Section II The Donor Vehicle

When this web site was first written in 2003 Ford Sierra's were still to be seen running around on UK roads and late models were still advertised in the local paper. In the short space of 4 years they all seem to have more or less vanished, no doubt due to the ravages of time and the dreaded MOT. I have not seen a running Sierra for a couple of years, and even scrap yards are closing due to the value of land for housing and environmental pressures. Once a car gets into a scrap yard getting the donor parts out again is a nightmare for many obvious reasons. Why is the car there in the first place, is the engine seized or worn out, has it got a cracked block who knows. Is the gearbox or final drive OK, unless you can buy a "runner" you will never know until the car is on the road and the later Ford gearboxes are non serviceable items. Getting exactly the model of Sierra you want is even more problematical. Unless you can buy a Ford Sierra still on the road that can be run and the condition of various essential items checked out my advice is to proceed with extreme caution. Robin Hood Sports Cars used to have a very large stock of salvaged bits and they may be able to help. If you have deep pockets you can afford to buy fully refurbished modules (there are suppliers who specialize in this aspect of kit car building but at a price) and fit these as required, at least you can acquire exactly the specification of parts you need and be assured they are in good condition. But beware you may never get your money back, new car prices are constantly moving down and this inevitably pulls down second hand ones, including kit cars. Whilst on this doom and gloom subject you may care to look at the donor parts list and pay particular attention to items that you may not be able to purchase for much longer, at least for a reasonable price. As an example take the Steering Column Switches and Ignition Module. Very specific to the Sierra but would cost a fortune via Ford if they are still obtainable, but they can be bought for a few pence from a scrap yard. When you are in a scrap yard think about getting a spare JUST IN CASE. It could save you pounds and keep your car on the road. No doubt the skilled enthusiast will be able to modify or adapt a large number of items from other cars, but we are not all that skilled or have the workshop facilities needed. These parts are highlighted in RED as are parts that need extra care regarding internal condition. Gearbox, Final Drive, Engine etc.

To many this part of the build is a major problem as it requires space, a lot of dirty work and some serious lifting gear. It is also potentially the most dangerous as a Sierra falling on you is a once in a lifetime experience. So take extreme car, do not work alone, wear protective gear, have a Fire Extinguisher handy and above all make sure the vehicle is 110% safe from collapse at all times. There is not a lot of need to go under the car at all if you plan your work well. Most of the heavy bolts can be at least loosened whilst the wheels are still on. If it does fall you are only partly dead !! When removing the fuel tank fire is always a danger. If possible work outside on a windy day ! Once the tank is off run a hose pipe through it for a couple of hours and store it outside. It may not be required anyway but will have to come off for removal of the sender unit. This is usually in an awful condition and a new unit is now available, specifically for the RH tank, these are well worth the £15.00 or so. There are plenty of Health and Safety warnings on the video. Ignore them at your peril. A talented engineer friend once died after getting a speck of rust in his eye while working under his car. Sad but true. Wear Goggles at all times. A couple of spare wheels under a car will stop it falling to the ground completely.

Take care to arrange a disposal route. A Sierra shell stuck up your drive for months awaiting disposal is not a good idea. You will have to pay a dealer for removal but keep all VIN and Chassis plates, Number Plates, Log books etc. and advise the DVLA through a SORN declaration (DVLA Form V890) that the car is off the road. The DVLA should advise you 2 weeks prior to the expiry date. It may be safer to scrap the car off and start afresh, but see Section XXV on the SVA Test and and Registration Also put the Ignition Keys and Logbook etc. away in a safe place, they may not be needed for some time. Failure to complete the SORN Declaration is now an AUTOMATIC £80.00 fine. The DVLA will confirm receipt, keep the form (V955) as proof and do not forget to renew the SORN every 12 months. You will get a reminder, fines are up to £5,000 plus 2 years in prison. These new rules apply from January 2004.

A Haynes Ford Sierra Owners Workshop Manual 903 is essential. Do not start without one. It gives in great detail all the information required to strip your chosen donor, look no further. There are two versions, try and get the latter.

The easy donor route is to buy all your bits from one of the specialist kit car parts suppliers. This avoids all the above problems and the parts usually come overhauled and painted. Expensive, but if cost is not a problem then go for it. It does of course have the added advantage that you can acquire exactly the donor parts you require, and not a possible compromise if the exact car you want is hard to find. Good Sierra's whilst not rare, are becoming less common as the MOT and cheaper new cars push them into oblivion. See Links Page. You may however get a Q registration plate if the car is not built from a single sourced Sierra.

If you decide to go the full donor and strip route then the first problem is obtaining a suitable car. There are a wide range of models, Saloon, Estate, 4 Speed, 5 Speed, Single OHC, Double OHC, CVH, Carb or Injection. The DOHC has its own chassis, and the CVH has the exhaust on the nearside. For some reason the CVH is a "non preferred" engine. If you are a first time builder then a standard SOHC Pinto with a 5 speed box and a 3.92 : 1 diff will not be a bad choice. The Injection engine also has the exhaust on the nearside, and will of course have more work due to the added complication of the Electronic Engine Management System, with all its sensors etc. There is a slight complication with the Estate version as, if you are fitting rear coil overs, there is a big hole in the base of the Rear swinging arms. This is quite easy to overcome, but Robin Hood Sports Cars are now advising Estate owners to buy a couple of saloon swinging arms. ABS should not be a problem, it is only on full disc cars, and you will almost certainly be replacing most of the braking system anyway. The ABS system can be discarded.

Whichever car you decide upon, and the choice is 100% yours, try to get one with a couple of months MOT. In this way you can at least run the car around and see if all the essentials are in good order. Note that the gearbox fitted to the DOHC is a non user repair item. There is little point in building a fine car only to find the big ends have gone, the differential howls and the gearbox slips out of gear. Always bear in mind that you are buying a very old car that is almost ready for the scrap heap. That is why they are £30.00 !! Just make sure that the bits you want are OK. Sierra's are very strong cars and the gearboxes and diffs more or less last forever. Engines can be re-bored and new bearings etc. fitted. Cracked Cylinder Blocks and Heads are another matter. A smoker may need new valve stem seals. Do not be to eager to snap up the first car that comes along. Shop about and pay a little extra for a good sound quiet runner. Body and Interior condition are immaterial, but can give a clue as to the care, or otherwise, the car has had. A service history is even better but very rare in an older car. If it is a sweet runner buy it and throw the rest away. DO NOT tell the seller that the car is a donor for a kit car. The price usually goes up. Make sure you get the Log Book, get a receipt, even if it is free, and advise the DVLA of the change. There are some changes afoot at the DVLA and cars that do not have correct paperwork may become un-taxable. See DVLA INS 157 and INF 130

As stated above you must advise the DVLA that the car is off the road with a SORN Declaration (Statutory Off Road Notice) a letter advising of your final intentions will not go amiss. Keep a copies of all correspondence.

There is little point in going over every nuance of stripping your car as everyone has different cars, locations, tools etc. An engine lift and stand are virtually essential, buy or hire them. The Haynes Sierra Manual 903 covers the removal of all donor parts in great detail and is a must.

One good tip is to cut away the upper front body cross member (where the bonnet catch is located) The makes engine removal a doddle.

Have plenty of large plastic boxes to hand and put groups of parts into separate boxes. Take photographs if needed and label up the Wiring loom with luggage labels. See also Section XXII Wiring and Electronics You may not need the loom if you opt for a proprietary unit but you will need some of the special plugs and sockets etc, so keep the lot.

As you remove components refit the nuts, bolts and washers. This saves hours later on during the rebuild. You do not need to search for the correct item, and you are confident in using the correct set up.

Donor Parts required for the 2B Build

Go to Section III

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© Colin Usher 2005