mrcrackers is coming to an AU near you

**Professor Farnsworth** · 26-12-2007, 08:57 PM

Good evening all,

My apologies for my lengthy absence of late, i've been pretty busy with a few things regarding the game they call life. It seems the mortgage company wants our house, so we're moving into a rental property in the very near future. This is a mixed blessing really because it will give the mrs and I a little cash to pick up a couple of new toys.

I'm looking to have just enough to find a half decent AU1/2 forte/futura. I've been either side of the AU fence a few times, but i think it's about time i bit the bullet and joined the club. They've grown on me quite a bit in recent years, and are cheap as chips so why not.

I'm looking for advice from those who know, what to look out for when inspecting these cars. Head gasket issues are very rare for these things i know, and as far as i can tell most issues are pretty rare in general for the AU. I can't stretch the funds to an AU3 but i've been seeing some pretty nicely presented AU1's for around the $6000 mark.

Also a question, did the AU get the EL Ghia's feather light steering system ? i seem to remember them being a lot lighter that the el/ef/ed etc in the steering.

Any advice apreciated!

Thanks everyone,

Chris.

Bucknaked · 26-12-2007, 08:59 PM

Welcome back. It's been a while now, glad to hear your well.

ronwest · 26-12-2007, 09:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrcrackers

I can't stretch the funds to an AU3 but i've been seeing some pretty nicely presented AU1's for around the $6000 mark.

If you know what you're looking at you may well pick up an AU2/3 in your price range at auction.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrcrackers

Also a question, did the AU get the EL Ghia's feather light steering system ? i seem to remember them being a lot lighter that the el/ef/ed etc in the steering.

Can't say that I'd driven a Ford for around 20 years prior to getting mine so can't help with comparison but my AU3 F/Ghia certainly has what I'd call light steering.

Hope that helps.

What was your previous username? I used to see a lot of you when I read pub/bar but haven't bothered with them for sometime.

Allen · 26-12-2007, 09:13 PM

Good to hear your getting back in a Ford Chris, shame about the house though.

Hopefully we can catch up at AFD or kmart or something :P

Good luck with it

goXF · 26-12-2007, 09:22 PM

My Au3 comapred to my Dad's EL has very light steering.

**Professor Farnsworth** · 26-12-2007, 09:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bucknaked

Welcome back. It's been a while now, glad to hear your well.

cheers matey

Quote:

Originally Posted by ronwest

What was your previous username? I used to see a lot of you when I read pub/bar but haven't bothered with them for sometime.

previous name was fantz, but that was some time ago

Quote:

Originally Posted by fairlane_ghia

Good to hear your getting back in a Ford Chris, shame about the house though.

Hopefully we can catch up at AFD or kmart or something :P

Good luck with it

haha kmart... yeah we should catch up soon mate, it's been a while.

thanks for the comments so far people.

GK · 26-12-2007, 09:46 PM

The steering on my AU1 Futura is light, and so is the AU2 SR. I'd say the S1 is lighter though.

With prices being so good, don't go the S1, they are still a great car don't get me wrong (hey I own 1) but the S2 is much better refined in so many ways.

The brakes are infinitely better. They come stock with 16" wheels, to fit over the larger brakes. My Futura brakes were bad enough for me to go a S2 upgrade earlier this year! Much better now. They were downright scary before! S2-3 have a different firewall making things quieter and I may be wrong but they got the under bonnet liner, which my AU1 Futura doesn't have. The dash is much nicer looking. They got a bit more fruit standard, more colour coded bits and so on. I think the interior colours are better integrated as a whole package also.

The S2 Futura or SR is what I'd be going for, or if your dollar stretches further, a Fairmont. That way, you have the basic package of nice goodies and can add the leather interior later.

Having said that, you've got to buy what you can afford, but either way, AUs are great cars.

It'll be good to have you on board. I'm sorry about the house.

GK

LUXO_8 · 26-12-2007, 09:51 PM

crackers, , the EL's you had were ghia's so would have had the Speed Sensitive power steer, i think they continued the trend of that being on Fairmont Ghias / Fairlanes only, so no, i dont think an au forte/futura would have it.....
could be wrong though.
sorry to hear about the house mate, that must have been a real blow.
good luck with the future

fairmont1998 · 26-12-2007, 10:11 PM

Hey Chris, good to see you around again.
Get some fat rubber on the car, that definately gave my EL a bit more steering weight.

GK · 26-12-2007, 10:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fairmont1998

Hey Chris, good to see you around again.
Get some fat rubber on the car, that definately gave my EL a bit more steering weight.

Beat me to it! I was just in the process of typing a similar comment! LOL!

Yep, 17's will make it a little heavier!

GK

**Professor Farnsworth** · 27-12-2007, 01:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fairmont1998

Hey Chris, good to see you around again.
Get some fat rubber on the car, that definately gave my EL a bit more steering weight.

thanks mate, and yeah it will most likely get a new set of shoes. Although i was looking at a very nice ghia with the tickford 17's already on it, that'd be nice.

GK: thanks for the info, it was very insightful

private9 · 27-12-2007, 01:22 PM

As ronwest said, if you look around, you should be able to find an AU2/3 within budget. Like GK said, try and grab an SR or Futura (or better!) that way you already have electrics, colour coding etc and can easily upgrade trim later if that's your thing.

**Professor Farnsworth** · 27-12-2007, 07:45 PM

i went and test drove an AU1 Forte this afternoon. First time i've driven an AU for about 5 years.. It was quite nice. Had the taxi dif noise going on with a bit of rough shifting, but i was just testing the water anyway. They wanted $10K for it HEHEHEHE.

Got my eye on a black au1 Ghia privately, for $9K but i dunno if it'll still be around once all the house selling has settled. It was nice either way to get a feel for things.

Going from my last (7!) fords to the AU, i was amazed how precise the AU steering was.. i thought that was just a BA+ thing.. but it was a nice surprise.

Not too long to go hopefully!

HLC · 27-12-2007, 07:48 PM

go AU2. you'll be much happier.

**Professor Farnsworth** · 27-12-2007, 07:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HLC

go AU2. you'll be much happier.

surely an au1 ghia is a half decent car though ?

but yes, i'm leaning more towards the au2 after what has been said in this thread..

HLC · 27-12-2007, 08:04 PM

yeah teh ghia's/fairmonts go alright, but series 2's are just so much better. more refined and the whole brake thing too. lol

**DJM83** · 27-12-2007, 08:07 PM

Yeah as has been said go the AUII if you can most of the glitches ironed out etc. GL to you maye sorry bout the house but you sound like your getting back on your feet

stavros68 · 27-12-2007, 08:07 PM

go au2 anything, just dont get au1,got an au1 fairlane V8,brakes are CRAP,and some electrical problems come as standard

**Professor Farnsworth** · 27-12-2007, 08:37 PM

no worries at all. i can't believe how cheap BA's are now.. saw so many out there today, some going for $10k. Not going down that problematic path again though.

Hopefully i'll be able to stretch the budget to an AU3.. be nice to get something at the top of its game so to speak.

GK · 27-12-2007, 09:20 PM

Sounds like you've got it well sussed, all the best with the inspections and test drives and hopefully a purchase soon.

Look forward to the pics!

GK

Dark Horse · 27-12-2007, 09:29 PM

Just to give you an idea you if you look hard enough you can even get AUIII XR6's for around the $10k mark (almost he he), as for AUIII SR's there were four of those listed in your bracket as well on carsales.

GK · 27-12-2007, 10:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dark Horse

Just to give you an idea you if you look hard enough you can even get AUIII XR6's for around the $10k mark (almost he he), as for AUIII SR's there were four of those listed in your bracket as well on carsales.

An SR S3 would be a good buy if you couldn't go a Futura or Fairmont. The SR actually looks better than the Futura, with the side skirts and all.

GK

**Professor Farnsworth** · 28-12-2007, 09:05 PM

haven't managed to find any cheapo xr's locally, and can't find any SR's at all, but i've only been looking at yards so far. I'm most likely going to purchase privately.

Had another look around today in the 35 degree heat.. there are so many of them around. I've noticed a lot of them have pretty worn door pulls, a lot of which are basically hanging loose.. even on low km models. Also the good old Ford "wind down fine but go up at 2 microns a minute" electric windows seem just as common as previous models. The only thing that really bugs me about them so far is the dif whine, 1st gear taxi dif whine has appeared in every one i've driven.

Other than that they seem like very nice cars.

**Professor Farnsworth** · 28-12-2007, 09:33 PM

a lot of them have high km's too, but hey they're pretty tough motors.

this one is pretty

GK · 28-12-2007, 09:36 PM

There is a Metorite S2 (I think I didn't stop to check carefully) Fairmont at a yard on Pascoe Vale Road with $10,999 on the window. I thought of you straight away! It's been there a while IIRC, so you might get it much cheaper than that!

It's just near Landmark School Supplies, in fact it's next door. Their address is 319 Pascoe Vale Rd Essendon VIC 3040.

Cheers,

GK

Dezza · 28-12-2007, 09:38 PM

Good to see you back on the forums Chris! Best of luck with your new purchase.

**Professor Farnsworth** · 28-12-2007, 09:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GK

There is a Metorite S2 (I think I didn't stop to check carefully) Fairmont at a yard on Pascoe Vale Road with $10,999 on the window. I thought of you straight away! It's been there a while IIRC, so you might get it much cheaper than that!

It's just near Landmark School Supplies, in fact it's next door. Their address is 319 Pascoe Vale Rd Essendon VIC 3040.

Cheers,

GK

thanks again mate, i might go take a look tomorrow