Project Memoirs: Mini on the Move.

[Mrs6C]

Isn't the traditional AS resolution to such agonising indecision a ROFFLE?

[alf892]

Bloody Judas!

 

 

Anyway you need to keep it as a cover vehicle for when that Fiat thing is VOR getting a new flint fitted or some such.

[SRi05]

If you ever come round to moving on the 190 I'd be interested, it's bloody gorgeous. The W202 (which has been a delight so far) would probably have to make way for it though, which would be much sadness

[BorniteIdentity]

Well, of course, me being me - none of the above actually happened. The emotional attachment to the Avensis was just too strong to part with it - despite having two parties ready to go. The wife’s mum has taken on the Focus, and the Avensis ticked over 221,000 today.

 

The news of Hendry’s passing has been sobering; especially as someone who is no stranger to depression. I’m told that it’s fairly common for creative types (type c personalities??) to be this way - and I’ve learnt a couple of coping mechanisms (mainly explaining to my wife and to sleep more.) The Sierra has been both a source of highs and lows, but its really a forever car.

 

However, the truth is none of us are here forever.

 

I’m going to formalise everything as best I can; it’s something I’ve been meaning to do forever and Hendry leaving us has focused my mind. I’ve just asked Catherine what she would do should I suddenly exit stage left, and she said she wouldn’t know what to do. With this in mind, I’d like to think that people such as Skizzer, Alf892 and Trigger would help find new homes for whatever was surplus. I’ll get around to sorting this in the coming weeks.

 

I also, most importantly, need to ensure that absolutely no fucking ABBA gets played at my funeral.

 

Sorry to be morbid. Nothing to worry about, I just wanted to write down my thoughts really.

[Skizzer]

Of course we’d help. But it’ll not come to that - I reckon you’ll see me out, chap

[BorniteIdentity]

Bless you. If I do kick the bucket, I’ll make sure that the car comes to you with the most encumbering list of demands that make a Mariah Carey rider look tame.

 

Dx

[alf892]

i reckon you'll see me out by a good few years...........

 

I didn't know Hendry at all but like many his passing has really made me ponder 'stuff' and the way we tend not to look out for each other.

 

And of course being British we don't really do supportive for fear of being seen as soppy.

 

But should you feel pissed off get yourself over here and we can hit your car with a hammer for a couple of hours while talking shit.

[Captain Furious]

I didn’t know hendry either, I mean, I don’t 'know' anyone here, but some names are more familiar than others, you tend to naturally gravitate towards the same threads as certain people so you feel as if you know them more. I remember him mostly from the wanted Mk6 Escort thread but I hadn’t seen the posts where he described his personal life or the troubles he was having, so hearing he’d taken his own life was a real shock.

 

It has cast a somber and reflective mood over my day too. That he was was unable to find any other way out, his poor parents and the unimaginable loss of two children, his daughter growing up without her father and trying to understand why he would do that.

 

Its just a really sad tragedy for all involved.

[fordperv]

The whole hendry passing got me thinking about if I passed for any reason, I would be happy if mrs fp was to get rid of my shite and enjoy herself on what she got from them, I am pretty much sure she wouldn't though but if she did get rid of any of the cars I know the one she would definately keep is my mk1 sierra base

[Mr_Bo11ox]

check it base junkies, this just appeared in my FB feed

[Guest Hooli]

A proper rear bumper, just what's needed.

[BorniteIdentity]

Looks like it's been in the wars - but definitely could harvest a few bits from it.  Bumpers, rear lamps and the like.  

 

Unlikely to have a grey grille tho.

[greengartside]

I think it's got a Hella grille from pics on Flickr.

[fordperv]

There would be a good few useful salvageable bits on that if it's for sale

[sierraman]

It'll be eleventy million quid on eBay though. The floor will be absolutely gone, boot floor the same, inner wings holed like a sieve, engine fucked, interior gopping but it'll be advertised 'for brave resto'

 

Definitely worth having for impossiblr to get spares though if you can offer him a few quid for it. Once it's on eBay it'll skyrocket through bids from folks who have watched Wheeler Dealers a few too many times.

[BorniteIdentity]

https://flic.kr/p/Amn4tW

[sierraman]

Does the guy that sprayed the rear wing take bookings for resprays in 2018?

[adw1977]

That could well have had a grey grille originally. It's got no side rubbing strips, so it's certainly quite an early one.

 

If the fuel filler cap is grey then the grille would also have been grey.

[Angrydicky]

https://www.flickr.com/photos/fryske/16345249174/in/photolist-KkVjEk-22VucX6-qUnF7W-oCyLXm-o6cs1D-rRfE8J-uU4wp5-ueNC6M

 

Here's an older photo when it still had its numberplates attached. It's an A reg so would have had the single headlight, body coloured grille from new - no grey grille here.

[adw1977]

Registered August 1983. Base Sierras had the body colour grille without side rubbing strips for just two months - the grey grille went in July and side rubbing strips were introduced in September, along with other luxuries like a radio and head restraints.

[BorniteIdentity]

GVG was registered 14th July 1983 so not only is it a late Y REG, but fortunate to get the unpainted grille.

 

I'm toying with taking the sorn off this month and cracking on with the business of driving it.  The only thing stopping me is there's likely to be some salt residue for the next day or so, and getting the underside of the car washed in a machine will require the removal of the roof bars. 

 

Hopefully we'll have a good dose of rain to flush it all through asap.

[MorrisItalSLX]

It's already on the ebay thread (http://autoshite.com/topic/31013-ebay-tat-volume-3/?p=1448258) but here it is again, just to make sure its existance is known.

 

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Ford-Sierra-Mk1-Rear-bumper-NOS/263336888656?fits=Car+Make%3AFord%7CModel%3ASierra&hash=item3d501a0950:g:BKkAAOSwvfZaAM52

[Felly Magic]

That blue base, would yield many unobtanium bits, spare set of steel wheels with correct centre caps, spare headlamps, spare rear lights, correctly faded bumpers, some interior parts, some spare glass...If it can be obtained at a sensible cost, it is worth snapping it up

[BorniteIdentity]

All quiet atm tbh. Sierra is stuck in the garage until I replace the garage door (!) and is SORNed anyway. 190 pootles about wonderfully whenever the sunshine makes an appearance, and the Granvia isn’t going very far at all these days - probably 200 miles a month average over winter.

 

That just leaves the Avensis. I attempted to sell it last month but, in the end, couldn’t. It is one of the family now and, despite yearning for moar japcrap, its place in the fleet is secure.

 

This happened earlier...

 

 

It’s MOT time in a fortnight. If it goes well then a new timing belt kit goes on at £270 plus the vat. If it goes badly, it’ll get swapped with the sierra for summer and dealt with at a later date.

[BorniteIdentity]

(Note to self.  Clean car more often)

[mrbenn]

All quiet atm tbh. Sierra is stuck in the garage until I replace the garage door (!) and is SORNed anyway. 190 pootles about wonderfully whenever the sunshine makes an appearance, and the Granvia isn’t going very far at all these days - probably 200 miles a month average over winter.

 

That just leaves the Avensis. I attempted to sell it last month but, in the end, couldn’t. It is one of the family now and, despite yearning for moar japcrap, its place in the fleet is secure.

 

This happened earlier...

 

10E68A5A-B131-46A5-98F4-2359C1D58F89.jpeg

 

It’s MOT time in a fortnight. If it goes well then a new timing belt kit goes on at £270 plus the vat. If it goes badly, it’ll get swapped with the sierra for summer and dealt with at a later date.

 

If it helps, I feel a lot more settled now you're keeping it   

[BorniteIdentity]

Taking the Sierra anywhere has been difficult. Mostly because of this minor issue.

 

 

Fortunately, the FiL arrived earlier with bags of talent, enthusiasm and steel wire - and it’s now fixed. My dreams of timber doors with square glazing at the top are on hold, as they’re £300 and this fix was £7.

 

Once liberated, other issues were at play. Firstly, the battery was as flat as a witch’s titty. The jump pack was only 50% charged so just fucking laughed at me. Spiteful POS. Got it started off the Avensis with my heavy duty leads.

 

The next issue is the fact it’s still March, thus the car is still SORN. This prevented me from going on a 12 mile jolly around the salubrious Cambridgeshire countryside, meant I couldn’t drive past Danny Hopkins house and admire his Mercedes 190e which he’s advertised on Twitter, and couldn’t give the Sierra a good old shake down. Never mind.

 

I also managed to get the Mercedes 190 to the petrol station, and subjected the wheel arches to 10 minutes (£4) of high pressure jet washing. The car is so, so good in there that I’m desperate not to be the person who lets standards slip.

 

Once home, I gave it another wash and wax - and it’s looking good once again.

 

[Jams]

I really really fancy trying a 190

[Guest Hooli]

I have the same problem with my garage door, I really must fix it.

[BorniteIdentity]

I have the same problem with my garage door, I really must fix it.

 

I fully expected it to be a monumental ball ache.  In truth, the hardest thing was getting it back on the runners.  Once that happened, and it was closed, it was a case of mounting the cable to the top reel and then around the locating lug on the door - tensioning it up and fixing.  It's not perfect, but then the entire garage is fucked - so the door being difficult just adds to the whole 'shabby chic' vibe.

 

(That's my line and I'm sticking to it.)