On the hunt for a blue Puma

Hello, I'm contemplating making space for a Racing Puma, its been ages since I've had a look at one (or any Puma for that matter) and while I'm pretty sure I know what I'm looking for I thought I'd have a look on the net to see if there was any expert advice on the go.
I have a few questions that I hope some of you guys will be able to answer for me.

I'm Intending to go and have a look at one tomorrow on a whim and from what I've seen it looks lovely, are there any best avoided engine/manifold numbers out there from know accident damage and so on? Not sure of this ones number so I can't ask if its a decent one.

The cars weren't any harder to service than the usual Pumas, just a local ford dealer job back when they were new but now they are no longer in production has anything changed, parts availability and so on?

I know that 1000 were intended to be produced but around 500 were made in the end, how many are left now? I've seen it mentioned before in adverts that it has dropped but never known if its just a figure picked out of the air.

Thanks

One of the ones bellow was mine long time ago

[big boy al]

hi mate and welcome along

parts are still available but there are a few bits that are coming unavailable and in the future i should imagine alot more will start getting scarce too as ford have allready said they will not make anymore. body moulds etc were thrown out a long time ago.

front seats are no longer available and steering wheels, ford racing badges, exhaust manifolds, inlet manifolds and centre sections, front right uprights/knuckles are no longer available either and a few other bits.

but the bits that are available are stupidly expensive.

front and rear bumpers are now over £900 in primer front wings are £900.

front disks are £240 each and pads are about £130.

even things like driveshafts and hubs are over £120. front springs are £300 etc etc.

but thats the bad points the good points are as you know that they are amazing fun to drive and you couldnt get much more fun for the money, faster yes but fun no.

what one are you looking at i might know the number etc.

just have a good check on condition of the brakes and exhaust as these will save you alot of money if they dont need doing.

check if the cambelt has been changed and where it was changed as the frp needs a special timing tool and there are not many in existence and if its not done with the tool it will be down about 20-30 bhp.

good luck

alan.

p.s, do you have any more photos from that day as it looks great, also what number was your first one??

Here is the photo from the dealer, mine was 139 always fancied getting another but kept finding reasons not to get one, trouble is now I have the space and spare cash so if its a good one I'm in trouble.

[big boy al]

thats number 356

must admit it looks like a nice one but with low mileage comes the fact of have the bakes been changed?? is the exhaust original?? mild steel only lasts so long.

has the cambelt been changed, should have been don at 5 years or 80,000 miles.

if all have been changed then it could be a good price for a low mileage car but if not then new stuff could cost you over 1k

do you have any old pictures of 139 i collect a folder of frp images for the club and have well over 300 now i have some of 139 with the number plate frp 8t. but no original ones.

[Ed]

big boy al wrote:

thats number 356

must admit it looks like a nice one but with low mileage comes the fact of have the bakes been changed??

Wonder how you found out it was 356 Al?

The FRP in that advert went through auction at the end of June, info reported me was that it sold for £6400, documentation indicates it has been serviced twice in it's lifetime. As Al said, who knows what it will really need doing, and at that price point I'd want something where the important stuff should be top line.

Original owner of 139 - that must make you David?

[big boy al]

lol my good friend ed told me the number

low mileage cars sound nice but i would always rather buy a car that has had the niggles sorted and 9 year old parts replaced.

may be a brilliant example though, you know what your looking for hopefully so let yourself decide but there may be better ones for slightly less money but more mileage.

Yes, I'm David

The car sounds perfect, I was having my usual look at what Racing Pumas were for sale and spotted it, the milage seemed to good to be true, at only 8K more than I sold mine with over 5 years ago.
It's not going to be a daily driver or even weekend machine so if its needing the cam belt and breaks changed its not that worrying, I'l get it done but it won't be doing a lot of work it'll only be sitting in the garage on carpet are there any good trustworthy places that can do the work in the north east?

I think all the photos of my old car have the FRP 8T plate on, the reg was bought just before delivery so it was in it from the first pick up, think the build reg was W541 OKH if I remember rightly, still have the old plates somewhere, I'll have a look at getting the photos scanned in.

*edit*
Just spoke to the dealer and the breaks were changed in 2003 at 14.000m and they will be happy to change the cam belt, not sure if the loss of BHP is a worry as they probably won't have this elusive FRP tool needed.

wish me luck

Good luck

Make sure they use/new
full Ford cam belt kit
rocker gasket (nearly always leaks oil if not changed)
auxillory belt and tensioner/pulley too
could sort the timing out afterwards as it is very likely to be wrong just take it easy and hope for the best
budget for a big brake overhaul, 2003 is a long time ago if the Alcons have not been touched since, hopefully it will just be parts and not that the actual caliper shell that is too far corroded.

Re servicing, all these years later they are still hard to get serviced correctly, however we have built up a network of trusted places, though it may mean a drive, to sort different aspects of the car out.

good luck

"with the low number of these on the road this is a really good example"

I think the dealer must have been thinking of something else, every panel had been painted, badly with lots of over spray on rubbers and trim, the rear bumper was cracked/strained under the right rear light, and finished in a distinctive matt effect on the bottom with the towing eye cover missing.
Interior was faded, rear seats were ok, wheel and gear knob were very well worn.
All the wheels looked like they had been painted with a spray can, lots of matt areas.
Front bumper was badly stonechipped and someone must have resprayed it, leaving blobs of paint on the top edges of it
Rust coming through the stone chip areas of the rear arches on the drivers side.
Breaks looked terrible all round.
Rusty water under the carpet of the boot had dried and left the a rusty colored floor.
Drivers side front wing had been bodged and was really obviously bent, both wings were not bolted on as the bolts had rotted or snapped.

22995 miles, must have covered them and then been sitting under a tree or been left waiting to be repaired.


356 Ford Racing Dog, Gutted

That isnt good at all, to be honest i was gona go and have a look at this but after what u've just said ill dont think ill bother

Good luck with the search, hope you find one soon!!!

[lisafrp]

Oooo I'm in this picture somewhere - that's waiting at Dover to get on the Ferry to Le Mans isn't it

I think mine was at the front on the middle row - or thereabouts anyway, it was 9 years ago!

[/quote]

jalf990 wrote:

"with the low number of these on the road this is a really good example"

I think the dealer must have been thinking of something else, every panel had been painted, badly with lots of over spray on rubbers and trim, the rear bumper was cracked/strained under the right rear light, and finished in a distinctive matt effect on the bottom with the towing eye cover missing.
Interior was faded, rear seats were ok, wheel and gear knob were very well worn.
All the wheels looked like they had been painted with a spray can, lots of matt areas.
Front bumper was badly stonechipped and someone must have resprayed it, leaving blobs of paint on the top edges of it
Rust coming through the stone chip areas of the rear arches on the drivers side.
Breaks looked terrible all round.
Rusty water under the carpet of the boot had dried and left the a rusty colored floor.
Drivers side front wing had been bodged and was really obviously bent, both wings were not bolted on as the bolts had rotted or snapped.

22995 miles, must have covered them and then been sitting under a tree or been left waiting to be repaired.


356 Ford Racing Dog, Gutted

lol...sounds like a tidy example...

jalf990 wrote:

"with the low number of these on the road this is a really good example"

I think the dealer must have been thinking of something else, every panel had been painted, badly with lots of over spray on rubbers and trim, the rear bumper was cracked/strained under the right rear light, and finished in a distinctive matt effect on the bottom with the towing eye cover missing.
Interior was faded, rear seats were ok, wheel and gear knob were very well worn.
All the wheels looked like they had been painted with a spray can, lots of matt areas.
Front bumper was badly stonechipped and someone must have resprayed it, leaving blobs of paint on the top edges of it
Rust coming through the stone chip areas of the rear arches on the drivers side.
Breaks looked terrible all round.
Rusty water under the carpet of the boot had dried and left the a rusty colored floor.
Drivers side front wing had been bodged and was really obviously bent, both wings were not bolted on as the bolts had rotted or snapped.

22995 miles, must have covered them and then been sitting under a tree or been left waiting to be repaired.


356 Ford Racing Dog, Gutted

lol, I know the feeling, please see my thread for my experiance recently

viewtopic.php?f=22&t=763

Markymark has posting an interst in selling his, I havent seen it but it sounds like a good car, failing that If you have the budget Dani's (#185) is a cracker

and as In my post, ignore mileage it means nowt

hope it helps, hope you find one

Thanks for the replies and the odd PM I'll keep looking