Wanted:Ford orion to restore

carchaeologist

Iv always wanted one of these cars,i really like the lines of them and the way they drive,id like one preferably in 1.6 L diesel form,not the 1.8 diesel,the 1.6 was the best version IMO and as they are getting quite rare now iv decided now is the right time to buy.You cant beat the boot out the back for extra versatility.It really adds to the lines of the car too,much better looking than the escort.




Has anyone any advice on these machines?

trevorbrady

it's still April 1st, right? :D:D:D:D:D:D:D

dutchcat

OMFG...........:eek:..........please tell me its an april fool.

chiefwiggum

yeah and i'd love a daewoo lanos:rolleyes:.....:D:D:D:D:D

carchaeologist

??Whats wrong with them?

Sids Not

You know what their like on here.....if its not a merc or a merc they're not interested.....like bmw drivers..;);):D

carchaeologist

Sids Not wrote: »

You know what their like on here.....if its not a merc or a merc they're not interested.....like bmw drivers..;);):D

Lol!!I doubt anyone will ever restore an orion!! Though iv heard of a guy doing a bare metal resto on a austin maestro!

Sids Not

carchaeologist wrote: »

Lol!!I doubt anyone will ever restore an orion!! Though iv heard of a guy doing a bare metal resto on a austin maestro!

Now THATS a classy car................:D:D......or a VW Derby...

carchaeologist

Theres a guy on eircooled restoring a Derby...

CharlieCroker

YUM!!!!!

A lovely granny special early 80's Corolla

trevorbrady

Sids Not wrote: »

or a VW Derby...

carchaeologist wrote:

Theres a guy on eircooled restoring a Derby...

OI!!!

my latest project is an '81/'82 Derby!!!

I always favoured the underdog, but the Orion is a bridge too far! :eek:

carchaeologist

^There he is! I wasnt taking the piss,a derby is 100 times better a car than the orion!!

macplaxton

carchaeologist wrote: »

You cant beat the boot out the back for extra versatility.

Now I've nothing against the Orion, but that line takes the biscuit. :rolleyes:

Extra? Security? Maybe. Versatility?

oh, no.

Johnboy Mac

Yeah, April fools and all that.

Sids Not

Just havin a larf Trev.how ya gettin on with it...


Its just my opinion but i'd like to see cars like the derby or orion restored and presented at shows...in 10 or 20 yrs time when you're walking (or being pushed ) around the Terenure show it'll be nice to see that some people took the time to restore these "ugly" cars.....and i know from visiting shows in the uk that these things always bring a little smile to your face....they're not to everyone's taste but still..they'll be classics someday....i'd rather look at one of these than yet another beetle/mini/merc...:eek:

--amadeus--

It might be an April Fool but:

:eek:

MercMad

We had a new Orion 1.6D GL in '86, ZG 8621, it was the car that I spent most of my teens driving.

It was economical, it had a big boot, it could play tapes, people could fit in it.

They were its good points, its bad points were pretty much everything else you can think of.

Johnboy Mac

Don't want to sound overtly harsh but some cars should be left in the dustbin of automotive history.

Blue850

I worked in a Ford dealers in around 1994, the 1.8 diesel fitted to the Orion and Escort was a complete b@stard for breaking timing belts, they were supposed to be changed every 36,000 miles, we had one Orion break its belt at 17,000, fitted new head under warranty and 10,000 miles later it broke the belt again:rolleyes:

Sids Not

Johnboy Mac wrote: »

Don't want to sound overtly harsh but some cars should be left in the dustbin of automotive history.

.."one man's dustbin is another man's Skoda"............:D

I'd rather be seen in this than a civic or wotnot...........

Johnboy Mac

Sids Not wrote: »

.."one man's dustbin is another man's Skoda"............:D

I'd rather be seen in this than a civic or wotnot...........

It's on your list of classic cars to get them? :D:D

carchaeologist

Johnboy Mac wrote: »

Yeah, April fools and all that.

Indeed..

A neighbour had a diesel one from new,it had a great reg too,87KY88,but it was a fair noisey old yoke. And a friend of the family had an 89 one that was completly rotten(i mean f**ked)by 1996 as he worked near the sea.

Sids Not

Johnboy Mac wrote: »

It's on your list of classic cars to get them? :D:D

:D..I wish.....:rolleyes:

superboy

My grandad had an Orion Ghia, with a ZS reg. And I Loved it, even though it was the same colour as colemans english mustard......:eek:

quattro777

Here's one if anyone is interested.
http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C69331/

And a Laurel.
http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C63008/

Bargain of the week......
http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C71953/

carchaeologist

Wow..that R18 is really good value!!:p

Big Nasty

Always wanted one of these:
http://classiccarsales.ie/buy/view/Ford_GRANADA_LX/976

Not so much into the 'touring' version but I like the spec of the Ghia:
http://classiccarsales.ie/buy/view/Ford_Granada_Ghia_2_8_Countryman/922

VWPowered

i'm doing a quick resto on my Polo 2 Coupe GT

i always prefered the Mk1 onion to the Mk2

Cortina mK5 rear lights will fit with a little modding (i know they put Orion light on Cortinas so why not the other way around )

i sold this for €200 the other month..





was the in-laws, been round the clock three times and got a email from the new owner saying grandad was well chuffed with it :rolleyes:

BrianD3

My family had a few of them from 83-87, they were pretty bad alright. I'm struggling to think of a good word to say about them Judging by cartell reports the ones we had fell victim to the scrappage scheme in 1995-1997.

I do think some examples should be preserved, if i saw one at a classic car show i'd show an interest in it

Bitten & Hisses

A cousin had a new 1985 Orion which was well and truly banjaxed by 1995. along with all the other maladies, something went wrong in the gearbox and they couldn't select 1st gear! Amazing to think that a one-owner car only 10 years old ended up as a field car.

cxcully

I think you had us all going there for a minute carchaelogist....an atrocious example of car design.........nevertheless I must do my duty and report that there is an Orion parked up for a good while at a garage/shed (on the left heading towards Knock) halfway between Ballyhaunis and Knock.

Henry Ford III

My brother had a white Orion Ghia 1.6i, which was well specced for the time. Like an XR3i with a boot.

manus30

I actually had a mk1 ford orion ghia i. it was black with red piping on the bumpers. god i loved that car, it had a very good spec. the ghia had the xr3i engine and box, but it didnt have the insurance loading that the xr3i had, it was about half price to insure ( i was 17 )
if i could find a good example i would definately buy and restore it. beautiful car. i also had a red mk2 orion ghia, but for some reason i didnt really warm to it...

W123-80's

Murphys Micro Quism. Every Sunday night, the ultimate nail biting finale with the contestant sitting in the front seat of a brand new Ford Orion. Answer 5 questions correctly and the car was theirs - fail and they had to get back out of the nice shiny new orion and get the bus home.

BrianD3

W123-80's wrote: »

Murphys Micro Quism. Every Sunday night, the ultimate nail biting finale with the contestant sitting in the front seat of a brand new Ford Orion. Answer 5 questions correctly and the car was theirs - fail and they had to get back out of the nice shiny new orion and get the bus home.

Was it not an Escort "Laser" that they offered as a prize rather than an Orion?

Yes, I am a pedantic anorak

W123-80's

BrianD3 wrote: »

Was it not an Escort "Laser" that they offered as a prize rather than an Orion?

Yes, I am a pedantic anorak

Very possible in fairness. I just remember being 8 or 9 and drooling over the alien prospect of actually sitting in a brand new car. And it was a ford to boot..! I always had a thing for the old Hatch Sierra (Before the Sapphire).

carchaeologist

They look fantasic modified too...i want!!!*cough..*

Silvera

I owned a Ford Orion Mk1 reg '4605 AI' (Meath, 1984) from 1992 until 1997.
I traded it in under the '97 scrappage scheme, for a new Honda Civic.

Yes, while they were an average car, I was happy enough with my Orion, though I would have preferred a 1.6 Ghia to my 1.3L !;)

I would like to see a restored Mk1 Orion at future shows!
I'm sure people would also have laughed at the idea of a restored Corolla K20 or K30 not that many years ago!

carchaeologist

Silvera wrote: »

I would like to see a restored Mk1 Orion at future shows!
I'm sure people would also have laughed at the idea of a restored Corolla K20 or K30 not that many years ago!

Interesting debate on this thread,and i only posted it as a joke:p

I get your point on the corollas,its a very valid point,iv had many people ask me what in hell i want an old Datsun for, "rustbucket" "heap of scrap" etc etc,and i can see why people who drove them when they were current vehicles would say that,becase i agree they were rusty heaps that dissolved in no time but i wouldnt sell mine for anything,i like the fact it has survived this long,and its quite a rare car nowadays,its really all down to personal preference.
I can also see people in years to come restoring and minding orions for these reasons also.
I suppose its down to the cars you had when you were younger,or the cars that were about the place then.

I see theres a few carinaIIs appearing at shows these days,and i think i saw an 87 starlet in limerick junction yesterday too.

Old age eh...:p

macroman

My Dad had a two of them (88 & 90), very roomy and comfortable (headrests in the front were great for long journeys). He regrets selling them, but having said that, he also regretted selling his gold Rover 213...:p

AsphaltRisin'

Johnboy Mac wrote: »

Don't want to sound overtly harsh but some cars should be left in the dustbin of automotive history.

so should car snobs who reckon they're above certain types of car and think they've got a divine right to knock someone for enjoying somethin they dont like themselves.


But on the topic of orions, there's one on donedeal.ie, though it's not a diesel