Thursday 28th May 2015

Ford Sierra 5.0: You Know You Want To

Looks like a 1.6L, goes like a Mustang, costs (much) less than an RS!

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Just over a year ago, PH featured a Ford Sierra XR-8 as a YKYWT star. Like an XR4i but only for South Africa, only offered with a V8 and only with five doors, it appeared a very affordable way into oddball fast Ford ownership. Now we have the British way of doing V8 Sierras...

It's a very early (now over 30 years old!) non-sunroof three-door shell stuffed with 5.0-litres of carb-fed V8 joy. Although stuffed could be the wrong adjective; it seems to sit quite nicely under the slightly dulled red bonnet. They'll never know!

God bless America

This really is a sleeper Sierra of the very finest order. And who wouldn't fancy that? Even the non-standard wheels, there to accommodate larger tyres and RS-spec brakes, aren't exactly flamboyant. The bodywork looks entirely standard, merely sitting a fraction lower on the modified suspension. There isn't yet an image of the rear but you would have to hope for a suitably modest exhaust tip. Only the inside gives any hint of the presumably rampant performance on offer, with Cosworth seats, an RS wheel, supplementary gauges and a very serious roll cage. Still, from a distance it appears a fairly humdrum Sierra. Excellent.

That XR-8 made 209hp which, while less than you may expect, is certainly ample given a Sierra typically weighed well under 1,200kg. However, there ought to be more from this Sierra given the extensive mods applied to the 302 cubic-inch lump. There are new heads, forged pistons, forged conrods, a Magnex exhaust and a whole host more that will ensure power, torque and noise are at appropriately silly levels.

It should be able to handle whatever power is being produced too with a Borg Warner T5 'box, uprated clutch, Cosworth diff, Cosworth suspension and the aforementioned brake tweaks. It's 'Poly Brushed' too, which will surely be of some benefit...

Admit it - you want to be sat here

Anyway, the Sierra ought to be far more competent than it may initially look. And it must surely perform exemplary burnouts. Of course buying it would mean placing faith in another man's project but on first inspection, and having chatted on email with the seller, it looks a very thorough job. Sure, there are more conventional ways to V8 thrills for similar money but the world would be a rather tedious place if we always went for the conventional option. A950HVC is a unique and damn cool Sierra, something to put a smile on your face every single day. An £8K bargain if ever there was one.

Finally, for those wanting a closer look, it will be at the Classic Ford show this Sunday at Santa Pod. Should attract a fair bit of attention!

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FORD SIERRA 5.0
Price: £7,995
Why you should: Sleeper and burnout appeal is off the scale
Why you shouldn't: Placing faith in another man's project, probably quite crashable

See the original ad here.

[Jollyclub]

'It's Poly Brushed too.' Brilliant..

[TheAngryDog]

Its interesting, but not £8k interesting.

[Dale487]

£8k looks good value if the installation has been done well.

But I guess an £8k Sapphire Cosworth would hold its value better.

[Axionknight]

Dale487 said:

£8k looks good value if the installation has been done well.

But I guess an £8k Sapphire Cosworth would hold its value better.

Agreed, this would be more fun though, I'd guess.

[rtz62]

One can only hope that the builder has thought to plop a '1.6L' badge on the tailgate, just to add to the fun.
Which is, incidentally, what I did with my 3dr back in the day when replicas with 1.6/1.8 engines were rife....

[TheAngryDog]

Axionknight said:

Dale487 said:

£8k looks good value if the installation has been done well.

But I guess an £8k Sapphire Cosworth would hold its value better.

Agreed, this would be more fun though, I'd guess.

I'd prefer to put a bit more to a Sapphire Cosworth. It is ultimately over the long run going to be the better car, subject to reliability.
Sure this 3 door is a bit sleeperish, but it will always just be a 1.6L Sierra with a 5.0 V8 in it.

[griffdude]

I think it's great:

Single headlamp grille, no spoilers/wings/splitters, clear glass.

Fantastic

[Megaflow]

That needs a set of steel wheels and the heater controls putting back for the perfect sleeper.

[soad]

Looks like a sleeper, I approve.

[mikevryan]

Yep 1.6 badge on rear...

[alangla]

When I first read this story I wondered if it was the unmasking of this - http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
It's the right colour, though the one mentioned in the thread is an estate & has steel wheels.

[Ossiantoad]

"probably quite crashable" LOL.

[43034]

It was up in the classifieds for about £5k a few months ago.

£5k interesting but I don't think i'd pay £8k!

[cirian75]

43034 said:

It was up in the classifieds for about £5k a few months ago.

£5k interesting but I don't think i'd pay £8k!

cheeky £3k rise lol

[C.A.R.]

I think it's awesome but as others have already pointed out, it seems a tad expensive for a DIY job.

I'd have it all day though, and seek out some suitably naff-looking wheel trims to complete the effect. And one of those stupid fluffy things people used to stick on the dashboard with googly eyes.

[CDWood]

Retro sleep doughnut machine.

Shut up and take my money! (if i had £8k!)

:-0

Edited by CDWood on Thursday 28th May 13:56

[hiscocks]

SITTING NOT SAT

[jcelee]

I remember a friend did a Cosworth conversion on an early 3-dr 'L' model but I'm fairly sure that most of them started out as 1.3 litre, not 1.6 litre cars! These 3dr shells have always pretty rare.

[AdeTuono]

hiscocks said:

SITTING NOT SAT

Lower case; don't shout.

[aeropilot]

Epic sleeper, very nicely done.....

Reminds me of the Harris clan's seemingly endless fleet of sleeper small block Ford V8 powered Mk1/Mk2 Z-cars that terrorised London in the late 70's early 80's