1983 Ford Sierra BASE (Poverty/UN Spec)
Discussion
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.
Just read the whole thread, utterly brilliant!! Congrats on keeping the old girl going, I'd spend more time looking over her at a show than any exotica.
My dad had a 1983 1.6L estate, àlthough looking at it now it seemed postively luxurious compared to yours!
I've just bought a 1989 Orion, can't beat an 80s Ford!!
My dad had a 1983 1.6L estate, àlthough looking at it now it seemed postively luxurious compared to yours!
I've just bought a 1989 Orion, can't beat an 80s Ford!!
BorniteIdentity said:
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.
You’re probably too famous to bother with us mere mortals now.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cambridgeshi...
I was reading this article and saw a photo of a Base Sierra at the bottom. Went to post on the thread to realise it’s the same car!
Good lucks with the Mini and please keep us informed of both cars going forward!
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cambridgeshi...
I was reading this article and saw a photo of a Base Sierra at the bottom. Went to post on the thread to realise it’s the same car!
Good lucks with the Mini and please keep us informed of both cars going forward!
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?!
littlebasher said:
Biker's Nemesis said:
As with so many Sierras, being sold with 16K genuine miles on a car with a 5 digit odometer.No history to back it up by the sounds of it, so is it 16000, 116000, 216000 etc?
Lovely old thing though, rear wash/wipe and everything!
Take from that what you will
Never ever take a car off the road. Ever. Whilst, admittedly, we live in turbulent times - I’ve lost three jobs and we’ve changed prime minister since the bASe last turned a wheel in dismal anger. I know better than most that life can get in the way. Please learn from my error - take out an overdraft, borrow money, sell your body or the parts within it - But do not ever, ever, take a car off the road.
My biggest concern over the weekend wasn’t whether the head had been rebuilt to a satisfactory standard, or whether my long suffering friend would have the skills to put it together. The weather was irritating but not a chief concern, and nor was I particularly bothered about how bored my children would get whilst their oaf of a father stood and stared at two halves of an engine. Nope. The sole item on the worry list was my complete inability to remember where I’ve put stuff. It’s beyond the usual “stupid bloke” stuff; my mind simply can not map where I put things down. I suspect, if I was a child today, I’d be diagnosed with ADHD. As it is, I’m just an overgrown child with no diagnosis and an awful lot of bits to find for a Pinto. Bits I definitely DID have, but was concerned would halt proceedings at the most inconvenient of times.
The head was removed in the 13th October 2018. On the 14th October 2019, 3 months after I dropped it in at the local garage, they telephoned to say that the head was ready. The original plan was to let them fit it for me but, seeing as it took them 12 weeks to do a day's work, I thought it best to "take back control™"
A quick reminder: The car failed it's MOT in 2018 on an oil leak (incorrectly, it didn't actually drop any oil throughout the entire test) and emissions. The old VV carb, which I was quite keen to retain, finally bit the dust and the cylinder head was completely rebuilt - including, quite excitingly, a completely genuine FoMoCo Camshaft which came all the way from Lithuania.
On the basis that refitting is the reverse of removal, have some photos.
How deliciously retro is that Weber box? A guy bought it 30 years ago but never fitted it. It's a 32.
Prelube yo.
Supplementary electrictricity.
Does it go?
Yes. Extremely well. I only wish it stopped as willingly! The brakes have certainly not benefitted from 15 months of unemployment, but they’re good enough which is - in fairness - a metaphor for the entire car. The manual choke cable needs running into the cockpit and affixing discretely, which is a job for another time. Meantime, I can just hold it open and get the wife to start it for me (!)
My friend is concerned that it’s a bit Cammy. I have to say that, at full throttle, it sounds wonderful; a real parp erupts! It is now wonderfully responsive and, best of all, dry as a bone.
As always, my thanks to my old mucker (Alf892 on Autos
te). I’m not sure why he suffers a fool such as me so gladly - but I’m forever grateful that he does.
https://youtu.be/Og06G-vuYAo
My biggest concern over the weekend wasn’t whether the head had been rebuilt to a satisfactory standard, or whether my long suffering friend would have the skills to put it together. The weather was irritating but not a chief concern, and nor was I particularly bothered about how bored my children would get whilst their oaf of a father stood and stared at two halves of an engine. Nope. The sole item on the worry list was my complete inability to remember where I’ve put stuff. It’s beyond the usual “stupid bloke” stuff; my mind simply can not map where I put things down. I suspect, if I was a child today, I’d be diagnosed with ADHD. As it is, I’m just an overgrown child with no diagnosis and an awful lot of bits to find for a Pinto. Bits I definitely DID have, but was concerned would halt proceedings at the most inconvenient of times.
The head was removed in the 13th October 2018. On the 14th October 2019, 3 months after I dropped it in at the local garage, they telephoned to say that the head was ready. The original plan was to let them fit it for me but, seeing as it took them 12 weeks to do a day's work, I thought it best to "take back control™"
A quick reminder: The car failed it's MOT in 2018 on an oil leak (incorrectly, it didn't actually drop any oil throughout the entire test) and emissions. The old VV carb, which I was quite keen to retain, finally bit the dust and the cylinder head was completely rebuilt - including, quite excitingly, a completely genuine FoMoCo Camshaft which came all the way from Lithuania.
On the basis that refitting is the reverse of removal, have some photos.
How deliciously retro is that Weber box? A guy bought it 30 years ago but never fitted it. It's a 32.
Prelube yo.
Supplementary electrictricity.
Does it go?
Yes. Extremely well. I only wish it stopped as willingly! The brakes have certainly not benefitted from 15 months of unemployment, but they’re good enough which is - in fairness - a metaphor for the entire car. The manual choke cable needs running into the cockpit and affixing discretely, which is a job for another time. Meantime, I can just hold it open and get the wife to start it for me (!)
My friend is concerned that it’s a bit Cammy. I have to say that, at full throttle, it sounds wonderful; a real parp erupts! It is now wonderfully responsive and, best of all, dry as a bone.
As always, my thanks to my old mucker (Alf892 on Autos
te). I’m not sure why he suffers a fool such as me so gladly - but I’m forever grateful that he does. https://youtu.be/Og06G-vuYAo
Ill admit when I saw the topic up my heart missed a beat, I thought naw please don't let it be terminal...…
Holy thread resurrection indeed.... But my heart returned to a normal beat as I read that it still lives, God that is some piece of history right here, something unique and means so much as its the boggo version.
Holy thread resurrection indeed.... But my heart returned to a normal beat as I read that it still lives, God that is some piece of history right here, something unique and means so much as its the boggo version.
ruggedscotty said:
Ill admit when I saw the topic up my heart missed a beat, I thought naw please don't let it be terminal...…
Holy thread resurrection indeed.... But my heart returned to a normal beat as I read that it still lives, God that is some piece of history right here, something unique and means so much as its the boggo version.
Ha. Bless you. Holy thread resurrection indeed.... But my heart returned to a normal beat as I read that it still lives, God that is some piece of history right here, something unique and means so much as its the boggo version.
I imagine that I will own it forever. Since a few of us it bought it back in April 2016, interest has dwindled leaving me the only involved. To be honest, that’s fine - and much easier to run. There’s nothing worse than sinking money into something that’s not yours - it’s like PCP!
Once the car has MOT, I need to finish the choke cable fitting and probably get the clutch changed too. I think it was dripping so much oil that the plates have contamination. After that I need a decent pair of rear lenses and some silicone.
Next year I’ll set about getting the replacement doors on the offside.
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