1987 Ford Sierra Sapphire 1.8L - Tarting up the sills - see page 48

[Wibble]

Wow! It looks amazing even though it was great before. Having seen this in the flesh folks, I can confirm the seems and panel welds are all factory fresh. This has never had any major repairs.

[Peter C]

@Wibble @egg

I'm getting aroused just thinking about seeing these three lovelies side by side.

[cobblers]

Man, you've done a proper nice job on this thing! Hats off to you

[Wibble]

7 hours ago, Peter C said:

@Wibble @egg

I'm getting aroused just thinking about seeing these three lovelies side by side.

All blue and not a sunroof between us! Brilliant😆

Maybe @dollywobbler would be interested in making a hubnut episode?

[Peter C]

I popped over to the Brooklands classic car show earlier today. It took me a while to get over the £26 entrance fee. 

The autojumble was small but I had a decent rummage anyway. I was after a model of a Sapphire.

I came across these:

Until eventually I found a Sapphire in german police livery. I got it for a tenner.

I got talking to a nice fella called Jason, who owns this:

Which hides a little secret under the bonnet.

That’s a 4.0 V8 from a TVR. Sounded lovely.

There were other old skool Fords but this Fester attracted my attention as it is the same colour as my Sapphire and when I was 17, I clocked up a few miles in a F reg Popular Plus, which, admittedly was a 957cc and this one is 1117cc. Shit wheels apart, what a lovely car.

Finally, this is the least AutoShite car possible but the styling of this Bentley blew me away. They don’t make them like this anymore.

[robt100]

On the engine fumes front. Could it be that the large rubber seal across the top of the bulkhead has shrunk/stiffened a bit over time and isn't getting a tight seal to the bonnet when closed? When travelling at speed enough air flows over the outside of the bonnet and through the plastic vents above the fan to give you cool fresh air, but when stopped there is positive pressure from the warm air in the engine bay (relative to the air behind the bulkhead etc) which then leaks through and causes the smell?

[Peter C]

10 minutes ago, robt100 said:

On the engine fumes front. Could it be that the large rubber seal across the top of the bulkhead has shrunk/stiffened a bit over time and isn't getting a tight seal to the bonnet when closed? When travelling at speed enough air flows over the outside of the bonnet and through the plastic vents above the fan to give you cool fresh air, but when stopped there is positive pressure from the warm air in the engine bay (relative to the air behind the bulkhead etc) which then leaks through and causes the smell?

The seal is intact and hasn’t shrunk or become brittle or damaged. 

I understand your logic but the bullhead design is such that air / fumes can easily pass from the engine bay to behind the bullhead, where the ventilation intake is situated.

[bezzabsa]

could it be you just notice it more as it's an 'old'car followed a classic mini the other week and made my eyes water at the lights..

[Peter C]

27 minutes ago, bezzabsa said:

could it be you just notice it more as it's an 'old'car followed a classic mini the other week and made my eyes water at the lights..

Definitely.

Whilst the exhaust fumes of my W123 are borderline toxic, the smell doesn’t get inside the cabin. I can’t say the same for the Sierra.

[Peter C]

I have a confession to make. I wasn’t planning on sharing this information but here it goes.

I have a penchant for old airport tugs. Here’s two I saw today at Brooklands.

 

Tug porn.

[Wibble]

I spent a lot of time at Heathrow and Prestwick airports as a kid, whilst Dad was working. I’d go out with the guys to refuel aircraft at Prestwick and was often allowed to visit the cockpit. I loved the old hot air start machines, the noise was amazing! At Heathrow I spent days in the, sadly now gone, viewers/spotters area, mesmerised by Concorde.

[Peter C]

I am planning on going to Ford Fair next Sunday, which takes place at Silverstone.

https://events.fastcar.co.uk/ford-fair/

Am I reading the entrance fee details right - if one doesn’t prebook the cost on the gate is £45?

[Hertz]

Looks that way. It's getting ridiculous, they are even classing children as under 14. So a family of 4 inc a 15 and 16 year old will be charged £180 to walk around a car show...

[Peter C]

Apart from the insane entry fee, looks like Ford Fest is more about Kev’d up Fiestas than base model Sierras, so I’ve decided that I’m going to give it a miss.

[mk2_craig]

That’s a shame, I’m sure there’s plenty of original condition and restored stuff going to be in attendance as well. The traders always used to be good when I went to Ford Fairs late 90s early 00s, loads of NOS/used bits up for grabs and there was usually a textiles supplier knocking out new Fiesta/Escort carpets for just five quid each. 

[Peter C]

I wasn’t entirely happy with the ICE installation, mostly because the right side speakers would randomly cut out. Adjusting the speaker joystick got them going again. Evidently, the joystick or associated wiring were defective.

Oscar came to help me rewire the speakers.

I extended new wiring all the way to the rear speakers, beneath the nearside sill trim.

The front speakers were a little more tricky to rewire as the original wires extend through the rubber flexi between the door and A post. Getting access to the inner side of the flexis is impossible.

I ended up splicing the new wires to the original ones, just below the dashboard.

With four new sets of wires extended to the back of the head unit, the final connections were easy to make.

Once done, I played a few tunes and the speakers sound great. Win.

[lisbon_road]

12 hours ago, Peter C said:

I am planning on going to Ford Fair next Sunday, which takes place at Silverstone.

https://events.fastcar.co.uk/ford-fair/

Am I reading the entrance fee details right - if one doesn’t prebook the cost on the gate is £45?

I suspect part of the problem - perhaps not all of it - is astronomical insurance costs. 

[Peter C]

What a bargain, reduced from £8,450.

[adw1977]

Must be rare preproduction example on a W suffix! 😉

[Peter C]

When I rewired the speakers a few days ago, I bypassed the wiring that serves the original tweeters, which are situated towards the bottom of the dashboard. Not a great loss, they brought little to the party.

The four speakers and the amp/sub combo sounded ok but because none of the speakers are co-axials, the high notes were a bit flat. I needed a pair of new tweeters.

I decided that I would mount the tweeters on the bottom of the windscreen post trims, where there are already suitable fixings.

I fixed the tweeters using the original screws and extended the wires behind the door seals down to sill level, where I connected them to the door speaker wires.

The tweeters don’t attract attention and, if necessary, they can be removed in seconds.

The sound quality is great and the high tones are now much clearer. Win.

[Peter C]

The weather forecast for this weekend is glorious and I've managed to get a pre-order ticket (still a fucking rip off), so it looks like I'm off to Ford Fair at Silverstone this Sunday.

Anybody else going?

[Wibble]

Sadly not, my backs given up this afternoon but look forward to pics. Hope you enjoy it.

[mk2_craig]

9 hours ago, Peter C said:

Anybody else going?

Yes, but parking the MG ZS hire car outside. 

[Peter C]

7 hours ago, mk2_craig said:

Yes, but parking the MG ZS hire car outside. 

I’m parking the Sapphire in the public car park too as the model specific spaces were no longer available. I will look out for your MG.

[Peter C]

I freshened up (not washed) the Sierra ahead of tomorrow’s trip to Silverstone. 

Looking good.

Pre-flight checks involved checking the engine oil level.

The Pinto hasn’t used any oil since I started using the Sierra. The engine doesn’t smoke, even on start up if left for a few days nor does it mark its territory. 

Even if the mileage is genuine, the valve stem seals would have crumbled away by now. I suspect the engine had an overhaul or two at some point.

Since bleeding and topping up the coolant, the level hasn’t dropped. Evidently, the Pinto is not using or leaking coolant.

Since bleeding the brakes, they work well and the fluid level hasn’t dropped.

All good then, ready for the trip.

I plan to leave home before 9am and my ETA at Silverstone is approx 10am.

[Peter C]

I left home at just after 8:30am and cruised up the A413 towards Silverstone. Between Winslow and Buckingham, a modified Focus tucked in behind me and by the time we passed Buckingham, a gaggle of sporty Fiestas joined to form a little convoy. I got a good space close to the main entrance.

The majority of cars on display were less than 20 years old and modified, mostly of the RS / ST variety. Whilst not my thing, I appreciate the effort that went into building and maintaining them. The modified Ford scene is alive and well, as it was 30 years ago when I was cutting the springs on Mk1 Fiestas. 

The most amazing car of the show, for me at least, was this Sapphire. Read the owner's notes, an amazing find and superb car.

Interesting that whilst this Sapphire is only six years newer than my 1.8L, it has the DOHC engine, fuel injection, power steering, ABS, electric windows etc, despite what is basically the same bodyshell and underpinnings.

Nice early 2.0 Ghia estate, 67k miles on the clock, used and unrestored, just how I like them.

This was not my thing at all but the engine looked tasty.

A nice white 4x4 Ghia estate.

A guy I work with knows the bloke who built this estate, which has a supercharged engine.

A stunning Cosworth.

A ridiculous P100, which has all the underpinnings and interior of a supercharged Jaguar. The high spec Mk1 front ends look so sexy. 

How about this immaculate Series 2 RS Turbo Escort? Only 5,650 genuine miles and the owner is asking £50k, no offers. Form an orderly queue gents.

Finally, I saw this nice XR2i (apart from the shitty sun strip), which reminded me of an identical car that a friend of mine had about 25 years ago.

The highlight of the show was meeting @mk2_craig (and his family). We had a good chat about old Fords but left uncertain whether Mk2 XR2s were fitted with a speaker joystick (like my Sierra has). 

The journey home was uneventful. 

I had a good time but probably wouldn't go again. 

 

 

 

 

[artdjones]

1 hour ago, Peter C said:

I left home at just after 8:30am and cruised up the A413 towards Silverstone. Between Winslow and Buckingham, a modified Focus tucked in behind me and by the time we passed Buckingham, a gaggle of sporty Fiestas joined to form a little convoy. I got a good space close to the main entrance.

The majority of cars on display were less than 20 years old and modified, mostly of the RS / ST variety. Whilst not my thing, I appreciate the effort that went into building and maintaining them. The modified Ford scene is alive and well, as it was 30 years ago when I was cutting the springs on Mk1 Fiestas. 

The most amazing car of the show, for me at least, was this Sapphire. Read the owner's notes, an amazing find and superb car.

Interesting that whilst this Sapphire is only six years newer than my 1.8L, it has the DOHC engine, fuel injection, power steering, ABS, electric windows etc, despite what is basically the same bodyshell and underpinnings.

Nice early 2.0 Ghia estate, 67k miles on the clock, used and unrestored, just how I like them.

This was not my thing at all but the engine looked tasty.

A nice white 4x4 Ghia estate.

A guy I work with knows the bloke who built this estate, which has a supercharged engine.

A stunning Cosworth.

A ridiculous P100, which has all the underpinnings and interior of a supercharged Jaguar. The high spec Mk1 front ends look so sexy. 

How about this immaculate Series 2 RS Turbo Escort? Only 5,650 genuine miles and the owner is asking £50k, no offers. Form an orderly queue gents.

Finally, I saw this nice XR2i (apart from the shitty sun strip), which reminded me of an identical car that a friend of mine had about 25 years ago.

The highlight of the show was meeting @mk2_craig (and his family). We had a good chat about old Fords but left uncertain whether Mk2 XR2s were fitted with a speaker joystick (like my Sierra has). 

The journey home was uneventful. 

I had a good time but probably wouldn't go again. 

 

 

 

 

Nice Sapphire, but I must say that Mr. Cyril Hughes was either loaded or on Cloud 9. Or he was a certain type of Welshman.  So tight that he couldn't sell the car for a realistic value, because he couldn't bear to face the loss caused by his mistake. Maybe he was from Cardiganshire.

[Wibble]

Wow, that GLS Sapphire is amazing! I felt very lucky to have the keys for a 2.0 GLS for a while back when they were new. The Mk1 Ghia estate also looks ace, and the white 4x4. Glad you had a good day.

[Peter C]

47 minutes ago, artdjones said:

Nice Sapphire, but I must say that Mr. Cyril Hughes was either loaded or on Cloud 9. Or he was a certain type of Welshman.  So tight that he couldn't sell the car for a realistic value, because he couldn't bear to face the loss caused by his mistake. Maybe he was from Cardiganshire.

He paid just under £11k for the Sapphire but according to What Car? June 1992 edition; the list price was £15k. Evidently he negotiated a healthy discount, which was easily done in those days.

[egg]

Did you see Pip Petchey's Mondeo touring car (Matt Neal) replica?