Project Memoirs from the Hard Shoulder: DVLA LOLS

[adw1977]

10 hours ago, EspenO said:

Could that be on british built cars only? I’m pretty sure my (german built) 1983 Sierra 2,0 L had non-dangly mirrors.

It's on British cars for the 1983 model year only.  From late 1983 the dangly mirrors were base model only until the 1987 facelift when they disappeared entirely. 

[Wibble]

40 minutes ago, NorfolkNWeigh said:

Not anoraky enough , now tell us which colours had body colour grille and which had chrome bumpers 😊

I think 2 tones had body coloured grilles with black bumpers and the others black grilles with chrome bumpers 🙂

[Eyersey1234]

Apologies if this has already been answered, when did bASe Sierra production finish?

[greengartside]

18 hours ago, adw1977 said:

The mirrors certainly aren't original because they would have been grey.

Whether it had dangly mirrors originally depends on the trim level.  Body colour slatted grille (if original) makes it an L (dangly mirrors) or GL (non-dangly mirrors).

It is an L-spec. So yeah, dangly mirrors would have been fitted. 

[greengartside]

Update: Sierra now gone sadly. Bumhats,

[andrew e]

Have some danglely action to cheer you up:

[adw1977]

RMU482Y was a 1.6L, untaxed since 1995.

[BorniteIdentity]

The RAV has been with me for a year now and has been absolutely bloody perfect. Including two new premium tyres, two home services, an MOT and a couple of advisories being taken care of - I think the total costs for last year came in around £600. Not bad for 23,000 miles of motoring and a £1500 purchase price. 

Took it to my folks today where Bornite Senior and Junior teamed up to wash it.

The equivalent photo would have been me in 1990 washing something like an Austin A40 Farina. These are such different times, and this just highlights how far the motor car has come in such a short time. 

 

168,700 miles (Not Out)

[High Jetter]

2 hours ago, BorniteIdentity said:

The RAV has been with me for a year now and has been absolutely bloody perfect. Including two new premium tyres, two home services, an MOT and a couple of advisories being taken care of - I think the total costs for last year came in around £600. Not bad for 23,000 miles of motoring and a £1500 purchase price. 

Took it to my folks today where Bornite Senior and Junior teamed up to wash it.

The equivalent photo would have been me in 1990 washing something like an Austin A40 Farina. These are such different times, and this just highlights how far the motor car has come in such a short time. 

 

168,700 miles (Not Out)

He looks excessively pleased about using the hose!

[BorniteIdentity]

Quite the morning!  I had a client meeting in Ely which is always a pleasant jolly.  Once completed, I decided to take a middle-class deviation to Waitrose for a Bear Claw pastry and orange juice following a productive appointment.

Then, I spotted something out of the corner of my eye.  I was so excited, I abandoned my car in a bus stop and forgot to put my handbrake on in a fluster! 

Communications were sent to @Skizzerand @Cheggers, with whom - via Whatsapp - we share our love of the unloved.

Things then took a very quick change of direction as I pulled into Waitrose

This is the best thing I've spotted in years. Actual years.  A Pre-facelift MK2 Granada 2.3 L in full 'Euston Films/Minder' condition and spec.  Just. Simply. Amazing.

These still look so bloody good.  I wanted it, there and then.  

I've had to come home for a sweet cup of tea and a lie down.  

PS - this is a maximum 2 hour car park, so it's definitely being used.  Fair play to them too.

[Spottedlaurel]

Blimey! I saw the Space Cruiser in Norfolk back in 2016:

 

Great to see it still about.

But, that Granada! Fantastic to see one without chrome arch trims, wheel embellisher rings etc. Such a clean design.

[adw1977]

23 minutes ago, BorniteIdentity said:

This is the best thing I've spotted in years. Actual years.  A Pre-facelift MK2 Granada 2.3 L in full 'Euston Films/Minder' condition and spec.  Just. Simply. Amazing.

XLB610S - current keeper since 2002. 

[egg]

Great. And that's the thing I think, one daily Granada is worth 100 polished shiters in a field. It has no right to exist, but it does.

[Brodders]

Unmodified 2.3 L? Brilliant find, that's got to be the last one left.

[Wibble]

Amazing! Did it still have the 2 spoke steering wheel?

[danthecapriman]

Wowzers! Two fantastic spots there!

That Granada though is utterly incredible. Not seen one like that in a very long time. 
It’s not only done so well to survive, but dodging the banger boys and remaining as it was built is fantastic, and… it’s a bloody early mk2 as well!

I love the mk2 Granny, definitely one of Fords absolute highs.

[egg]

It's 46 years old, which would be like daily driving a 1931 car in 1977....!

[adw1977]

3 hours ago, Wibble said:

Amazing! Did it still have the 2 spoke steering wheel?

Ah, the two spoke wheel, unique to the L.  Four spoke on all other trim levels. Power steering was an optional extra, too!

[Wibble]

That’s the one! Like an oversized Cortina Mk4/5 base/L wheel. Every one I’ve seen seems to have had it swapped for the four spoke.

[Skizzer]

Awesome spottage. I’m still grinning at both of them — but especially the Granada.

[ETCHY]

That Granada is bloody awesome, proper wheels ( I like that design) & just general crustiness like they had at about 10 years old.

Bloody brilliant. I'd forgotten how cool they looked. Earlier Mk2's always looked better than the facelift ones imo.

[BorniteIdentity]

Honestly, it was the best morning I've had in ages.  It completely erased the disappointment of there being NO bear claw pastries in Waitrose (and - for those who don't know me - food is life).  

There are a couple of 70s/80s cars that I still wish to own.  One is a pre-facelift MK2 Granada in low spec like this.  Another is a Saab 900i.  Finally, a MK4 Cortina.  Unfortunately, none of these are a weeks' pay anymore - but still, it's nice to dream!

 

[wuvvum]

The first car I remember my Grandad owning is an S-reg Granada L in beige.  I think that was a 2.0 though rather than a 2.3.  If memory serves he bought it for £10 in a bankruptcy sale - it would only have been about 4 years old at the time.

[BorniteIdentity]

Spring has sprung, so it was time to awaken the Sierra from its slumber.  The usual challenges were awaiting; Petrol runs back into the tank after a few days and - on the basis it's been parked for a couple of months - many crankings were to be required.  This necessitated hooking up my mains powered charger, enabling BOOST function and giving 10 minutes before a bit of serious crankin' (no g). It started with relative ease once fuel reached the carb, settled quickly and within 5 minutes we were out and off.

Things have deteriorated with all four doors.  The two offsides will be replaced, but I'm hoping the nearsides can be wobbed and painted.  Initially, my plan was to just red oxide the doors and just let the whole car age gracefully.  However, these two offside doors are half the wrong colour and will need to be sprayed to avoid looking cunty, so it might as well have four doors in the right colour.

It will go to 'the man' just as soon as the Mini is back. I cornered him earlier and, quelle surprise, he's not started it yet.  Monday he says.  I will doorstep him again next week "just to see how you're getting on" and keep up the pressure.  I understand he's busy, but would just prefer people to say "Mate - I can't take this on" than "yeah yeah no worries".  I think he already regrets saying yes tbh, but hopefully he'll see it through.

[BorniteIdentity]

Eight years ago today this turd landed at mine. Tomorrow I will apply for historic tax and, judging by the complete lack of progress on the Mini, proceed to use it over the next few months. 

Both the other cars in this photo since sold and scrapped, the house SSTC and and my lovely friend Emma has moved onto a better place. Then again she lived in Hemel, so a move to Strangeways would have been a positive move. 

Happy bASe day, fellow motorist. 

[mat_the_cat]

On 07/03/2024 at 13:08, BorniteIdentity said:

This even looks like a period photo, the car, the condition of it. Like it!

[sierraman]

I’d not sleep for worrying about it getting hi-abed away. Looks fantastic, I could be wrong here but isn’t the 2.1 diesel extinct now? 

[BorniteIdentity]

Bloody hell. Progress! 

He says I’ll have it back in a couple of weeks. Fingers crossed. 

[Tommyboy12]

That's some rapid progress. If you have the time and indoor space it's amazing how quickly a project moves!

[Stinkwheel]

Dont quite know why but the pics above make me want a mini again, i hated the one i owned previously, so im also confused as to why