1983 Ford Sierra BASE (Poverty/UN Spec)
Discussion
Hello.
I know.
At first glance, it looks like I don’t belong here.
I’m acutely aware that I stand out like the proverbial "fart in a lift", and that my best days are probably behind me. I know my wheels are small and my appeal smaller - that my rear bumper is from a Nissan and that the dents in my side make you wince. I’ve heard it all before.
However, as the most unremarkable car on Pistonheads, my story is anything but. I think it’s worthy of being told.
Far from being a cherished garage queen, I’ve spent the majority of my life ‘earning my keep’. amongst other things, I’ve been a taxi, a decorators van and transport to an evangelical church on a Sunday. My previous owner didn’t maintain me, more ‘sustain’ me. (My windscreen wiper mechanism used to feature a dishcloth from the kitchen, and until recently only had two matching wheels.)
What is miraculous though, is that I still exist.
1983 Ford Sierra 1.6 Base Hatchback by Jamie-A, on Flickr
A bit like the demise of “The Corrs”, nobody can quite put their finger on the exact moment that all Ford Sierras disappeared from the roadside. Gradually though, they did - only to reappear years later as callously ‘improved’ Cosworth replicas or as Rumbelows Fridge Freezers.
However, something extraordinary happened to me.
Nothing.
I just kept on being used. Driven as intended. I’ve aged gracefully without interference or improvement, and have been ‘just a car’ for nearly 35 years now.
As I gently slipped from middle to old age, something else happened. People would come to see me. Not at shows or in museums, but at the side of an anonymous looking road in Clapton, North London. People would travel miles - just to see ME! I know right?! Madness.
1983 Ford Sierra 1.6 (base model) by Sim's pics, on Flickr
Sierra. by Jamie-A, on Flickr
If this is the first time you’ve seen one like me, here’s my Curriculum Vitae:
1.6 pinto with (count them) 4 gears
No radio
No cigarette lighter
No headrests
No rear windscreen wiper
No intermittent front wipers
No clock
No central locking
No electric windows
No rev counter
No wheel trims (just hub caps)
No body mouldings or rubbing strips
No rear seat belts
And of course I have the iconic:
Grey grille
Dangly mirrors
I am the absolute antithesis of the Ford Sierra Cosworth. Everything IT is, I am not. In reality, the Ford Sierra Base had the accolade of being both unloved by the buying public AND the dealers who tried to sell us. I was rare then, and I’m unheard of now.
In 2016 I was purchased by a consortium of masochists from the Autoshi*e car forum, in order to be saved from an uncertain future. I have had considerable work done recently in order to secure my viability for the future, little of which has or ever will be cosmetic. Please rest assured that, whilst looking a bit worse for wear, I am loved dearly by my new owner. You can follow my (lack of) progress at https://sierrabase.wordpress.com
I am now enjoying my retirement in leafy and salubrious Cambridgeshire, a far cry from the rough and tumble of North London.
Ford Sierra Base by Bornite Identity, on Flickr
As my owner always says, “I am what I am”. A forgotten curiosity of the 1980s. Think of me as white dog poo; just a bit more enjoyable to step into.
(Only by a fine margin).
1983 Ford Sierra Base by Bornite Identity, on Flickr
I know.
At first glance, it looks like I don’t belong here.
I’m acutely aware that I stand out like the proverbial "fart in a lift", and that my best days are probably behind me. I know my wheels are small and my appeal smaller - that my rear bumper is from a Nissan and that the dents in my side make you wince. I’ve heard it all before.
However, as the most unremarkable car on Pistonheads, my story is anything but. I think it’s worthy of being told.
Far from being a cherished garage queen, I’ve spent the majority of my life ‘earning my keep’. amongst other things, I’ve been a taxi, a decorators van and transport to an evangelical church on a Sunday. My previous owner didn’t maintain me, more ‘sustain’ me. (My windscreen wiper mechanism used to feature a dishcloth from the kitchen, and until recently only had two matching wheels.)
What is miraculous though, is that I still exist.
1983 Ford Sierra 1.6 Base Hatchback by Jamie-A, on FlickrA bit like the demise of “The Corrs”, nobody can quite put their finger on the exact moment that all Ford Sierras disappeared from the roadside. Gradually though, they did - only to reappear years later as callously ‘improved’ Cosworth replicas or as Rumbelows Fridge Freezers.
However, something extraordinary happened to me.
Nothing.
I just kept on being used. Driven as intended. I’ve aged gracefully without interference or improvement, and have been ‘just a car’ for nearly 35 years now.
As I gently slipped from middle to old age, something else happened. People would come to see me. Not at shows or in museums, but at the side of an anonymous looking road in Clapton, North London. People would travel miles - just to see ME! I know right?! Madness.
1983 Ford Sierra 1.6 (base model) by Sim's pics, on FlickrSierra. by Jamie-A, on FlickrIf this is the first time you’ve seen one like me, here’s my Curriculum Vitae:
1.6 pinto with (count them) 4 gears
No radio
No cigarette lighter
No headrests
No rear windscreen wiper
No intermittent front wipers
No clock
No central locking
No electric windows
No rev counter
No wheel trims (just hub caps)
No body mouldings or rubbing strips
No rear seat belts
And of course I have the iconic:
Grey grille
Dangly mirrors
I am the absolute antithesis of the Ford Sierra Cosworth. Everything IT is, I am not. In reality, the Ford Sierra Base had the accolade of being both unloved by the buying public AND the dealers who tried to sell us. I was rare then, and I’m unheard of now.
In 2016 I was purchased by a consortium of masochists from the Autoshi*e car forum, in order to be saved from an uncertain future. I have had considerable work done recently in order to secure my viability for the future, little of which has or ever will be cosmetic. Please rest assured that, whilst looking a bit worse for wear, I am loved dearly by my new owner. You can follow my (lack of) progress at https://sierrabase.wordpress.com
I am now enjoying my retirement in leafy and salubrious Cambridgeshire, a far cry from the rough and tumble of North London.
Ford Sierra Base by Bornite Identity, on FlickrAs my owner always says, “I am what I am”. A forgotten curiosity of the 1980s. Think of me as white dog poo; just a bit more enjoyable to step into.
(Only by a fine margin).
1983 Ford Sierra Base by Bornite Identity, on FlickrThanks for all the positive comments. Amusingly, it's always a hit at car shows/meets with the fairer sex. Most girls I know think highly of their Dads, Most Dads had Ford Sierras, and therefore it's quite a magnet for 30 something females!
The original plan was just to sustain the car as best as possible. However, the NSR quarter panel had actually rusted through as can be seen in some of the pictures on Flickr. The front wing had also been the victim of the most bizarre bruising, and the best solution was to just replace both panels and have them done once and done properly. The quarter panel is a genine Ford NOS item, and the wing is a pattern part. Ken, my man with the paint, reassured me that these replica panels have come a long way and, at £50, not to think twice. When I collected the car, he said it took him 3 hours just to get it to sit right!!
Ford Sierra Base - during replacement panels and paint. July 2017. by Bornite Identity, on Flickr
Ford Sierra Base - during replacement panels and paint. July 2017. by Bornite Identity, on Flickr
I've actually NEVER had any bodywork done like this on a car, and it was a treat to see it being done. The finished result was really pleasing, although some have remarked that they liked the cars original 'patina'. Being realistic, it just wasn't a sensible thing to ignore it. As panels come up, I'm buying them now as they're unlikely to become easier to source.
Ford Sierra Base - after replacement panels and paint. July 2017. by Bornite Identity, on Flickr
Ford Sierra Base by Bornite Identity, on Flickr
Ford Sierra Base. Waresley, Cambridgeshire. by Bornite Identity, on Flickr
The original plan was just to sustain the car as best as possible. However, the NSR quarter panel had actually rusted through as can be seen in some of the pictures on Flickr. The front wing had also been the victim of the most bizarre bruising, and the best solution was to just replace both panels and have them done once and done properly. The quarter panel is a genine Ford NOS item, and the wing is a pattern part. Ken, my man with the paint, reassured me that these replica panels have come a long way and, at £50, not to think twice. When I collected the car, he said it took him 3 hours just to get it to sit right!!
Ford Sierra Base - during replacement panels and paint. July 2017. by Bornite Identity, on FlickrFord Sierra Base - during replacement panels and paint. July 2017. by Bornite Identity, on FlickrI've actually NEVER had any bodywork done like this on a car, and it was a treat to see it being done. The finished result was really pleasing, although some have remarked that they liked the cars original 'patina'. Being realistic, it just wasn't a sensible thing to ignore it. As panels come up, I'm buying them now as they're unlikely to become easier to source.
Ford Sierra Base - after replacement panels and paint. July 2017. by Bornite Identity, on FlickrFord Sierra Base by Bornite Identity, on FlickrFord Sierra Base. Waresley, Cambridgeshire. by Bornite Identity, on Flickrseiben said:
Superb! How many miles?
Excellent question! An excellent question indeed!!
And, err, I'm glad you asked it.
Well.
Hmm.
Probably 153k. It just has a 5 digit ODO, it's unlikely to have done 253k and almost certainly hasn't done just 53k. It drives remarkably well all told; it even has the original VV carburetor fitted. They are much maligned but robust and very simple to live with. I got quite close to replacing it with a Weber unit at the end of last year as cold starting is becoming increasingly difficult, but for the time being it will stay.
OldGermanHeaps said:
Have you adjusted the tappets recently? If they aren't right you won't get enough vacuum on cranking, the vv doesn't deal with that well.
My chum did them last summer, along with the cam belt, whilst I attended to the rocker gasket and thermostat.
The best way to describe the improvements? Well, I can now hear people's laughter as I drive past - and I can also hear that it's still a Pinto. Best of both worlds.
BorniteIdentity said:
1.6 pinto with (count them) 4 gears
No radio
No cigarette lighter
No headrests
No rear windscreen wiper
No intermittent front wipers
No clock
No central locking
No electric windows
No rev counter
No radio
No cigarette lighter
No headrests
No rear windscreen wiper
No intermittent front wipers
No clock
No central locking
No electric windows
No rev counter
I think this picture captures the cockpit ambience well. When you get behind the wheel, your first and only thought is about driving. Not any 'in flight entertainment', climate control or other so called survival kit. You're not even thinking of arriving, just travelling. Cars like this one you DRIVE - and YOU drive.
This is the first car I've ever bought that I can honestly say I could never part with. It's irreplaceable.
Speed 3 said:
Ah, but that's an upmarket 1.6, my Dad had the same (in red) in the even more basic 1.3 ! [/url]
You're quite correct. The 1.3 Base was as impoverished as they came, but they really are all deceased. The diffs were popular with the banger boys (I guess they're ideal for quick take off) and the only one I've ever seen is in Holland. I did recruit a friend of mine to negotiate on my behalf to buy the car and bring it back - but we couldn't get the guy to take us seriously. Why he'd struggle to believe that someone would fly 600 miles, buy a 35 year old car blind and then attempt to drive it home I have NO idea?!Anyway, final photo from me tonight - and just for fun. I'm genuinely surprised that it's been so warmly received on here. Thanks.
Last year, FoMoCo gave me a Mustang for a few days and I couldn't resist photographing the two of them together. The 5.0 V8 is a truly fantastic engine, and the car as a whole package is very complete and tempting. My main observation about the Mustang is people don't hate you for having one; they just want to look at it and talk to you about it. Drive an equivalent like an M3 or C63 and you get called a w
ker and ignored.
Ford Sierra Base and Ford Mustang V8 by Bornite Identity, on Flickr
Last year, FoMoCo gave me a Mustang for a few days and I couldn't resist photographing the two of them together. The 5.0 V8 is a truly fantastic engine, and the car as a whole package is very complete and tempting. My main observation about the Mustang is people don't hate you for having one; they just want to look at it and talk to you about it. Drive an equivalent like an M3 or C63 and you get called a w
ker and ignored.Ford Sierra Base and Ford Mustang V8 by Bornite Identity, on FlickrTVR Moneypit said:
Benmac said:
Wonderful stuff.
As a gawky kid I did used to love to spot oddities, often being more excited by some bit of weird poverty spec BL detritus than say a Ferrari. Two of my favourite spots were any Sierras with the black plastic grille like this or any 3 door Sierras that weren't Cosworths. I can't recall now whether you could combine those two stand out features in spec.
Yes you could.As a gawky kid I did used to love to spot oddities, often being more excited by some bit of weird poverty spec BL detritus than say a Ferrari. Two of my favourite spots were any Sierras with the black plastic grille like this or any 3 door Sierras that weren't Cosworths. I can't recall now whether you could combine those two stand out features in spec.
There was one for sale in the summer of last year. Sadly, the iconic grey grille had been cruelly 'upgraded' to a smooth Ghia version. Worse still, the car was sold to someone who's in the process of convincing themselves that it's something that it's not.
MJK 24 said:
Moving forwards slightly, does anyone remember seeing a Mondeo Aspen? No rev counter, analogue windows and no side rubbing strips.
I think it was an evolution from the Sierra base. I've seen two in real life, back in the day...
The ASPEN would replace the Ford Mondeo ‘base’ later in life, but you could buy a boggo one from launch. A lovely guy Ben Day has one in Kent which is smashing. His is currently sporting GLX trims but this one is how they looked from new.I think it was an evolution from the Sierra base. I've seen two in real life, back in the day...
Transit speedo iirc!
https://flic.kr/p/9qWdf1
olly22n said:
Glorious!
But I have to pull you up on the front plate - a modern font has no place on that Sierra!
Minimal maintenance to use and preserve, please!
I concur with the number plate. The original was replaced by the previous owner and not kept. DMB can replicate it but they have recently started to ask for both paternal grandparents to be present along with evidence of residency before doing plates now.But I have to pull you up on the front plate - a modern font has no place on that Sierra!
Minimal maintenance to use and preserve, please!
It won’t be minimal maintenance; I’m not filling a rusty s
t holed door full of pudding when a replacement is £40. But it’s never ever going to be a show winner - it’s way too far gone and I do like the character of some bits like the dash. Ultimately, it just needs to be brought back to nice condition and then I’ll let the paintwork all calm down uniformly over the next few years.
There will be more updates coming soon. Money is at a premium at the moment as I’ve accidentally accumulated 7 cars and I’ve just paid a tax bill of £14000. God only knows how much Sierra that would have bought in 83.
Edited by BorniteIdentity on Monday 15th January 20:35
The car has not been cosseted or treated to any luxuries at all, certainly not in recent times. The previous owner was far from wealthy, and the car was street parked for at least the last 15 years. It’s a lesson to all of us who panic needlessly about keeping a car dry (a windy barn is better than a damp, still garage anyway)
The first welding we could find any sign of happened in 2016, aged 33. This was under my custodianship and was fairly minor. The initial MOT in 2016 was fairly damning but, truth be told, it was just two jobs on both sides of the Car. The suspension mounting was missed in 2016 as the hole was under the washer bottle, but was discovered last time by a more eagle eyed tester. I think that cost me £60 for a pucker job.
Things are a bit quiet at the moment as the car is SORN and I have 6 other vehicles requiring money. Hoping to get some bodywork attended to before our first show together in May.
Genuinely, I am thrilled by the response and the stories being shared about these modest yet beguiling little cars. Keep the anecdotes coming!
The first welding we could find any sign of happened in 2016, aged 33. This was under my custodianship and was fairly minor. The initial MOT in 2016 was fairly damning but, truth be told, it was just two jobs on both sides of the Car. The suspension mounting was missed in 2016 as the hole was under the washer bottle, but was discovered last time by a more eagle eyed tester. I think that cost me £60 for a pucker job.
Things are a bit quiet at the moment as the car is SORN and I have 6 other vehicles requiring money. Hoping to get some bodywork attended to before our first show together in May.
Genuinely, I am thrilled by the response and the stories being shared about these modest yet beguiling little cars. Keep the anecdotes coming!
edwheels said:
I also remember in the 1980s (as read and re-read Ford Brochures obsessively when I should have been doing my homework) that the MK2 Granada was available in a Taxi Spec. I think this had a 2.5L Diesel engine, no wheel trims or anything much else ... I doubt any of those have survived...
Don’t be such a pessimist!https://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/Rare-Granada-DL-Mk-2/2828...
soxboy said:
Positively luxurious compared to the OP, but here's a bit of a time warp:
https://mathewsons.co.uk/vehicle-auction-catalogue...
Nice find. I’m not a fan of the colour, but a friend of mine very much is. I’ll send it to him, but I don’t see it fetching £4K. One rocketed to over £6k at Kings Lynn last week, but a large amount of that would have been the valuable plate left on the car.https://mathewsons.co.uk/vehicle-auction-catalogue...
There was a time in 2016 that I owned both the base and a decadent L Model. It was better in every way to the base, and cost me £520 with a full MOT. Logically, I should have kept the green one and binned the base - but the rarity value meant the green one stayed only briefly.
https://flic.kr/p/Hdwsvf
Fortunately, it’s still plodding around and was spotted in Kent just last month.
I had to, once again, reawaken the Sierra from its winter slumber for more insurance photographs. It did give me the opportunity to give everything a good check over, and a chance to start planning this spring’s job list.
Sadly, a little mould has reappeared in the car over winter. My garage is slightly damp, and I don’t think I properly killed the spores last year. Fortunately my BiL has a contract cleaning company with all the kit, so it’ll get properly done once things start to warm up a bit.
Here are the internal photos. WARNING - contains nostalgia.
https://flic.kr/p/EyMgrc
https://flic.kr/p/EyMi6K
https://flic.kr/p/2396cGU
Sadly, a little mould has reappeared in the car over winter. My garage is slightly damp, and I don’t think I properly killed the spores last year. Fortunately my BiL has a contract cleaning company with all the kit, so it’ll get properly done once things start to warm up a bit.
Here are the internal photos. WARNING - contains nostalgia.
https://flic.kr/p/EyMgrc
https://flic.kr/p/EyMi6K
https://flic.kr/p/2396cGU
All-Rounders.
It’s a terribly primitive turn of phrase when you dissect it. It’s unflattering, unattractive and probably unfair on those whose talents are wider and more brilliant than mine. To take it further, it’s one step short of the famous insult ‘Jack of All Trades – Master of None’. Any cricket fan would cite Botham, Flintoff and Stokes as some of the most brilliant students of the game – so why the flippancy?
All-Rounders aren’t a compromise. They don’t discredit you – they are the best of both worlds. Take Sophie Ellis – Bextor. There’s a girl who you can take to the staff party as your +1 in confident pride, to a black tie ball knowing she can hold her own, and on a naughty weekend knowing she can hold yours. The sort of woman you’d happily introduce to your mother and your football mates with equal delight.
Nervously, I put my Ford Sierra in that category. This little lady just keeps on doing her thing, whatever situation and environment she finds herself in. In our two happy years together, we’ve been to 5* hotels and to trading estates. We’ve availed ourselves of Sunday dinner in leafy Cambridgeshire, followed immediately by the weekly duties of discount supermarkets. Just like the aforementioned Ian and Sophie, always coping admirably.
Only, I’d never expect either of them to excel at the ‘indoor refuse and recycling centre’. On that front, the Sierra just comes out on top. Granted, you wouldn’t buy it naughty underwear for a weekend away – or ask it to wag the tail when you’re 72-7. But as an all-rounder, surely she’s worthy of a review?
It’s a terribly primitive turn of phrase when you dissect it. It’s unflattering, unattractive and probably unfair on those whose talents are wider and more brilliant than mine. To take it further, it’s one step short of the famous insult ‘Jack of All Trades – Master of None’. Any cricket fan would cite Botham, Flintoff and Stokes as some of the most brilliant students of the game – so why the flippancy?
All-Rounders aren’t a compromise. They don’t discredit you – they are the best of both worlds. Take Sophie Ellis – Bextor. There’s a girl who you can take to the staff party as your +1 in confident pride, to a black tie ball knowing she can hold her own, and on a naughty weekend knowing she can hold yours. The sort of woman you’d happily introduce to your mother and your football mates with equal delight.
Nervously, I put my Ford Sierra in that category. This little lady just keeps on doing her thing, whatever situation and environment she finds herself in. In our two happy years together, we’ve been to 5* hotels and to trading estates. We’ve availed ourselves of Sunday dinner in leafy Cambridgeshire, followed immediately by the weekly duties of discount supermarkets. Just like the aforementioned Ian and Sophie, always coping admirably.
Only, I’d never expect either of them to excel at the ‘indoor refuse and recycling centre’. On that front, the Sierra just comes out on top. Granted, you wouldn’t buy it naughty underwear for a weekend away – or ask it to wag the tail when you’re 72-7. But as an all-rounder, surely she’s worthy of a review?
Miglia 888 said:
Would love to see the Sierra and/or the 190 - all and any cars are welcome.
Always something interesting there, whether a bubble-car or a Bentley.
There's even a Daimler Ferret armoured car which attends from time to time...
April meet thread is here:
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
Meh.Always something interesting there, whether a bubble-car or a Bentley.
There's even a Daimler Ferret armoured car which attends from time to time...
April meet thread is here:
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
I came along for the first hour of this. As feared, we didn’t fit in at all. Nobody bothered to come over, I must have said hello to 6 people who clearly didn’t want to talk and at the end some fat lad took the piss.
We left.
I’m not sure whether it’s my fault or not. Perhaps I’ll try again with a modern on finance - I’ll likely get a warmer response.
Thanks for the invite tho.
Eyersey1234 said:
Hows the Sierra?
Excuse the delay in responding.Not great, all told.
I put it in for it’s MOT in the middle of June, not expecting anything other than a flying pass. All the welding has been attended to over the past 2 years to a very high standard, and everything else works.
Other than that pissing carb.
Annoyingly, the emissions were super high. No amount of mixture adjustment could creep it through - so, with the excitement of summer and everything else, it got stuck in the naughty corner.
She’s burning quite a bit of oil and, after 35 years, the carburettor is fit for scrap - so the next job is to rebuild the top end, shell out for a Weber and replace the seal which is rustproofing the bottom of the car.
We’re hoping to have it all done next month.
Hey Gang!
I had to get that photo onto the BBC Online. After all - how often do you see a fully grown man Woollarding a Ford Sierra in the news these days?!
The Sierra has had to take a proper (sans seatbelted) back seat for the time being as the piggy bank is EMPTY and the Mini looks flippin' awful on the driveway. So whilst the Sierra looks smart, and is out of the way, it can stay on pause for a few months. The engine is in bits on my bench and could probably be running with minimal effort. However, it does require outlay (carb, headset etc) and that is likely to trigger a severe sense of humour failure with my wife.
Yes, friends. I had to LIE to her saying that I'd sell the Sierra after the Mini arrived!
So, trying to juggle as many balls as I can and as affordably as I can. The problem is compounded with 6 cars now on fleet; the third member of the "heritage fleet" is a beautiful Mercedes w201 which I COULD sell, but it's the sort of car you buy and not sell. I'd realistically never get another one as good at such a decent price.
Wish me luck?!
I had to get that photo onto the BBC Online. After all - how often do you see a fully grown man Woollarding a Ford Sierra in the news these days?!
The Sierra has had to take a proper (sans seatbelted) back seat for the time being as the piggy bank is EMPTY and the Mini looks flippin' awful on the driveway. So whilst the Sierra looks smart, and is out of the way, it can stay on pause for a few months. The engine is in bits on my bench and could probably be running with minimal effort. However, it does require outlay (carb, headset etc) and that is likely to trigger a severe sense of humour failure with my wife.
Yes, friends. I had to LIE to her saying that I'd sell the Sierra after the Mini arrived!
So, trying to juggle as many balls as I can and as affordably as I can. The problem is compounded with 6 cars now on fleet; the third member of the "heritage fleet" is a beautiful Mercedes w201 which I COULD sell, but it's the sort of car you buy and not sell. I'd realistically never get another one as good at such a decent price.
Wish me luck?!
Gassing Station | Readers' Cars | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff