The Autoshite holy grail is now one of us!

[Richard]

.

[trigger]

Have you booked it into the Ips-Felix run this year?

[Guest bangerfan101]

If anyone actually drops on a 1.3 Sierra. Brisca stockcar lads will pay a small fortune for the diff

[BorniteIdentity]

Have you booked it into the Ips-Felix run this year?

Irritatingly, by the time work confirmed i could have the day off the event was full.

 

I will bring it to ECR next month for a more intimate exhibition (!)

 

Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk

[BorniteIdentity]

If anyone actually drops on a 1.3 Sierra. Brisca stockcar lads will pay a small fortune for the diff

Which is precisely why there are none of them left.

 

There was one for sale in Holland last year, but his English was as good as my Flemish. Even with our moderately shit German we got nowhere.

[Timewaster]

Without going through all the pictures, I hope the dash is suitably warped and cracked else the Cosworth lickers with be sniffing around.

I have seen a good MK1 Sierra dash go for more cash than any sane person could contemplate.

[BorniteIdentity]

Without going through all the pictures, I hope the dash is suitably warped and cracked else the Cosworth lickers with be sniffing around.

I have seen a good MK1 Sierra dash go for more cash than any sane person could contemplate.

It's absolutely FUBAR'd.

 

More than you could possibly imagine.

 

A lad I know has an uncracked one and he has to leave windows open and a blind up at all times.

 

 

 

Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk

[Timewaster]

I would be rubbing moisturiser on it every day while wondering where I could go on holiday with the proceeds.

[egg]

That Dutch 1.3 has just been posted on the tat thread again. So much want!

[BorniteIdentity]

That Dutch 1.3 has just been posted on the tat thread again. So much want!

If you can get any correspondence going, then I'll happily get the ferry out of Harwich with you !

 

Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk

[Split_Pin]

Woo good to see this adorning the board again, I was thinking today that it's about a year since the great event!

 

Glad it's running well.

[BorniteIdentity]

So, this time last year - it all began with these simple words.

Anyone want to go halves?

 

And just over 24 hours later - we were at THIS point.

Deal agreed    

 

And a further 24 hours, and it was sat in the car park at work.

What. A. Day.  Certainly one I'll never forget.  We left Watford at 10:40 and arrived at exactly Midday.  1 Hour 20 minutes to do 18 miles.  Well done everyone.  As soon as we approached the car, I got 'the feeling'.  Any regular buyer of shite will know 'the feeling': an aggressive state of biliousness paired with the weirdest boner ever.

 

This was the first moment we got "Eyeball"

 

Arrival.jpg

 

There was just time to bid my chauffeur farewell before Skizzer skipped along with that twinkle in his eye that we all know and love.  After we knocked on the wrong door (of a Latvian woman who thought we were amateur bailiffs) we finally made contact with the seller.  He boasted of much interest and many offers, and proceeded to unlock the car.  No central locking? WTF!!  The car started on the first  turn of the key, and after a little encouragement on the throttle it settled down very well.  Once he'd pulled the bonnet cable manually, the engine was revealed and it's in surprisingly good condition.  Then again, it's coated in oil, so that's probably helped immensely.

 

And that, really, was the full extent of the inspection.  It's sharing oil (I think) from the rocker cover gasket, and depositing some on the road.  Following that solitary remark, we retired to the vendors (seriously impressive) dining room to fulfil the obligations, the deal was done, and we were back on a North London street.  

 

Skizzer took the wheel first before he returned to public transport, and was very positive about the car.  "A little play in the steering" and "Clutch is a bit high but nothing bad" and that was it.  We were both really excited.

 

That's a lie.  

 

See, I had exactly 2 hours to make it to Milton Keynes - and in that time I had to 

 

A) Not break down

2) Insure it

D) Attend to fluids and fuel.

 

I bid Skiz farewell and promptly drove off in the wrong direction.  Bollocks.  Heading towards the North Circular, I actually felt a little bit sad.  This car had been a small but (to me) important part of the rich tapestry of London.  Under my stewardship, the Sierra was leaving behind the gritty urban side streets of Clapton for retirement.  I felt a little guilty.  Happy, petrified, but guilty.

 

2.jpg

 

With one eye on the time, and one eye on the temperature needle, I missed the first two petrol stations.  The third seemed inviting with it's promise of pez and oil, so in we went.

 

pez.jpg

 

Aware that I couldn't really drive any further without smiling for the ANPR cameras, I was relieved of £149 by Lancaster Insurance - and was then on my way.

 

The car is very, very easy to drive.  The driving position is comfortable, the seats are LOVELY and visibility is impeccable.  Whilst I was nervous that it'd FTP at any given moment, I felt really really safe driving it.  Maybe it was the familiarity of a position I studied for years as a child, or maybe I'm just being a soppy old git.  Like my Mercedes 190e, the car is narrow - so threading it through busy suburbs was an absolute breeze.

 

The North Circular quickly became the M1, and the car just ran like a little sewing machine.  Never a moments bother from anything.  The car is, by modern standards, a little under geared - it seemed happiest at 60mph, so that's where we kept it.  And, to be honest, I'd have kept going long past my exit, as I'm quietly confident it'd just keep on going.

 

Junctions passed, and as we approached J14 we got our first peep.

 

Green.jpg

Clearly he identified us as fellow winners at life.

 

Milton Keynes beckoned, and I felt a mixture of both immense relief and satisfaction that the maiden voyage had been completed without a hiccup.

 

20160401_144050.jpg

Greg seemed impressed with the car.

 

As I drove the last mile, I realised why this car (unlike its peers) had survived so long.  It was still absolutely brilliant at performing its primary function: transport.  Yes, it's a curiosity to you and I.  To others it's urban decay and to some it's probably art.  First and foremost, it's still very good at being a motor car.  Whilst my heart smiles now, I also laugh and wince every time I look at it.  

 

It's shit.

 

So, to finish, a few thank you's:  Thanks to Skizzer for having the plums when many (including me) did not.  Thanks to JohnK, AngryDicky and Cheggers for also financing the car.  Big thanks to my friend Emma who drove me (she has terminal cancer at 37, but wanted to make me happy) and thanks to you lot.  Here's the honest bit - I'd have run a mile had I turned up there alone.  But with everyone on board it'll be a hoot.

 

Sorry to sound like a romantic old fart doing his acceptance speech, but we did something good today.  Well bloody done everyone.

 

Being a sentimental old fool, I thought its first anniversary in the fold deserved some level of recognition.  So I recovered it from garage at the mansion, and decided to press it into action immediately.  I felt that if the Sierra would do the journey so ably this time last year, there was no reason to doubt it a year later.  

 

So we left home at 0430, my first work engagement being 50 miles away.  As expected, it didn't miss a beat.  The next appointment for both me and the car was to visit my lovely friend Emma, who drove me on collection day.  Despite an entire year passing, she hadn't seen the car since we picked it up from Clapton.  Truth be told, neither of us really knew whether Emma would be with us a year later, so I was delighted to be able to see the luck of absolute dismay on her face when I pulled up outside hers earlier.

 

 

She wasn't all that happier about sitting inside either!

 

 

The next stop was 60 miles away from Emma's in Kettering;  the complete lack of "in car entertainment" giving opportunity for reflection on the bASe's birthday.  How much things have changed in just the space of a year...  how the car is still absolutely fantastic at being a car... how the dent in the driver's door still makes my teeth itch.  You know the score.

 

Kettering arrived with ease, and it was another 3 hours work before the short journey from the office to the homestead of ALFNUMBERS, who'd offered to give the car the once over.  What I didn't realise is

 

1) Alf used to inspect vehicles for a living

2) He doesn't actually have a face, or indeed any features.  He is just a head and torso, permanently beached on her majesty's highway.

 

 

 

Not meaning to put words into his mouth, but he seemed pretty impressed with the old girl.  The steering rack is pretty much toast, and we're probably in for a telling off on one of the rear brake pipes.  Other than that, hot to trot.  The plan (as much as there is one) is to get a full head kit, put on the new belt and perhaps attend to one or two other things whilst the car is in his expert care.  I've even come away with OEM parts yo!

 

 

There was a lot to like about today.  Emma meeting "Emma" for the first time, Alf's wife's tea,  Alf's neighbour coming over to talk about the car (confirmed Maestro licker by all accounts), and the journey home.

 

Oh. The journey home.

 

If you ever get a chance to do the B645 at either sunrise or sunset, do it.  It's my favourite road, and here's why.

 

 

Guys.  Thanks so much for being part of the last year.  Friends and memories have been made - here's to the next 12 months, and here's to the two ladies called Emma.

 

[Felly Magic]

So glad to see the BBB out to play again

[trigger]

Great to still see it out and about but even better to still see Emmas out and about.

[Parky]

The Base just keeps getting better and better! Looking good Bornite!

[320touring]

Excellent news all round:)

[Squire_Dawson]

Good progress. Are these rear wheel drive and were the later ones front driven?

[Felly Magic]

All Sierras barring the 4wd were all rwd. Looking at that back bumper in the shots, I don't think it is of Ford origin either, looks like it's off something mid 90s Japanese, possibly a base spec Carina E

[Danblez]

Fantastic, did I miss an opportunity to contribute to the old girl?

[alf892]

I reckon it is in amazing order for something that has probably never been loved.........well until now!

 

I think you pulled with the neighbour.

[Split_Pin]

I recall how excited I was to read about the purchase of this car a year ago and it's great to see that it's still being cherished.

 

Even better that your friend is still up and about and enjoying your company.

[Angrydicky]

What a sexy beast. ATCNBE.

[BorniteIdentity]

All Sierras barring the 4wd were all rwd. Looking at that back bumper in the shots, I don't think it is of Ford origin either, looks like it's off something mid 90s Japanese, possibly a base spec Carina E

We think a MK2 Sierra. But maybe not.

 

Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk

[Felly Magic]

Not Mk2 Sierra, totally the wrong shape, it's deffo non Ford

[BorniteIdentity]

Had a bit of a result over the weekend.  Went to see a very small breaker about 4 miles away to get a wing mirror for my 306 cabriolet, only to find that the hatchbacks and convertibles have different mirrors.  Who'd have known!

 

Anyway, he had a couple of Escorts lying around, so I asked him about Sierra wheels.  3 minutes later he was wheeling out a bASe specification wheel with the square holes!  A small amount of folding exchanged hands, and I've now got 4 wheels that match!  I know this will possibly be the cause of disagreement among the church of autoshite, but that KA wheel on the offside rear really fucks me off something chronic.  Also, the bits are only going to be harder to get - so I'm just picking stuff up as and when I see it.  The same guy has a dashboard in 7/10 condition (ideal) but they're an absolute monstrous ball ache to change - so I'm putting that off!

 

Also managed to find a genuine hub cap on eBay - so that's HOUSE.

 

 

In other news - how on earth do you even start about paint matching to a wonderfully flat (almost patina'd) car?  The rear wing is now leaking, and the replacement is ready and waiting.  However, I can't help but think it must be impossible to match in a new panel?  I'd almost rather it was left in primer/another colour than be perfect 11/10 Cardinal Red.  Any ideas?  This isn't for now - but help cure my curiosity please?

[adw1977]

In other news - how on earth do you even start about paint matching to a wonderfully flat (almost patina'd) car? The rear wing is now leaking, and the replacement is ready and waiting. However, I can't help but think it must be impossible to match in a new panel? I'd almost rather it was left in primer/another colour than be perfect 11/10 Cardinal Red. Any ideas? This isn't for now - but help cure my curiosity please?

Slightly lighter shade of red?

[danthecapriman]

Good result on the wheels. I'm with you on this, that Ka wheel has no business at all being on this car! Get an original correct set but leave them a bit grubby, that should be ideal on this car.

 

With the paint, can you not just spray it on then flat it back but don't bother polishing it afterwards? If you used a coarser grade wet and dry than your supposed to maybe that might help?

Failing that, changing that rear quarter then spraying it by rattle can should be ok here, given the 'running repair' fixes it seems to have always had anyway. You'd just be continuing the same thing by doing it surely?

Being Ford red it probably won't stay bright red for long anyway if you don't bother polishing it!

[Parky]

Surely the next stage is a proper paint job (by which I mean two pieces of old sandpaper and a tin of post office red Tekaloid enamel)

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

You can't. Just paint the new panel in Halfords cans, and do each successive panel the same. The poor thing needs a facelift.

[Timewaster]

Red oxide