aldo135

I really want this car. Do not offer it for sale under any circumstances 🤣

Merc in for trans fluid change, engine mounts, brake pipes, oil change and a inspection service with a trusted mechanic (Panhard65). Once this is done, there will be nothing really wrong with the car at all and fully sorted. (For now!)
I shouldn't like the Merc as lardy, wobbly boring barge but it is such a pleasant and relaxing drive. Nothing to report otherwise, it's just been doing it's job (and burning a fair bit of fuel - she's a thirsty beast on short journeys) faultlessly.

I think I am being stalked by a car… went for a run trying to clear the last of the lurgy out of my system. The last time I attempted a run I spotted this
beside a nice looking farina shaped Cambridge/Oxford was the ex @HMC @sdkrc  @RetroShite Limo. 
 
On my latest run I stopped to take a picture of the Water of Leith, but didn’t see what was in the background until I got home…
In case this turns into some Christine type horror I’ve decided not to go for a run today in favour of coffee and a stolen Pop Tart 😂

I think I am being stalked by a car… went for a run trying to clear the last of the lurgy out of my system. The last time I attempted a run I spotted this
beside a nice looking farina shaped Cambridge/Oxford was the ex @HMC @sdkrc  @RetroShite Limo. 
 
On my latest run I stopped to take a picture of the Water of Leith, but didn’t see what was in the background until I got home…
In case this turns into some Christine type horror I’ve decided not to go for a run today in favour of coffee and a stolen Pop Tart 😂

I think I am being stalked by a car… went for a run trying to clear the last of the lurgy out of my system. The last time I attempted a run I spotted this
beside a nice looking farina shaped Cambridge/Oxford was the ex @HMC @sdkrc  @RetroShite Limo. 
 
On my latest run I stopped to take a picture of the Water of Leith, but didn’t see what was in the background until I got home…
In case this turns into some Christine type horror I’ve decided not to go for a run today in favour of coffee and a stolen Pop Tart 😂

Spent a couple of hours clearing out my unit today to get it ready for a couple of people to start sharing it. The outgoing crap filled the back of a Hilux Surf with the seats down. There's still a lot of tidying to do, but it feels like a much bigger space already!
Edit to add photo of said Hilux Surf:
 

I think I am being stalked by a car… went for a run trying to clear the last of the lurgy out of my system. The last time I attempted a run I spotted this
beside a nice looking farina shaped Cambridge/Oxford was the ex @HMC @sdkrc  @RetroShite Limo. 
 
On my latest run I stopped to take a picture of the Water of Leith, but didn’t see what was in the background until I got home…
In case this turns into some Christine type horror I’ve decided not to go for a run today in favour of coffee and a stolen Pop Tart 😂

I think I am being stalked by a car… went for a run trying to clear the last of the lurgy out of my system. The last time I attempted a run I spotted this
beside a nice looking farina shaped Cambridge/Oxford was the ex @HMC @sdkrc  @RetroShite Limo. 
 
On my latest run I stopped to take a picture of the Water of Leith, but didn’t see what was in the background until I got home…
In case this turns into some Christine type horror I’ve decided not to go for a run today in favour of coffee and a stolen Pop Tart 😂

I think I am being stalked by a car… went for a run trying to clear the last of the lurgy out of my system. The last time I attempted a run I spotted this
beside a nice looking farina shaped Cambridge/Oxford was the ex @HMC @sdkrc  @RetroShite Limo. 
 
On my latest run I stopped to take a picture of the Water of Leith, but didn’t see what was in the background until I got home…
In case this turns into some Christine type horror I’ve decided not to go for a run today in favour of coffee and a stolen Pop Tart 😂

I think I am being stalked by a car… went for a run trying to clear the last of the lurgy out of my system. The last time I attempted a run I spotted this
beside a nice looking farina shaped Cambridge/Oxford was the ex @HMC @sdkrc  @RetroShite Limo. 
 
On my latest run I stopped to take a picture of the Water of Leith, but didn’t see what was in the background until I got home…
In case this turns into some Christine type horror I’ve decided not to go for a run today in favour of coffee and a stolen Pop Tart 😂

I think I am being stalked by a car… went for a run trying to clear the last of the lurgy out of my system. The last time I attempted a run I spotted this
beside a nice looking farina shaped Cambridge/Oxford was the ex @HMC @sdkrc  @RetroShite Limo. 
 
On my latest run I stopped to take a picture of the Water of Leith, but didn’t see what was in the background until I got home…
In case this turns into some Christine type horror I’ve decided not to go for a run today in favour of coffee and a stolen Pop Tart 😂

I think I am being stalked by a car… went for a run trying to clear the last of the lurgy out of my system. The last time I attempted a run I spotted this
beside a nice looking farina shaped Cambridge/Oxford was the ex @HMC @sdkrc  @RetroShite Limo. 
 
On my latest run I stopped to take a picture of the Water of Leith, but didn’t see what was in the background until I got home…
In case this turns into some Christine type horror I’ve decided not to go for a run today in favour of coffee and a stolen Pop Tart 😂

I think I am being stalked by a car… went for a run trying to clear the last of the lurgy out of my system. The last time I attempted a run I spotted this
beside a nice looking farina shaped Cambridge/Oxford was the ex @HMC @sdkrc  @RetroShite Limo. 
 
On my latest run I stopped to take a picture of the Water of Leith, but didn’t see what was in the background until I got home…
In case this turns into some Christine type horror I’ve decided not to go for a run today in favour of coffee and a stolen Pop Tart 😂

I think I am being stalked by a car… went for a run trying to clear the last of the lurgy out of my system. The last time I attempted a run I spotted this
beside a nice looking farina shaped Cambridge/Oxford was the ex @HMC @sdkrc  @RetroShite Limo. 
 
On my latest run I stopped to take a picture of the Water of Leith, but didn’t see what was in the background until I got home…
In case this turns into some Christine type horror I’ve decided not to go for a run today in favour of coffee and a stolen Pop Tart 😂

I think I am being stalked by a car… went for a run trying to clear the last of the lurgy out of my system. The last time I attempted a run I spotted this
beside a nice looking farina shaped Cambridge/Oxford was the ex @HMC @sdkrc  @RetroShite Limo. 
 
On my latest run I stopped to take a picture of the Water of Leith, but didn’t see what was in the background until I got home…
In case this turns into some Christine type horror I’ve decided not to go for a run today in favour of coffee and a stolen Pop Tart 😂

I think I am being stalked by a car… went for a run trying to clear the last of the lurgy out of my system. The last time I attempted a run I spotted this
beside a nice looking farina shaped Cambridge/Oxford was the ex @HMC @sdkrc  @RetroShite Limo. 
 
On my latest run I stopped to take a picture of the Water of Leith, but didn’t see what was in the background until I got home…
In case this turns into some Christine type horror I’ve decided not to go for a run today in favour of coffee and a stolen Pop Tart 😂

Night parade today.

Took the car over, which people liked.

Beer and grilling with the guys.

Parade with music and lights. 
Good fun night. Ended up being taxi to bring the kids home.
Phil

Got out before the rain hit today and changed the oil on the Elgrand. 
The filler cap is comically far back so I had to use this to put the oil in. 

Nice touch on the Elgrand that I don't recall seeing on cars I've changed filters on before is under it, there is a bit of metal to catch the oil and direct it into the pan. 

This means that during the oil change procedure I managed to not actually spill any oil on the fucking driveway. 
Not a drop. 
Miracles never cease eh? 
Anyway, I then poured all the oil into my jerry can.... 

Fuxake. 

And they have to go to the shops occasionally

I forgot to say that in summary, the Sierra is totally solid and doesn't need any further welding. I will deal with the rust proofing and minor cosmetics, then cut and polish the paint and see what I end up with. Hopefully something that is solid and looks presentable. 

I checked the VIN number, it's the same on the V5 as it is on the car. A matching numbers classic Ford, eat your fucking heart out Wayne Carini.
Plan for today was to have a good poke in every nook and  cranny and check for rust. Earlier this week I had an initial look and everything seemed ok but now I wanted to know exactly what I am up against in terms of bodywork repairs.
I removed the boot carpet, underlay and side trim panels. There's plenty of dirt but no rust to worry about.


I started poking around the back of the offside sill, where the end section of the sill has been previously repaired.
Beneath loose paint there is only surface corrosion.

The repair panel is solid but not very pretty. I will wob over the uneven sections of metal to make it look a little less gash.


The upper side of the rear arches are solid and do not appear to have been messed with in the past.

The floorpan to sill seam is solid and tidy on the outer side. On the inner side, I need to scrape off the loose sealant but the metal underneath is all solid.

This is the section behind the rear wheel arch, the panel that conceals the fuel filler neck.

Rear wheel arch is solid all the way around and there is no evidence of any previous repairs.


A couple of rusty patches on the top side of the sill but nothing serious.


Rear door, with the crusty sealant removed, the bottom of the door is solid.

The front door is the same.

Bottom of the inner side of the front wing and inner wing.

A post and inner wing, both factory fresh.

Front wheel arch is solid all the way around and there is no evidence of any previous repairs. The plastic arch trim fixing points have surface corrosion but nothing serious.


Offside front chassis leg is straight and solid.

Ditto the right one.

All good along the front of the car, between the radiator and bumper.

Crossmember is covered in gunk, which has kept it solid.

Nearside now, bottom of the inner side of the front wing and inner wing.

A post and inner wing, all good.

Front wheel arch is the same as the offside.


Nearside sill looks great.

Nothing to worry about the top section along the length of the front door.

The same as the offside along the back of the B post.

Localised surface corrosion beneath sealant to sections of the floorpan.

The repair carried out to the back of the nearside sill looks better quality than what was done on the other side.

This section of the underside is usually mostly concealed by the exhaust back box.

Rear nearside arch is very good.


Nearside front door is perfect underneath. The colour of this door doesn't quite match the rest of the car and has either been replaced or properly repaired in the past.

The back door is in the same condition as the offside doors, nothing to worry about.

Diff is dry. The subframe is covered in dirt and surface corrosion but all looks very solid.


Floorplan and transmission tunnel have been sealed in the past, are completely solid and just need cleaning.


After two hours of poking, all I have is one dust pan mostly full of dirt. Not bad for a Ford.

Before I undertake any bodywork repairs, I must first pull the Sierra out of the workshop, put it back on axle stands and pressure wash the underside, allow it to dry before putting the car back in the garage and lifting it up again. Due to birthday and work commitments, this won't happen for the next couple of weeks.
I found this sticker on the back of the driver's door. I Googled Great Chart Motors, they still exist. I will contact them and ask if they have any info about the Sierra.

The front brakes have had recent work done. The discs and pads are brand new and the calipers look fresh too.

I visited a paint shop yesterday, where they can scan any surface and produce a colour matched paint. I can't remember the brand of the paint now but the chap in the shop told me that it is far superior to Hammerite. It should be, it costs £50 for one litre. As I don't have a panel that I can bring into the shop (I tried removing the fuel filler flap but I have no idea how it comes off), I decided to buy a can of aerosol....

.... which I squirted on a piece of metal....

..... which looks a fairly good match to the Sierra's paint....

.... at least it will be once I have polished the paintwork.
I have been advised by numerous people that matching Ford Maritime blue is virtually impossible. That's fine, the idea is that I will use the brush on stuff to coat the visible low level areas (sills and wheel arches) and the aerosol to sort out the cosmetics on the upper panels. The concealed areas will be treated with black spray on Hammerite. This is how I renovated my most recent W124 and I was pleased with the results. 
I have ordered a new cam belt and fan belt.
As matters stand, the Sierra owes me:
Purchase = £3,600  Transport = £400 Timing belt = £18.99 Fan belt = £9.99 Mid exhaust section = £86.06 Rear exhaust section = £69.84 Aerosol x 1 = £7.49 Total = £4,192.37
I would be pleased if I could drive out of the MoT station in May with a fresh ticket and a sub £5k total outlay. Wish me luck.
 
 
 

Have a pez shot. It will be a while before this bitch makes it to a petrol station under her own steam.

I added a splash of this stuff, I'm sure it won't hurt.

I kept the fuel receipt for the service history. The number of documents has doubled.

Precisely what I didn't want, the E46 outside and the Sierra hogging the workshop.

Whilst looking in the boot, I noticed this arrangement of cables, which extends to the boot lock. Looks like we have central locking. Whether it works is another matter.

Up she goes.

I removed all four wheel arch liners. They came out ok, just need cleaning and removal of blue overspray paint.

This is where the story gets a lot better.
Yes, there is surface corrosion and flaking paint just about everywhere but there is no sign of any significant corrosion anywhere in the arches. The new front brake discs are a nice touch.




The fronts of the A-posts and the inside of the front wings are just fine.


The fuel tank has light surface corrosion, nothing that can't be easily sorted.

The underside is totally solid. No sign of any significant corrosion, most of the paint / sealer is still intact. Only the sill to floorpan seams need a tidy up, but they are all solid.





Daisy told me that she likes the shiny brake discs.

I created a warm, dry and comfortable working environment.

Whilst access is great, the three bolts that secure the downpipe to the manifold are fucking tight. 

It was easier to remove the downpipe with the manifold attached.

And here we are, the reason why the joint is blowing.

The securing nut is on very tight. I have left the downpipe in an upright position and will spray WD40 on the nut and bolt for a couple of days. Can't do any harm.

I removed the exhaust system. Looks nice and shiny, doesn't it?

Until you look at the underside of the middle box.

And the back box.

Depending on whether I can sort out the manifold to downpipe joint without fucking up the downpipe, I will be ordering at least a new middle and back box from the eBay supplier in Poland. I've used the same or similar company in the past, they provided a replacement exhaust for my W124. The parts were good quality and fitted perfectly.
Finally, I removed the cam belt cover to reveal the cam belt.

It's not cracked but it's not box fresh either. I will replace it. I will also replace the fan belt, which is worn and squealed like a pig when I fired up the Sierra whilst negotiating it into the garage. 
I wasn't looking for a project of this scale. Based on my (possibly too high) expectations, I was planning to take delivery of the Sierra, tax it and take it for a maiden voyage to Windsor for a work appointment. Instead, it is now in bits in my workshop and will cost me £££ before it can safely turn a wheel. Never mind, things could have been worse. I could have had cort16's C6 in my garage by now.
 

A slightly shoddy picture of the surprisingly cramped interior of a Saab 9-3 and more importantly of 36 envelopes just before dispatch this evening. We have a very late post collection here (7pm dontcha know).
@grogee, @dozeydustman, @juular, @adw1977, @catsinthewelder, @davidfowler2000, @castros_bro, @TrabbieRonnie, @garycox, @bobdisk, @Macscrooge, @Chuck Buckles, @Sunny Jim, @KruJoe, @AnnoyingPentium, @aldo135, @EyesWeldedShut, @Zelandeth, @rml2345, @brownnova, @rob88h, @Wibble, @captain_70s, @I_am_Diesel, @Tommyboy12, @Fat_Pirate, @N19, @Marina door handles, @Spottedlaurel, @quicksilver, @HillmanImp, @95 quid Peugeot, @Matty, @Cookiesouwest, @red5, @chaseracer
yours were all in the box above and were dispatched today (Wednesday) 2nd class post, delivery could be from any time Friday onwards. 
@RobT, @wesacosa, @vulgalour and @garycox's other calendar I will endeavour to hand deliver yours as you are all local to me or my route to work.  I'm planning on a route Friday evening unless I get screwed over by traffic
@2316cc and @hairnet's UK addressed one will go out tomorrow (Thursday).  Sorry, I ran out of lunch hour to pack these last few at work. 
@MorrisItalSLX I've sent a PM, at last!  Sorry that it's taken so long, I had to wait until the calendars were here so that I could weigh them to get a price.

Like that “blown turbo” came before “bulletproof” 

Like that “blown turbo” came before “bulletproof”