EpochNZ's Teenage Wet Dream Sierra Estate

[EpochNZ]

You all know how bad Karl is, right......he's like a crack dealer for old car people, always knowing what your weak spot is.....

The vehicle in question has already featured elsewhere on this forum, I had made slightly unseemly noises towards the owner that could only really be described as "Car Fapping" (Cor, its gorgeous, lovely,etc <eyes roll back>) so when he announced he wanted to sell it I was a pretty easy mark.  When I was a teenager these things were the schiznit; a friend droves his parents white Mk I and we called it "The Space Shuttle" cos it really looked like something out of Nasa.  Telecom had a whole fleet of them.  They were the biggest selling car in NZ for a few months at one stage.

A days work at "Honest Jesses Used Mitsubishi Repair Depot" had her looking mint although I will still need some of Harrys labour to fill in a few holes.

Sure, she is a MkII from 1988 and has the slush box attached to the 2.0 Pinto rather than the manly 5 speed that every man and his dog lusts after, but she runs like an absolute tank.  She has been my daily driver for ages and has taken me everywhere......

We did Cromwell 2 weeks ago (via Dunedin and Roxburgh, then home over the Lindis) and this weekend she took me and the bride to Dunedin for the long weekend, eventually clocking up 890k over 4 days.

There are a few ideas on what to do next on her (Karl definitely has a few) but the biggest problem at the moment is trying to find a spare week or so when I dont need her for it to happen!

(Big thanks to @- i5oogt -, @JustHarry and @DoBro Jesus) for their efforts so far)

Discuss:  https://oldschool.co.nz/index.php?/topic/78024-epochnzs-teenage-wet-dream-sierra-estate-discuss/

 

[EpochNZ]

What, an update you say? Well, okay......

After many many miles (trips) in the Sierra the time came to front up for the WoF....and as expected, things werent overly flash.....lots of rust in weird and unusual places making it a health hazard to both those on the road and those inside.  And probably to Albanian children as well (somehow).

So for the last wee while she has been out at "The Farm" where @JustHarry has been working his magic on it (most usually when he's lost the will to live or wants to take out his anger on something).

Noises are being made about it (hopefully) being ready soon for another crack at this mad WoF thing, we await with bated breath.  On the minus side, Harry has found rust in a few more previosuly unseen places so it might be a bot terminal. But Cest Le Vie, lets just drive it like we stole it until the WoF guy says we cant (on its 2 litre Pinto and 3 speed slushbox) then go find another one.

On a whim I splashed out on these.

They are from an ST170 Focus but I fear there might be some shenanigans needed to get them to fit (if at all).  For the record they are 17x7/ET49 (and that offset is probably the killer) with some 215/45 feet on them.  Now I've read lots of conflicting stuff on the interwebs about what people have got to fit and what didnt, so I guess the best we can do is strap them on and see.  Maybe some 205/40's might be better, either way i can see guard rolling in my future.

Watch this space...

 

[JustHarry]

 

Touched up around the a pillar and front guard this eveing 

Will put the drivers door back on and do the doors and back guards at the same time

[JustHarry]

After much to long it now has color where ive done repairs

Didnt take a pic after clearing it.

Looks the sane but shinyer

[EpochNZ]

And more from @- i5oogt -

Going all jelly with anticipation.

The Bride tonight offered to swap it for the Golf as Daily Driver/Work Hack.  Politely informed her what equestrian mount she could leave on.

[EpochNZ]

Home at last, although the latest run at a warrant wasn’t a success.  More welding to be done unfortunately.

However, it’s good to have her home so I can, at the very least, play around with a few things…

[EpochNZ]

Thanks to James out in Amberly (not sure of his business name, I'll let @- i5oogt - fill in that blank), the naughty rust patch found by that nasty warrant man was cut out and patched. 

A Quick visit to Kaiapoi Alignment and Tyres for some new rear rubbers, a fresh bulb and a hell of a lot of hope......turned into this.

And not a moment too soon as there was pressing work to be done at the islands northern extremities.  Grabbed an eye wateringly expensive roof rack (could have shopped around via mail order, but in a hurry) and set off.

3 days and 1400k's later we are back home.  It wasnt all plain sailing, steep hills are quite clearly her nemesis and she has an auto choke issue (we think) that means the mornings can be a bit embarrassing (like on the Blenheim BP forecourt).  No one really needs to see an older car being pushed away from the pumps so it can have a few moments in the corner having a damn good think about what its done.  15 minutes later, liberal applications of throttle and excessive cranking and shes away again while laying down a blue smokescreen.  Weird, cos then its fine for the rest of the day.  And starts first time fine, its just the second start after a short run.  The run home in the dark was interesting especially when you realise the car behind you is illuminating more of the road in front of you than your own puny headlights.  Oh, and the WoF note that the front shocks may need replacing soon was pretty much on the money as steering at speed could be a tad sketchy at times. 

And with all good wagons, if the back wasnt full on the way home then it was a wasted trip...

Great to meet Dylan ( @ThePog ) and a big thanks to the Marahau Mafia ( @yoeddynz, Hannah and Kevin) for their awesome hospitality and discussions on repowering options.  Cos as we know, Alex will tell you straight....like a Pear CIder....

(He nearly got gifted a Saaaaab for Xmas but the other 50% owner of the engineering workshop was having nothing of it).

[EpochNZ]

So whats even better than owning a Sierra?  OWNING TWO!!!!!!!!

(Badoom-tish!)

I've always been open about my preference for the Mk1 Sierra's over the Mk2's and have been idly keeping my eyes open in case one became available.  Karl (as always) has had his ear close to the ground and knew of a few in the area that might/might not be available.

Then Dave up in Nelson ( @avengertiger ) answered a query saying he had a rolling chassis lying around the paddock at work....

He even did the honest decent thing and pulled it out of the weeds for a look at the undergubbins (while @- i5oogt - was in attendance)

To be honest, it actually looks in better nick than mine........so due diIligence was performed (namely txting Karl and asking lots of stupid questions) and the call was made to grab it.....so now we wait for this crap lockdown shit to end so things can happen.

Original plan was to hit any rust on this shell so she can sit in storage for a while until the time comes that the Mk2 can no longer survive a warrant, then a quick Engine/Box swap and we are back into it.  But.......now I'm wondering about something a bit more ....exotic.  @Carsnz123 (while answering an EOI for some Saaaaab work) has suggested either a Turbo Carbed Pinto (Weber 32/36, Regrind the cam, T25, 8psi) or even a 3SGTE (of which there is one currently on the book of faces.....)

Decisions.....

[EpochNZ]

And...look what turned up in my driveway while I was away for the weekend.

Has the ole "Gearbox on the doorstep" somehow got more vincdictive, "A Ford on your Driveway"??

/Thanks to @avengertiger for the hard yards in teeing this up.

 

[EpochNZ]

Well, its been a while......Stepped back a bit while changing jobs, ignoring toxic covid shit (from both sides) and being busy over summer.

So since the last update, Clio the Sierra (Cos you should always name your cars) has done tonnes more km's and only disgraced herself a few times.  Highlights included:

- While coming home from another business trip to Cromwell hitting 130km plus coming down the Waitaki valley with a strong tailwind.....before running out of testosterone.

- Driving home from Blenheim in full cyclone conditions; 7 hours of white knuckle grip on the wheel, huge ponds of surface water, aquaplaning and full 3 second whiteouts from passing trucks.

- Still being the best tradie vehicle I've ever owned.

And then....warrant time!  <GULP!>  I gave her a good clean, checked everything over, lit some incense on several different altars.......and then on the drive over had a quiet word to her (as you do) promising multiple upgrades if she was a good girl and didnt end up costing too much....

CLEAN SHEET!!!    OMG!!!!!!!

So, now its my turn to uphold my end of the bargain.  About to go shopping for some new shocks/wheels while thinking about an exhaust upgrade (less tractor noises).  Maybe some new paint.  Who knows, I'm feeling so thankful she could ask for anything at the moment and I'd say yes...

[EpochNZ]

Another day, another clean WoF.....

 

[EpochNZ]

So.....in a fit of madness, this happened:

The last 12 months have been a bit of a shit sandwich (and I might even have a bit of an offload in the Depression thread at some stage) but one of the main things Ive chosen to keep my sanity is to finally attack some of the projects that I have been putting off due to "poverty"....when in reality the money was there but I was just prioritising other (shitt) things over them.

So for the rest of the year the focus will be on the CBR MC17 I grabbed off @a.craw4d with the goal to having it running for summer.

2025's big project will be the Sierra, hence the first purchased piece of the puzzle above....its a manifold for a Weber 32/36 to go with the other ideas:

- Kent FR32 fast road cam

- RX8 5/6 speed box (to be determined)

- Mags and Gaz shocks all round.

- Possibly YB pistons and rods in the Pinto 2.0 205 block.

- Possibly EFI?

Id love to chase some numbers around 150-175bhp which should be doable without getting too involved.

I'm eyeing up a carport kit as well to keep it out of the weather, but this is all doable.  The money was always there, it was just getting wasted on stupid stuff.

[EpochNZ]

 “The best laid schemes o' mice an' men / Gang aft a-gley.”

I made the mistake of visiting @d.p.n.s followed by a coffee with @- i5oogt -.

Nek Minit

 

"Turboski Sierra", to quote Karl.

Ooooooooooo.............

[EpochNZ]

Well that escalated quickly...