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Memoirs: Mini on the Move.

BorniteIdentity

By BorniteIdentity
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BorniteIdentity Rank: Isuzu Florian

BorniteIdentity

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Whilst waiting on the 'technician' I gave it one last throw of the dice.

 

If started.

 

1) Out of fuel I think. Eventually the fuel must have settled enough to start up.

 

2) Some water got in somewhere. It's still a little slow to accelerate and a bit hesitant. It'll want servicing soon enough anyway.q

  • 2 weeks later...
BorniteIdentity Rank: Isuzu Florian

BorniteIdentity

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I’ll be blunt.  The last few months have been challenging.  On both a professional and personal front – it’s been weeks of friction, disappointment and struggle.  And just as life imitates art, this little work of art has begun to imitate life and cause grief of its own.

 

A month ago,  the Sierra and I were evicted from the mansion where she’d been living since the end of last year.  The guy who owns the house was very sheepish about it all, leading me to believe that he’d had a better offer from a smarter car and wealthier owner.  Having been damaged once already by errant paint spray, I wasn’t about to leave the car there any longer so collected it within the hour.  I’d lined up new storage immediately, and decided it best we make a good impression – so took the car to our local Kosovan valet experts.  This journey revealed three things.  A) The car really does leak when jetwashed.  2) The fuel gauge is vague at best.  D) Eastern Europeans don’t see the irony in a 1983 Ford Sierra, the guys all thought it was a sound daily driver!

 

 

34953290186_9c2c8a6338_z.jpg?w=840

 

 

Deciding it had run out of petrol, we pushed it to the side whilst I commandeered Mrs BI (long time Sierra hater) to bring petrol.  She duly did this, bringing the fuel can from another car without the filler neck.  An hour later, I managed to actually add petrol to the tank (rather than the rear quarter panel and road surface) and, eventually, the Base came back to life.

Having decided that the new storage arrangement wasn’t viable (I’m not sure they want me coming and going) the car is now back at the homestead.

 

In the background, ALF892 from Autoshite managed to not only find a steering rack – but fitted it FOC at his house.  Because the proper Base wheels are yet to be put on the car, the car needed to be tracked anyway so we just got the rack on as best we could between rain showers.  It has transformed the car both positively and negatively; there is now a lot of feel, but the tracking is so far out that it genuinely did try to kill me all the way home!  The tyres squeal at the very suggestion of any left turn, so that’s now been prioritised.

 

As the old song goes, “two steps forward – two steps back” – so to add a little more balance, the Sierra rewarded all of ALF’s love (and my money) by failing the MOT.  To be brutally honest, this was quite a surprise.  Yes, it’s a 34 year old Ford which is evidently becoming “ripe” – but both of us have been under the car quite a bit over the last 2 months and didn’t spot anything of any great concern.  That said, the MOT garage don’t even do welding – and the guy is as straight as an arrow (with a big Ford collection) so there’s no foul play here.

The Sierra is currently in the naughty corner, hopefully reflecting on her conduct around those who love her.  This month’s bills will be:

  • Tax – £134.75
  • Insurance – £100
  • Steering rack and full headset – £100
  • MOT – £45
  • Tracking – £30
  • 2x Tyres fitted to correct wheels  – Say £80.
  • Welding costs.  £??

Bollocks.  I promised myself I wouldn’t count either.

I’ll keep you updated

  • trigger, somewhatfoolish and Jerzy Woking
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BorniteIdentity Rank: Isuzu Florian

BorniteIdentity

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Great news! With minimum fuss, the Sierra's future is secured for another year.

 

The car was collected by 'Ken the Weld' and returned to the MOT station a couple of hours later all complete.  There was a 5" area to the nearside suspension mounting that needed cutting out and replacing, and a smaller patch hidden right under the washer bottle.  (Being honest, I knew about the latter).

 

The car's been retested and now has 12 months ticket to ride!

capture.png

Confession time.  I never noticed the variety in tyre sizes fitted.  Neither did the previous tester (!)

Cavcraft Rank: Matra Rancho towing a Tagora

Cavcraft

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That's both well deserved and brilliant news.

dollywobbler Rank: Matra Rancho towing a Tagora

dollywobbler

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Is different sized tyres on different axles anything to worry about? I'd say not. My 2CV is currently running 135s up front and 125s on the rear.

 

Great to hear it's got another year though! Steadily improving.

BorniteIdentity Rank: Isuzu Florian

BorniteIdentity

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Is different sized tyres on different axles anything to worry about? I'd say not. My 2CV is currently running 135s up front and 125s on the rear.

 

Great to hear it's got another year though! Steadily improving.

 

Actually, should that even be an advisory?

 

What if you have staggered wheels like on a Merc? (Wide at the back narrower at the front?)

Noel Tidybeard Rank: Lancia Gamma

Noel Tidybeard

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Back covering by the tester, no issue as long as they aren't mixed on the axle

 

possible as an sierror isnt suposed to have different sizes front/rear

  • alcyonecorporation
  • Like 1
beko1987 Rank: Matra Rancho towing a Tagora

beko1987

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When the xm had 2 sizes on one axle I was told it just had to be a same sized pair, back and front can be different sizes.

 

He then forgot about it and didn't mention it and told me to get it changed, which I did the next day! Which was handy

alcyonecorporation Rank: Renault 16

alcyonecorporation

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possible as an sierror isnt suposed to have different sizes front/rear

 

That's what I reckoned. Some stuff (like MGFs and DeLoreans) do run different sized tyres front and back. Not that the former being specified like that from the factory caused my MoT tester to whinge or owt.....

They weren't supposed to vary per axle, but hey, that's just me having elevated tendencies/petulance. 

Guest Hooli

Guest Hooli

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I used to run mismatched sized tyres on my first Sierra by choice. 185s (instead of 195s like the rear) on the front sharpened the steering up & slightly reduced front end grip - meaning when sideways it went sideways rather than swapping ends as much.

  • BorniteIdentity and Nicola H
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Felly Magic Rank: Isuzu Florian

Felly Magic

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Yay! I think this calls for a song! 

 

BorniteIdentity Rank: Isuzu Florian

BorniteIdentity

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Yay! I think this calls for a song! 

 

 

That is off the SCALE.

  • somewhatfoolish
  • Like 1
captain_70s Rank: Renault 16

captain_70s

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I drove my Dolly 1850 for a while with steel wheels with 155/80/13s on the back and Sprint alloys with 185/60/13 on the front...

Captain Furious Rank: Citroen Ami

Captain Furious

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Is it still owned by the consortium or have you taken on sole responsibility? 

 

I think it looks pretty fab in that photo tbh.

BorniteIdentity Rank: Isuzu Florian

BorniteIdentity

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Is it still owned by the consortium or have you taken on sole responsibility?

 

I think it looks pretty fab in that photo tbh.

It's living with me now, but consortium members are still welcome to borrow it whenever they like. Knowing what I now know, had we not bought it - it would 100% definitely be dead now.

 

Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk

Captain Furious Rank: Citroen Ami

Captain Furious

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FWIW I think you should continue down the path of the previous owner just doing the bare minimum, but I do understand your dilemma.

 

Wondering whether other people are seeing and appreciating what we see, one of the last of its kind being heroically saved and preserved for future generations, of whether they just think "look at that old banger, about time it was cubed"

 

It can be a fine line between a modern classic and just a shit old car.

  • BorniteIdentity
  • Like 1
BorniteIdentity Rank: Isuzu Florian

BorniteIdentity

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I can't read shit all with the link. It's asking me to log in?

Any chance you could paste it onto here?

Really? WordPress should be totally open and unlocked.

 

I can, but I'll need to be in front of a laptop. I'm not deliberately clickbaiting, it's a breeze to compose via the WordPress app, and the content never gets lost.

 

Home soon.

 

Here's a tease.

 

158637adb4a40c1249c72dc95fcd4510.jpg

 

Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk

  • danthecapriman
  • Like 1
danthecapriman Rank: Talbot Matra Rancho

danthecapriman

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Normally works fine when I look on your links but this time it won't? No idea.

 

Looks interesting though...

alf892 Rank: Renault 16

alf892

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Yeah....it had me going there. Thought I was going to have to drop you home!

  • BorniteIdentity
  • Like 1
BorniteIdentity Rank: Isuzu Florian

BorniteIdentity

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So. I need a bit of advice.

 

Truth be told, the little 306 Cabriolet is being a pain in the arse ATM. I've put on 1500 miles since the MOT, and it's a most glorious thing in the sunshine.

 

But.

 

The roof is being a monumental PITA ATM. This all started when I innocently opened the door whilst retracting the roof. This is apparently illegal and caused the roof to have a spac attack. After a few manual cycles it got its act together and has been better since. Then it's started being difficult again, often not closing the roof in the right order. I went to look at it again tonight and got it both opened and closed hydraulically - did it once more to check it wasn't a fluke and we had bad noises. Looks like it's shit its hydraulic oil out. Level is low and the boot is covered in it.

 

I'm not minded to throw good amounts of money at it, because ultimately it's an 18 year old French car with stretched elastics in the roof, heavy steering and an even heavier clutch.

 

I like having something open top for hot days, but there's no particular attachment to this particular one.

 

So. How best to remove the stress and irritation? Take the roof out entirely? Disconnect the hydraulics so it's easy to work manually?? Sell it to you and buy that Samba convertible on eBay with no such electronic/hydraulic concerns???

 

Basically, I hate things that don't work. Better to have a baron toy cupboard with stuff that functions than the opposite. I wouldn't mind spunking £12 on more hydraulic oil if I knew why the previous lot made an escape.

 

Cars eh? Tut.

Guest Hooli

Guest Hooli

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I'd guess the only way to tell, is clean it all up, add more oil & watch in the boot as the roof moves to see where it starts to come out. Could be a spilt hose or anything at that age.

egg Rank: Matra Rancho towing a Tagora

egg

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how much is a hard top for one of these? #defeatingtheobject...

BorniteIdentity Rank: Isuzu Florian

BorniteIdentity

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how much is a hard top for one of these? #defeatingtheobject...

Not particularly deafeating, because from what I can gather you stow the fabric roof away and bolt the hardtop on.

 

About £300. When they come up. Which is infrequently.

 

I don't think it's a 2 minute job though.

 

Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk

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