Project Memoirs: Mini on the Move.

[SiC]

I love that description. This is one of those cars, unlike the Rollers/exotica that will be at a show, people can actually relate to.

 

"I/my dad had one of those!"

[Felly Magic]

She did polish up a treat. The main thing is, she has a nice and gentle retirement after 35 years of loyal service, where she will get the tlc she rightfully deserves. Daniel is a thoroughly decent chap, and a great custodian of this beast

[wuvvum]

That write up is brilliant.

[Zelandeth]

Just read the write up in the window, that gets a big thumbs up too!

 

Cambridgeshire? Not a million miles from here either, wonder if I'll spot this motor out and about one day.

 

If you find yourself in Milton Keynes give me a shout.

[Mrs6C]

That write up is brilliant.

I agree!

[Felly Magic]

It's class in a glass that write up. 

[RobT]

Excellent write up, you really do love it don't you. Heartwarming stuff!

[Felly Magic]

It's got cute flappy mirrors, what's not to love? LOL

[BorniteIdentity]

Word.

 

Thanks for all of your kind messages - I've not been able to keep up with posts here, PMs, tweets etc.

 

It was an utterly fantastic day.  As I've said before, I've wanted to do this since forever - but the stars aligned for 2018 and I was delighted to take part.  The one thing I wasn't prepared for is JUST how many people turn out along the roadside to watch the cavalcade.  For those who don't know the area it's a 13 mile route, and you could barely drive 100 yards without someone waving.  My 5 year old co-pilot loved waving at people, and kept giggling every time someone mentioned "Oooh a Sierra there" or (in the loocal doyahlect) "Oi ad one of them buh".  I think we got into 4th gear once for about 2 minutes, otherwise it was either stationary traffic or 15 miles an hour all the way to the north coast.  The temperature gauge never went past half way and, for the first time in about a year, we got some heat out of the blowers!  

 

As others have suggested, the Felixstowe end wasn't without issue.  Due to problems on the beach, they've had to lift many of the huts onto the promenade, meaning that the cars were shunted back right to the end of the walkway.  I was literally the last car to be parked at the Old Felixstowe end, with vehicles behind being sent along the front to park at the West End.  Old Felixstowe was always my 'manor', so I was happy to be parked at this end (the posh end, natch) although it was as far away from the centre of the event as you could be.  As a bonus, it also meant that people could get a 360 degree tour of the car, thus being able to see the 'good side' as well as the wounded.

 

Anyway, some pictures!

 

 

This was a Panoramic from the meeting area in Christchurch Park, Ipswich.  We were very nearly late, and had to forgo a last minute car wash; me instead using the emergency coolant water and a tea towel to remove the shit a bird had deposited on the bonnet.

 

Jokes aside, the car really DID get a lot of attention.  My eldest sister was gobsmacked at how many times people made a bee line for the Sierra, and how many smiles it generated.

 

Guess the shiter...

 

 

Then at the Felixstowe, the car continued to generate interest.

 

 

When I wrote up the collection thread for this car in April 2016, I still remember these words.

 

 

 

 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.

 

Well, our exit from the event gave me an unmissable chance to recreate those early 80s scenes.

 

 

There he is.  My hero, back at the wheel of a Sierra for the first time in three decades.  He was struck by exactly the same things that I was; how comfortable it is, how familiar it all felt after all this time and how easy it was to drive.  Oh - and how the clutch is heavier than a fucking brick.

 

Eight hours after we left our house in Cambridge, we were back at my childhood home in Felixstowe.  A truly memorable day that three generations of us were fortunate enough to share together.  Thoughts always turn to how many more times we can hope to do things like this, so I'll end with a photograph from our road.

 

 

Huge thanks to Trigger for his lovely words and encouragement, to SpottedLaurel who made a bee line for me with a gift (more on that later!) and Felly for wheeling himself ALL the way from one end of the promenade to the other (it was SO busy that, I have to admit, we didn't go that far)!

 

Just to address the point that Felly made about the event having outgrown the town.  I thought, about two years ago, that it probably does need a bit of a shake up.  Having some of the lovely cars (Austin Counties/Jags etc) in the Spa Gardens was a genius move and I'd probably be extending that right into the gardens.  It's a fantastic backdrop, and I'm sure the owners with their cream chinos and spectacles on chains would relish the spotlight.  ITM should also look into ferrying people from carparks elsewhere in the town on vintage buses to the beach.

 

As for the £17?  It didn't phase me.  In the scheme of things, under £20 for a grand day out is good value.

[somewhatfoolish]

"I/my dad had one of those!"

He did; it was red too, albeit a decadent facelift 1.6L, in part-ex for our by then very crusty Mk5 Cortina, also 1.6L. It was a jonah car though and got sacked off after a dimwit mechanic knackered the gubbins by dropping a nut down the air intake and not noticing. The Montego that replaced it was boringly reliable by comparison.

[Floatylight]

My Dad had one of the last 2litre pinto Ghia Estates as a company car, his boss was a right tight git and he had it for about 10 years and had done about 235k. By which point it was utterly knackered. I got to drive it a few times in my late teens, and a number of time I almost spun it, due to forgetting RWD..

 

Sent from my Moto G (5) using Tapatalk

[Zelandeth]

Do miss our Sierra.  It was on a H plate, so the facelifted one, in 1.8LX Sapphire form.  Wedgewood blue with a red stripe along the rubbing strips which contrasted brilliantly against the eye-searingly bright blue.  Sadly as with many CVH engined Sierras it developed a taste for oil, to the extent that it was using very nearly as much oil as it was petrol, and would leave a smoke screen that Mr. Bond would have been proud of everywhere it went.  Despite that though, the thing never missed a beat even when it was drinking oil!

 

We got a replacement engine fitted, however my father had lost confidence in the car then and traded it in against a few years newer Fiat Panda.  ...Granted, the Panda too was a cracking little car that I'd buy right now in a heartbeat if cricumstances allowed it, just in very different ways to the Sierra.

[plasticvandan]

now the novelty of its "appearance" has worn off,i think its right that its being improved,it aint gonna survive if its left to its own devices

[BorniteIdentity]

She looks absolutely beautiful! One day I shall meet this fine steed.

 

New listing for a Mk1 being broken for spares.....

 

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F292545479759

That’s a guy called Tony. I arranged to drive the London - Blackpool - Cambridge triangle one day after I finish work (Midday) but he was unwilling to hang around 20 minutes at his unit on any day for me to collect two doors and a bumper. I was literally desperate to give him money - no flexibility at all.

 

He’s a nice bloke from what I can gather, but I’d expect a little bit of courtesy when driving a huge distance like that. Whatever.

 

I’ve got a lead on some rear lamps which are local (handily) and some other bits. I may hang the rear door myself over the next few days, but want to see what the bodywork guy says about gutting the front door and whether it’ll be worth it.

[Felly Magic]

There were a fair few entries that absolutely reeked of petrol, guaranteed they had fuel leaks(MOT exempt stuff ??), and whoever let the moderns in needs to have a word with themselves (especially a brand new 18 plate Morgan). Felixstowe is having issues with coastal erosion currently, which meant moving some beach huts, and I did see a bloke on the beach who was almost the same shade as Cardinal Grey Grille, and the tide was just about lapping his feet, I bet that bloke isn't too well now.

 

It is an event you need to take your own grub to, because all of the food outlets had huge queues, I remember last year standing in line nearly an hour for some chips.

 

I think problems arise at the event as they simply do not have enough marshals to cope with the size of the event, and every marshal needs a 2 way radio to prevent things going awry, and I do think they need to split up the Stag mob, or park em at Languard Fort LOL.

 

Well said on the idea of a rally shuttle service using museum buses, bus em down from the train station car park, town centre car parks and the fort, plus people often chuck a few bob in donations buckets on the buses, but sadly again I think it boils down to manpower, perhaps they could rope in local cadets & scouts to aid in marshalling? That's what we did for The Bedford Gathering, and it certainly helped. 

 

Al in all it was an interesting day out, and I got a minicab home, that was of all things a Toyota Prius. 

[richardthestag]

, and I do think they need to split up the Stag mob, or park em at Languard Fort LOL.

 

 

was this stag owners club?

 

I moaned about the boredom of seeing 20 of them all parked next to each other before.

[Felly Magic]

Yes it was that bunch!!! There was someone with a Woodhall Nicholson Princess wedge limo and they plonked their picnic table & chairs in such a way that photographing it was impossible. Next year, sod going to the sea front, I will just pop down to Trimley

[Split_Pin]

That looked like a great day out and I am glad that its not just some blokes in a corner of the internet that are enthusiastic about a base model Sierra. It looked fantastic in the sunshine and it couldn't have a better owner.

 

Perhaps the osf 'scene' has come full circle!

[BorniteIdentity]

Ironically the rarest vehicle of all my fleet is the one least mentioned in these memoirs and, as thoughts turn to summer, it's about time to rectify that.

 

Today's episode is brought to you by the letter V.

 

V is for Versatile: (adjective - able to adapt or be adapted to many different functions or activities.)

V is for Voluptuous: (adjective - curvaceous and sexually attractive. )

 

V is not for Viano, which is what we originally set out to buy.

 

It's Summer 2014.  The weather is surprisingly good; the soundtrack is suspiciously rapey (Robin Thicke.)  At this stage of my life, I had more children than cars - something I was hoping to rectify pretty swiftly.  After a near miss the year before we desperately wanted a fourth child, so set about the processes of both making one and being able to transport one (four).  

 

Me being me, I wanted to buy THE BIGGEST thing I could find, so we spent a weekend galavanting across the East of England looking at Extra LWB Mercedes Vianos. 

 

Jesus. 

 

They were all nearly 10 years old, all with lunar mileage, and all taxi'd to within an inch of their monochromatic lives.  The ones with lower mileages were also suspiciously worn in the luggage area, almost like they'd had suitcases chucked in and out all day, every day for the last decade.

 

 

It was time for a rethink.

 

I can't really remember how I happened across the Toyota Granvia, it was certainly not a car I'd heard of before.  I went to look at one at Chesham that was purple (good start) but had odd sized wheels, two Citroen wheel trims and a dealer who'd accidentally given the keys to a gentleman who'd bought a Toyota Previa the week before.  No matter.  This one wasn't for me, but the Granvia was.

 

I found a very promising one on Autotrader advertised for £2,200 in Norfolk.  I telephoned the land line to be greeted by an older chap who'd bought the van when it was imported about 10 years previous.  He used it to tow his caravan but had recently declared on that front, and I arranged to see it the very next day.  It was mintola inside and 90% perfect outside.  We took it for a quick spin, did a deal at £2000 and drove home in it the very same July afternoon. 

 

 

The first job was to tint the glass (more for security than any scene points, as the van doesn't have a designated boot area) 

 

 

A week later it would take us all to Norfolk and then Devon for one of the most memorable holidays we've all had together.

 

 

I laugh now, but I was absolutely terrified by the fuel efficiency to begin with.  SEVENTEEN MPG?  Then I had a eureka moment when in Devon whilst contemplating that I hadn't spent that much money on diesel for it to be 17mpg, and that my mathematics must be wrong.  I then realised that both the Speedo AND the ODO had been chipped and were counting miles - and it was actually scoring between 30 and 32mpg!

 

We love 'The Van'.  When we're in it, it means something's happening.  A family day out, day at the seaside, tip run, car collection, holiday, an adventure - whatever.  

 

 

Enough sentimentality.  I better post something that's vaguely helpful just in case you've never seen one in the flesh or even heard of them.  The Toyota Granvia is basically the bastard lovechild of a Hiace Powervan and the legendary Hilux.  It has the 3.0 turbo diesel engine from the 'Surf', and comes in either RWD or AWD flavour - mine of which is the former.  It is as tough as old boots, and a bastion of reliability.  Work the turbo and you can make excellent, if slightly noisy, progress - and it'll sit at three figures for hours.  Well, about 2 and a half hours when you'll then need to stop to fill the 70 litre tank up!

 

The seats are all on rails, and the second row rotates, meaning you have a limitless combination of arrangements.  The rear two rows also collapse to make a double bed - something I'm yet to take 'full advantage' of nudge nudge wink wink etc blah.

 

There are, from what I gather, about 500 on the road in the UK - all imported from Japan into Tilbury.  Most of the Granvias here now have been converted by Wellhouse Leisure™ into campers, so mine is reasonably rare as a standard 7 seater.

 

It's now 22 years old and, despite our collective best efforts as a family of 6, still looking great. Have some pictures taken last night.  The car has the odd mark here and there, all caused by yours truly and all part of the car's story with us.

 

 

Yep, I nudged the nearside corner on a bush. 

 

 

Aye, I reversed into my own trailer when it jack-knifed.  Long story.

 

 

 

 

 

If you're looking for a 'Day Van', something you can convert yourself to a camper or just a new 'Dingle Bus' - you honestly can't go wrong.  They are very easy to live with, easy to maintain and parts are simple to get because of the Hilux/Hiace running gear.  You also get a column shift auto and someone waving at you once a year when you see another one!

 

My immediate plans for it are to get the wheels refurbed in black (to match the limo tints) and get ANOTHER drop link replaced (it's a heavy old engine!)

[BorniteIdentity]

Just read the write up in the window, that gets a big thumbs up too!

 

Cambridgeshire? Not a million miles from here either, wonder if I'll spot this motor out and about one day.

 

If you find yourself in Milton Keynes give me a shout.

 

I used to work in MK until last year.  In fact the first journey the 'bASe' did under my command was London - MK as I was on a split shift that day!

 

We did get a bunch of Sierras together at the Burger King in MK back in 2016 (the one near the old Hockey Stadium) but the bASe was off the road then having failed the MOT.

 

 

Not a lot of spec there that day, I can tell you!

 

Mine was the green one in the middle (we think the oldest still on the road) and the other two belong to SeanRG who posts here occasionally.

[Exiled_Tat_Gatherer]

I was going to comment on the Sierra, but thanks for the Granvia write up....... I saw an absolutely shredded one for a few speckles in Londinium a while back that scared me - but hadn't seen a proper user review on any. Looking for AWD eventusllly.

 

Sierra is class in a glass..... lovely. Both my dad and uncle had Sierras, although uni had the 2.0S iirc. Dads first was stolen after 40mins! Seller simply showed up at his place just after he'd got home from buying and took it back. Even tried to blag it as not having met my dad before until he produced the Kay and V5, guy was an idiot,

Second also stolen, but recovered...... he never felt right in it after that though and sold it shortly after.

 

Good luck finding a door and base bumper. Can't be many coming up available.

[davehedgehog31]

Second also stolen, but recovered...... he never felt right in it after that though and sold it shortly after.

My car got stolen about 3 years back, some pondlife smashed my back window and took the keys. 

 

The insurance paid out but then the police found the car, I really liked it so had thoughts of buying it back from them. I went down to have a look at it and retrieve my personal effects. It was full of drug paraphernalia and the back seat was like a pin cushion with a few syringes sticking out of it. They had stripped it of all my belongings, football boots, a jacket, some cough sweets, the lot. They had however left my copy of Invisible Touch, the 1983 album by Genesis. Considered by many to represent the high water mark of Phil Collins era Genesis but clearly not by these Class A fueled crims. 

[Tadhg Tiogar]

There are a couple of Granvias in my district. I thought they were Hiaces with extra windows and seats.

[BorniteIdentity]

They had however left my copy of Invisible Touch, the 1983 album by Genesis. Considered by many to represent the high water mark of Phil Collins era Genesis but clearly not by these Class A fueled crims. 

 

There was a high water mark?

[BorniteIdentity]

There are a couple of Granvias in my district. I thought they were Hiaces with extra windows and seats.

 

I have seen a green one barreling around Hemel Hempstead; I work just outside Watford and use the excellent Japex in Kings Langley for maintenance.

[Tadhg Tiogar]

I have seen a green one barreling around Hemel Hempstead; I work just outside Watford and use the excellent Japex in Kings Langley for maintenance.

Where are Japex? Are they up on the hill or down in the valley industrial estate?

[BorniteIdentity]

Where are Japex? Are they up on the hill or down in the valley industrial estate?

 

The wonderfully named 'Happy Valley' industrial estate.  They were over the road to begin with, but outgrew the place.  They then outgrew the new place too - and have two neighbouring units.

 

The workmanship is fantastic, and I've become very good friends with the two brothers.

[andy18s]

Popped up on the book of faces....

[GrumpiusMaximus]

My car got stolen about 3 years back, some pondlife smashed my back window and took the keys. 

 

The insurance paid out but then the police found the car, I really liked it so had thoughts of buying it back from them. I went down to have a look at it and retrieve my personal effects. It was full of drug paraphernalia and the back seat was like a pin cushion with a few syringes sticking out of it. They had stripped it of all my belongings, football boots, a jacket, some cough sweets, the lot. They had however left my copy of Invisible Touch, the 1983 album by Genesis. Considered by many to represent the high water mark of Phil Collins era Genesis but clearly not by these Class A fueled crims. 

 

They're obviously rabid fans of Peter Gabriel and his flower costume...

[BorniteIdentity]

Popped up on the book of faces....

 

That's what I'm TALKING about.  I go to Norfolk quite regularly, so i might be worth doing a bit of investigating on that one.  Ideally - buy the whole thing.