1983 Ford Granada Mk2 2.0L
(Featured on 9th July 2013)
Make: Ford
Model: Granada
Year: 1983
Mileage: 16,600
Registration: A533 AV0
Sellers original description:
A rare and exciting opportunity to acquire an immaculate 1983 MK2 Ford Granada 2.0L manual in totally original condition and factory standard specification.
All of its original panels and paint finish.
2 owners, the first the uncle of the second, just 16,600 genuine miles from new.
Always garaged when not in use, correctly laid up every winter and only ever used in the summer months when the weather was fine.
Just 500 miles in the last ten years. Dry stored under covers for much of that time.
The very best of the best and almost certainly the lowest mileage original condition example available anywhere.
Simply stunning!
After the success of the Zephyr and Zodiac ranges in the Sixties a new decade brought the need for an all new Large Luxury Ford Saloon.
The Granada was launched in March 1972, with the 2 litre V4 and V6 Essex engine models initially badged Ford Consul. Latterly though, in 1975, the name Consul was dropped and the whole range adopted the Granada name.
In September 1977, Ford announced its new Granada, the Mark 2 with cleaner, more elegant body style.
By continuously upgrading Granada's competitive specification, subtly improving interior and exterior design details, the Granada went on to become the industry's benchmark for large car style, comfort and driver appeal. Its excellent overall package and value for money also helped it to maintain high retained values in the used car market against a backdrop of continuing oil crises and fuel price increases.
A face lift in late 1981 followed by further enhancements in 1982 kept even the lower specification models well in front of the competition.
It is nearly 3 decades now since production of the mark 2 Granada ceased and they are now becoming rare with unrestored, original bodied, well cared for, low mileage, rust free examples becoming increasingly hard to find. Consequently these are the cars that are now highly sought after and it is these examples that are most highly desired.
You would be hard pushed to find an original one at all, but one that has had just 2 owners from new, that has covered just 16,600 genuine miles, is in immaculate totally original condition and that has been loved, cherished and garaged since new - surely such a car can’t exist, can it?
Actually yes it can - and it does!
A533 AVO
On the 1st of August 1983 the first owner of A533 AVO travelled the five miles from his home to Ford Distributor Sandicliffe Garage Ltd Stapleford Nottingham. The purpose of his visit, to collect his brand new Granada 2.0L in the popular and attractive colour of Caribbean Blue. No factory options were ordered and no dealer extras were to be fitted.
The first owner of A533 AVO had been a professional driver for most of his working life and had always driven big Vauxhalls. However he had recently retired and had been persuaded by family that the time had come for him to now join them in driving Fords and that he should order his new car from the Ford dealer that had given his family many years of excellent service.
The owner had delayed registration until the first of August 1983 to take advantage, and be one of the first on the road, with the new 'A' registration now as a prefix as opposed to the old style of suffix letters.
From the offset A533 AVO was always destined to lead a cherished life, it was the owner’s intention that it should see him through his retirement with the main use for high days and holidays. As it turned out he was delighted that he had taken the advice and joined Ford - He loved his new car with a passion.
The new owner would not take his new pride and joy out in the rain or even if rain were forecast. The car was always garaged when not in use.
The owner continued to cherish A533 AVO in the same way throughout his ownership. It would be cleaned and polished every fortnight even if it had not been used and even though the owner was a smoker himself there was an absolute ban on smoking in the car. Consequently all the ashtrays and lighter are unused and the headlining shows not discolouration caused by smoke.
According to the service book present in the file, with all the services stamped being carried out by the supplying dealer, by the time the car was one year old it had covered just 4,200 miles. Over a year later the mileage in the service book is stamped, for what should have been the 12,000 mile service, by the supplying dealer at just over 7,000 miles.
Sadly in the late eighties the owner died. As would seem fitting The Ford was left to the very relative that had persuaded him to buy it in the first place - his nephew who lived a few minutes away and was also reaching retirement age.
A533 AVO remained in the first owners garage for a couple of years after his death and although moved to its new home in the nephews garage in the early nineties ownership was not transferred with the DVLA to him until 1994.
The second owner used A533 AVO even less frequently than the first. It became his absolute pride and joy and again it had not been bought as a car for daily use. It continued to be garaged and never intentionally used in the rain. In fact it was only ever used during the summer months when the weather was fine and was often laid up in correct dry storage under dust sheets from one MOT to the next. However it was started and run to warm every week without fail.
A533 AVO was in the care of its last owner for over 20 years and during that time covered around 8,000 miles. The last Sandicliffe stamp in the service book was in June 2003 with a mileage of just 16,153 and shortly after that the owner became ill. Sadly he too has now died and it has taken over two years before his widow has been able to bear to part with the car they both loved so much. She has confirmed the above history that during her late husband's time it never received any paint rectification and puts in writing (copy in the file) that the mileage of 16,698 is the total genuine mileage that A533 AVO has covered since new.
Today A533 AVO is presented in outstanding original and factory correct condition. It even still has all 5 of its original Michelin XZX tyres that were fitted to it on the production line. A show winner certainly - if ever we saw one, perhaps even a Concours contender in the making!
BODYWORK:
The body/paintwork is superb, retains a fantastic lustre and has never had had any work done to it since it was new.
As we have said the widow of the first owner has given assurances that her husband had never had any paint rectification carried out.
A533 AVO retains all of its original panels and apart from the small area detailed below all of its factory applied paint finish.
A533 AVO is remarkably rust free and of course has not had, does not need and should never require, if keep in the same way as it has been to date, any welding
Door boot and bonnet shuts are outstanding and as good as any we have ever seen on a car of this age.
All the glass is original.
The bright work is good original with no sign of oxidisation to the side window trims of often seen with Mk2 Granada's although the driver's A post side chrome trim is scratched.
Plastic and rubber external trim is excellent although there is a faint scrape to one of the rear bumper end caps but this could both easily and inexpensively be repaired.
There are one or two tiny stone chips and blemishes that have been touched up with a touch up brush over the years and the tiniest of dimple dents not much bigger than a match head to the n/s/f wing.
There is indication, although the untrained eye would be hard pushed to see it as the colour match is perfect, that there may have been an area of localised paint only rectification to a small area of the upper O/S/F/ wing. This work is very old and was most likely carried out by the supplying dealer on the pre delivery inspection as the result of a minor blemish or scratch.
On the whole though the paint finish is that applied in the factory and is truly outstanding.
A533 AVO has never been undersealed (a must if concours were to be your thing) so the factory applied Caribbean Blue still gleams under the wheel arches.
INTERIOR:
The interior is exemplary it is immediately obvious that this is an exceptionally low mileage car that has been cherished and never subjected to the elements for long periods.
The seats and carpets (covered by tailored mats from new) are unmarked.
The dash is not cracked and has not had any holes cut in it.
The door cards have not had holes cut and have not misshapen.
The headlining is excellent and not tobacco stained.
Correct and standard Ford radio.
Everything tested works as it should.
UNDER THE BONNET:
The engine bay is exceptionally clean with original stickers in place.
Presenting only like a low mileage car can.
New Battery
IN THE BOOT:
As new carpet
Beneath the carpet the boot floor is unmarked and as new
Unmarked paint to wheel arches
Spare wheel and tyre, never been on the car
Jack and wheel brace never used
ON THE ROAD:
Having specialised in providing exceptionally low mileage unrestored cars from the seventies and eighties we are fortunate to have driven many cars over the years that could be described as “driving as new”. However none fit that description more so than A533 AVO. It is an absolute delight to drive we cannot fault it with the exception of the starter motor whirling for a millisecond once started which should clear with use.
Everything works just as it should; it is quiet, smooth, responsive and still has that as new tight feel.
As we say the tyres are the originals and of course 30 years old, essential for showing the vehicle. However tyres of this age should be professionally checked before driving any distance or at speed.
We deify anyone not to just fall in love with this car.
Our mechanic has just checked the car over given it a new MOT and as a precaution has changed the cam belt.
Photos:
