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Cars and Car Conversions - Feature: Project Fiesta 1300S (Sport)
"Part 3 - ...the bodywork and interior treatment"
March 1988
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Feature: Project Fiesta 1300S (Sport)




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.....in wet or dry and one has to be pushing very hard indeed to produce any sort of tyre scream.

One of the biggest trends in car styling over the past few years has to be that of the body kit. From Lada to Lamborghini, tacky to tasteful, the sheer range of products available is simply staggering. When choosing a kit for the Fiesta I thought long and hard. The main priorities were something functional and not too involved, but primarily it had to look 'right'.

The one kit that I've always liked is that of the Mark 1 Fiesta XR2/Supersport, since it looks good but is far from being too over the top. With that in mind we took a trip over to body kit specialists Fibresports in Basildon, Essex to have a look at their version of the XR2 kit.

Fibresports has probably been in the body kits game longer than most and its experience in the industry is second to none. The original bodywork for Ford's ill-fated Escort RS 1700T rally car was done by Fibresports as were all the original Ford X Pack parts. A quick look through the full kit range is astonishing; for example there are no less than 20 different items available for the Ford Anglia, including flared wheel arches for that '60s saloon racer look!

The kits offered for the Fiesta are the 'Z' pack kit which comprises four box-type arches with integral running boards and front spoiler, all of which enables fairly wide wheels to be fitted, as well as Fibresports'own XR2 style kit. The one we decided to use consists of replica XR2 arches and front spoiler, but it is improved with the addition of side skirts joining the wheel arches, and a rear apron quite similar to that of the Mark 2 XR2, to tidy up the rear end.

Fibresports decided to show us how to fit the kit (someone must have told them about my chronic DIY disabilities) and while they might be a bit quicker at fitting it, they didn't really make it look any easier than it really is. The first items go on were the front wheel arch extensions; care has to be taken with these as they extend round on to the front spoiler, so positioning is important. The arch extension is clamped on to the lip of the wheel arch. Holes are then drilled and the arch extensions are fixed permanently with self-tapping screws. The same applies on the other side and, when both sides are fixed, the front spoiler can be slotted between the two and screwed into place. The same is done with the rear wheel arch extensions taking care to get them exactly right so the side skirts fit between the front and rear arches. The side skirt locates itself between the door and top of the sill and extends under the sill, being fixed in both places with self-tapping screws. Finally the rear apron locates itself on the bumper mountings and extends round to meet the rear wheel arches. It includes a cutaway for the.....