Hi i thought it was about time i started a thread about my sapphire cosworth that i got in early 1993 .I bought it stolen recoverd the engine had thrown a rod and the locks were broken .Sorry about the poor quality pictures but they are old.

 

Looks nice have you anymore pics.

 

a lot to do!

 

So got the car in the garage and took the engine out which was pretty easy as back in 93 i was only 24 and been round a few garages and by then had allways done my own engine changes ,i think by then was on my 4th mk1 mexico 1 rs1600 ,harrier ,sunbeam lotus and i had blew the beans out of the enginesand changed them etc ...


Excuse the pose lol.

 

more pics

 

Some old pics of an empty engine bay .........pretty boring

 

Pics of the original engine on the bench the block pistons crank all scrap and the rods ,well one did go thru the side of the block ,most of the head was ok.Check out the keep tidy sighn it never worked lol.

 

more pics!!!!

 

 

Got to love a mercury grey minter

 

So the bottom end was scrap ,what shall i do about the engine build a strong engine that will take a fair amout of upgrades yes i did ,a friend of mine introduced me to a guy called jo who had a little workshop in a small town in essex called Maldon me and my mates later renamed it cosworth land ..

 

very nice mate

 

I needed to buy a new crank so i bought this one which had been knife-edged ,wish i had better pics because this was a work of art.
Here is a pic of the crank in the washtank.

 

SO the engine ingredients me and jo stevens chose are 2wd head ported and polished std valves all cleaned new followers springs bd 10 cams exhaust and inlet vernier pulleys,block 200 wire rung ,grp a gaskets new escort cossy pistons rs500 rods arp uprated bolts thru out windage tray gated sump tray grp a uprated pump,knife-edged crank ,new water pump ,belts ,everything cleaned blasted painted ,ap paddle clutch ,3bar map ,greys,turbo was a cross between a t3 2wd and a 4x4 one so that would be t34 right or wrong ..map to suit.......so there goes prob some more but forgot .......Neil

 

So now to some of the bodywork which was done by a couple of good mates who had there own workshop where after there full time jobs as sprayers they done there private work .The lock holes were damaged so could not be repaired so i got another pair for Ł40 back in 93 parts for sierras were in abundance then so here are some pics of the car being sprayed ,everything was painted except the roof ............

 

Some more pics as the base was being sprayed on ....

 

Some more of the paint job

 

Getting based up ,some more pics

 

looks good this ill be watching it closely

 

Cheers scotty try get some more pics up ............

 

Now the paintwork done i fitted the whole car up put some 4x4 leather including dash the car then went to bluesprint to have the engine fitted up .....


leather

 

A few more pics had some issues with the engine when first run due to a sticky pressure relief valve in the oil pump but joe sorted it out straight away with a new pump ...

 

Stunning look how fresh and crease free the leather is

Love these type of old school pics

What was it like owning a cosworth from those times mate? You must have a cossie story or two to tell

 

It was good there was loads of 3drs sapphires rs turbos around some good cars most were std trim you would see a lot of faces driving boggo std sapphires and then normal family types just doing the shopping in them hence prob alot got stolen especially from lakeside
I remember one little race i had think it was on the a414 near maldon joe stevens had a 2wd graphite cosworth with the nimber plate 100 one on it think it was running about 480bhp at the time considering mine was about 330bhp we had a burn up me thinking mine was quick until his one just eat it up big flames out of his exhaust and he was gone by the time i was in 2nd a big roar of exhausts and dump valves a few shocked people on that road .I have still got the car just havent had her on the road for a while now got some bits to go on her so hopefully i will get some more recent pics up.Cheers Neil

 

After the engine was fitted the car came back to me in kent up my workshop i had at a farm in gravesend ..


pic of joe stevens saff

 

Good stuff mate

Mustv been the time to live in back then, so when a cossie was up against an M3 on the road the cossies mustv pissed all over them! was there rivalry between beemers/fords etc? fords mustv ruled the block

what was it like when the escort cosworth came out?

 

When the escort came out it was an awesome tool won many rallies but was out of my reach too much money ,mate got an motorsport shell and built it up from 4x4 sapph parts ,M3s are quick but the cossies std ones could just have the edge .....

 

Some pics of her finished got some new wheels from f1 acessories nr brands hatch .I first saw these antera rims on a turbosystems sapphire at the ford fair once i see them and they looked the buisness i had to get them Ł600 for the rims plus Ł120 for the yoko a510 235/35/17 on the back 215/35/17 on the front at that time 17 inch rims was the dogs bollox ,The car has still got them on today but have got some mo`s so they might be for sale ..Neil

 

Im loving the old pics from back in the day! What an era i want to go there!

 

Cool story

 

i wish i had pics of my flint grey saff from back in 1998, i was only 18 and loved the car to bits, then i let a nacker have a go in it and he smashed it up

i got more than a few cossie stories to tell, most of em will put me in jail, again!

 

Thanks for the replys everyone ,been thru alot with this car ,over the years people close to me saying things like you dont use it sell it what you keeping it for, different girlfriends saying things like what you need to keep on working on that old car ,well ive still got her and it has never crossed my mind to sell .Over the years i have gained some spares to add to her so watch this space ............Neil

 

Same here sean have loads of old stories ,This car came from chadwell heath way ,well the last owners name was addressed in that area.....

 

Should of done a bit on the saff at the weekend but just to nice to be stuck in the garage hopefully get in there some night after work for some more updates...

 

 

wow thats nice, wheels look great

 

Thanks andy130 they are antera loved them but going of them got some old skool mo s 5 spoke going to go matt blk or anthracite .......

 

Looks a reet pukka job mate

 

any more updates mate

 

The car has been laid up for some time now i have some bits to fit up should get some updates soon ......

her resting place