Ford Puma Thunder

[blaine]

Thought it would be a good idea to start a thread for my next project. I bought a 2001 Ford Puma thunder back in 2014 as a one owner car with 32,000 miles on it and every invoice for the car. I knew the owner of the car so knew that it was quite solid car. The idea was to use the car only on weekends however as my other half needed a car for a new job, the puma was commisioned into full time use. Over the last few years the car has not had the care it deserved and after I got the cavalier it was time to take the car off the road. I have been trying to decide for quite a while if the car should go or not as 4 cars in the family is maybe a little too much. But decided in the end to keep it and get it put back on the road.

So, with this in mind I took it for the MOT last week. Firstly the spring snapped on the driver's front on the way there so I had to replace that before the MOT. I was hoping that was it but unfortunately not.

Date tested
24 April 2018
FAIL
Mileage
52,117 miles
MOT test number
3105 9863 6869
Test location
unavailable until further notice
Reason(s) for failure
Offside Rear Vehicle structure has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of the body mountings sill (6.1.B.2)
Advisory notice item(s)
Nearside Front Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)
Nearside Rear Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)
Offside Rear Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

So the car failed on the sill. I had had suspicions for a while that the car has been previously jacked up incorrectly resulting in damage to the sill, however I was not expecting that much corrosion. But it can be repaired so I intend to.

The problem with the Puma is that the rear panels are not readily available either. So it is going to have to be a case of make do and mend.

More to come shortly!

[Robsey]

Sadly a lot of Fords (even recent models) suffer from poor bodywork as a result of Ford factories putting minimal (if any) rust preventitive and underseal on the underside of their vehicles.

Transits were by far the worst right up to the end of UK production.

A nice project all the same - it will be nice to see the repairs as they are made.
I am sure that you will be far more thorough than Ford with your rust treatment and protection.

[blaine]

Once it is done I intend to waxoil or equivalent anything that I can!

The problem with these is that even the rear arch liners are like a carpet instead of plastic of most cars. They really do hang onto the moisture really badly.

For the quarter panels I need to buy a couple of Peugeot 206 front wings as these are more or less the same profile shape

[cavalier1990]

Once it is done I intend to waxoil or equivalent anything that I can!

The problem with these is that even the rear arch liners are like a carpet instead of plastic of most cars. They really do hang onto the moisture really badly.

For the quarter panels I need to buy a couple of Peugeot 206 front wings as these are more or less the same profile shape

Amazing - the ways and means people come up with to make do and mend!
I think in Cuba they use washing machine panels to fix their car body

[Robsey]

Either that or "needs must".

It is always good to be able to use a bit of lateral thought to save a car from premature membership of the local breaker's yard.