Hi all, just a quick post to intoduce myself. This is my project car, 1985 SRi, one previous owner. I purchased the car in 89 drove it as my daily for approx 6 years and then garaged it which is where it has been ever since dry and warm. I decided at the start of the year it was time it saw the light of day again so currently working towards getting it ready for an MOT maybe feb/mar next year. Will go into more detail as it progresses. Yet to decide whether i will be keeping it or selling it once completed.

 

Couple more pics.

 

morning! very nice.

you could be in with a chance of "longest owned" award??

Yes i have owned it since 3rd Jan 1989 !  It was originally registered new 30th Oct 1985. It's a bit of a long story but in brief it came off the road because i was having issues with it. It would suddenly stop and refuse to start. Then it might start and run fine for a week , month or longer and then same problem would come back. I was very busy at the time with work and family and just went out and purchased a replacement car as i needed a reliable car for work etc. Put the cavalier in my garage and never had the time to do anything with it. A mechanic friend of fine at the time replaced the ECU (for free) and hey presto everything was fine but a year or two had passed and although i kept promising myself i would get back on the road and sell it other things always took priority. Now semi retired and decided that it was time for it to see the light of day having been tucked away in my garage for over 20 years. Have already done a fair bit, more to do and thoroughly enjoying the process. Underneath is pretty good , was zeibarted from new, body work all good except rear nearside arch and part of the sill which will be replaced. May need to source a new fuel tank but until i get it off not sure, definately needs a new sender but finding it difficult to find, its the bolt on type. Replacing the entire exhaust which is where i am at the moment but its fighting back.

Edited October 18, 20178 yr by Ian Whorlow

Even the documents are pretty much as new, lol.

Hello Ian, great looking car with a good story to boot.  It will be good to see it MOT'd.

That day will come, just a question of when

Good to see you are giving it some love

Now the summer has almost gone and the garage floor feels more uncomfortable and cold i will be spending some time on the interior so tomorrow i start on the seats. Tried a trial patch with 2001 carpet cleaner and it came up a treat.  Dont know if anybody would have one but i'm also currently looking to buy a replacement original philips radio cassette. The original one in the car was a Philips AC741

Bit more achieved today, instead of saying what, here is a clue, complete assembly removed ready for new replacement.

That must of have been exhausting for you

  spot on, no prize i'm afraid, the exhaust put up a bit of a fight, especially those two bolts.

Looks superb. I have very fond memories of a good friend of mine having one completely identical to yours around 20 years ago. We went everywhere in it. It seemed soooo fast at the time lol! He  cained it everywhere but it just kept going. 

Hi there, yes the engine itself is pretty robust although i do remember some 20 odd years ago having the head off for a new gasket. My current daily is an ST220 so im afraid the SRi will seem a little slow now but great memories and it served me well at the time. Its now getting uncomfortable for the old bones lying on the garage floor so im currently tarting up the engine bay.

Edited October 30, 20178 yr by Ian Whorlow

O no, you stepped into a F%&d

Please forgive me for i have sinned

1 minute ago, Ian Whorlow said:

Please forgive me for i have sinned

You know you mistake as you kept the SRi tucked away

On a serious note, my mk2 daily is slowly decomposing so its understandable running a more modern car.  That said, I love driving the old car....so its catch 22.

The ST is a lovely drive, 2005 and only 65k on the clock, drives like new still but i look forward to the day i can drive the SRi down the road again.  Hardly ever see the MK2 on the roads around here but funnily enough just followed one this morning, white SRi saloon.

Could be Jonny in the Sri

I had a friend with an ST220 in the asbo orange.....we had a couple of runs where I got "stuck," behind it

Then you woke up  Who is Jonny,any idea where he lives?

38 minutes ago, Ian Whorlow said:

Then you woke up  Who is Jonny,any idea where he lives?

l must still be dreaming then as I still have my ro out the front

Jonny lives up oxford way, he is the only white SRi owner I know, but for sure there are others.

I got it wrong my mate had a 55 plate focus ST and I was surprised how slow it was……the ST220 is the Mondeo…..Fords are not my strong point lol

  3L V6     Will have to keep an eye out for the one i saw this morning then, shame i did not get the reg.

Nice.  Would probably give my 6.0 V8 a push.

Have you joined up yet Ian?

Yes, just did it this morning but if i click on Owners Club i do not seem to be able to see anything??