Initial engine teardown...
 
Mixed results. 
 
Not as bad as I expected, however piston 1 has taken an absolute hammering.
 
Detonation or foreign object??? Crown has really taken a beating, even mushroomed the edges slightly.
 
Now to weigh up my options.....
 
 

 
 
 
 

That's a heck of a lot of damage, the person driving it must have had the hearing aids turned off! 

Number 1 would need a bore after that I would think, is probably oval and tapered now. 

PartTimeMK2
That's a heck of a lot of damage, the person driving it must have had the hearing aids turned off! 

It was last driven by a very senior gentleman so highly likely!!!
 

PartTimeMK2
Number 1 would need a bore after that I would think, is probably oval and tapered now. 

 
Agreed. New pistons and machine work isn't something I was planning on.  $$$$
Might have to look for another running 1600 or go with one of the spare running pintos I have here. decisions decisions....
 
It is the original block, so if I go that way I'll keep it under the bench should I ever have a change of heart.
 
Shaun

Whilst I've been sorting out some of the mechanicals I've also been trying to track down some interior parts.
 
Its a lot harder, and unfortunately a lot more costly, to find and source interior parts now.
 
I had planned on using the mint burgundy bench seat I had tucked away, however by chance I found some low back buckets so they will now be recovered in black. This then meant the burgundy door trims wouldn't suit, so I had to find some black ones.
 
I did have a small win though, hiding under the wood 'L' series dash was this early GT dash.  
 
Here are some of the other bits I've managed to find.
 
 

MarkA
Shaun,
If you want to change the colour of door trims etc, I've used the Dupli-Colour vinyl & fabric spray. Works brilliantly.
Mark

Thanks Mark. 
Yes Ive used it in the past with mixed results.
 
The issue is that the door trims are the 'L' type.
My success has been with vinyl, however I haven't had as much luck with carpet. In the past, carpet sections have been less than great. 
 
For this reason, I treated myself to some new black door trims with the xmas sales...  40% off. (still costly    :()
I like the chrome trim across the top of the 'L' trims, so might see with a bit of work if I can transfer this across to the new trims.
 
Shaun

Now a supercharged pinto sounds extremely interesting!
 
I don't want to tell you how to suck eggs so tell me to sod off if you want and I wont be upset, I was taught that ball hones can make things look better than they actually are.


When I was an apprentice I was lucky enough to work with a guy who did a lot of rally and formula 500 racing and built engines frequently. He was my main mentor and showed me the difference between a stone triple leg hone and a ball hone on a worn engine, he ran the triple leg hone down a cylinder and all the low spots and grooves stuck out like dogs balls. He then ran a "dingleberry" as he called them down the same cylinder and boom - all the low spots were magically honed up. The cylinder was still completely gone and needed a bore but the ball hone made it look passable.

Had a mate with his Pinto which caught some moisture in a cylinder, once we know what happened it was remove the head and BDC the piston with rags, I used trans fluid and 240 grit paper to remove the rust then hit it with the 3 finger hone very lightly to bring it up. The engine was never a problem after that so doing a proper dodge can be a success 😁.

I have a supercharger on the bench from a import MR2, it has a pulley like a AC pump (IE switch on or off) , promised to use it one day on a zetec... But back when our dollar was good against the USA, I located a rare as the come Ford Focus mk1 Jackson Racing supercharger coupled to a Ford Racing alloy intake to match for only $700 del . Stuff like this was a after market option at sales in USA, it came off a 2000 Focus wagon auto of all cars !!