I Remember When...

[mamiata1]

My Dad (RIP) had a bright yellow 3 dr hatch Fiesta and I believe the year might have been 1978. It was pretty basic, no AC, roll up windows and as I recall 12 inch tires. Yes people, they had 12 inch tires on cars back in the day. It was a 4 speed stick shift with 4th being overdrive. This car was capable of MPG's in the mid thirties and best of all - it was peppy as hell! I have no doubt that it would beat a stock 2011 or 2012 in any drag race.

I don't remember the details but I know it had a 1.6 liter engine, single cam, probably even push rod with carbuerators and weighed less than 2000 LBS. What I'd give to have that car as it was new!

My Dad, being a bit of a cheapskate, bought the car without radio and picked up a cheap unit at a local electronics store for 20 bucks (not even stereo IIRC). Installed it himself and I remember how proud he was of himself. Not so proud a few months later when somebody threw a brick threw the passenger window and ripped the cheap radio out of the fiberboard dash and did several hundred dollars worth of damage. The deductible was maybe $400 so he didn't really make out on that deal after all. Can't recall if he replaced that unit or not. Fond memories in spite of what happened.

[Captainmorbid]

My dad had a Ford Courier, 73 I think. Try and imagine a modern fiesta based micro truck! Not good for a family of four, and the wooden bench seat he bolted in the box with lap belts for the kids... Oh boy would he be doing some hard time if then was now!

[archenok]

Originally Posted by Captainmorbid

... Try and imagine a modern fiesta based micro truck!

Isn't that the Ford Transit? It's based off of Fiesta one gen earlier...

[Captainmorbid]

I think the Transit is based off the focus...

[archenok]

Whoop - Transit Connect not Transit. And you're right it's more based on Focus.

[Captainmorbid]

This is near dead on what my dad had...

[macus]

I had a 1980 Fiesta base model in "Chinese red". It came with an AM radio, which I had the dealer remove for a $25 cut in the price; but I kept the housing (It was just a plastic cover that was screwed to the underside of the dash) so I could install an FM radio in the "original factory housing" which meant insurance would cover it if it got stolen.

I think the car was $5100 (maybe $5300?) MSRP. Yep, it did have 12" tires, but the handling was great. The brakes, not so much. One time I had to stop quickly when a light changed on me, and I didn't realize there was some gravel on the pavement; before I could yell "Oh s**t" I'd done a 180 and was sitting backwards in the turning lane. No brake biasing (let alone no ABS) in a car with hardly any weight over the rear wheels could be a scary and dangerous thing.

I and the wife moved to MD not long after we bought it, and had two kids over the next few years; and I still remember making the trek from Baltimore to northern OH (and back again) in that little Fiesta a couple times a year, with the kids in the back and every possible square inch of space crammed full of our bags, etc. It never let us down. (And I have to laugh whenever someone says they need to buy an SUV or van because they're having their first kid.)

It was a great little car, and when it got old and rust was getting the better of it, I sold it for a reasonable price to a guy who campaigned a Fiesta in SCCA racing. I was sad to part with it, but was somewhat consoled by thinking that was a fitting way for it to go.

[Sterno]

Originally Posted by Captainmorbid

My dad had a Ford Courier, 73 I think.

My Dad bought a green Courier in 1974. I drove hell out of that thing when I was home on leave in the mid-70s. It's STILL running! I put two throw-out bearings in it; two batteries; a water pump; and about 88 million billion spark plugs in the number four cylinder for some reason. It's now used only to haul fire wood from the barn to the house. Hasn't even been licensed in over 20 years.

[Captainmorbid]

If I could find one in decent shape, it'd be tough not to buy it!

[mamiata1]

I agree, long after my Dad sold his I competed against a few Fiestas in autocrossing that were very competitive locally in DSP. Back then I had a Porsche 924 which handled great on bigger courses but was pretty much gutless. In a small parking lot with a tight course it was tough to beat those two Fiestas.