got talking to the chaps at sierra r us they were just asking in general about my saff. i was telling them it must of had optional extras from the factory. when i first bought the car i checked the vin exspecting to see codes for grey dash carpet seats. to my suprise the codes were raven blue leather blue dash and carpet. as i understand all 2wd saffs came with grey interior. acording to sierras r us my saff was one of a hand full that were specially put together for some of the directors. can anyone shed any light on this. ive all ways assumed my ravern blue leather seats blue dash blue carpet and leather door cards were optional extras

 

I had a similar thing with a 2.8i capri that I had. I bought it off a pal of mine in 2012 and sold it in 2018. It was a 1983 but it had most of the extras/differences of a 2.8i special model that were released the following year 1984. Half leather Recaro. Five speed box, lsd and the flat faced 13” wheels which eventually got changed to the Brooklands 15” rims. Someone could well have retro fitted the special parts to the car but like yourself it had an unusual vin number/vin plate so it could have well had been a special order for someone at Ford, a director or member of the development team etc.If the car has an unusual vin it could well mean it was a special order of some kind.

I believe there was an automatic sapphire cos that came from factory so when ordering a car new it’s possible to spec it to how you want it. When the sapphire changed from 2wd to 4x4 I would have imagined that some of the later 2wd’s had the optional extra choice of the leather but I could be wrong. I saw a mk3 cortina on a motoring show once and iirc that had a 3 litre Essex v6 fitted from factory. That would have been a special order no doubt.

 

My saff’s a G reg RWD. Been a long time since I looked but I’m sure I have a document somewhere showing it came with Raven interior. Mine has the darker trim and carpet fitted

 

the only thing that supprised me was what sierrasrus told me. mine is an e reg 88 so mine would of been to early for leather. if leather only went into the 4wd saffs as i understand 1990 not unless the seats were already manufactured for the capri or another vehicle. as on the vin mine came from the factory with the leather. just a bit of a mystery to me

 

Mines a 1989 G so leather must have been about

 

is the code on your vin leather

 

I wouldn’t know. I’ve a sales document somewhere stating raven on it. It’s in my paperwork somewhere.

 

I've had white g plate 2wd with leather, white f plate 2wd leather and now another white f plate 2wd leather which was rods car

Afaik all those cars came black leather from factory

 

on your vin plate on the slam panal theres various codes including paint and others one will say trim it may be L or could be S one is leather the other is grey cloth or something like that its been a few years since i looked at mine. the letter says what your saff left the factory with when new. if you look in your workshop manual it tells you what the codes are or search on here there was a big post on here about how to read them. i think i started it banging on about my blue dash that was a few year ago now

 

Think its the trim/garn box.

J - Bluestone
L - Shadow
M - Mace
S - Raven

Mine is a 92 with Leather so its S but has a 4 next to it, not sure what the number means and never been able to find out.

Mines an ex directors car, had a dash pad fitted instead of a cubby.

 

hi there how do you no it wasnt an optional extra. have you got paper work that says this. would it be on the original bill of sale i have this for mine. but all my paper work is under another house in our loft

 

Hi,

It could of been an option, not sure.

If the question is - does this make it a directors car? Then no its not a definitive answer.

I do have though all the paperwork from delivery, pdi, first registration, first tax and all the subsequent history leading up to my ownership.

It also has all the car phone still fitted complete with power/comms pack under the front passenger seat.

I was at a show a few years ago and a chap started telling me about his car, pretty much the same tail as mine, turns out his was one digit after mine and from the same ford office.