Ford Sierra GVG 510Y

[Dave_Q]

Yeah it must have been a MK2 as I can't seem to find anything online to say a MK3 version existed.

[sierraman]

2 hours ago, danthecapriman said:

Istr those Astra 3 door estates being fairly common. 
Someone I used to work with bought them because as you say, it’s the van but with windows. I used to work on one for someone too, a lovely metallic green.

Our neighbours had one exactly same as that but the 1.6 diesel. G plate I think it was. Totally rotten to the core it was! 
A firm called Restall used to do a conversation kit for the van which seemed totally pointless as you could get the 3door van anyway. 

[AnthonyG]

5 hours ago, mk2_craig said:

Was it a mk2?

There must have been tiny numbers of those sold in the UK, and presumably only available because it was basically the van bodyshell. 

These were quite common, particularly early on in the mk2’s life, so B to about E reg.

Basically I would imagine they mainly sold to mingebag fleet users, or private buyers who part-ex’d a Mk1 Astra 2 dr estate, a Chevette estate or a Viva estate, both of which were only available with 2 doors.

We probably need to stop talking about Vauxhalls on a Sierra thread! 

[Peter C]

Back in the 1990s, my dad’s friend had a white 3 door estate Astra, on an F plate, in 1.3 litre, 4 speed, Merit flavour.

It was grim, just how I like them!

The head unit was radio only and I’m pretty sure that it only picked up MW and LW frequencies (no FM) despite having an LCD screen.

A few years later, my dad bought a G reg 5 door estate Astra, a 1.4L version, post facelift, with a 5 speed ‘box.

In the mid 1990s, I bought my first normal car (after various modified Minis and Mk1 Fiestas), which was….. you’ve guessed it, a 5 door Astra estate, a 1.3L version, 5 speed, in a dull dark blue colour. 

None of them were rusty, unlike my mate’s Mk4 Escort, which had rear arches made almost entirely of wob.

[MantaGTE85]

I used to love the soft corduroy seats the mk2 facelift Astra L's had, although black ones would become purple after a few years of sun exposure.    

[Wibble]

4 hours ago, Peter C said:

Back in the 1990s, my dad’s friend had a white 3 door estate Astra, on an F plate, in 1.3 litre, 4 speed, Merit flavour.

It was grim, just how I like them!

The head unit was radio only and I’m pretty sure that it only picked up MW and LW frequencies (no FM) despite having an LCD screen.

A few years later, my dad bought a G reg 5 door estate Astra, a 1.4L version, post facelift, with a 5 speed ‘box.

In the mid 1990s, I bought my first normal car (after various modified Minia and Mk1 Fiestas), which was….. you’ve guessed it, a 5 door Astra estate, a 1.3L version, 5 speed, in a dull dark blue colour. 

None of them were rusty, unlike my mate’s Mk4 Escort, which had rear arches made almost entirely of wob.

Yep, Mum had a new Astra Merit in 1988,5 door,  E reg 1.3 4 speed. Radio was LW/MW with digital display, no FM, Atlantic 252, iirc was the station to use. I drove it to Ireland and back, fast as fuck for a 1.3.

[sierraman]

8 hours ago, MantaGTE85 said:

I used to love the soft corduroy seats the mk2 facelift Astra L's had, although black ones would become purple after a few years of sun exposure.    

I remember that, my dad had a 1.4 L 3 door, it was like the black hole of Calcutta inside. Then on the Mk3 it was this horrible tweed and that plastic that scratched really easily. 

[egg]

This diesel is still on the road at least

 

[500tops]

That number plate positioning is making my teeth itch

[sierraman]

They used to get pillaged at one point for the diff. They’re slow and horrible but I’d like them to survive nonetheless. 

[Shandylegs]

13 minutes ago, sierraman said:

They used to get pillaged at one point for the diff. They’re slow and horrible but I’d like them to survive nonetheless. 

Certainly did.  3.14 diff - the holy grail for many bike engined kit cars.

[Wibble]

The 2.3D is the only Sierra variant I’ve not driven. Would love to try one.

[stuboy]

13 minutes ago, Wibble said:

The 2.3D is the only Sierra variant I’ve not driven. Would love to try one.

on idle everything shook

[Wibble]

4 minutes ago, stuboy said:

on idle everything shook

Actually, just realised I haven’t driven a 1.3 either but pretty sure I’ve experienced every other option, including a 2.8i.

[Talbot]

12 hours ago, stuboy said:

on idle everything shook

From an era when you set the idle speed by twiddling the adjust screw until the dashboard came back into focus. 

[Zelandeth]

1 hour ago, Talbot said:

From an era when you set the idle speed by twiddling the adjust screw until the dashboard came back into focus. 

That applied to the 1.5TD Corsa B as well.

Which honestly was otherwise a good little car (once you got used to the hilarious turbo lag), but when I got it literally everything between your knees and the windscreen was a total blur at idle.

[danthecapriman]

19 hours ago, egg said:

This diesel is still on the road at least

 

There used to be (might even still be there?) one of those identical to that sat in a front garden of a house in Paulsgrove near Portsmouth. I used to pass by regularly when out working. 

[greengartside]

18 hours ago, 500tops said:

That number plate positioning is making my teeth itch

And the badges being the wrong way round, should read ‘SIERRA 2.3 D L’

[High Jetter]

Oh yes...

[Peter C]

20 hours ago, Wibble said:

The 2.3D is the only Sierra variant I’ve not driven. Would love to try one.

I’ve driven:

1.6 Pinto

1.8 Pinto

1.8 CVH

2.0 Pinto (carb)

2.0 Pinto (injected)

2.0 Turbo (Cosworth)

2.8 V6 (XR4x4)

So I’m not far behind you!

[wesacosa]

looks like the old DieseL may live to fight another day 

 

[Datsuncog]

Excellent news! 

I'd thought there were surely enough Ford lickers out there for someone to mount a rescue attempt - Sierras are scarce enough, and this one looked reasonable bar the damage.

Perhaps tangential, but I saw another early low-spec Mk1 Sierra in red this week, in a trailer for a new film set in Cornwall in the 1990s:

Registration is RUC559Y, which surprisingly isn't a false plate for filming - showing as a 1.6 petrol car from May '83.

Also showing as taxed and MOT' d - I'd vaguely wondered if maybe it was the diesel from upthread that had been crashed for the film and then scrapped, but happily not. 

[danthecapriman]

36 minutes ago, Datsuncog said:

Excellent news! 

I'd thought there were surely enough Ford lickers out there for someone to mount a rescue attempt - Sierras are scarce enough, and this one looked reasonable bar the damage.

Perhaps tangential, but I saw another early low-spec Mk1 Sierra in red this week, in a trailer for a new film set in Cornwall in the 1990s:

Registration is RUC559Y, which surprisingly isn't a false plate for filming - showing as a 1.6 petrol car from May '83.

Also showing as taxed and MOT' d - I'd vaguely wondered if maybe it was the diesel from upthread that had been crashed for the film and then scrapped, but happily not. 

It’s an estate too.

Original photo from Facebook.

[adw1977]

Bright trim around the side windows suggests that's a decadent GL.

[Popsicle]

On 28/03/2026 at 21:21, Wibble said:

The 2.3D is the only Sierra variant I’ve not driven. Would love to try one.

Being a mingebag courier, I had the 'pleasure' of owning a 2.3 d estate and a later 1.8 td estate, of there time is probably the politest way of describing them, a 405/BX/Astra diesel estate ran rings round them in everyway.

[Wibble]

33 minutes ago, Popsicle said:

Being a mingebag courier, I had the 'pleasure' of owning a 2.3 d estate and a later 1.8 td estate, of there time is probably the politest way of describing them, a 405/BX/Astra diesel estate ran rings round them in everyway.

I had the pleasure* of driving a Mk2 Astra, non turbo, diesel 1.6 3 door Merit, from Reading to Glasgow and back. Surely they can’t have been worse than that? I had a Rover 418SLDT that was miles better.

[Popsicle]

15 minutes ago, Wibble said:

I had the pleasure* of driving a Mk2 Astra, non turbo, diesel 1.6 3 door Merit, from Reading to Glasgow and back. Surely they can’t have been worse than that? I had a Rover 418SLDT that was miles better.

Yeah fair point, I'd forgot about the 1.6 d lump in Astra's/Cavaliers in the 80's, 54 bhp iirc, of rattling power. Probably just as bad as the 2.3 d Sierra. I was thinking about my Astra van with the 1.7td, I think it was a G reg? Absolute beast in lane 3 of the M1!

[Wibble]

15 minutes ago, Popsicle said:

Yeah fair point, I'd forgot about the 1.6 d lump in Astra's/Cavaliers in the 80's, 54 bhp iirc, of rattling power. Probably just as bad as the 2.3 d Sierra. I was thinking about my Astra van with the 1.7td, I think it was a G reg? Absolute beast in lane 3 of the M1!

lol, sounds like they were on par. I had a Cavalier 1.7td courtesy car and thought it amazing in comparison.

[Popsicle]

2 minutes ago, Wibble said:

lol, sounds like they were on par. I had a Cavalier 1.7td courtesy car and thought it amazing in comparison.

I think the 1.7td Cavaliers/Astras were brilliant cars. Even allowing for rose tinted glasses, I'd still like to own another. 

[Bmwdumptruck]

Back in their day I was working with my cousin at his garage in Devon.  He regularly hunted out cars for customers and found one such customer a base spec Sierra diesel estate in dark brown.  Hideous thing which he took me to collect, and I got the job of driving it back.  Got back towards Honiton and turned down onto the A30 bypass, accelerated….. no……. meandered down the slip road at full throttle and bang….. it rolled to a halt.  I can honestly say it’s the only car I’ve blown up.  Turned out it had no water in it.  Some arguments ensued before we towed it back to the trader that had bought it from wherever it was traded in.  I think my cousin managed to persuade him it was his fault as any decent trader would always check levels before doing anything else with them.   Bloody awful car made worse by a bloody awful engine.  Tbh…imho…. Even Montego’s were a nicer drive, but Vauxhalls were absolutely the best at that time.  I’d have any Mk of Cavalier, Astra or Carlton over anything Ford of that era.  (Although I did rather like Mk1 XR2s…..)