1983 Ford Sierra BASE (Poverty/UN Spec)

1983 Ford Sierra BASE (Poverty/UN Spec)

Author
Discussion

B'stard Child

28,324 posts

245 months

Tuesday 16th January 2018
quotequote all
Mr Whippy said:
Ah the joys of no clear coat.

Just t-cut and away you go.

Life was easier back then.
Vauxhall Flame Red I used to call flame pink - but as you say an hour or two with T-cut and it looked wet again - trouble was by the time the car was 10 years old and had been cut back twice a year the primer started to show thro biggrin

Mr Whippy

28,944 posts

240 months

Tuesday 16th January 2018
quotequote all
B'stard Child said:
Vauxhall Flame Red I used to call flame pink - but as you say an hour or two with T-cut and it looked wet again - trouble was by the time the car was 10 years old and had been cut back twice a year the primer started to show thro biggrin
But so easy to paint over too.

Top up, polish to a mirror, carry on.

Scratch, paint and flatten, fixed.

Bases, metallics and clears all make any damage very hard to fix.

The irony being that these cars usually rusted away before it was an issue.


Which makes me wonder how this one has stayed so good?

BorniteIdentity

Original Poster:

1,055 posts

129 months

Tuesday 16th January 2018
quotequote all
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!

JBT

118 posts

145 months

Tuesday 16th January 2018
quotequote all
I haven't seen a base model Sierra since the early 90's, nice survivor (as they say in the retro BMX world). In fact this is probably the equivalent of the red n' yellow wire wheel Raleigh Burner, as opposed to the 3 door RS500 Aero Pro Burner smile

It does show how cars have changed in 35 years - the boggo latest mondeo is very well equipped for a base model car (with satnav, DAB radio etc) but base model cars don't really exist anymore, especially in the medium size class. You pay for it though, the cheapest Mondeo is a shade under £20k...

My mum had a '91 1.8LX, the thing I remember was the massive boot and unassisted steering - along with that wierd squashy plastic steering wheel. Oh and when I accidentally ripped off the front bumper parking it over the road on the verge... Luckily they were simple cars to fix!

I see an immaculate white XR4x4 with Azev 5 spokes most days on the road on my way to work, and there is a tired was-red-now-pink XR4x4 laid up round the corner from me that hasn't moved in years. Neither rock the plastic slatted grille though!

LanceRS

2,171 posts

136 months

Tuesday 16th January 2018
quotequote all
I had a 1986 XR4x4 (D177SVX) bought in the mid 90s. I sold it after 4 years when I bought the Cosworth. It was such a good car that I bought it back again a couple of years later. I then bought an XR2 in an effort at being more sensible but couldn’t bring myself to sell the Sierra again.
It finally went when I talked myself out of being able to justify running 2 thirsty, 4wd Sierras. Given the chance I’d still have it back. I shall enjoy watching the progress on this.

JBT

118 posts

145 months

Tuesday 16th January 2018
quotequote all
Actually your car has just reminded me of another car, OP - when I was a kid my great uncle had a blue Y plate MK2 Granada 2.3L, with the steel wheels - large motor boggo stylee. Was that the lowest spec granny you could buy? The horizontal part of the 'L' on the bootlid seemed to stretch for half the width of the car!

Poisson96

2,098 posts

130 months

Tuesday 16th January 2018
quotequote all
The utter definition of AutoSh*te.

Absolutely love it, although the mess it probably causes on the brown pages is pretty horrific I guess? Industrial cleaning to reception.

Mr Tidy

22,065 posts

126 months

Wednesday 17th January 2018
quotequote all
JBT said:
Actually your car has just reminded me of another car, OP - when I was a kid my great uncle had a blue Y plate MK2 Granada 2.3L, with the steel wheels - large motor boggo stylee. Was that the lowest spec granny you could buy? The horizontal part of the 'L' on the bootlid seemed to stretch for half the width of the car!
No it wasn't - the base model was a 2.0L with the Pinto engine and no PAS! (I had a couple). rolleyes

To be honest the 2.0 was probably virtually as quick as the 2.3 because the V6 was heavier, but it did sound a bit more refined! (I also had a 2.8 Ghia). laugh

Another gem must be the MK3 Granada that they made with a 1.8 engine because of the BIK tax rules of the late 80s/early 90s - I wonder if any of those still exist?



B'stard Child

28,324 posts

245 months

Wednesday 17th January 2018
quotequote all
Mr Tidy said:
JBT said:
Actually your car has just reminded me of another car, OP - when I was a kid my great uncle had a blue Y plate MK2 Granada 2.3L, with the steel wheels - large motor boggo stylee. Was that the lowest spec granny you could buy? The horizontal part of the 'L' on the bootlid seemed to stretch for half the width of the car!
No it wasn't - the base model was a 2.0L with the Pinto engine and no PAS! (I had a couple). rolleyes

To be honest the 2.0 was probably virtually as quick as the 2.3 because the V6 was heavier, but it did sound a bit more refined! (I also had a 2.8 Ghia). laugh

Another gem must be the MK3 Granada that they made with a 1.8 engine because of the BIK tax rules of the late 80s/early 90s - I wonder if any of those still exist?
My Dad had the 2.0 L with econo lights - yellow if your had too much gas down and orange if you had way too much gas down

I drove it to pick up my brother from school in the 80's - raged it 40 miles there and 40 miles back stuck a fiver in the tank to make up for the fuel used and he still said it was his lowest mpg ever!!!

Turbobanana

6,160 posts

200 months

Friday 26th January 2018
quotequote all
Lovely.

My first job (as a 14-year-old) was as a car valeter in a local used car dealership. These were everywhere.

IIRC there were a few (a very few) cars with a 1.3 Pinto engine, rather than the old OHV Kent (?) unit. We had one in once, and when I opened the bonnet to steam clean it ready for sale it didn't look right. The sales manager agreed, but the V5 said 1.3. It drove OK, probably due to the lower ratio back axle as someone else has mentioned, and certainly better than the non-turbo 2.3 Peugeot-engined diesel.

Enquiries at the time suggested Ford made a few 1.3 Pintos but it didn't go into full-scale production. Anyone know more?

r129sl

9,518 posts

202 months

Friday 26th January 2018
quotequote all
For pukka pre-2001 numberplates with no fuss, use www.fancyplates.com. I have used them several times; the product is good cheap, comes quickly and there is no messing round with documents. Select "show plates" and then select one of the pre-2001 fonts, I think I went for (a). You can have them without BS markings and postcodes, too, all of which are hideous.

BFleming

3,589 posts

142 months

Friday 26th January 2018
quotequote all
Turbobanana said:
Lovely.

My first job (as a 14-year-old) was as a car valeter in a local used car dealership. These were everywhere.
Snap - although I was 16, and it was a Fiat dealership. They took a 2 year old Sierra 2.0i GLS on a trade-in, and a couple of nights later it was stolen from the forecourt. It was involved in a police chase and was eventually returned to the garage in bad shape. It ended up with the worst paint job I've ever seen & was sold to some Mr Magoo type who didn't notice.
I found out later it was my mate who stole it. Oops.

TristPerrin

135 posts

177 months

Friday 26th January 2018
quotequote all
Glad to see a real car getting some love. That moment when you relise you never see X car anymore is alway quite sad. (Rover Coupes for example!)

I love the fact it only has a five digit odometer. Ford obviously didnt expect it to live long laugh

3795mpower

484 posts

129 months

Friday 26th January 2018
quotequote all
Grew up with Sierra's (and Cortina's)
Dad was a rep and we had a succession of them.

B992CEV Ceramic Blue 1.6GL Estate.

D282RTW Crystal Blue 1.6GL Hatch, facelift, 5 speed, sunroof.

E149KLF Chestnut Brown 2.0GL Saphire, yup the facelift "booted" Sierra.

Many many happy memories of them all.

Used to collect brochures back then, especially Ford brochures....

I'll try and dig some nice pics out later.

smile

Few causal observations from the thread,
Ford got SO much stick for the primer grill it didn't last long.
Side window stakes appeared with the '85 facelift to "improve cross wind stability"
Yeah whatever wink

ahghafoor

17 posts

200 months

Friday 26th January 2018
quotequote all
Oh my giddy aunt good on you. I had a 1990 sierra sapphire (1.8td pls dont judge me) which I actually took around the clock aah I remember the day I watched the odometer go past 99999 miles with glee. It had electric front windows and central locking which made a wonderful whirring noise and manual sunroof I thought I was a king minus power steering but that was a design to build your biceps up. A true motorway mile muncher so comfortable and actually reliable in my 4 yes of ownership. I actually thought it was a decent looking and not a sign of rust when I sold it for £600. I wiped a small tear as it left me

Edited by ahghafoor on Friday 26th January 14:13

Ritchie335is

1,856 posts

201 months

Friday 26th January 2018
quotequote all
I had a white 3 door version of this car with exactly the same spec when I was 18 on an A reg.
It had spent a lot of it's life in Germany and was completely rust free, I bought it from a dealer for 500 quid.
I slapped a 2.0 205 Pinto in it with a Capri 3L DGAV Carb and also install a Sapphire grey dash with the new clocks, rev counter etc, very flash!
I had big plans of making a Cosworth replica but as is often when you are 18 plans never happen, I think I managed to get the fibreglass replica grille on though with the later headlights.
It lasted about 3 months before I wrote it off and got myself banned in the process.
Gutted for the car, that shell would be worth a good bit now for the 3dr Cosworth boys.

Ritchie335is

1,856 posts

201 months

Friday 26th January 2018
quotequote all
ahghafoor said:
Oh my giddy aunt good on you. I had a 1990 sierra sapphire (1.8td pls dont judge me) which I actually took around the clock aah I remember the day I watched the odometer go past 99999 miles with glee. It had electric front windows and central locking which made a wonderful whirring noise and manual sunroof I thought I was a king minus power steering but that was a design to build your biceps up. A true motorway mile muncher so comfortable and actually reliable in my 4 yes of ownership. I actually thought it was a decent looking and not a sign of rust when I sold it for £600. I wiped a small tear as it left me

Edited by ahghafoor on Friday 26th January 14:13
I used to work on Sierras all the time as they were current when I was in the trade and I always thought the Sapphire was a cracking car.
A great size, not too big or small (why did everything have to get so fat?) very simple and reliable, good rwd handling, good for towing and a good amount of room inside. It's all you really need.

Leithen

10,800 posts

266 months

Friday 26th January 2018
quotequote all
tobinen said:
This takes me back to late 1982, last year at junior school. Friend's dad turns up in one, brand new, this spec. It was a company car from Leica. It turned more heads than many other more expensive cars.
I remember seeing one for the first time in the same year - the shape really was different!

Doug-xffa7

6 posts

99 months

Friday 26th January 2018
quotequote all
ah Sierra, fond memories in '81 when I worked as a presstool maker at Ford Dagenham old tool room, just around 24 yrs old and was working on the press tool die for the floor pan for the pre launch cars. There was a big panic as we had to remodel the die as the prototypes were having issues with rust/holes in extreme testing due to incorrect design of the floor pan . The strengthening gussets that run across the floor were incorrectly angled so instead of deflecting stones , the almost up right design meant that stones were actually damaging these.
Had loads of worried production engineers and bods from Dunton and Cologne standing over us while the die was welded up and using "windyhammer" , chisels and grinders had to re-profile the whole floor and spot in the two halves in the press in the tool room in 2 days to get back into the press shop

TWPC

838 posts

160 months

Friday 26th January 2018
quotequote all
Awesome story and base Sierra preservation, OP.

I echo the sentiments of the poster who spent his youth wondering why people bought such sh*te 80s and 90s cars. I was a young auto snob, 11 years old when the Sierra was announced in 1981 and my Dad got the brochures from the local garage. It was a massive step forward after the Cortina and for some reason I felt I was in the Ford rather than Vauxhall tribe so was so disappointed that the 1.6l only generated 75hp compared to the 90hp in the Cav. I remember thinking the base version with its black grill appeared to have been hit in the face and how if we got one I would crave the smooth nose and four headlamps - only on the Ghia and upwards.
The dangly mirrors were a bit of a mystery: I don't remember reading proper justification of their design anywhere.

In 1985 my Dad announced he could either get a Saab 9000 turbo or put an extension on the house and get a Sierra XR4x4. Mum had a say so he did the latter. That red Sierra was amazing, especially since we lived in the country and even the slightest snowfall would drift into the lanes. Dad had mortified me by buying a Volvo 240 GLT estate a couple of years earlier (should have gone for the Citroen CX Safari in my view) and this represented his automotive redemption.

When I passed my test in 1987 we had a 1976 Simca 1100 that I drove (and I was allowed to take out the XR4x4 occasionally). Metallic pea green paint but NOTHING else. It had black vinyl, cigarette-proof seats and I think a rear screen demister but no clock, radio or cigarette lighter. It did have a water temp and fuel gauge. The Pug 205 1.1l XL that replaced it had some luxuries (radio, cloth upholstery, wheel trims) but no water temp gauge so the only instruments were a speedo and fuel gauge. Both had 4 speed boxes, of course.

It amazes me how road testers question the capability of cheap low powered cars nowadays. All seem perfectly competent to me. My brother used to drive the Simca the 300 miles to university and back every term with no problems. Four of us and our luggage piled into a friend's beige Metro 1.0L to spend 3 weeks driving round East Germany and Czechoslovakia for 3 weeks in summer 1990 after the Berlin Wall came down. Felt like a Golf GTI, in terms of both desirability and speed, compared to all the Trabis we saw. The 205 would carry everything I owned and cruise at 80mph more than happily and, yes, I did stick in a fancy Kenwood ICE and speakers.