Project Memoirs from the Hard Shoulder: bASeman's Spot of the Year award.

[Shite Ron]

7 minutes ago, BorniteIdentity said:

I just need that reassurance that I could sell up and not look stupid/feel guilty.

I also would never buy new, I just use this as a measure of how others waste money against my own indulgences. As to resale value, who knows what the after effects will be of the Corona virus, it will certainly effect the economy, I am not sure of the knock on effect to car values. For the last 10 years cars have been a far better place to put your money than the bank and possibly even property. I suspect this cannot continue but who knows? If you get enjoyment from the car and love it then four grand is not a lot of money in today’s world.

The other way to look at it is that it is the price of a holiday and there is not much chance of that this year, also you will hopefully enjoy the car for more than 2 weeks!

[BorniteIdentity]

I went to bed yesterday thinking I definitely wouldn't. 
I've woken up this morning thinking I might but probably won't.

I don't know.  I've got a really really good feeling about the seller, but I'm not sure it's QUITE as good as it might have been.  Service history is sparse (I like chapter and verse as it's easier to sell on) and it's 8 owners.  Again, it doesn't stop the world revolving but a nice low owner is always going to attract a premium.

On the basis that I probably won't, here's the car in question.

The interior is VERY smart, but I'd still prefer a light colour rather than grey.  And whilst the Diesel's are great engines, it would do about 5,000 a year so I could comfortably stomach a large displacement petrol engine.  Especially at 99.7 pence per litre.

Looks nice though right?

[loserone]

Service history is mostly irrelevant to most buyers after 27 years, Shirley?

[loserone]

It looks lovely.  If it's not rotten, GIB

[BorniteIdentity]

2 minutes ago, loserone said:

Service history is mostly irrelevant to most buyers after 27 years, Shirley?

In my experience, these cars now are almost exclusively bought by people who "know what they are".  If you're down on your luck and you need a 7 seater you buy a Zafira.  If you need a large estate car you buy a V70 for a week's pay.  Buyers of these, especially at good money, want paperwork.

I mostly agree about service history.  Who cares if it had new oil on a cold February morning in 1995 when it's now 2020 and got 161,000 miles on the clock.  But it does very often tell you how much a car has been loved and cherished if people go to the effort of keeping stuff.  P

[beko1987]

On 5/17/2020 at 7:25 PM, Shep Shepherd said:

OX14 1AU is a DHL depot these days.

Alas, poor Abingdon, a town which has lost so much since 1980 (MG/BL, Morlands brewery, the railway branch line). Still a lovely place to visit, though.

Was going to say I've had to drive there before when amy missed an important parcel. During rush hour, from the other side of Oxford... 

Hateful place to try and get to when it's busy

[egg]

Be the envy of all your sierra friends...lol

https://www.classicpartsshack.co.uk/store/p3171/Ford_Sierra_Spotlights_For_Front_Grill_Made_By_Hella_New_Old_Stock.html

[BorniteIdentity]

1 minute ago, egg said:

Be the envy of all your sierra friends...lol

https://www.classicpartsshack.co.uk/store/p3171/Ford_Sierra_Spotlights_For_Front_Grill_Made_By_Hella_New_Old_Stock.html

I nearly bought one of those hella arrangements back in 2016.  There was a guy visiting Ford Fair at Northampton and he agreed to meet me on his way home.  But he forgot.  So I didn't get it.  The end.

[LightBulbFun]

2 hours ago, BorniteIdentity said:

The interior is VERY smart, but I'd still prefer a light colour rather than grey. 

I have a light bulb that's that same colour!  

picture is not mine, as mine is buried in the collection atm!, its a German Osram (although mine might be Wotan branded), Ultra-Vitalux lamp, a special vintage 300W self ballasted mercury lamp from the 1960s made for sun tanning and other UV-A/UV-B needs, etc, the bulb is that colour because its made of nickel-oxide doped glass, which is how the black coloured woods glass is made for black light blue ultraviolet lamps, but in this lamp the doping amount is much reduced compared to a woods glass lamp, and is in place to protect the soft glass bulb from solarisation from the UV-C coming off the mercury arc tube (which is blocked by the glass bulb itself before anyone gets too worried!) but even at the reduced quantities the nickel iron doping still gives the glass a distinct colour, which is not an issue in this lamp given its meant for sun tanning rather than general illumination! 

[BorniteIdentity]

5 minutes ago, egg said:

Be the envy of all your sierra friends...lol

https://www.classicpartsshack.co.uk/store/p3171/Ford_Sierra_Spotlights_For_Front_Grill_Made_By_Hella_New_Old_Stock.html

Some of their prices are quite sensible in the grand scheme of things, and others are absolute fucking lunacy.

£55 for a pair of indicator repeaters for the front wings.  I think I'll still be laughing about that a week on Friday.

[They_all_do_that_sir]

Myself and a few other shiters are in Northern Ireland.

Not sure how much assistance I can offer given current situation, but once things are relaxed I can do airport collections and general pointing and laughing where required

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[BorniteIdentity]

Hurrah.  The eagle has landed.

Being fitted friday night.  Waiting to hear back on some bumper clips and then the bloody thing will be my summer car.

[wuvvum]

6 hours ago, BorniteIdentity said:

then the bloody thing will be my summer car.

That'd have to be a Datsun 100A surely?

[BorniteIdentity]

4pm my chum turns up and by 5.30 he’s gone again. His little face when he saw a genuine screen and rubber was a picture; his company sells car trim and windscreen rubbers etc but he says he’s not seen one in probably 25 years. 

No worries about him being up to the job, he fitted screens from 1984 to about 2009 and still does the odd private gig. 

Other than the chrome going into the rubber which was a shit, it was a breeze. 
 

The penultimate photo is wonky because he said “nobody watches me during this bit” !! 

Hope to get out in it tomorrow. 

[RoadworkUK]

13 minutes ago, BorniteIdentity said:

4pm my chum turns up and by 5.30 he’s gone again.

What a mate to have! And a fantastic job. Awesome to see this all screened up again.

Every time I see your car I get a smug feeling inside that "I've leant up against the side of that". It felt good, too. I'm sorry, I know that's bad form, but it was just so.... inviting.

[Angrydicky]

Lovely! Hopefully the heated screen will work properly now, it only worked on about three bars before iirc.

Love the new old stock Mk1 seal too. When I paid to have the cracked windscreen replaced the chap gave me the option of reusing the old seal or fitting a new Mk2 seal, without the chrome as the originals were NLA. I opted for the latter but sometimes think I should have had the original refitted. Mind you it was pretty ropey.

[sierraman]

Excellent, hopefully this will have reignited your Base Sierra mojo. 

[BorniteIdentity]

15 minutes ago, Angrydicky said:

Lovely! Hopefully the heated screen will work properly now, it only worked on about three bars before iirc.

Love the new old stock Mk1 seal too. When I paid to have the cracked windscreen replaced the chap gave me the option of reusing the old seal or fitting a new Mk2 seal, without the chrome as the originals were NLA. I opted for the latter but sometimes think I should have had the original refitted. Mind you it was pretty ropey.

Interesting - my man has Mk1 fronts. There was a debate about whether a front would work on the back, but the glass is thinner so it’d just fall out!

Next job is the heater matrix flush and fitting the back bumper. 

[BorniteIdentity]

As detailed on the news 24 thread, I took this for a very brisk 1/4 mile burn earlier whilst shuffling cars. I even photographed the shit side!

I’ve also been wondering how the hell to progress things with the Sierra. What’s the plan? Where’s the future lie? I guess the honeymoon period is over, I’ve realised she always looks better in photographs than in the flesh and her best days are behind her. It does really deserve a better life than I can give it, and I wrestle with that frequently. 

But then I remember the adventures we’ve had, and that it had before we took it on. Every panel tells a story and, whilst one or two will have to be replaced, I guess the story carries on being written. 

So, I think I’m back on plan. Sustain, maintain but not refine. 

The driver’s door is toast. It has to be replaced. The offside rear is borderline. It’d be better to have them both done at the same time, but the compromise is originality being lost. I just comfort myself with the fact it’ll all need doing eventually, so why not do what I can now. 

It’d really help to read more “oily rag” threads than people constantly making things better. It leads me astray and distracts me! 

[stuboy]

good to see window done, pleeeeeeeeaaaaasssssseeeee change that rear bumper

[cort1977]

Changing a couple of doors wont affect originality really, continuing to tidy it up and maintain it is a great plan for this car, doesn't need anything else.

[egg]

1 hour ago, BorniteIdentity said:

It’d really help to read more “oily rag” threads than people constantly making things better. It leads me astray and distracts me! 

Well my 'philosophy' is that if you aren't making things better they are almost certainly getting worse.  But I think the story and 'provenance' of the bASe makes this process a lot harder than your average 1993 Mondeo, say. 

 

[sierraman]

Although it’s nice to have the originality I’d say it would make sense to collect the parts to get the body done, do it properly once and you’ve bought the car another 20 years survival. Use it for now over the summer and pick up a used door or two, put some money aside for a good respray. 

[timolloyd]

Such a great car and story, this. 40th birthday of the Sierra in 2 years, I think? 
 

You deserve to enjoy what should be - hopefully - countless magazine shoots and TV interviews. Seems like a good incentive to tackle the cosmetic stuff and then take stock after the celebrations.

[adw1977]

Just now, timolloyd said:

Such a great car and story, this. 40th birthday of the Sierra in 2 years, I think? 

Yes, October 2022 will be the 40th.

[BorniteIdentity]

9 hours ago, egg said:

Well my 'philosophy' is that if you aren't making things better they are almost certainly getting worse.  But I think the story and 'provenance' of the bASe makes this process a lot harder than your average 1993 Mondeo, say. 

 

I think this is the battle I have.  I don't want to make things better or worse, just hit pause.  But, unfortunately, it isn't always possible.  The great thing about your Mondeo is it's destiny is completely in your hands.  If you want it to remain beautiful, then you can do that.  If you want a huge dent in the door, a rear quarter light that doesn't clip in and a cracked rear lense - that is also in your gift.  I have to accept how it came to me, which is frustrating - as it would look a lot different now if it'd been in my custody longer.

Anyway, the next job is to stop it pissing coolant from somewhere and find a man to stick 2 doors on.

[Parky]

I would try and locate replacement panels soonish as we all know that once you decide to go ahead and do the work the parts you need will be unobtanium.

Are the doors definitely irreparable?  I reckon a skilled guy could sort them if originality is important although replacements will probably work out cheaper.  Who is to say the base is already wearing original panels anyway?

[DoctorRetro]

I'd say that whatever you do to it to improve /maintain it is just adding to its 'story', and in 30 years will just be part of the memories. Just document everything and keep some printed pics in the file. 

A person who has had a very interesting life at 50 years old doesn't just sit in a blank room for the rest of his life hoping not to make any new memories in case he spoils his story. 

I think the point I'm trying to make is that you can't hit pause with a vehicle that is on the road. If it was important to preserve in its current condition, the only way to do so is in a museum. 

[BorniteIdentity]

3 minutes ago, Parky said:

 Who is to say the base is already wearing original panels anyway?

That's also a very good point.  My friend who came round to fit the windscreen went around the car in about 8 seconds flat and wen't "Someone's tried to break in here" (the boot) "This glass isn't original (nsr quarterlight) "that's new" (my wing) etc.  

Honestly, it's daily agonising.  I'd like just one car to "not look shit" and look like someone loves it.  But maybe it's good enough as it is.

[They_all_do_that_sir]

Honestly I would do with it what makes you happy.

Often in the world of classics, those who shout the loudest opinions are the ones who arent putting their hands in their own pockets.

This car was on a downward spiral and everything you've done has improved it's long term prospects immeasurably

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