To Strip or Not to Strip, that is the question

old-git

old-git

Moderator
Points
657
Location
Essex
Car
Elan & Robin Hood
Just bought this with the intention of stripping for sale on eBay. However, it is rather a nice car and almost too good to strip. I will make a handsome profit if I strip, but if I could sell as is for £500 more than I paid for it, someone will get themselves a licence loser :)

What does the panel think?

1988 Ford Sapphire 2WD RS Cosworth

Click on any picture to enlarge.










 
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If you're going to sell as it is then I would advise that you make fairly certain the thing is road worthy, not just MoT worthy.

May I be really pushy and ask how much you paid for the car in the first place?

If the answer is yes, the, how much?

It the answer is no then I apologise for asking.

Frankly I think I'd give it a thorough overhaul and sell it on as you're otherwise going to be left with bits of a Sapphire Cosworth for months on end and the constant cost of listing fees etc.

It's not as if there are any parts that are now hard to obtain apart from some of the interior etc. This is where Ford has always been very clever - their performance models are clearly derived from more 'run of the mill' variants and they then allow the technology to percolate up through the range and into other models through the years.

Look at the current Focus. Even the base models handle superbly, something that could never have been said of a base model Escort, for example.

And the last of the Granadas/Scorpios which transformed the Cologne V6 pushrod slug into a 210bhp quad cam delight.
 
It seems ashame to strip it. Is it in good running order? It looks like it has had a few modification.

The hassle of stripping and sellng it would not be worth it IMHO unless you got an additional £2000 out of it. Just think of your time and the cost of this.
 
HDi fun said:
If you're going to sell as it is then I would advise that you make fairly certain the thing is road worthy, not just MoT worthy.

May I be really pushy and ask how much you paid for the car in the first place?
Click to expand...

Ooh, you are pushy, but I like you :)

£4300.

Spec:

Complete engine rebuild including:
New Mahle pistons
Ported & flowed head
BD14 cams
Piper Vernier pulleys
T34 hybrid turbo (cut back blades, 360 bearing etc.) and anti lag throttle body
Engine has done 1200 miles since rebuild (oil still clean) - Allegedly
Conservatively - 300+ bhp

RS500 intercooler
Alcon 6 paddle clutch
Koni dampers all round
TSW evo 17" alloys
AP Racing 6 pot brake kit (approx £2100 new)
Quaife ATB diff (£1200)
Interior is nigh on perfect

Plus lots of dress up goodies such as a Bailey turbo damper (£140 new) and Morrette twin headlamp kit.

Boot was full of original parts (hoses, headlamps, intercooler, etc)
 
waynne said:
It seems ashame to strip it. Is it in good running order? It looks like it has had a few modification.

The hassle of stripping and sellng it would not be worth it IMHO unless you got an additional £2000 out of it. Just think of your time and the cost of this.
Click to expand...

I have already striped 2 Cossies (3 and 4 door) for selling on eBay, so I know what is involved. The market for spares for these cars is good so a healthy profit is achievable, around the £2k you mention.
 
turbonutter69 said:
Keep it don't sell or break it buddy. It's far too good for that.
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Can't keep it for long as the money to buy it came out of the Elan building fund :)

I will get it MOTd as it runs out on the 25th August as I want to run it at the Test and Tune day at North Weald the following Sunday and it is too low to get it on my trailer :). I will then decide whether to strip or sell.
 
old-git said:
Can't keep it for long as the money to buy it came out of the Elan building fund :)

I will get it MOTd as it runs out on the 25th August as I want to run it at the Test and Tune day at North Weald the following Sunday and it is too low to get it on my trailer :). I will then decide whether to strip or sell.
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thats a shame cause i was just about to suggest keeping it till the elan was finished and then sell or break it

so if your happy to sell for £4,800-£5,000 start advertising now on any free site or paper just to gauge interest cause it would be a shame to break!!
but if no luck of that break
sad.gif
 
Strip it! chances are even if you advertise for stripping someone will come along and offer to take up the full thing.
The last cossie we stripped was the old Granada one - (we only wanted the engine/wiring and 4wd drive system so fater this it was out with the stihl saw!) doesnt take that much time to do as yu will know from doing them already, thats the great thing about older fords, easy to work on.
 
With £2k on the table it makes financial sense to strip it and sell it.

Have some fun with it first though! - any good seller should thoroughly test the goods he is selling.
 
waynne said:
With £2k on the table it makes financial sense to strip it and sell it.

Have some fun with it first though! - any good seller should thoroughly test the goods he is selling.
Click to expand...

My thoughts exactly :)

It is quite nippy.
 
put it on piston heads and a few cosworth forums, see what happens, if theres no interest then strip it.

im sure someone will buy it whole and you will make a quick profit :)

looks and reads far too good to be sold in bits
 
2fast2catch said:
put it on piston heads and a few cosworth forums, see what happens, if theres no interest then strip it.

im sure someone will buy it whole and you will make a quick profit :)

looks and reads far too good to be sold in bits
Click to expand...

My thoughts exactly.
Too good to kill you nasty man. :lol::lol::lol::lol:
Don't kill the Cossie.
 
OK, OK, I get the message.

I won't kill it............................................yet
 
If it were the hatch I would say keep it in one piece, but the sapphire is no oil painting is it! After all it is only a Sierra :p

I'm sure you'll use it for a while then decide its fate.
 
Stunning - I would keep it but I guess its understandable to sell it on if its keeping your other plans on hold
 
ben said:
Stunning - I would keep it but I guess its understandable to sell it on if its keeping your other plans on hold
Click to expand...

Fortunately, it is not keeping plans on hold as there are still funds in the Elan Rebuild savings acount. However, it was bought with the intention of swelling said funds so it will have to go soon, one way on another.
 
stamford said:
If it were the hatch I would say keep it in one piece, but the sapphire is no oil painting is it! After all it is only a Sierra :p

I'm sure you'll use it for a while then decide its fate.
Click to expand...

True, but it does look better than a Sierra, just, and it is a tad quicker.

However, it almost sealed its own fate last week. Started it up only to hear a loud tapping noise coming from under the cam cover. First thought was a loose tappet, only to quickly realise that they are hydraulic. Somewhat depressed for a bit, thinking engine now worth a lot less.

Spoke to my engine guru, Jeff, who immediately diagnosed the problem as a knackered hydraulic cam follower, as this is a common problem with YB engines. He told me to remove cam cover and press down on each follower in turn.

Took the cover off then rang him. What am I looking for? Press on follower with a screwdriver. I replied that the cylinder 1 exhaust follower was springy. He said there is your problem, you need a new follower. A simple job I will do this weekend as Jeff has some spares.

A reprieve for now :)
 
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