Sapphire Cosworth 4x4
Discussion
...or should that be Cozwurf? 
I am considering chopping in my recently acquired and (so far) reliable Mazda MX6 for (what once was) the car of my dreams - a Cosworth engined Sierra.
Now there is no rational explanation for this - I have a Chimaera in the garage to quench my need for speed - but with prices seemingly so low I am sorely tempted.
My heart is saying that I should buy one now, before they all rust away. And my head is saying don't buy one because it WILL rust away!
Can anyone help me with any of the following:
Am I going to be able to pick up a decent Sapphire 4x4 for around £5k (trader, not private)?
Any good buyers guides on the web?
Will corrosion be a problem? It was on my 1989 (non Cossie) Sierra.
How much, and where, to get it serviced?
Is it a sensible daily driver (probably only 10-12k, but in all weathers)?
Will I be disappointed, and end up wishing I bought an old Impreza instead?
TIA
Paul
I am considering chopping in my recently acquired and (so far) reliable Mazda MX6 for (what once was) the car of my dreams - a Cosworth engined Sierra.
Now there is no rational explanation for this - I have a Chimaera in the garage to quench my need for speed - but with prices seemingly so low I am sorely tempted.
My heart is saying that I should buy one now, before they all rust away. And my head is saying don't buy one because it WILL rust away!
Can anyone help me with any of the following:
Am I going to be able to pick up a decent Sapphire 4x4 for around £5k (trader, not private)?
Any good buyers guides on the web?
Will corrosion be a problem? It was on my 1989 (non Cossie) Sierra.
How much, and where, to get it serviced?
Is it a sensible daily driver (probably only 10-12k, but in all weathers)?
Will I be disappointed, and end up wishing I bought an old Impreza instead?
TIA
Paul
Have a look around www.turbosport.co.uk, they are a pretty helpful bunch on there and there are loads of motors for sale.
Hi I did a lot of comment in Craig Alsop's column.I am not a "three line type" but like to converse... setting that aside, I did argue the case on the 4x4 Sapphire being a classic perennially. The only way to buy a rust free car is to buy a rust free car if you get my drift. That means nothing ever repaired before.
This means that you simply do not buy any car which has any rust at all. Don't accept the "in the usual places " ads etc...one might ask..why was this wonderful car let go and where is all the rest of the rust..'cause it will be there somewhere most likely.Have it thoroughly checked on that point by competent club or society engineers/panel beaters..and pay the fee but demand a point by point report.
I bought my Sapphire in France, rust free, unaccidented but rear window unstandard as long ago smashed to rob it of radio etc and it is LHD. I have to leave it in my grange...and so face the same concerns as you about keeping it rust free..mine is the 1990 red/non catalyctic.Absolutely standard; though I have bought grooved discs and the pads from Bay Brakes..nice chap..at very good prices on eBay by not going ego..about 160 quid the lot
Still...and I raise the question with those who know these things..when UK or Britain joins the EEU will the restrictions if any on using LHD cars in UK be lifted?? Ths could be an important point if driving LHD doesn't freak you...its all mirrors and trafficators today.
I also have a 4x4 3p Siera here and can 'immatriculer' this car for daily use without restrictions if I wish. Can you do that LHD in UK?
You might find more rust free cars on the continent and Germany advertises most. Finland, Sweden and Denmark have interest in Cosworths though rarely seen selling them say on eBay..try the clubs. I have seen one or two Sapphires RHD sold recently in Germany...nice cars too.The nederlands also have a thing about them. Few got to Australia and NZ.
My serious advice, for what its worth, try to only buy a standard car, well maintained but without vast quantities of repairs that might make it evidently a dog or flogged...it happens...but require a full history at the same time and check it out with the garages involved..Why standard??.. if you want a CLASSIC , don't think..."all this extra gear for virtually nothing" as the cars might have been flogged. You could of course buy one if perfect and no rust and sell off the bits and go back to standard or stage 1 max and just improve brakes and suspension without silly stuff.
Once having the rust free car..you then have to get inside the sills (through the neutral awis, never top or bottom ...I drill a small hole through the ends and then later proof it and seal it with a grommet eg) or any likely places with the famed waxoyl after suitable preparation (or real fishoil not the watered down brew that seems to be around today, but the seriously sticky one.
UK has the salt and farm fertiliser problem, which get picked up and I remember reading years ago.'cause I am not English, that some fertilisers are more corrosive than salt. So..you have to wash under the car too...not blast all the proofing away but to get rid of what you can then dry the car, this involves also driving around corners, making sure all the drain holes are iunblocked and making the odd one way hole in the wheel well and keeping it dust free.
All that prattle is to say..once you have a rust free car you have to keep it that way. Garages with some heat from the central heating or whatever are commonly used with classic cars. Remember that settling humidity inside sills and box frames eats cars out from the inside..this is what, with experts like waxoyl you need to seriously prevent. Why buy a car and watch it deteriorate and depreciate? That's just crazy...and tragic.
The Escort will always be "the undefeated classic" but the Sapphire will get there also if people read its improvements over the early cars...It was a startling array of improvements over the 2wd but without the power capabilities not quite as much opposite lock stress/fun(??..fun when you seek it, not when you don't, time after time on mountain roads.)
Hope the chat is some help. I will not be writing such long reply again but hope someone can also help on the EEU/LHD/RHD questions for me as well as the author of this thread.
Cheers
This means that you simply do not buy any car which has any rust at all. Don't accept the "in the usual places " ads etc...one might ask..why was this wonderful car let go and where is all the rest of the rust..'cause it will be there somewhere most likely.Have it thoroughly checked on that point by competent club or society engineers/panel beaters..and pay the fee but demand a point by point report.
I bought my Sapphire in France, rust free, unaccidented but rear window unstandard as long ago smashed to rob it of radio etc and it is LHD. I have to leave it in my grange...and so face the same concerns as you about keeping it rust free..mine is the 1990 red/non catalyctic.Absolutely standard; though I have bought grooved discs and the pads from Bay Brakes..nice chap..at very good prices on eBay by not going ego..about 160 quid the lot
Still...and I raise the question with those who know these things..when UK or Britain joins the EEU will the restrictions if any on using LHD cars in UK be lifted?? Ths could be an important point if driving LHD doesn't freak you...its all mirrors and trafficators today.
I also have a 4x4 3p Siera here and can 'immatriculer' this car for daily use without restrictions if I wish. Can you do that LHD in UK?
You might find more rust free cars on the continent and Germany advertises most. Finland, Sweden and Denmark have interest in Cosworths though rarely seen selling them say on eBay..try the clubs. I have seen one or two Sapphires RHD sold recently in Germany...nice cars too.The nederlands also have a thing about them. Few got to Australia and NZ.
My serious advice, for what its worth, try to only buy a standard car, well maintained but without vast quantities of repairs that might make it evidently a dog or flogged...it happens...but require a full history at the same time and check it out with the garages involved..Why standard??.. if you want a CLASSIC , don't think..."all this extra gear for virtually nothing" as the cars might have been flogged. You could of course buy one if perfect and no rust and sell off the bits and go back to standard or stage 1 max and just improve brakes and suspension without silly stuff.
Once having the rust free car..you then have to get inside the sills (through the neutral awis, never top or bottom ...I drill a small hole through the ends and then later proof it and seal it with a grommet eg) or any likely places with the famed waxoyl after suitable preparation (or real fishoil not the watered down brew that seems to be around today, but the seriously sticky one.
UK has the salt and farm fertiliser problem, which get picked up and I remember reading years ago.'cause I am not English, that some fertilisers are more corrosive than salt. So..you have to wash under the car too...not blast all the proofing away but to get rid of what you can then dry the car, this involves also driving around corners, making sure all the drain holes are iunblocked and making the odd one way hole in the wheel well and keeping it dust free.
All that prattle is to say..once you have a rust free car you have to keep it that way. Garages with some heat from the central heating or whatever are commonly used with classic cars. Remember that settling humidity inside sills and box frames eats cars out from the inside..this is what, with experts like waxoyl you need to seriously prevent. Why buy a car and watch it deteriorate and depreciate? That's just crazy...and tragic.
The Escort will always be "the undefeated classic" but the Sapphire will get there also if people read its improvements over the early cars...It was a startling array of improvements over the 2wd but without the power capabilities not quite as much opposite lock stress/fun(??..fun when you seek it, not when you don't, time after time on mountain roads.)
Hope the chat is some help. I will not be writing such long reply again but hope someone can also help on the EEU/LHD/RHD questions for me as well as the author of this thread.
Cheers
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