Ford Fiesta Mk1 1.1L - REVIEW AND DRIVE. How does Ford's supermini stack up 46 years after launch?
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- Опубліковано 4 сер 2023
- Let me give you a thorough look around my entirely standard 1980 mk1 Ford Fiesta 1.1L, teach you about how the Fiesta fit into the motoring world of the late 70s, and show you just how obsessed motor manufacturers were with trim levels. We also go for a drive and see what it's like on the road.
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Isn't life strange? At the time they didn't seem 'raw & mechanical' as you say but I recently sat in a Mk2 Escort and it felt like it was from another time and dimension. Everything DID feel mechanical but that felt marvellous to me. Maybe I was just flooded with nostalgia but it felt like a car rather than an appliance. I'm sure day to day usage would have me hankering for a modern car with its insulation and creature comforts but for a dose of warm memories you can't beat a car you lived with as a kid or teenager.
I'm from the generation that had cars like this,the Nova,metro etc as beaten up, rusty,near worn examples as first cars back in the 1990s.
Brings back memories of my 18 year old self going out with my dad round the back street used car dealers.
Back in 1980 I traded my much loved Austin 1100 for an S reg 1.1 L Fiesta. This car was definitely a huge leap ahead for Ford.
Takes me right back to my first car, V reg 1.1L in Blue but otherwise like yours, then I had a Y reg 1.1L that had a centre console with a radio and a clock! A step up indeed. Great to see this one in such good shape
Ooh posh!
A friend of mine had a white 1.1L in college and that thing took an amazing amount of abuse without complaint including an accidental trip off the road, down an embankment and into a stream. No matter, it just kept going. They were great little cars and still look sharply styled to me today.
Crazy to think that a passenger door mirror is an optional extra on these old school cars. Still a fabulous little car, love that this has been kept on the road. 👍
I'm sure I remember my mum's 1989 "G" reg Mk3 Fiesta having no passenger door mirror, although that may be a false memory. It definitely didn't have a radio though!
It was of it's time , there's no headrestraint either or rev counter. It runs on a four speed gearbox. They were lovely to drive and economical . The VW Polo had a slightly better suspension and was smoother.
My parents bought me a cheap passenger wing mirror for my Popular Plus. Fitted, once you got over 30mph the mirror would fold itself in to the quaterlight window rendering it useless 😂 happy memories
@@speedwell0560 😂
No that's absolutely right - the early base model mk3 had no radio and no passenger door mirror. I've actually got one (though a radio has been fitted), and it took me a lot of effort to find the mirror blank to get it back to correct spec: ua-cam.com/video/M5nzbVrPg-A/v-deo.html
That brought back memories of my Mk. 1 Fiesta. It was a 1.0 Popular, the absolute base model. But I really liked it. I bought it when it was three years old in 1986 and kept it for four years. It had done 92,000 miles by then. When I part-exchanged it, it had cost me just over £1,000 in depreciation. Wish I could do that now!
Gotta love a thrashy 950 😊
The Popular was very basic
But a great first car
Did it have plastic seats?
My sister had a 1982 Fiesta L
Red
And I seem to remember it went in this order
Popular, Popular Plus,L,GL,Ghia,the Fiesta Sport,and the XR2
My first car was a xr3 my second xr2 no way I be seen in a pop plus
When I used to take mine on that motorway, that central heater vent used to burst open nearly giving me a heart attack every time. Used to keep it closed as it had a habit of spitting dried leaves into my eyes :D
Hahaha!
My first car was a Y reg Fiesta 1.0 Popular, great little motor and I got more for it when I traded it in than I paid for it!
Wow, that was lucky!
Sion, we met at FOTU, I brought along my slightly shabby Citroen Visa Special. I'm considering making a few YT videos on my Visas (also have a GTi). Anyway your video on the Fiesta is informative, interesting and takes me right back to my early days, my first car was a posh 1.1L Finesse, it had a sunroof, upgraded seats, fog lamps. Later on I had a very early low spec 1977 Fiesta in beige with the washer pump being a foot pump on the floor! I remember it drove really well. I agree with your notes in the styling of the mk1 Fiesta, I really appreciate those design touches, it really is a design icon. Good luck with your channel, great content 👍
It was lovely to meet you and I adored your Visa. Glad to bring back memories with the Fiesta. I really wanted one with the floor-mounted washer pump, but this one is what came up in the end, so I have to live with the luxury of electric (and even intermittent wipe!)
The Finesse was a very nice model!
😮 I too had a foot pump screen wash but my Fiesta Popular was registered in 1982 so it had the new style bumpers. No parcel shelf no side air vents. No thermostat on the engine fan on base models so the fan ran constantly . I was jealous of anyone who owned a Ford that had a cigar lighter! I did, however splash out on an electric powered wash bottle and switch and even bought the Ford Centre Console for a radio and clock!
Three observations I noticed from the video, 1. You mentioned that on the posher models, the Glovebox would have a lockable lid. My Dad had a 1983 1.3 Ghia and yes it did have a Glovebox lid but it wasn't lockable. 2. You also mentioned that one side of the boot floor is lockable on the posher models, but on my Dad's Ghia, the boot floor was all one piece (which was carpeted) and was not lockable either. Mind you, it may have been lockable on the GL. 3. Again you mention the clunkyness of the indicator stalk, it shouldn't be that hard to push up or down so probably needs re-lubricating, though by 1983 the stalk design may have been revised. Otherwise great video that brought back a lot of memories.
Thanks very much. I think you're right about the glovebox lid not being lockable, but there were definitely models that had a key-operated cubby in the boot, see ua-cam.com/video/a-pWn-E9m8Y/v-deo.html
I will try to lubricate my indicator stalk - thank you!
I owned a 1978 s reg 1.1L in Nevada Beige, I passed my test in it in 1986. Lovely little car, happy memories.
I like these old-fashioned cars I'd used to see everywhere on the roads as a kid in the 80s/90s (even though they probably emanated from a much earlier era). It was a better time.
I had a W reg 1.1 L, the interior was a bit different, maybe a facelift
Mum had a 950 Pop, I learned to drive in it, mine was my second car, my first being an unreliable Mini
Both had a fierce clutch, I just thought it was a Fiesta thing, the good thing being most car
Thanks for the memories
It's a pleasure to bring back so many memories! There was a facelift on the L shortly after mine was made with different interior fabric
I have just found your channel & I really enjoyed your review. They were a cracking bit of kit back in their time. A very trusty work horse & so basic they could not fail. Nice work young man.
Had one of these when a current car , loved it , had the best heater ever .
Well done on the refurbished Fiesta, remember the collection caper video and now on the road, humming along nicely. Great engine and exhaust note! Quite the gem, thanks!
Had two of these mk1 fiestas the first the being a 950 in the lime green colour they did on the very early models. Loved it so much did an upgrade to a 1.1L in metallic brown finish. Did over a 100k miles in that car and it never let me down once. Simply basic and functional vehicles that in their time seemed light years ahead of anyone else. A trip down memory lane to see your review, wonderful.
I love the lime green colour, I know exactly what you mean. 100k miles is serious business in one of these: impressive!
Mate. Really enjoyed the fiesta videos. Thanks.
Like you, I love the design of the dashboard. Looks so cool. Simple yet really smart looking
A future FOTU star for sure
Excellent video which brought back memories of my first Fiesta, a 1.1S in bright yellow. Fantastic fun car which was also a highly practical load carrier with the rear seats folded down. Keep up the good work.
Thank you 😊
Lovely overview of this little gem
Great and lovely to see a rare survivor. I worked in the motor trade and at the time - 1977-8 there few dynamically better rivals apart from the VW Polo. However I worked for Peugeot-Talbot and the emergence of the 205 in 1983 really raised the stakes.
Yes you’re quite right. The mk2 refresh kept the Fiesta competitive, but it was very outdated by the time it was finally replaced by the mk3 in 1989
Haven't seen a car with a manual choke for a while. My first car that a bought for a couple of hundred quid from a work colleague in 1993 after passing my test was a 1978 Vauxhall Cavalier which had an automatic choke that didn't work. I used to have to pull over after the engine had warmed up a bit, pop the bonnet and flick the carburettor plate open with my finger. Ah, the good old days!
I’ve never yet had the dis-pleasure of a car with an automatic choke!
My dad had a Mk 1 XR2 in metallic blue. 1st car I did 100 mph in, from the old 1.6 four speed. Noisy. Very nippy and great fun.
Great video Sion, brings back so many memories of my mk1 popular plus.
They are crude and unrefined but have so much character.
Yup, I totally agree!
Nice example, I always loved the design.
I had an identical one as that and thought it was great. Honest little cars.
And Ford is now in full retreat in Europe at least. How times have changed.
I had a 79 L with brown houndstooth. Loved it apart from the wet mornings gamble to see if it would start 😂. The engine note and mechanical feel of it were my favourite things. I always thought the Mk1 was much better quality and drive than the Mk3!
Yeah Fords of the 70’s and early 80’s didn’t like damp cold mornings, heard plenty of old Fiestas and Capris struggling, cranking and spluttering.
Mine had brown houndstooth too. I remember having to buy a complete exhaust system in 1986, it cost inc fitting £19 😊
@@bmthba £19?! Wow! But then wages were something like £1.50 an hour so not cheap really.
@@willswheels283 Yes that’s right thinking about it. I can remember it was all in one piece .
Top sympathetic recommissioning Sion & great review. A friend cut the springs, to lower his mk1, he came too fast out of a roundabout & rolled onto the Crash barrier, roof went V shaped, he & his passenger survived to tell the tale, cuts & bruises. advantage of slow acceleration. love the dealer sticker, only thing missing off my polo, as No picture of original left online
My first car was a V reg 1.1GL... Noisy, slow, unreliable but I loved it anyway...
That's why I love old cars, they bring back the memories
Awesome review, i agree with you is a bit unrefined, if it's your only car (my case) is a little too much probably, but if you have it as a 2nd car i think that the unrefinement is a good thing, adds to the experience, you have to be on the mood to drive it, the complete opposite of a modern car, is fun and ready to go, i like it a lot, yes, some days i want a modern car just to go from A to B in complete silence and serenity, but is impossible not to smile while driving it, even if the noises and vibrations are a little too much some days. And people freak out when they see it, they wave, give you thumbs up, and smile, so it makes me happy and other people too.
Yes, so many people wave at this, and come to talk to me in petrol stations - it's not a car for an introvert these days!!
Well done Sion a brilliant video again on the fiesta and well done on your hard work it is looking great and is a survivor for sure
So many memories of the mk1 and mk2 come back with that video with the engine sound and how you describe the interior
My school secretary had one and remember it coming up the steep hill to school and my auntie took hers everywhere including on the motorway where she kept it below 50 as everything inside used to shake!
They were good honest motors which did what it said on the tin and were dead easy to fix if they went wrong the like we won’t see again
It would be interesting to see a test between the different ones you have and also if you know someone with a very early nova that would be great to compare as well
Well done again Sion love the period accessories!
Fantastic story! My grandmother had a beige base model, which she always revved the hell out of and only ever went about 30mph max!
That is stunning , mate
Excellent review brought back memories of my mk1 ghia in black with gray valour seats that was about 30 years ago so it was just classed as an old banger and sadly got scraped 😢😭👌👍🏻
If only we'd all kept out old Fords eh...
My dad had a green 1.1L, same year as this one. Seats were cream houndstooth. He got it when it was about 18 months old. Thos does bring back memories of travelling in it
I know, it's come a long way!
Nice review Siôn. Like so many other people, my Grandma had a mk1 Fiesta
Yup, my grandmother did too
Great review, I remember many of these cars on the roads when I was growing up in the 80’s and 90’s, a few people I knew learnt to drive in one.
That exhaust note is a characteristic of the mk1 and mk2 Fiesta, together with that tappety sound of the Kent engine.
That one has an early starter motor on it it has a sound like a mk2 Escort starting up.
First time watching one of your vids mate, liked and subbed.👍
Me too… cracking video!!
Yes, it is indeed an early starter motor. I luckily found a refurbished one at an autojumble recently!
@@MorselsAndMotors ahh ok, the early ones made from 76-79 had that starter, still does the same job of course, sounds fine on a W plate, it’s only just out the 70’s, the later mk1’s would have come with the one fitted to the mk3 Escort.
It’s a nice example yours.👍
Long ago I had a basic Fiesta 950 popular on a C plate. Brilliant little car, never let me down.
Nice video, good camera work 👍
I had a 1.3 ghia,with alloy wheels ,nke 180w still remember the reg! Great car! Had it from 4 years old
I had one of these. It was an excelent car!
Great to see another old car saved 👍🏻👍🏻
I worked at the garage Fullers of Malden Ltd 1973 to 2003 and probably have worked on that car, nice and simple. cheers, Mike.
Oh wow! That’s amazing Mike, thanks for your comment. Think this car would have hung around at the dealer a bit: it was built in July 1980 but didn’t get registered til February 1981
Great work as usual Sion. Fellow trim level aficionado (in my case Renault absurdities in the 80s - TL, GTS, TXE). We inherited an ‘82 Popular. Vinyl non reclining seats for us. No luxuries such as your package tray or satin appliqué. Black bumpers, door mirror etc. Also - foot pump for the washer (though electric wash wipe for the fitted optional wash/wipe). Deleted passenger sun visor but high compression engine! The boomy exhaust on the motorway overtook the engine which almost silenced in comparison. I learned to drive at 12/13 in it at our local business park.
Good to know another trim level nerd! In an ideal world, I would have loved a Popular with the vinyl seats and the mechanical washer pump on the floor, but it was this L that came up in the right condition at the right time. Also good to know the exhaust boom is part of the design, and isn't just down to the slightly rubbish aftermarket one I have!
I had a 1982 Y plate 1.1L silver. Loved that little car. It had black bumper that looked like they came off a super sport. The interior was blue if I remember with a centre console with the clock.
my first car was a brown 83 mk1 , had it a good few years, used to steam up something awful in the rain, which drove me nuts, also used it for work as a decorator!! sold it to a cousin and i upgraded to my great uncles mk2 astra!
Nice - I think this one is okay in the rain so far, but I've not had it out in winter weather yet. Mk2 Astra is a solid upgrade!
Congrats for the video and the car.
Fab vid, and the lewk is everything :D It'd be interesting to see how this compares to an early 205 - different generations, but they were on sale together briefly, I believe
Ooh that would be fun. I've actually never driven a 205, and I'd love to
I was at Dunton when this was being developed. Before the Bobcat Project we played with shortened Escort Estates (think Chrysler Sunbeam). Our development mules were converted Fiat 127s which you could spot with a flare in the sill. This hid a quarter elliptic rear spring. This suspension remained until quite late in development!
Oh wow! That's really cool, thank you for sharing
That ticking engine is wonderful. It's a sound of reliability.
My first car back in 94 was a seriously shot to ribbons W plate 950 base in mustard yellow with a brown vinyl roof which was hiding some battle scars from a roll onto its roof. £350 and they probably saw me coming at that as well. Having since had a few brand new modern 300bhp+ weapons as daily drivers, it’s amusing how I still take some corners slower than I did in that. The folly of youth twinned with an absolute fear of losing momentum. Just looking at that interior brings it all back. That’s a tidier example than mine was 29 years ago! Ideal first car to iron out one’s rough edges in. You could do 30 off the choke without touching the pedals… Replaced it 11 months later with a similarly battered 1.1L Mk2 after it failed an MOT due to chronic tin worm… times were tough 😂 Starting off with some rough stuff like that makes you appreciate modern motors. I loved it but it was a constant reminder of how skint I was!
Love that comment about momentum - you're absolutely right, and it's almost something we don't think about in modern cars. Thank you so much for taking the time to tell me about your memories!
Here in the UK my Mum had a 1977 1.1L, and it had no rear wiper, and the front window washer was not on the stalk, but actually had a round little foot button/pedal located somewhere to the left of the clutch. Dad also insisted Fewsters in Hexham fitted rear seatbelts for me and sister. These were the type that only went across your waist, which Dad said weren’t ideal but were better than nothing.
Nice job you did with this car, Siôn! By the way, the Taunus 12M was of course Ford of Europe's first front wheel drive car 😉
I stand corrected!
very strictly speaking one could argue the Fiesta was the first FWD car developed by Ford of Europe, as the 12M was developed in the USA, but ultimately deemed to small and quirky and thus handed to Ford of Germany; (And then Ford do Brasil had its COrcel in the late 60ies, which is actually a Renault 12 for Willys, who were taken over by Ford, if we speak early FWD Fords ;) ).
I well remember the distinctive hum that echoes through the bodyshell when the doors shut.
Yes!!! It's a very echoey door-shut isn't it!
I bought a white Mk I 1.1L Fiesta in 1982 it was about one year old at the time. From a time when cars were simple and affordable. My car had black bumpers with over riders , blue hard foam head restraints and nice blue factory fitted go faster stripes with the Fiesta logo incorporated in then. I have found memories of it.
That sounds like a lovely Fiesta, and thank you for sharing your memories
Yeah, they changed the bumpers around 1982 to the chunkier type with plastic caps on the corners. My 82 950 Popular had these but also had a very basic foot pump screen wash 😢. Ford were very stingy!
my first car. My gran gave me her 81 plate Y reg. 8k miles and minted. Crashed it, killed it. But had some awesome evenings with the lady friends
Haha, glad to bring some memories back!
Ar memories of my mate having one of these in 92 could hear him coming mile off, those mk1 fiestas definitely had a distinctive sound
Very distinctive!
@MorselsAndMotors also if my memory serves me right my friends fiesta was a base model from the 70s and it had a pump under the clutch pedal to send windscreen wash upto the front screen, if you know this was the case let me know it was along time ago, thanks
My mum had a Popular around the same age. It was dark navy and was bought at auction in Newmains, Lanarkshire, direct from Ayrshire and Arran Health Board. It had been a district nurse's car and had very low miles. Yours is posh. I remember being fascinated that the screen wash button was on the floor next to the clutch in my mum's car.
District nurse = the worst sort of mileage on a car. Just short (usually sub 1 mile) journeys between patients. I know because I work within a district nursing team. The job is terrible for car health. I make a point of going on a motorway run once a week just to get the oil up to temperature and blow some heat and lubricant through the engine.
Oh I loved the floor-mounted screen-wash of the base model. My grandmother had one, and I'd have loved to get one myself but the car that came along at the right time and in the right condition was this one with the slightly higher spec
@@MorselsAndMotors This is a cracking little car you've got and I enjoyed seeing it on your video. Cheers!
Fab! Love the period objects, and clothes! You’re missing a sweatband ;o)
Haha, noted, I'll see what I can find!
Love the mark 1, the tappets are really easily adjusted on those old Kent’s, really worth doing.
Yes, I have actually done them a couple more times since I filmed the video, and they do sound a bit sweeter now
If my memory serves me correctly the 950cc and the 1100cc engines were the 3 main bearing Valencia engine, and the 1300cc engine was the Kent crossflow.
Nice review. My first car was a mk2 Fiesta pop in black. The prominent engine and exhaust noise is a nice memory. It rusted beyond my economic means 'though and I sold it to a local scrapyard who gave me £15 instead of £10 due to it being Christmas!
What a Christmas bonus!! It's hard to believe now that there was a time when these were just so check throw-away cars
The engine noise immediately told me it was a fiesta. Plenty of memories of travelling in family mark 2s which were also loud. But so was our polo mark 2 we had at the time. Although less tapety.
Great video! Yes please do a fiesta mk1 vs mk3 comparison vlog 😊
Yessir! I will see what I can do
12:04 Shallow boot is advantage - it makes putting in heavy objects easier, especially if you have bad back. I wish more modern little cars had such low lip shallow boot... Great review, btw.
Good point, and thank you
At age 18 I bought a used orange Fiesta here in the US, in about 1985. I am from the UK, so it seemed a perfect car for me, which my friends, who all drove V8 American cars, thought was very odd. I did quite a bit of work on the car and enjoyed it, but eventually sold it. Great memories. Mine had the round headlights.
Yeah the US spec ones have very distinctive styling
First car I ever steered (I can’t say drove because I was a kid 😂) my old man used to let me steer it into the garage everytime after we had been out in the car. Memories lol
Glad to bring up memories 😀
Loads of happy memories of my A reg Popular Plus. Bought for £400 in 1996 first job was to replace the rear axle which my Dad did, took it for a test drive and heard a rattle, he had accidentally left a combi spanner ring end attached to the brake line. I fitted a centre console and radio cassette with hi fi speakers on the floor behind the front seats, big fat rimmed steering wheel, salvaged a MK2 XR2 interior and spoiler. Dad used to try and get me to do basic maintenance but I had other ideas, I remember not putting antifreeze in after he told me and the radiator burst, I found this out one night when the car filled with steam from the heater. I used the little moulded cubby on the dash as a footrest when parked up 😂 it leaked like a sieve, was full of rust holes, needless to say I longed for an upgrade and ended up buying an Orion 1.6i Ghia. To be fair the Orion suffered many of the same issues with water leaking and rot but again, happy memories none the less
Oh, just remembered, the Fiesta windscreen wash was a rubber foot pump on the floor, so kooky 😂
Fantastic stuff, love hearing people's memories like this. The foot pump on the floor was only on the base or Popular Plus - I wish I could have bought a car with that to be honest, as it's such an iconic miserly feature!
That’s an after market gear knob. I’ve never seen a mk1 fiesta with that. The sound of the fiesta was unique and you literally could tell a fiesta go passed you with your eyes closed. The Mk1 1.1 was quicker than the Mk2 because of that single box exhaust. Good video.
My first car was a 950 Popular, low back vinyl seats, no rear screen wiper or heater, no dipping rear mirror, pump on the floor you had to push with your foot to wash the screen as it had no washer pump! No intermittent wipers or parcel shelf either. I spent a lot of my time at scrapyards stripping Ghias for parts to upgrade it! Loved it though! I put a lowering kit and Peco exhaust on it. It was eventually rear-ended by a Sierra. 😢
Yeah, poverty spec really meant poverty then didn’t it! Shame it got rear ended, poor car
My first new car was a 1.1L. Black with gradband tinted screen. Had to pay extra for pads in the head restraints. Still remember the reg UJA 713X. Sold it about 18 months later and got more than it cost new!
I brought a 1.1GL fiesta in 1991 by which time it was 10 years old on an X plate but I loved it's manual windows and choke and radio cassette - did not like getting wet so travelled everywhere with a can of WD40 - happy days 😂
Hi. Just found your channel. Very interesting detailed review of the Fiesta 1980. Took me back a bit how tinny and rubbish they were. I've had vw for 35 years. Still have them. Ford's were bad starters in the damp. The only good one was the v6 cologne engine Granada mk2 auti ghia. What a car. Thanks for nice presentation. Liked the bare legs as well. See u in the next one.
Glad you enjoyed it 😀
My last Ford was a Mk3 Escort which I hated.
This was after owning over a dozen Mk1 and Mk2 Escorts. I quite liked the Mk1 Fiesta supersport which a friend owned, I suspect they are very rare now.
An excellent and truthful review. Refinement was never the Fiestas calling card - in fact it was decent in most areas but remarkable in none. The neat exterior design elements were the Fiestas main calling card. It was also surprising that the GL spec was omitted from the range until the 1981 model year. A cultural Icon of its time for many of us of a certain age even if taken in brutal isolation it was a good rather than a remarkable car.
Thank you, that's a neat summary there
My family had a 950 popular plus and 1300S the 1300S was a great drive but the popular plus was newer so at the age of 18 in 1984 I drove from Glasgow to dover then I put it on the the French motorail which took me to Milan I then drove it to Florence, a great wee car but sound insulated it first before I set off ..😅 great days
My first car in 1993, a canary yellow 1979 1.1l reg eoe 75v, mine had black and white tooth check seats😎
Nice!
I remember these generation of Fiesta well as my elder brother had a Popular (probably '83 year). Around 1985 as i was lucky enough to get my first new car (which my parents used as their runabout), and looking between the facelift mark 2 and a Nissan Micra. As you say the Fiesta was just that bit more crude in its driving manners, and particularly the sharp clutch.
I did consider the current Fiesta as my daily in 2018, but finished up with a DS3 3 door. This was when the brand split from Citroën to become a stand alone 'premium' make. The difference in specification some 35-40 years later between a supermini now and then is more than a little staggering:-
1.2 litre 3 cylinder engine, so not a million miles difference in capacity from your Fiesta, but thanks to modern technology and a turbo it develops 110bhp, and fitted with a 5 speed electronic torque converter auto is considerably quicker and more refined.
Sat nav, climate control, cruise control plus all the usual bits and pieces found on a mosetn car - ABS, traction control, electric windows, remote central locking etc etc. In 1980 we probably thought we would be in flying cars in the 2020s, and probably be living on Mars!! Whilst we havent come that far, its interesting how far we have come in other repects, probably more than we would have thought.
Just the thiughts of a 58 year old, reminded of my youth!!!
Good to know it isn't just my car that has the sharp clutch, thank you. Really nice of you to take the time to share your memories, I really appreciate it!
I owned of of these and it as was definitely ahead of BL and other British manufacturers' products in 1980, it was just prior to the launch of the Metro. My Ford 'Fiasco', if needed, could carry a ton of stuff and when new, the 1.1L ran reasonably well but mechanical reliability and longevity weren't in its bones. It would refuse to start in even mildly damp weather, despite lashings of WD40, a fan heater placed in the engine bay, directed at the 'Bosch' distributor for a few minutes, was the only solution. Despite regular servicing, it needed a new engine at 68,000 miles, which I opted for because it was cheaper that buying a new car. In contrast the bodywork was very good for its time, albeit, it was treated with the Ziebart process but there was no significant rusting even though I had it for many years. I once drove a friend's 1.3 litre version which in terms of power and engine smoothness was very much superior. Problems were common in all British cars at that time and on hindsight the early Datsun imports were far superior, if less visually appealing. I didn't buy the Cherry because my father cautioned me that the spare parts were expensive, but then they were rarely needed, unlike the Ford!
I've not driven the 1.3 Fiesta, but I can well believe they must be so much more refined especially with extra soundproofing in higher models. Your point about British cars is absolutely right: my mum had Datsuns in the late 70s/early 80s specifically for that reason!
At 7:08 i remember being in one that had gears 1,2,3 and E, there were two lights on the right that told you when to change gear.
No idea what model, but it was W or X reg and new at the time.
Yes! I think it was a special economy spec
My wife's first car. Hers also had noisy tappets. A friend said that the rocker shafts were quite soft so tend to wear. I rebuilt the rockers on to a new shaft and reduced the noise significantly 👍
That's good to know: I've re-adjusted my tappets to take the wear into account, and it now sounds better than it did in this vide
@@MorselsAndMotors That sounds familiar. I kept having to adjust them and found out why. The shaft had visible groves in the lower sections where each of the rockers pivoted. Changing the shaft negated the need for frequent adjustment. I figured the rockers may move a little due to the wear. Early VVT 🤣
Would be nice to see a video of the later facelift (also know as the mk2).
Do your spacing on the tappets every 1000 miles! Best thing I ever did to mine. The engine runs so smooth!
Thank you: I’ve actually done an adjustment since this video and they’re much better. I realised the rocker arms had worn a bit in the centre so my feeler gauge wasn’t setting them accurately
I remember the sales manager at the local Ford dealer, Hartford Motors, had a slogan at the Fiesta launch: “my wife used to drive a Mini because she had to. Now she drives a Fiesta because she wants to”
Oh that’s very good! I’ll have to remember that
I learned to drive in a mk2, with the 950cc engine and Popular Plus trim.
I understand mechanically the 950, 1.1, and 1.3 engines remained almost unchanged when they grafted on the jelly mould body shell.
Much like the mk1 1.1, the one I learned to drive in was much the same….the steering wheel was big and heavy, loud engine…but pulled well thru the gears. The clutch & gears were poor.
I got to go in a mk1 metro and that seemed a lot more refined, smoother, less noise.
…..I never bought a ford because of my experience in the 950cc mk2 fiesta.
On any Ford (AFAIK) the lights will be off when you pull the key. Was like that on my Capri, on my dads Escort and on his Mk2 Fiesta, and also on the wifes Mk6 Fiesta now.
However... great review. I'd love to have one of those oldies... but sadly most are gone. The ones that are left are not cheap.
Oh that's interesting. The lights definitely stay on in this car
Excellent and honest review! I wonder how a plush Ghia stacks up to this one, certainly the insulation would be much better? You didn't discuss the unmarked "mystery light" next to the oil pressure light, it's unmarked but does light up! Why did Ford put a bulb there, and does it actually have a function? I would love a comparison to a Metro of same vintage.
Yes, I worked out after I'd filmed the video that the unmarked light is the brake level warning light. I don't know why it's unmarked!
@@MorselsAndMotors Thanks for clearing up that mystery! When I was kid, the neighbours opposite to us had a Fiesta like yours. The neighbour once explained to me: "When *that* light comes on, you must stop the car immediately!" He gave me a very serious look while explaining... It was silver, my guess would be a 1.1 S. The "S" models were quite popular over here back in the day. BTW the neighbours next to us had an Astra (Kadett) like yours, a gold metallic 1.2S 3-door in "Luxus" trim. It's 35-40 years ago, I don't remember the faces of the neighbours but I do remember their cars😂 My parents had a blue 343 DLS with "VOLVO 2-LITER" sticker on the back window, the 81 model with new front but old interior. You still once have to drive one of those!
I had a gold coloured fiesta with a brown vinyl roof. In fact I had several fiestas. a W reg, a C reg L model in burgundy and finally an F reg fiesta in bright red. Despite this, I wasn't a huge fan because my dad always had Ghia model Fords and even today I am a sucker for a rev counter.
Love your videos.
I was lucky enough to have a 1.3 Ghia, with sunroof and turquoise interior. I got it in 1989 making it just 7 years old and it was knackered!
The engine eventually blew a rod and the front wings were slowly dissolving. I loved it though. Beat my mates 1.3 Mk2 Astra in a straight line. Helped by the twin Webbers and the aftermarket pancake filter.
You forget how quickly cars became old bangers in those days!
A work colleague gave me a lift home once in a Mk1 Fiesta. We drove along a dual carriageway at around 60 mph and it was LOUD! It put me off Fords for a long time.
I can entirely understand that - this is very loud too. My mk3 is significantly more refined
@@MorselsAndMotors Yes, I hired a T reg (1998?) Zetec Fiesta back in the day and couldn't believe how different it was. You could be doing 70mph and _not_ have to shout at your passenger to be heard.
My sister had a 1982 Y reg Fiesta 1.1 L
Sunburst Red and grey interior
Two years younger and the one on this W reg would have been the Popular Plus in 1982
The Fiesta L in 82 had a bit more in it with A frame head restraints
This is the same as my first car, even down to the exterior colour. Black check trim though. MLX 87V
Had a 950 popular,best car ive ever had.
Nice review. I still think this looks the most iconic and spacious Fiesta and they always came in such lovely colours then.
Nevertheless very much built down to a price. Arguably models from the mid 90s onwards are the best driving Fiestas, which makes the end of production of the final (Mk7 ? depending on how you choose to judge generations) very sad indeed.
The 1.25 litre 16 valve zetec engine was a huge improvement over the old pushrod bored out Anglia Kent engine too.
What a great video!
13:35 Yeah, that's a car with no sound insulation alright! 😂 It's ironic that these days people often pay *more* for the top-of-the-range track spec model of a sportscar or performance car that doesn't come with sound insulation (and with thinner glass and a sports exhaust and so on).
I guess people underestimate how much effort it takes to make a modern car feel so isolated from the road, when they say that, for example, the Toyota Auris has a totally boring and unnoteworthy driving experience. Granted modern Fiestas and Focus are still usually more sporty than that, being fitted with a bit of a sports exhaust and sporty suspension when compared to a Yaris or Auris.
Yes, it's amazing how much refinement has moved on in the last few decades. I could drive my 2012 XC60 at 70mph all day and get out feeling refreshed. Yet an hour in the Fiesta (or any 80s car like this) at 60mph and my ears are ringing and I've a bit of a headache!
Back when the Fiesta was launched I was on my second Mark 1 Polo N. I took a look at the Fiesta and was not impressed enough to buy one, I stuck with VW Polo’s for another 3 years until 1980/81, when I traded up to a Mark 1 Golf.
Funny you bringing up the fiat 127 as a very lesser known fact is that the mk1 fiesta has a fiat 127 floorpan, as it was fords first toe dip into front wheel drive ( they didnt do that again with fiat untill the mk2 KA which shares its floorpan with the new fiat 500) and yes the pattern shift emblem was gone on cars with a rev counter as the fuel and temp were relocated to individual round dials there, you need to be on the lookout for tje plastic boot liner which goes on the rhs undet the floirboards as that makes tjay space much more usable. Anyway i could be here all day but theres a few we things, keep up the good work
Fiat 127 was only for development
Its not just the ashtray in the back, there is the coathook too!😀
Darn, I missed that!
I remember my father occasionally picked me up from school circa 1981 in his work's van version of mk 1 Fiesta, I'm sure that was on a "W" plate too, I don't know if it was a 950 or 1.1 but it seemed nippy enough as did my cousin's mk 2 "C" reg 1.1. My first car was nearly an "R" reg Fiesta so an early one; it was two tone light / dark blue and didn't even have a rear heated window, must have been the basic model!
Wow R-reg is extremely early!
My first car was a 1983 fiesta popular plus, in green, always remember to clean the windscreen i had a bloody foot pump that would squirt the water up, went through the wars
I do wish mine had the foot pump, it’s my favourite Fiesta feature!
Would love to see a similar video on an unmodified mark 2 escort popular
Oh so would I!! I would absolutely love to get my hands on one of those, one of my dream cars