The Author:
Odd Fact: The mk1 1300 Super Sport came direct from the factory with adjustable shock absorbers. (go on, you try finding one scrap!)

NOTE: I've removed my photo from this page - this aint the "chamber of horrors"!!

Well I finished school four years ago now, I left with reasonable grades (all b's and c's) and then went straight into a work based training course.
During my later years at school I got involved in the internet. Not at school, at home.
(I bought myself a 14.400 modem for £40 from a clearance sale at a local shop. I snuck it home and used it pretending it was a radio for a few weeks until my parents found out by looking at their phonebill!)
I took a couple of NVQs (levels 1&2) in IT and decided against a level 3 simply because they all seemed too full of needless paperwork and not focused enough on the hardware side of things which has always been my hobby.
I stayed at the workplace and then started a Technicians course at Weymouth College, this involved descreet electronics and micro-computer design (fiddling with small electronic thingmes), understanding and creating basic logic systems and servicing computer systems.

It was during my NVQ's that I decided to take my driving lessons, right on my birthday.
I took about 16 lessons although two of these were extended ones looking at Dorchester (a local big town) and was eventually put through to my test. I passed my test first time and then came home and drove my Fiesta (against my driving instructors advice).

I had bought the Fiesta locally from the paper. It was advertised at £200 but I got it for £160 (a whole car for less than 200 quid!). I sold my old moped for £200 so I had some money for bits.
It needed a new wing, a stereo and kept overheating spectacularly.
I paid 40 quid to have a new wing fitted and sprayed and replaced both the radiator and water pump myself.
A friend of mine did all the valve clearances and set up the engine.

A few weeks later I stripped a scrap Fiesta that had a completely black interior. I replaced my grey one with this including carpets and plastic bits.
I fitted Carbon Fibre film to the dashboard. It fitted over a long plaque stretching the length of the dash that Ford used to colour code or add model details to in higher cars. I also heat-shrank this film around the instrument surround.
On Mk 1 Fiestas there's a plaque that surrounds the instrument dials. This pops out and can be sprayed or modified easily.
A little while later I bought a crap stereo for £35 and some reasonable Pioneer speakers. Previously I had a walkman plugged into a mobile PA system. The PA system took 12v power from the car battery and the outputs for this went into my car speakers. Brilliant idea but somewhat awkward in practice. PS: A walkman alone doesn't have enough power to drive 4 speakers and you try changing a tape while driving!

On my first day at college some complete wanker broke into my little red Fiesta via the quarter window and tried to steal my 30 quid stereo (!!?). They didn't get it because I had a chain attached to the earthing bolt at the back of the stereo which was anchored to the car. I had to drive around for weeks with a piece of hardboard obscuring my view!
After this I fitted a naf 'Easy Fit' alarm which used to go off if someone knocked the car, something my so-called mates did every time they saw the bloody thing! It had the most irritating screaching siren.

Now it was time for some decent wheels. A colleague at work was selling her old manky XR2 pepperpots for only £20 so a quick blast of silver paint later and they were on the car.

That was about it for the little red 1100cc mean machine. I fixed a tiny bit of rust and re-sprayed the lower doors but that was it really. Mark1's dont rust. Mark2's however are made of shite steel that rusts like buggery.

Anyway, thats it. I shan't talk about any of my other cars. None are as exciting as the first one.
You can see a basic round-up of my previous cars and their fate on my History page.
Look at my Naughty page for details of my encounters of the 'Long Arm' kind