The R21 Nevada Owners Club

[toddao]

I think the caption for this one should be : Quick let's run back before it depreciates/rusts to fug!




It's been weldy weldy, setting the car cover on the BX TRD on fire with sparxx. Now snowing, so I've refrained from waging war on the brown plague : underfloor patch and sill sorted, spotted more 'fun' under the LH rear axle mount! What did I expect for 290€? No pics as it's hard enough going back to the 80s without taking snaps. I found another complete Nevada 150kms N of here : 87 model, first year of production of the ph.1. 200€. Tempted, as parts wagon as I need so many little bits'n'pieces..

[Paul296]

I think the caption for this one should be : Quick let's run back before it depreciates/rusts to fug!

I did much of my learning to drive in a R21 like that one. It was a 2.2GTX with all the whistles and bells and looked lovely. Trouble was you had to keep stopping every 20 minutes to let the engine cool down - unless of course you were doing a parking manoeuvre and then you had to switch the engine off immediately to stop it cooking itself. Happy days!

[toddao]

Yes, they were notorious for cooling issues. Normally the thermal sensor or broken fans are to blame . I am going to overhaul the entire cooling system. The huge splatter of brown water ( now dried up to a rust coloured stain) suggests that cooling water was driven from the system at some point under pressure. My old pal the head gasket? Perhaps another reason for a parts wagon? Then I've got two kwality rusting hulks blocking up my life!

[Dollywobbler]

My 21 2-litre Monaco was absolutely fine on the cooling front. The 1.7-litre seemed a bit of an oddball though. They had a nasty habit of leaving the cooling fan running for ages after turning the engine off. Make sure your battery is in good shape...

[toddao]

One of my friends here, after laughing at my Renault, went out and bought himself a 1987 Sierra estate in a very fetching brown for his family! Could be the foundations of a very small 80s 'Kombi' club

[Wooscary]

It's amazing how rare it is to see Sierras now over here.

My Dad had a red hatch which felt huge after his previous AX!

[citsncycles]

I had the use of a couple of Sierra estates back in the 90's - they were horrible!

[toddao]

The 1987 Sierra had a bit of a prang today - as my friend was driving to meet me and show off his 'new' car. We had a bit of snow here last night and he took an icy bend, lost control and slid into a VW Polo. Being as it was a Swiss import, driven over the border just yesterday ( only 15kms away) it isn't properly registered/insured etc. Bit of a can of worms. Probably the end of the shit-brown Sierra. Not 'Man and machine in Perfect Harmony' like the ad..

When I first saw one of these 'jellymoulds' - every kid thought they were so futuristic and now they look laughably antiquated.


The 'Cosworth' version was alright though there were so many 'tuning' lookalikes/disasters as a result. Like, is this a real Cosworth?

[MULLEY]

Probably the best thing to happen to that Sierra, i've only got poor memories of these heaps. Never had a drive in a cosworth though, so all might be forgiven, but the interiors were pretty dull from memory. Hope your mate is all right Todd? Driving without insurance whilst abroad, i'd be shitting myself tbh, probably get locked up & with a fine so large that you'll never break the law ever again.

[mat_fenwick]

That is all.

[Dollywobbler]

My dad had a Sierra. Late 1.8LX. Was a nice old barge, feeling much more 'together' than his previous Montegos. Dynamically poor compared to a BX, but then I've found that with many of its rivals unsurprisingly. Good fun to hang the tail out in the Sierra though!

I've driven a few Sierras since, a Montego recently and have previously owned an R21, a Bluebird and several BXs. Only the Renault got close to the BX for ride/handling mix but I like the Sierra (even though my dad's lacked PAS). R21 didn't get close enough for me to keep it though! BX wins.

[toddao]

Yes, my Dad had a Sierra diesel in the 80s - endless hours in that thing with him. I remember it as 'utilitarian'.

[MULLEY]

Diesel sierra, didn't it have a massive 2.3 litre heap in it, but only produced about 60bhp? Now that sounds like fun fun fun, not....

[Dollywobbler]

Aye. French Indenor engine. It later got the 1.8-litre turbo diesel, though that still only had about 80bhp IIRC.

[Kitch]

Like, is this a real Cosworth?

Nope, it's a 5dr hatch so if he's trying to rip off a cossie he's phailing pretty badly.