Seeing as every man and his dog suddenly has an EL Ghia, I'll throw mine into the mix too.

I bought this thing a few months ago after selling my NL Concorde. I wanted to get back into a 5.0, and wanted something tidier that hadn't been hacked up for LPG. I'd also never had an EL Ghia, so I'm one step closer to completing my pointless collection of E-Series.

I've always had a second car to play with and avoid molesting the family car. I always get bored and sell them though, so I'll try to keep this one.

Anyway, the story goes that I saw this thing on Gumtree. It looked reasonable and the price was right. Dragged a mate along and went for a look. It was filthy inside and out, had a huge pulley bearing whine and barely moved under its own power. The bloke thought the pulley noise was the PS pump and obviously thought I'd have to spend a packet to get it all up to scratch so I haggled a bit more and drove it home for a pittance.

Its pretty well optioned. It had the 5.0, sunroof, EL GT wheel, Navy Blue paint with Cappa leather, 3.45 LSD, sports suspension and the FTRs.

We got it home and promptly discovered the belt tensioner was the source of the noise. I did that, set the timing, and cleaned the MAF. Drove perfectly after that and I think I got a bargain. Cost less than $100 to fix up...

It still looked like s**t though. Heres a few pics before and during cleaning.









As you can see it was filthy. He left it sitting out the front of his house covered in muck. I pulled out the interior, cleaned it up and detailed the exterior. Some of the work:

-Swapped the worn out Momo for a mint AU XR wheel
-Ditched the stereo
-Fixed the aerial
-Changed a mirror and painted both
-Freshened up the ignition and fuel systems
-Fixed a few water leaks
-Peeled off the bubbly purple tint
-Removed years of brake dust from the wheels with Megs UC.
-Replaced all the service items
-Put brakes on it. RDA slotted with QFM HPX in front, RDA Standard with RDA pads in rear.
-Fixed and tidied up lots of bits.
-Pulled off the pinstiping and added new NL repeaters.
-Replaced chrome on door moulds
-Resprayed the window surrounds
-Did a window reg

After this it drove well, its nice and clean and it looks great. Heres some pics post detail. It really pops in the sun.





Most recently we did the suspension and exhaust. I have some pics of it lowered, but the first pair of front shocks we put in were cactus so it sits low in the front. I've done them again and it sits level now. Used King SLs with Pedders and Monroe shocks. Also installed the exhaust the other day. 2.5" Y piece, into 3" single dumped at the diff. It sounds brilliant, everybody stops and looks. Its awesome to drive around now.

I'll just put this one up for now. Its dirty and the height is wrong in the front. I'll clean it again when I get time and take some pics in the sun.



Next will be re-tinting it, and tidying up the drivers seat leather. It has a tear on the bolster. I picked up a set of EF Ghia seats the other day so I'll use some of the material and get it fixed up. I also want to find a cappa single DIN radio surround, and a cappa leather wheel with airbag and cruise buttons. Theres no rush as it just sits in the garage and gets dusty mostly.

Sorry for the long post. Let me know what you reckon.

Got to love it when the sellers' car "issues" turn out to be so minor, like belt tensioner and timing haha but well done, all about the deals

Car looks straight as and paint seems it's in well kept condition man, interior looks sweet too.
I like it; in fact the sunroof just makes me straight up envious lol.

How many KMs on her?


Yeah someone broke into my Mont last week (but only managed to smash my front passenger’s window and must have got spooked from alarm as no items taken/doors opened)
Just got back from picking up a replacement window for install tonight.
Replacement window will need re tinting so I think I will just re-do the other four myself at the same time, but it’s my first time tinting, so am all ears on any DIY tips etc.

Ta, Fed

Hey Mate.

Most of the paint has been redone, only the LH doors and roof are original from what I can see. Combination of sun damage and crash repairs I'm guessing lol.

I was going to just get it tinted, but I have thought about doing it myself. Perhaps it would be worth picking up a small roll of tint and a spare window from the wreckers and giving it a go. There is an Ebay seller who sells pre-cut tint pieces for a variety of cars including the EF/EL.

The interior is nice, just need to get that bolster fixed up and I need to order some Leatherique to treat it with too. The sunroof is good, but actually takes a fair chunk of the head room away. I'm about 190cm and my head hits the roof lining no matter what. Unless I lean back like a VN driver. Its done 275K, doesn't seem to affect the Windsor too much and the rest of the driveline is good. I've had a few high KM E-Series and they have been great.

You should pick up a spare window and try some tint. Its a matter of spraying the glass with water to stop the tint glue sticking, moving it into place, trimming then pushing the water out from behind so the glue sticks.

What sort of car are you playing with? EDIT: Just saw its an EL Ghia. Its either a 96 EL, or its an EF if its a 95. EL was released in 96.

Ahh yea I had a feeling that paint looked too mint to be well kept O.E.M paint.
Yeah it took me a few days to even realise I had tints on my Mont lol, they are a high % and maybe slightly faded?
Yeah I've seen mates do them before, pretty straight forward process.
Just apparently time consuming to get totally mint I guess, I’ve only had one friend who managed to make his look like a tint shop had done them.

I couldn't find any pre cut on tm, but when the door trims are off I'm going to use baking/cooking paper and trace out the area required.

Yeah you should man, my roll just arrived in at work & cost me NZD32 delivered (ex. trademe) for 50cm x 6 meters of 'hartcoat film' which is multi layered, scratch resistant 35% tint film made in the US, so we will see how it goes.

You are right she’s and EF, I’m just a ford noob.

Ta

It looks nice, reminds me a lot of my old EL Ghia. I think I might have a undamaged single din stereo surround in Cappa including ash tray floating around somewhere. It's for an EF but would still look ok; i think it might have come out of Nathans EF orginally. If your interested remind me later this month as I will be back home again.

Definitely mate, there aren't many around. I'd grab it off you for sure.

Awesome work so far mate, turned out excellent after the detail! Paint colour is mint, good on ya for getting the suspension and exhaust done too

Good stuff getting everything freshened up with all the little issues fixed; reliably running car FTW!

Very nice ghia mate! You managed to clean her up real good! Gotta give my ghia a once over too when i have the chance..
What kind of pin is holding up the roof lining in the back? Mine doesn't have one so it has the vn spec sag. Makes me think my sunroof was done aftermarket

all the best..

Nice colour, reminds me of mine when i first got it, cept mines and EF. Looks very good, i didnt think Cappa would work with Blue, as mine is Grey, but it looks trick.

Brett

Thanks Blokes. It just has the normal clip thing holding the roof lining. The lining will always sit funny in them due to the sunroof. Mine sits a bit weird.

I think the Cappa looks great, I don't get how people don't like it. Works nicely with the Blue. I do wish I had the grey sometimes just for ease of obtaining parts.

Heres a few pics of the interior. Just need to get the drivers seat tidied up and get a cappa radio surround and wheel. Some brown floor mats wouldn't go astray either, but these grey ones are new.

I know how it is. Theres always a fresh supply of motivation with a new car though!

James won't be eating in our cars, kids make such a mess of cars! Surely they can wait.

Looks really good mate, should chuck up a video of the exhaust

Yeah I didn't really think of that.

Yours are old enough to just tell them to shut up or they go to bed hungry

I may do an exhaust video. Just have to wait as the missus took it to work.

nice car, looks clean and colors match each other,

ash it doesn't work on teenagers cause we know how to use an oven

never! gives me 30 - an hour to sit around and do nothing/starve so i can eat the hole packet