Decisions, the more retro choice

Merry xmas and happy new year guys Hope you all had a good one!

I have posted this on a Fiesta forum and was surprised at the responses so I thought I'd try here too, to get a balanced opinion!    

Anyhoos been looking at replacing my Impreza Turbo with something a) more economical (as my commute is longer) and b) more retro.

The car in question will be fitted with a modern(ish) fuel efficient engine but will hopefully still have some poke. The choice of cars are MK1 Golf or MK2 Fester. Both are cars I love hence me being torn! So which do you think is cooler, more retro choice?

Whichever I choose will be wide, low and smooth but any mods will be made to look as oem as possible!

if it was me id be torn between a 2.0 16v conversion in a 1.5-1.8 mk1, or a 1.4 16v conversion in a small block mk1. 1.4 will give you mk1 gti power levels but cheap tax n insurance, 2.0 16v will give you 160bhp without any effort. tough call

I'm actually thinking outside the box and considering engines from other manufacturers in whichever car I choose. Opens the door to find a nippy and economic engine! I'm not shy of a bit of fabrication/wiring etc so no problems there!

hondaaaah engines are good and have been done before, or vaux red top will be upber quick n easy/cheap to tune. if you go festa you have a massive pile of ford engines you can put in there.

mk1 with a big block lump can take a mk4 1.8t engine with minimal fuss though. as can a small block one just a case of cut of move and weld back on upside down the driver side engine bracket

that bracket is the only real difference shell wise between mk1 big n small block, everything else is bolt on, bolt off

If your happy to fabricate and modify it then I'd go for whichever you find cheapest and nearest to you.

Both cars are cool in my opinion, the only thing that puts me off Fords is their dashboards.

rubjonny said

that bracket is the only real difference shell wise between mk1 big n small block, everything else is bolt on, bolt off

Thats handy to know, cheers

GavB95 said

If your happy to fabricate and modify it then I'd go for whichever you find cheapest and nearest to you.

Both cars are cool in my opinion, the only thing that puts me off Fords is their dashboards.

Yeah for dashboards aren't the best, the Mk2 Fiesta dash in particular is pants…..


What sort of cost are MK1 3 door non GTi cars going for? Ones that maybe need a little tlc or non-runners………

Varies massively mate, a guy near me has picked up a 3 door shell for £50 and just bought a complete donor cabriolet for £300.

you seen this ?

http://www.volkszone.com/VZi/showthread.php?t=752036

Thats a good price for such a low mileage early car. Its a MK1 though, wrong shape  

I love Mk1's, I saved a couple of pics of one I spotted on Pistonheads a while back:





IIRC it was a Supersport rep fitted with a Zetec engine, and was up for about £1500.  8)

I'm surprised you don't like them, but do like Mk1 Golfs, as there are a lot more similarities to the design (more so with the XR2 front end as above).

GavB95 said

I love Mk1's, I saved a couple of pics of one I spotted on Pistonheads a while back:





IIRC it was a Supersport rep fitted with a Zetec engine, and was up for about £1500.  8)

I'm surprised you don't like them, but do like Mk1 Golfs, as there are a lot more similarities to the design (more so with the XR2 front end as above).

Nice car, that ill fitting d/s front bumper cap would annoy me to death though   Shame theres a big dent in the 1/4 panel too

Don't get me wrong, I love MK1s, a lot! I've been there and done that several times! These are just a couple of the cars I've had (old scanned 35mm pics, late 90's early 00's)




and my half 1.8cvh sierra half S1 RScvh turboed engine monster. I never actually got round to painting it (it was all grey primer in the end) but boy was it fun!



I agree there are more than a few similarities with the two, however I can help but feel that the MK1 (in XR2 guise) was always an obvious copy of the MK1 Golf!

I feel the MK2 lends itself to the smooth low look better than the MK1 imo, plus its not influenced (styling wise) by any other manufacturer.

Just been google imaging

This has the perfect (for me) stance and wheel size!



Can't find any decent images (that I like) of a MK2 Fester. (I have one in my head though   )

hey was just looking through ebay at cheap cars found a mk2 fiesta for £350 then i remember this thread, so here you go

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ford-fiesta-mk2-bonus-xr2-rally-car-retro-classic-/290654349435?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item43ac59687b

Now that is very tempting, its quite away from me though. Good to see decent cars for not a lot of £ too! I'm really starting to swing towards the Golf though tbh…………

Yea don't blame you made as I was after an xr2i and ended up with a golf

arf333 said

Yea don't blame you made as I was after an xr2i and ended up with a golf

I think that maybe why I'm swaying towards the Golf, I've had most variants and Marks of Fiesta over the years from XR2s to Turbos to Si's even a TDCi but only one Golf!

The pic of the silver Golf above I've posted is really swaying me  :mrgreen:

scrollin thru the fiestas pics a was like "meh…"

then that gorgeous mk1 appeared! heart skipped a beat… no more needs to be said! im mk1 through and though!