Sierra Rs Cosworth Three-Door
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BUYER’S GUIDE SIERRA RS COSWORTH VITAL STATS BUYER’S GUIDE MADE 1985 to 1986 PRICE WHEN NEW £15,950 PRICE NOW £8,000 to £30,000-plus TOP SPEED 149mph POWER 204bhp @ 6000rpm TORQUE 205Ib.ft @ 4500rpm 0-60 6.2 seconds SIERRA RS NUMBER BUILT 5,542 (2,616 sold in the UK) HOW MUCH COSWORTH TO PAY £10,000 TO £15,000 Unfinished projects, non-runners, rot boxes and cars with dodgy history fetch five figure sums. THREE-DOOR Only fakes are cheaper. Words: Dan Williamson Photos: Chris Wallbank £15,000 TO £25,000 Runners in need of work cost up to £20K, while modified machines and weekend toys in good nick he Sierra RS Cosworth. 150mph potential, incredible meticulously-restored-back-to- may nudge 25 big ones. The very definition of a handling and motorsport standard machines. INSURANCE COSTS fast Ford. The bewinged domination. Yet the Cossie is still an £25,000 TO £32,000 Once an insurance company’s worst nightmare, today the RS Cosworth is Concours and A1-condition an affordable proposition, even if owned by a young driver. motorsport-bred Key to that success was incredibly capable performance Sierras are in demand, with Tmasterpiece that should be the two-litre Cosworth YBB car, as happy to be thrashed A specialist broker is key to finding the best deal. Unlike mainstream the best low-mileage, original, insurers –still shocked by the Cossie’s reputation for being stolen and sitting in your garage right now. engine, which could be tweaked around a track as it is to turn unmolested and unrestored crashed – a specialist will realise the Sierra is a prized possession, more The Sierra RS Cosworth to develop twice its original heads at a concours contest. It’s examples changing hands at likely to be seen at a concours show than a McDonald’s drive-through. higher prices. RSOC registrar Paul Collector’s car policies will cover a standard RS, while modified machines appeared in 1985 as a result output. Tuners were quick to also a bank-beating investment Bury expects values to hit £40K of homologation rules, which take advantage, and the Cossie that’s equally able to annihilate may be covered by performance car insurers. Insist on an agreed value, and within the next six-to-12 months. look for limited-mileage discounts or track-day cover. meant 5000 examples were became king of the modified car your wallet. Here’s how to find the Joining the RS Owners’ Club is particularly worthwhile – it offers several required for eligibility in Group world. car of your dreams. insurance schemes, while many other classic policies cut prices for club A touring car racing. And, Today we’ve come full circle. members. because Ford was determined Huge desirability and rising values WHERE TO to win, the Sierra RS was have taken the three-door Sierra BUY ONE packed with groundbreaking into the hands of collectors, You won’t find many three-door ingredients – namely wild keen to secure the lowest- Cosworths for sale – mainly aerodynamic styling and mileage original examples and because owners are hanging a turbocharged 204bhp onto their cars as their values rocket. Sierras sometimes appear powerplant from Cosworth on eBay and Facebook groups, Engineering. The result was especially those at the lower end of the market. Tread carefully because bargains aren’t always what they seem. The same goes for classic auctions, where bidders get carried away and buy three-doors for more than their retail value. If you’ve got the budget, specialist car dealers are a good source of top-notch Cossies, but you can’t beat buying from an enthusiast or long-term owner for that all-important history file. Indeed, many of the best machines change hands without being advertised. So be sure to contact the RS Owners’ Club: members and/ or the three-door registrar could have information on any cars currently for sale. IN THE ADS We found this example on the Auto Trader website. It has plenty of history, has had a full rebuild, but has sat for the last 5 years, has no MoT, and needs a little work to get it back on the road. 78 FAST FORD FAST FORD 79 BUYER’S GUIDE SIERRA RS COSWORTH ENGINE “Beware of head gasket Legendary Cosworth YB engine will produce big power or cover high mileage, but rarely both. Although parts are available to repair the motor, it’s an expensive business. failure, including coolant All three-doors were equipped with YBBs, and early versions were weaker. Piston slap from cold is normal, but beware if the engine sounds like a diesel when warm – it’s probably due a rebuild. It’s common for tired dripping down the YBBs to growl, and severe knocking from the bottom end means costly crankshaft and/or bearing problems. Beware of head gasket failure (or, worse still, a damaged head), including cylinder block on the coolant dripping down the cylinder block on the exhaust side, water in the oil or steam exiting the exhaust. Black smoke (excess fuel) is typical of a modified engine, while blue smoke means oil is escaping – the odd puff at idle is normal but under power it’s likely to be worn piston rings or a blown exhaust side” turbo; check it for play by wiggling the compressor wheel. If you’re inspecting a modified Cossie, ask to see receipts from a respected tuner. Dodgy upgrades can be a ticking time-bomb. TECH SPEC ENGINE 1993cc four-cylinder, 16V, DOHC YBB with cast iron 205 block and alloy cylinder head, 8.0:1 compression ratio, toothed belt drive, Weber-Marelli multi-point fuel injection and electronic management system, Garrett T03 turbocharger with intercooler. TRANSMISSION TRANSMISSION Rear-wheel drive with Borg Tough as old boots, the rear-wheel- Clutch slip is common, especially Warner T5 five-speed manual drive Cosworth’s T5 gearbox can with more than 300bhp pushed gearbox, viscous-coupling nevertheless deteriorate with wear through a standard part. To check, limited-slip differential, 204mm and abuse. Generally the problems are floor the throttle in fifth at 3000rpm. A clutch. Final drive ratio: 3.65:1. little more than worn synchromesh stiff clutch pedal is probably due to a BRAKES rings, which crunch when changing sticky cable. 283mm ventilated discs (front), gear (especially from third to second Transmission rumbling may be 273mm solid discs (rear), Teves or third to fourth); the only cure is caused by collapsed driveshaft ABS. an expensive rebuild. Bear in mind bearings, eventually losing drive in one SUSPENSION there’s no synchro on reverse, so it’s or more gears. MacPherson struts, Fichtel & often noisy unless you select fifth Many Sierras have dodgy Sachs gas-filled dampers, coil before moving the stick. Meanwhile, a differentials, occasionally whining, and springs, lower track control arms, properly dead ’box could have stripped often resulting in a one-wheel-drive 28mm anti-roll bar (front), semi- teeth or snapped selector forks. effect when the LSD is worn out. trailing arms, coil springs, Fichtel & Sachs gas-filled dampers, 14mm anti-roll bar (rear). Wheels and Tyres SUSPENSION BRAKES 7Jx15in RS alloys and Dunlop D40 205/50VR15 tyres. Most Cosworths have had their suspension Great stoppers when working properly, the INTERIOR upgraded, albeit ages ago. In many cases it’s Sierra’s four-pot front calipers are prone Recaro front seats with grey tired, with soggy springs and dampers leading to to seizing against its 283mm ventilated Roma cloth trim, leather-rimmed vague and unflattering handling. Likewise, a hard discs; the symptoms are heavy juddering or three-spoke steering wheel, or crashy ride may be from broken or mismatched pulling to one side. Vibrations felt through leather-covered gearknob, components (or aftermarket coilovers set too hard the brake pedal and steering wheel are boost gauge within instrument for the road) . most likely due to warped/contaminated binnacle. On the test drive, feel for wandering from the front discs and/or pads – Cossies consume EXTERIOR front end, probably due to worn track control arm them pretty regularly. Three-door Sierra hatchback bushes; clonking could be caused by the same. Rear discs on a three-door aren’t body with unique polycarbonate Similarly, sloppiness on the tail end will almost ventilated (unlike the Cosworth 4x4) and bodykit comprising deep front certainly result from tired rear beam bushes. Stick in may also be seized on or off; jack up the bumper, side skirts, wheelarch a set of Powerflex replacements and the problems back end and spin the wheels, applying the extensions and rear wing, rubber will disappear. handbrake to check. front lower splitter, front fog If there’s play in the steering the PAS rack could The standard ABS is good, if now aged. lamps, mesh grille, bonnet vents, be at fault, although it’s more likely just the steering That means plenty of problems with the colour-coded electric heated column bushes, which are cheap and easy to wiring or sensors (sometimes just dirty mirrors, electric front windows, replace. but awkward to trace), or the ABS pump. tilting/sliding glass sunroof. Beware of any Sierra pulling to one side, which Beware if it feels like there’s no servo Colours: Diamond White, Black or could be a sign of accident damage (or simply assistance (a heavy pedal) or lights are Moonstone Blue. sticking brakes). glowing in the instrument panel. 80 FAST FORD FAST FORD 81 BUYER’S GUIDE SIERRA RS COSWORTH ELECTRICS INTERIOR Be under no illusions: it’s a mid-80s’ Find a three-door with an Ford; the Cosworth’s electrics are immaculate interior, and be a bit crap.