1983 Ford Fiesta XR2

First registered in April 1983, this beautiful example of the fast-appreciating Ford Fiesta XR2 has had just three previous owners and is only being sold to fund work on the seller’s latest classic car.

The subject of a comprehensive restoration in 2004, it then moved into the first of two consecutive car collections only being used sparingly until the current owner bought it two years ago. He’s since driven it regularly, treating it to something of a rolling restoration as he dealt with the inevitable niggles that come with buying a car that hadn’t really been used for a decade.

It’s all sorted now and is ready for the new owner to enjoy on the road as well as the showground.

The Fiesta had a full bodywork restoration in 2004, during which the car was stripped completely down before being fitted with a brand new bonnet and secondhand tailgate.

It was then professionally resprayed in its original colour of Caspian Blue before being reassembled with a number of brand new O/E items including the n/s wing mirror, front indicator lenses, a front and rear fog lights, rear light lenses, rear bumper end caps, four new bumper over-riders, front grille and a new set of side and sill decals.

The result is stunning, even 14 years later; the combination of careful surface preparation, a high level of skill in the application of the paint, careful reassembly, and being stored undercover ever since have preserved the car you see today.

The flanks are ripple-free and the panel gaps are every bit as good as they were when it left the Ford factory in 1984. There is no rust, no dents, and only a very stone chips in the paint on door edges, excellent news for a car that is over 10 years restored.

The pepperpot alloy wheels were also refinished in 2006 and are shod with four matching 185/60 R13 Yokohama tyres, all of which have good tread. There is a full-size spare wheel in the boot.

The exterior door locks are not original, being 1980s(?) high-security replacements; these cars are a firm favourite with car thieves and so we think this was a worthwhile upgrade.

A tilt sunroof was fitted in 1990.

A good-quality secondhand STORM interior was installed in April 2005. It is in very good condition but the seat material could do with shampooing to bring them up to the same condition as the rest of the car.

Otherwise it’s all good news, with the same level of care having gone into the interior as the exterior: take the stereo, for example. While the original head unit comes with the car (although it does need repairing) the owner has installed a modern, retro-look replacement that looks the part yet has modern features such as Bluetooth connectivity. The car has also been fitted with hidden speakers and a Gemini alarm; and there are no speaker holes in the parcel shelf!

The owner tells us that the car has only two niggles for the new owner to sort at their leisure. The first is a slightly sticky driver’s seatbelt, which sometimes take patience to unroll. The second is a noisy speedometer drive, which he suggests might just need greasing. He tells us that it is quiet in the summer when it is hot but slightly noisy in the winter when cold.

According to the restoration photos, the four-cylinder, 1600cc engine appears to have been fully refurbished. More recently the seller had the head rebuilt using hardened valve seats that allow the use of unleaded petrol without having to add a lead-substitute additive.

It has also been fitted with a new oil pump and distributor with electronic ignition, both supplied by marque specialist Burton Power. As a result, the engine runs beautifully, starts on the button, and delivers its power smoothly and evenly throughout the entire rev range.

The gearbox has also been recently overhauled having suffered the effects of standing for too long, and now changes slickly and cleanly, operating without noise.

The suspension has been slightly lowered using high-quality Spax springs and dampers. It has also been fully polybushed and so handles beautifully while still maintaining good ride quality.

The quality of the restoration was so high that this example has been featured in three magazines: Auto Express, Classic Ford and Fast Ford. Copies of all the articles are supplied with the car, along with a photo album detailing all the work that was carried out.

It also comes with a large quantity of old MOT certificates as well as a number of invoices and bills along with a precis of the work.

Please visit the Gallery section of this listing to view them along with 90+ photos of the car.

Even the most casual of observers will have noticed that the price of fast Fords has gone bonkers in the past couple of years; the Cosworth cars have now reached £50,000 (and show no signs of slowing down) and even the rattiest early Escort is now at five figures and rising.

Which makes our estimate of £12-14,000 for this MK2 Fiesta XR2 something of a bargain - as always, the reserve is lower. While past performance obviously isn’t a guarantee of future appreciation, we’d be very surprised if this example doesn’t offer the canny eighties’ enthusiast the chance to drive the car of their teenage dreams while protecting their financial investment better than any bank or building society.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this car can be seen here at Patina HQ in Abingdon; to arrange an appointment please use the ‘Contact Seller’ button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.

If needed, please remember we have a network of trusted suppliers we work with regularly and can recommend: Thames Valley Car Storage for storing your car, AnyVan for transporting it, and Footman James for classic car insurance.