Hi All, Just joined the site as starting a restoration of my Ford Sierra Saphire 2.0 Ghia manual.


I have had the car from new (In Nov 1989) it had 72K on it when it was placed down the bottom of my garden 12 years ago covered for most of the time.


Now dragged out of its resting place to asses, with a view to get on the road.


Engine spins , oil pressure up, electrics, many things not working, fuel pump, blower fan, radio, horn rear lights intermittent, central locking. most other electrics function


Rear wheels seized


Drivers and passenger doors need replacing as do nearside inner and outer sill and offside outer sill,


Initial assessment is it has survived quite well apart from the mentioned rust problems the body is in fair condition, interior good but a bit mouldy (Cleans up well) it had a new clutch just before storing and was driven to its final resting place and coolant drained.


I'm planning to restore to get MOT then a rolling restoration to original condition, Lots of work to do though!

 

Welcome to the forum - wealth of knowledge on here!

Great project you have there, a pretty rare car now unfortunately! Sounds like you have a lot of work ahead of you, but will be ace to have the car back on the road, considering its been in the family since new!

I'm guessing its the pinto engine in yours, going by how early it looks? Looking forward to more pics!

 

It's a 2.0 DOHC with manual Mt75 Box and aircon (Which I would like to use if anyone can say if it can be re-gassed?)


Thanks

 

That's a cool Sierra.

Good luck with the project and keep the updates and pictures coming!!

 

welcome to the forum! nice to see some more local people on here

Air con can be converted to r134a and regassed. I've been fitting AC to mine and can't wait to get it going!

 

Nice one,been a few years since i saw a 2.0 ghia.
And local too...

 

Looking forward to this. Keep the pics coming

 

So far, need to get engine going, but silence from fuel pump! engine spins over, spark at plugs just no fuel, so tank out to check the pump,


Had to remove the towbar to get at tank, cutting a few bolts as I went, also the tank was a bit of a struggle with seized captive fixings, more cutting!


Going to fit new tank if the engine runs ok.


Once I have the engine running and freed the wheels I can drive round to the garage for better working conditions


Found some new rust areas, but still very much restorable


Some more pics;














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Good luck with the project. Certainly never see any of these on the road now. See one every now and again in my local area and that about it

 

Good luck with it mate, if you need any bits give me a shout

 

So the bill starts to rise, Fuel pump was no good, and needed to replace the Fuel Filter also so Burton Motorsport http://www.burtonpower.com/ (Who I used to work for in the 70's) sent me some parts





Tanks out and in workshop insides good, outside surface rust so going to clean up, treat rust and paint (silver) need to make a new strap, and sort out captive fixings.




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Update;


I cleaned the tank inside of 12 years of jellied stale fuel. fitted new pump and new fuel filter, removed surface rust and painted outside of tank, had tank strap fixed where I had to cut it off (Spot welded new piece in) sorted all rusted captive nuts and made new ones and re hung tank under car.


Currently waiting for new fuel injectors as old ones beyond saving.

I am hearing pump prime but no fuel at fuel rail, I have checked everything and think I may have pushed the pump to high on the pipe in the tank and its inlet is sitting above the current fuel level, will add more fuel later.

Got the engine to run on all 4 briefly by introducing raw fuel into inlet manifold, run for about 20 seconds but encouraging to hear.

Don't plan to drop the tank again till next spring when will start underbody repaint so will have to run around with plenty of fuel.

Had the twin rad fans in workshop, sorted rusted fan carrier and freed up sluggish fans and tested.

Working my way round numerous electrical connection problems.

Radiators got a small leak the system was drained whilst stored so not frost damage.

Brought rust free drivers and passenger doors from Cos Elle on here, Thanks


Will update again shortly with pics.




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Nice to see another sierra getting looked after. The price of sierras are rising.

 

Good luck with it, amazing you've had it from new and good to see it being saved. Back arches don't look too bad considering.

I think you'll need a bigger jack for doing the underneath lol

 

Update 25/11


I brought a bigger jack! 3 ton from http://www.sgs-engineering.com/?gcli...FVG6GwodUSwCIQ
nice bit of kit and good service from SGS.


Today It runs! Original new fuel pump Faulty and fitted a 2nd new one, new fuel injectors, cleaned out fuel rail, ICValve and with a bit of start yer bas****! burst into rattley life, the rattles settled down quickly (Hyd Lifters) it ran well up to temperature, moved backwards / forwards in the gears everything good after 12 years of storage in the garden, got it insured and making space in garage ready to move it up to there, next some welding! and MOT, Happy Days!

 

Got the engine going at last and brakes freed off so was able to drive it at last out of the field its sat in for last 12 years up to my garage, not without more fuel drama, (fuel leaks) got new HP fuel pipe from Burtons and will be fixing.
Garage jobs now complete, Got all rear lights functioning by making up supplementary earths and cleaning bulb holders and contacts, changed engine oil / filter/ air filter/ cleaned icv, new gearbox earth on order, need to get exhaust downpipe off for welding small holes, prepared rot around front screen for paint caused by clumsy screen replacement in past.


Work is so much easier in the garage!




Car SOS "Saving my Sierra Sapphire" by Mark Handley, on Flickr

 

Watching this with interest, nice to see something not cosworth

 

So an update, lots done, decided the down pipe to far gone so have a new one waiting to go on, brought a new radiator, stripped out lights for a clean and refresh, new discs / pads & front springs, TCA & steering joints good, dealt with minor surface rust in offside wheel arch and suspension tower and repaint, slam panel was a mess cosmetically so repainted that as well, lots of other jobs under way around the car, booked in for welding and new front doors fitting on the 30th Jan followed by MOT.

 

Well done for saving it, not many left on the roads now

 

Great project and love your dedication to it. Also nice to see the Sapphire finally coming of age to be regarded as something worth restoring, for many years it seemed their only purpose was to be broken for spares as a cheap way to keep 3drs and Escorts supplied with bits.

Good luck with the rest of the project, I will be checking back on this for your updates

 

Car went for its MOT today, I expected a fail and it did! but the point was to know whats needed.

Fail points;

Cracked screen in wiper area
Rust on sills, & nearside front chassis leg
New front doors needed (I have them already)
Brake pipe corrosion
Front hoses need replacing

The sills need more work than I thought, outer and inner sills and about an inch of floorpan need attention.

Awaiting Welding; (click the broken link)


by https://www.flickr.com/photos/65081372@N04/, on Flickr

rough list of replaced parts so far

Battery, Radiator, TCA's, Front Springs, Discs/pads, Exhaust Downpipe, New Tyres all round, various bulbs, Fuel pump, Fuel Filter, Fuel injectors, Propshaft front section and doughnut, Centre bearing and bush, Fuel pipes, driver passenger doors, boot lock,

Image above is missing fog lights and headlamp wipers (I have Saab 9-3 ones) as still restoring.

Long term plans to upgrade audio, replace headlining and fix jammed sunroof, finally respray same stratos silver color.

 

Looks nice in the picture mate, almost the twin of my 24v project.

Keep at it mate, glad you saved it.

 

The other sides not so bad,

[/url] by https://www.flickr.com/photos/65081372@N04/, on Flickr

 

Well worth restoring,good on you for saving it

 

https://www.flickr.com/gp/65081372@N04/4LYUr3

[/url] by https://www.flickr.com/photos/65081372@N04/, on Flickr


by https://www.flickr.com/photos/65081372@N04/, on Flickr

by https://www.flickr.com/photos/65081372@N04/, on Flickr

by https://www.flickr.com/photos/65081372@N04/, on Flickr


by https://www.flickr.com/photos/65081372@N04/, on Flickr


by https://www.flickr.com/photos/65081372@N04/, on Flickr

 

Post updated above with latest pics, got to weld on new sills, repair rust on boot catch area and fit new screen, elsewhere the stripped out interior is being cleaned and new headlining prepared, sunroof will need attention.

 

New heated screen fitted today (Friday), welding work now complete and car coming back Saturday for fitting most of interior and door internals, MOT end of next week.

 

I didn't even realise u could get heated screens for these still!!

 

Windscreen supplied & fitted by;

http://247windscreens.co.uk/

 

Nice progress, I've been following this from the start because I love the fact you kept the car all this time. Hope all goes to plan with the remaining work. Regards the screen, you've reminded me I need to check which seals I need for front and rear screens in mine.

 

What a great project, as someone has already mentioned,nice to see it's not a cossie to.Really interesting resto, bringing the car back to life gradually...nice.Keep up the good work.

Thanks. Lee.

 

Cool project

 

The differential was noisey on my sierra so time to get it sorted, once removed I drove it over to Bara Motorsport in Bromsgrove near Birmingham, it's a 250 mile round trip but they come highly recommended, I had arranged to drop it off at 9am and should be done by 2pm which it was.

Cant recommend these guys enough, Diff was stripped cleaned and reconditioned with new seals and bearings and properly set up.



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Website here;
http://www.baramotorsports.com/


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