1987 Ford Sierra Sapphire 1.8L - Absolutely fascinating* discovery - see page 48

[Wibble]

7 hours ago, Peter C said:

Weather permitting, I'm heading to the spring Beaulieu autojumble tomorrow.

I would like to find a replacement rear tail light.

There is a number on the outside part of the lens - 86001, but this is meaningless. 

@egg has kindly advised me on what the correct part number is, however Ford decided not to present the number on the lens.

I removed the tail light to reveal lovely fresh metal.

Fuck it, I'm taking this thing with me to the autojumble.

I've noted the part number of the rear door ashtray.

The other bits that I need are:

• Ford badges for the front grille and boot lid
• Blind spot mirror
• Wheel brace (19mm)
• Pair of number plates
• Alternator
• Air cleaner housing top cover
• Original manually operated aerial - good luck with that!

And any other bargain that I might find.

Wish me luck.

 

I do wish you luck. I found nothing for the Cortina or Senator last time I went, so hope you have more success.

[Peter C]

8 hours ago, N19 said:

Do you need these bits because you need them, or strategically acquiring parts?

alternators should still be available through a good motor factor and old ones repairable by someone who knows how to do it properly

if you need an air filter top there's a couple of Capri breakers who probably have some kicking around.

I know I said I'd ask at the factors about the rear lamps, will try and remember tomorrow (they have all sorts on the top shelves, Nova radiators, Escort headlamps...)

Bit of both really. I could do with the bits but my life will be no different if I don’t find any of them.

I will be going to the Enfield Pageant next weekend, where there’s always a few Ford specialist sellers so I might have more luck there.

[wesacosa]

2 hours ago, Peter C said:

Bit of both really. I could do with the bits but my life will be no different if I don’t find any of them.

I will be going to the Enfield Pageant next weekend, where there’s always a few Ford specialist sellers so I might have more luck there.

are you displaying the Sierra at Enfield and if so which day? I should he there on the Saturday 

[NorfolkNWeigh]

12 hours ago, Peter C said:

That vintage and spec Sierra had 13 inch wheels.

All LX Sierras in the U.K. came with 14”steel wheels , even the MK1. I’d go so far as to say they never sold a two tone Sierra with 13s, as the grey bottom half was only on LX, GLS.  In 1987 my company 1.6 GL only had 13” wheels and I was jealous that people on a lower grade got LX’s with 14s. When I bought it for my Mrs at 60k and 2 years old I immediately put a set of XR4x4 alloys on it.

Cant find a picture of E483 MMFso here’s a Saph she had much later, an odd spec 1.8 ( cvh) L, no sunroof but standard 14s and trims.

 

I may be a technocripple but I know my Sierras.

[sierraman]

Many will have ended up two tone after a wobbing up the door bottoms and the sills though! 

[Peter C]

7 hours ago, NorfolkNWeigh said:

All LX Sierras in the U.K. came with 14”steel wheels

That's what I thought, however if you scroll back to page 21, you will find this photo:

Red bumper stripe = LX and this Sierra is fitted with 13 inch wheels.

That said, the Ford brochure shows the LX rolling on 14s.

 

[Peter C]

16 hours ago, Wibble said:

I found nothing for the Cortina or Senator last time I went

Look what I saw today.

I noticed other bits too.

[Wibble]

2 minutes ago, Peter C said:

Look what I saw today.

I noticed other bits too.

That looks nothing like a Mk4 heater😆 and fortunately my headlights are new anyway. Maybe I should have worded my post better, like I didn’t find anything I needed. 
 

Did you find any parts for the Sapphire?

[Peter C]

Beaulieu was a giggle, as always. Despite the shitty weather forecast, it stayed dry throughout the day and the sun started to come through at 1:30pm.

I found an offside facelift (tinted) Sierra tail light and various Escort / Orion lights but not the one that I wanted. I spoke to the chap selling the Sierra tail light, an expert in all old Ford matters, he reckons that Mk2 Sierra hatchbacks and saloons had the same rear lenses. Hmm. @egg I'm confused. 

Another chap was selling a decent set of Sierra alloy wheels with good tyres for £95 ono. Nice, but I am keeping my L spec stock.

I came home with this little hoard.

The wheel trim is in better condition than one of mine, which is cracked and cost £1. Bargain.

I got an original Ford wheel brace for £2.

I got a couple of aerials, not Ford but will be useful for another project, £2 each.

I got a Haynes manual, proper one that includes details for a Sapphire, in really good condition, for £3.

I got a Haynes handbook, for £1.

Finally, I got an old small suitcase, which I plan to store tools in, for £10, which came with bonus Triang train tracks and wagons. 

The wheel brace is the correct one for a Sierra, it fits nicely inside the jack.

Let's see how lucky I get at the Enfield Pageant next weekend. 

[Peter C]

7 minutes ago, Wibble said:

Did you find any parts for the Sapphire?

See post above.

[egg]

4 minutes ago, Peter C said:

I spoke to the chap selling the Sierra tail light, an expert in all old Ford matters, he reckons that Mk2 Sierra hatchbacks and saloons had the same rear lenses. Hmm. @egg I'm confused. 

Interesting! Can't work that one out then...

Excellent buys, the trim for a quid is remarkable given what eBay prices are for such things.

[HMC]

Great haul of bits! 

[Wibble]

26 minutes ago, Peter C said:

See post above.

Those alloys are Sierra Azura I think, the run out base model specked up to look smart and they did, from the outside but were very basic inside, with keep fit windows and no rev counter.

Glad you managed to pick up a few bits though!

[Peter C]

31 minutes ago, Wibble said:

Those alloys are Sierra Azura

Correct.

Odd car, like you’ve said, basic spec, Pinto 1.6 engine but metallic paint and alloys. Also, it featured the facelift dashboard, which I really don’t like.

[Wibble]

19 minutes ago, Peter C said:

Correct.

Odd car, like you’ve said, basic spec, Pinto 1.6 engine but metallic paint and alloys. Also, it featured the facelift dashboard, which I really don’t like.

I would agree, I liked the smoked lights and back infill and the 4 & 3 spoke steering wheels but not the final dash facelift. I must have driven dozens, hence why I’m still so nostalgic about them.

Most memorable drive in one though, leaving office in Reading at 5pm and arriving in Glasgow at 11pm in a midnight blue Sapphire 1.6L. Perfect!

[Tenmil Socket]

37 minutes ago, Peter C said:

Correct.

Odd car, like you’ve said, basic spec, Pinto 1.6 engine but metallic paint and alloys. Also, it featured the facelift dashboard, which I really don’t like.

I didn’t know there was a facelift dash, what changed?

[Peter C]

27 minutes ago, Tenmil Socket said:

I didn’t know there was a facelift dash, what changed?

The dash edgings and vents, mostly.

[egg]

Kind of weird how late that dashboard facelift was, what about a year and a bit before Mondeo production starts?

[Peter C]

23 minutes ago, egg said:

Kind of weird how late that dashboard facelift was, what about a year and a bit before Mondeo production starts?

Pretty much and possibly not a good investment for Ford. By 1993, Sierras were very old fashioned and with the Mondeo launch just around the corner, why did they bother?

[Peter C]

Went out for a 50 mile drive in the Sierra today. 

New problem, smell of petrol from the engine bay. Windows up, driving along, no smells inside, wind the window down and I can smell fuel.

I’ve parked the Sierra up half an hour ago and I can still smell it.

But no sign of any leaks!

Any idea what this does? It looks fuel related.

The Sierra is now living outside, under the car port.

And the E46 is back in the garage.

[lisbon_road]

20 hours ago, Peter C said:

Pretty much and possibly not a good investment for Ford. By 1993, Sierras were very old fashioned and with the Mondeo launch just around the corner, why did they bother?

Because cars like a Sierra are made in such huge volumes that the cost of tooling is easily lost in maintaining sales.  

And I'm convinced that hatch and saloon rear lights are different.

[egg]

12 minutes ago, Peter C said:

Any idea what this does? It looks fuel related.

one of these?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/274843390347

edit: would make sense if a fuel vapour system is leaking to have fuel smells...

[cort1977]

23 hours ago, Wibble said:

Those alloys are Sierra Azura I think, the run out base model specked up to look smart and they did, from the outside but were very basic inside, with keep fit windows and no rev counter.

Glad you managed to pick up a few bits though!

Yes, that's right.

Didn't realise Azuras didn't have a rev counter, that might be why the one in mine doesn't work, someone changed the gauge pod but not connected up.

[Noel Tidybeard]

100% loon & hunchback have different lights

you may* get away with a pair of hatch lights on a loon but will look very wrong other way round

[camryv6]

On 18/05/2024 at 08:55, NorfolkNWeigh said:

All LX Sierras in the U.K. came with 14”steel wheels , even the MK1. I’d go so far as to say they never sold a two tone Sierra with 13s, as the grey bottom half was only on LX, GLS.  In 1987 my company 1.6 GL only had 13” wheels and I was jealous that people on a lower grade got LX’s with 14s. When I bought it for my Mrs at 60k and 2 years old I immediately put a set of XR4x4 alloys on it.

Cant find a picture of E483 MMFso here’s a Saph she had much later, an odd spec 1.8 ( cvh) L, no sunroof but standard 14s and trims.

 

I may be a technocripple but I know my Sierras.

You also have a thing for putting your offspring in boots ? lol

[Peter C]

It was time for some alfresco tinkering today.

I wanted to investigate the fuel smell issue that I noticed yesterday.

I removed the air filter housing, which revealed bugger all, the carb looks fine to me, unless I'm missing something?

To enable the engine to idle, I blocked this small inlet pipe, which would usually mate with a small hose that extends from the air filter housing.

I ran the engine for ten minutes, all good, no sign of any leaks. 

The only fuel smell that I noticed was coming from inside the carb, via the inlet port, which I presume is quite normal. There are definitely no fuel leaks anywhere around the carb or the fuel pump.

I thought that the air filter housing may not be on securely enough, as it is only held on with two out of the three original bolts. The third bolt has snapped and remains inside the thread at the side of the carb. It can stay there, I am not drilling into the carb!

Anyway, with the two fixing bolts that secure the top of the air filter housing and the side bolt securely fixed, the air filter housing is definitely not loose to the point where fuel vapour could be escaping from where the air filter housing locates on top of the carb. 

An inspection of the underside of the air filter housing cover revealed that the cracked / damaged part of the cover is located directly above the carb inlet port. Whilst my repair was of sufficient quality to disguise the missing chunk of plastic on the outside of the cover, I suspect it is not sufficiently robust to prevent fuel vapour from escaping. 

I fashioned this repair. I thought about using chemical metal or wob to seal the underside of the cover, however neither is flexible when set and I don't want a solid chunk of something dropping directly into the carb, so I used flexible sealant, which I covered with a piece of plastic, secured with the same three screws that keep the outside bodge in place, albeit made stronger by introduction of three metal securing tabs.

Not pretty but hopefully sufficiently well done to prevent fuel vapour from escaping from inside the air filter housing. 

On the upper side, some of the sealant escaped via gaps between the broken cover and my bodged piece of black plastic, which is probably a good thing.

I'm not sure whether I have fixed the problem but I reckon I have sorted out at least one.

[Zelandeth]

I'll check my preferred motor factor for lights next time I'm there.  I know they have a couple of Mk IV Escort front indicators sitting on a top shelf, next to a radiator that I'm bloody sure I recognise every time I see it but can never quite pin down what it's from.

Fuel smell I'd be pointing at breather issues most likely, especially with the weather having gone warmer.  I doubt sealing of the air filter housing will make a huge difference.

If that were mine I'd put a blob of sealant on the clips inside too, that gives me the fear of one vibrating itself loose and getting ingested by the engine.  It will be absolutely fine, but it would worry me nevertheless!

[junkyarddog]

37 minutes ago, Zelandeth said:

one vibrating itself loose and getting ingested by the engine.

That's exactly what I thought too.

[Peter C]

1 hour ago, Zelandeth said:

breather issues

Has crossed my mind but I can’t see anything that could be the issue.

I’m going to study the Haynes manual that I bought last weekend for some hints and tips.

[stuboy]

On 19/05/2024 at 19:15, Noel Tidybeard said:

100% loon & hunchback have different lights

you may* get away with a pair of hatch lights on a loon but will look very wrong other way round

they tilt inwards so dont look right