There has been a mad flurry of activity over the past few weeks or so. So please see the below.
MCS
The Mini has now had its seats delivered! So I now have seats, subframes and some resistors.
I went for the Sparco R500 fabric seat. I feel like it is a good looking seat that doesn't break the bank while also having tilt/recline. So I can access the rear luggage space if I need too!
I've had a little sit in and fit well, fingers crossed they make a nice difference in the Mini. I will lose my seat heating which is a shame, I have toyed with buying a dirt cheap set of Mini heated seats and pulling them apart for the seat wiring so I can make my own heated version with an aftermarket heating element. But only casually mulling the idea over, as fabric won't get too cold.
So now we need a break in the weather so I can attempt fitting. It has been a while since I have fitted some seats but excited to get them in the car.
Fiesta Zetec S
Hold up says you all, what madness is this. I am of the generation that in my late teens it was either 106 GTi, Saxo VTS or Fiesta Zetec S being the must have cars.
Well I've had a saved Facebook Marketplace search for a MK5(or 4.5 whoever you actually believe) Fiesta Zetec S for a long time. I have been very nostalgic over the car as I really rated it back when I was 19 and wanted to get back into one. Mine was an '02 plated "Phase 2" Zetec S in Imperial Blue and one night I saw this one pop up. Being a massive man child with a bank account I only went and bought it.
So for any eagle eye'd aficionados you may notice that this one has the quite rare options of A/C and heated front windscreen, which obviously is really exciting. Now the only modification currently is a stainless steel back box, which isn't too bad and meant I got back from Suffolk not too deaf and an aftermarket headunit.
Now, was it a case of rose tinted glasses. I am happy to say no, considering the absolutely abysmal state of the weather and roads at the moment the way this thing grips and goes is surprising. Another 20 years of tyre technology really seems to help! I must admit I drove a bit like my 19 year old self, but only having 103bhp I was well within all speed limits while feeling like an absolute hero.
Problems I hear you say, yes there are some. The A/C is currently not working as the car blows hot air at all temperature settings, now my old car did this and it was the HCV (Heater control valve). So I have one on the way to hopefully fix this. There are some trims that need replacing in the future, A pillar trim potentially and the drivers side door cards. Knowing my luck with water leaks, I am already planning on getting fresh rear light seals and wiper seal to change in the spring/summer. Oh and the steering wheel offends me like it did back in the day. I'd like to get that off and retrimmed black with blue stitching, unless you can get a blue alcantara, that might be fun.
Rust, we cannot discuss a Ford of this generation without touching on this, the nearside rear arch is bubbling and will need doing. It has advisories for sill corrosion and I stuck my head under the car as best I could and didn't see anything too insanely horrible. But we can all see where this is going, I am sure just like a good old MX5 there will be something hidden. I do intend on this being a bit of a restoration and preservation kind of car, so when I can I am going to pop down to the chap who did my MPS welding and get it booked in to be gone through.
Parts on the way, a set of Bosch Aerotwins (love me an Aerotwin :love:) and some amber side repeaters. As we are definitely getting rid of those clear ones.
Side thought, don't actually hate the pressed plates. What is becoming of me.
BUT There is always a but, I have decided that it is time to part with the MPS. Obviously this is a really hard decision, but I feel like keeping the car purely for sentimentality is starting to leave me. It is losing its place in my fleet of cars and getting driven less and less. It is basically perfect as it is now and time for it to find a new home. I do hope it isn't stripped for parts. So more on that as I decide how to go about selling it over the next few months.