fiestaturbo.com

[Phils-rs]

I've bought my rs last year with intention of restoring, upon further strip down I found it is a rat !!!! So I purchased a later 1993 shell as they're a stronger shell with extra reinforcements, but only to find when stripped all seat mounts, tailgate lines, petrol flap ect are different to be fair I knew the obvious we're different but the floor really pissed me off, as I'm a panel beater by trade I decided to mod the floor using the original front seat brace so I could mount the seats on the original runners, I know the car is no longer an original shell but would like to keep it looking as original as possible, and collecting new parts along the way, trying to find an early shell mint is a difficult task, to me an original shell is never welded nor painted so no matter what I do the car won't be original, but I'll make sure it's mint, I've bought 2x sills, 2x genuine front wings with square holes, 2x genuine quarters, lower front panel and lower rear panel, mondeo 16" wheels, full set Samcos in red to suit body, ally rad, ally intercooler, new air filter, front wilwood 4 pots, scorpion exhaust, front and rear strut brace, ect, planning a full engine build not by me thou as I don't really do motors, and it's a full nut and bolt rebuild, now I'm not planning on selling the car as I've always wanted one so the plan is to do it mint with all rust cut out and plated properly as I said before I'm a panel beater and have been for 18 years soi I'm more than capable of carrying this out, I'm wondering what people's thoughts are on devaluing as it's not original ? Unfortunately it's either this or scrap another becoming classic ford to me this ain't an option, any feedback would be most appreciated, thanks for reading

[Smo]

You will lose value over what the original would have been worth in the same (potentionally immaculate) condition, and at present I don't think the value would be great at all - not compared to the effort that you will be putting into this! However, if like you say, you're not planning on selling the car, I think over the coming years you could well see the value of a non-original go up and up; not just yet, but in time. MK3s are getting rarer, and it's unlikely that they'll ever achieve the classic status to the same level as that of your typical MK1 and MK2 Escorts (or will they?!), but without a doubt, people like myself will have fond memories when we're much older of these Fiestas of our youth and will want to relive the fun we had in them

I think you're quite unlucky with your 1993 shell! Most were still MK3 around that year with the majority of the 1994 on shells being the MK3.5. It is a shame the floors are different, because even though the runners can be swapped on the seats, getting the original grey carpet to fit would have been a nightmare

[Phils-rs]

I totally agree with you with the value side of things, I understand that an original shell would hold a greater value but it would have been like a patchwork quilt and I'm not keen on plates on plates, to be honest I didn't research part availability on mk3 fiestas, I was originally going to buy a mk4 escort rs, the mods I've done to the floor are so I can have the original carpet, seat runners ect, an absolute ball ache to do also, it's taken many hours of my time already doing so, also the inner 1/4 has been modded to suit the smaller filler neck this too was a pain in the ass!!!!! I'll get there in the end thou, at one point I was thinking of looking out for an earlier shell but I'd have 3 then an that would probably result in a divorce 1 part of me ain't happy about the later shell the the other part is as the mk3.5 is a stronger shell and from what I've read the 3.5 was made to rectify handling problems compared to the mk3 ? Thanks for your feed back

[sikora]

Personally I don't see what wrong with welding a car. I'd rather one that's had rust problems sorted than one advertised as original and never welded. We all know what these cars are like for rot!