Y plate Sierra Ghia. A little prang.

[lisbon_road]

I have the brake shoes new in sealed box if you're interested.

 

I could also supply two used good condition arms.  PM me if any interest, could courier to you tomorrow. 

 

All in all it doesn't sound too bad.

[cort1977]

All of that sounds very doable.   I would have a crack at the mechanical side and prep the welding then get them to put the patch on.   You can then clean up and protect the new metal as MOT welding is often far more functional than pretty in my experience.   Great car by the way, had one at 18 and will have another one day.

[twosmoke300]

A ratchet strap is your friend when it comes to refitting the front lower arms / anti roll bar . Use it to pull the a/roll bar in before you take it off .

[RoadworkUK]

You now have absolutely no excuse to not keep this running. Car for life.

 

You smug Graphic Information Module possessing git.

[dollywobbler]

Good tip on the welding. I get my mate to do the patching for me, but I do all the paintwork afterwards, which means a proper coat of zinc primer and actual paint, followed by wax application. This is far superior to just slapping a load of underseal on the bare metal, which is all an MOT garage will do.

[fordperv]

The anti roll bar bush in new arms shit themselves within 1000 miles, how do I know this i hear you ask, i put some new arms on my saph a month before its test last year and come test time there was excessive movement in both sides when I popped the bushes out inside they were all cracked up, in my opinion do it once put polybushes in, it's what I ended up doing they are a piece of piss to fit as well, when I'm on the computer I'll pop a link up to the ones I got

[fordperv]

these are what i fitted to mine, it rides lovely, smooth and is a great improvement over shite rubber

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/PolyRace-Ford-Sierra-Sapphire-non-Cosworth-Outer-TCA-Roll-Bar-Poly-Bush-Bushes-/290900707196?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item43bb08877c

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/PolyRace-Ford-Sierra-Sapphire-non-Cosworth-Inner-TCA-10mm-Bolt-Poly-Bush-Bushes-/230965092929?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item35c697a241

[laser wheels]

Thanks for the links, fordperv. How did you get them in - did you use a press?

[laser wheels]

I have the brake shoes new in sealed box if you're interested.

 

I could also supply two used good condition arms.  PM me if any interest, could courier to you tomorrow. 

 

All in all it doesn't sound too bad.

 

Thanks for the offer, but I'd already ordered the stuff before you posted this! Cheers anyway.

[lisbon_road]

This is my opinion ok - I recommend polybushes for the outer bushes on the antiroll bar but in my opinion, the inner ones last ok in rubber and some people recommend to not polybush everything as it all gets a bit stiff.  It is late and I can't think of another word.

 

They are easy to get in.  They come with copper slip grease, at least the ones I got did.  They do work differently to the Ford items in that there is movement between the bush and the metal collar inside, or possibly the arm, where the Ford bush twists as many bushes do.  You can normally get them in without a lot of effort.  If you choose to use the poly inner ones, I'd use some studding and bits of tube/nuts etc to pull them in.  Shouldn't be difficult.

 

It can be more difficult to get the arms back in the car.  That can be done with a strap wrench as someone has said.  But I did it a different way - I always parked the car next to a wall, get the arm in on the side which is away from the wall, put the anti roll bar in both sides, connect the ball joints both sides, then use a scissor jack to push the bottom of the wheel next to the wall in with a big bit of wood in between, and once the wheel is pushed in a bit, the arm will go in easy.  Just don't jack it right off the stands it is on.  That also is all much easier than it sounds.  Remember to tighten the inner arm up only when the car is sitting back on the ground with the weight on it.

[lisbon_road]

Addition, I just looked at that advert again.  Those are very hard.  Depends what you are after - if you want to bomb round corners and aren't too bothered about ride quality, fine, but if you just don't want to have to keep replacing them, I'd look for something softer.  Like these:

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/PolySport-Ford-Sierra-Sapphire-non-Cosworth-Outer-TCA-Roll-Bar-Poly-Bush-Bushes-/380623483480?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item589eed7258

 

Anyway, your choice ..................

[fordperv]

Lisbon_road Trust me they ride beautiful my saph isn't for bombing around corners without a care, my saph is on gaz coilovers and only the front arms are polybushed the rest rubber and I get complimented on how comfy and smooth it is by passengers

 

Laser wheels the polybushes come 2 piece, with a metal sleeve to go through the middle so no need for a press or vice to install them

[lisbon_road]

I am surprised, partly as the advert warns that ride will be harsh.  Sounds good anyway.

 

I was thinking about this and remember what I did.  They initially made a slight noise when moving ie going over bumps.  I found that if I made sure the tube in the middle was well greased against the bushes, but the bush location in the arm was relatively dry, the movement was always in the middle and they didn't make any noise. 

[oldford]

Really?  I am surprised that isn't testable - though I do believe you - I was astonished that a friends geriatric Astra on which the shock absorbers basically do nothing and it bounces away can pass an MOT!

 

So why isn't that testable???

Just the top bush/bearing is testable.  It was one of the questions in the testers training whether a Sierra lower column bush with lots of play was a MOT fail.

 

With shock absorbers, the 'bounce' test is no longer done, so it's just down to a visual inspection.

[twosmoke300]

You can still do the bounce test but it's advised to pull down and release from below. Pushing down from the top isn't advised due to the front wings on new cars being very weak cos of pedestrian crash laws

[laser wheels]

Just realised I have been a bit quiet of late on the old See Error front so forthwith with the updates!

 

Rear brakes have been fully rebuilt - flexis, shoes, copper pipes etc. - so now I have both working rear brakes and a handbrake. Decided not to go with the new drums as they seem fine but may do them anyway in the near future because shiny. Picked up control arms from ECP first thing this morning and also renewed the insurance for the very reasonable price on £136 including the breakdown cover. Lancaster tried to be a bit cheeky this year and more than doubled last years price to just a few quid shy of £300 so bye bye Lancaster. In fairness i did try to 'phone them for a better price but they are closed till after new years and Grove and Dean weren't so they got the business. Could have saved £30 without the breakdown cover elsewhere but after this last years timing belt debacle I won't be without it now.

 

So, for MOT it's just get the arms fitted and that bit of welding. The hole itself doesn't look to bad to my eyes (it's about 2 inches long at the end of the inner sill on the nearside) so possibly another tester may be more lenient. It's a job that needs doing but if I can just get it through the test for now...

 

In the new year it's new springs and gas shocks all round and also renew the front brakes as Mintex do a complete set of pads and discs for less than £40 which is just too cheap not to. Then it will some period wheels and a new set of boots all round. Oh, and some nice new plates from DMB as well.

 

See you in the new year!

[fordperv]

Great stuff

[Ghosty]

Nice! It'll be good to have a front plate to match the back - I love the curvy font personally. 

Don't get rid of the steels and aero trims though - they're as period as you get, and you never see them now!

[trigger]

Great! I'm glad to hear that you mojo for it has returned, It's a cracking car you have there.

[laser wheels]

Nice! It'll be good to have a front plate to match the back - I love the curvy font personally. 

Don't get rid of the steels and aero trims though - they're as period as you get, and you never see them now!

 

I'm hoping DMB can knock up some repro dealer plates for me.

 

The front one is actually really horrid and very cheap. It actually appears to have been knocked up on one of those cheap laminating machines! The back one is lovely proper old school but sadly it's delaminating and moisture is getting in causing it to fade in that way old plates do sometimes.

 

As for wheels I really fancy some 14" pepperpots, though!

[stuboy]

good to see it getting some love

[rml2345]

Great to see an early Sierra getting some love! Have to agree with Ghosty on the wheels though, the aero trims set it off a treat. Worth keeping the steels and trims somewhere if you do go for pepperpots or similar.

[CortinaDave]

Pepper pots are GR9. I have a couple lying about I think. My old man was using them to prop up the shelves in his greenhouse. Not a full set sadly

[laser wheels]

Great to see an early Sierra getting some love! Have to agree with Ghosty on the wheels though, the aero trims set it off a treat. Worth keeping the steels and trims somewhere if you do go for pepperpots or similar.

 

If/when I get alloys sorted the steels will be going off for refurb' so no worries there! I'm starting to get a bit paranoid about the wheel trims, though, as I would hate to lose or damage one after 30+ years hence the desire for some alloys.

 

Now I come to think about it perhaps only on Autoshite would someone be considering fitting alloys to preserve placca wheel trims.

[laser wheels]

Pepper pots are GR9. I have a couple lying about I think. My old man was using them to prop up the shelves in his greenhouse. Not a full set sadly

 

Someone quite local had a set of 14" Sierra pepperpots on ebay recently on a BIN for £60. Sadly I was skint at the time so had to let them go.

[RoadworkUK]

I'm damn near desperate to have a go in this. I must schedule a pilgrimage to the North East to relive my Sierra dreams. You really should apply to English Heritage and ask about listed status.

 

They'll make an exception even though it isn't English.

[CortinaDave]

I think I have 2. If you find a random couple you're welcome to mine to make it up to a set. I can get them down to whitevanman in Hawick for you for onward transport if need be. Free of course if it means they adorn a mk1 ghia again rather than prop up my old mans shelves.

[laser wheels]

I think I have 2. If you find a random couple you're welcome to mine to make it up to a set. I can get them down to whitevanman in Hawick for you for onward transport if need be. Free of course if it means they adorn a mk1 ghia again rather than prop up my old mans shelves.

 

Thank you I may have to take you up on that kind offer!

[Andrew353w]

I've come to this thread later than most, but it's fascinating! The Sierra is EPIC!!! It must be worth hanging onto, given how much you've put into it, in terms of time and effort. I love the car! 

[fordperv]

these may be of interest to you seeming as your looking for pepperpots, just listed as sierra wheels 

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FORD-SIERRA-WHEEL-AND-TYRES-/371227528005?pt=UK_Cars_Parts_Vehicles_Wheels_tyres_Trim_Nuts_ET&hash=item566ee28b45