it hasn't worked than would be appreciated thank you
Ian

[Phil]

Another pm

[big e]

Thanks Phil ,I'll try speaking to him this afternoon