I hope that the car is restored. It is rare, evocative of the era and very low mileage. The mr2 is possibly much easier. Jonny, thanks for doing these. Your natural enthusiasm for cars is brilliant and the stories behind the cars are great. Really enjoy the barn finds, the garages / man caves, car reviews and the chats with motoring people like Harry metcslfe.. channel should have many many more subs.

@samholdsworth420

Жыл бұрын

The only issue I have is that it's a five-digit odometer. It could easily be 113,000 miles. Still cool it survived.

@huwzebediahthomas9193

Жыл бұрын

@@samholdsworth420 Ex rep car for first few years, so if so, could very well be.

@adambrand7601

Жыл бұрын

No

@WarrenF

Жыл бұрын

Low mileage is irrelevant when it hasn’t moved in 30 years

Aw, I love the little human stories and nostalgia in these episodes. It's not _really_ about the cars at the end of the day, it's about the people. So good.

@Spike0000

Жыл бұрын

History and Memories of better times....

@wardmontgomery9259

Жыл бұрын

and hopefully better times to come -

These barn find videos are my favorites. It's going to be a challenging and expensive restoration project this one though... Hope there will be a Ford enthusiast skilled and brave enough to pull it off though.

@TheLateBrakeShow

Жыл бұрын

🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻

@1one3_Racing

Жыл бұрын

I want to preserve all the cars. Iconic or not. But I dont think it'll happen for this one. Realistically you could buy a good one for 1/3 the price if the resto

@tattoojim182

Жыл бұрын

Lee at Smarden classics is your man to get it restored

I'm currently restoring an xr4i that's been sat for the past 21 years with around 32k miles on the clock 😁 good to see others being found 👍

@lucasbarton1773

Жыл бұрын

Amazing!

Ronnie is a legend. Casually dropping in there ' I'd forgotten about the other car'....and how many people park a car up, and buy a new one ! Awesome video Jonny

Superb episode. I struggle to understand how you can “forget” about two cars 😂😂

@kaboombox1581

Жыл бұрын

2 “ran when parked” at that!

@andrewmartin2103

Жыл бұрын

Lost his dad could not face it.

I'm hoping that this is what happened to all the Sierras of my childhood, they're not all scrapped, there are just many, many garages out there hiding them 😁 . Hopefully you can find them all!

@colinscutt5104

Жыл бұрын

not all of them are hiding, i drive one every weekend 😎

@JelloTR

Жыл бұрын

I hope they’re being kept in better conditions. This poor example has been in a shallow pond for 30 years with the handbrake on and battery still connected. A pile of oxidization with metallic blue paint.

@Mk2fSaloon

Жыл бұрын

And that garage is then hidden also... by some rich dude that only cares about talking about how much its worth instead of actually driving the damn thing! 138k for a Ford escort cosworth lately is just a piss take and a way for rich people to wave their cocks around.

@scrapyardwarriorvlogging

Жыл бұрын

I hope someday I could find my dad’s old Sierra, which I came home from the hospital in when I was born. A510 SVV, 1.6L Auto in red. Last taxed 1996 but last V5 issued 1987, so I’m hoping someone’s got it tucked away somewhere.

@bobbybridgeman2629

Жыл бұрын

@@scrapyardwarriorvlogging my dad bought one brand new reg A767 MVS it was a silver 20i Ghia automatic, many fond memories as a young boy, these videos are kinda nostalgic don’t you think?

As others have said, it beggars belief that people can park up a relatively new car and leave it for 30+ years, worse still to completely forget about an MR2! Having said that, the Barn Find series is enjoyable and interesting, especially the back stories of the owners. Good work.

@Assimilator1

Жыл бұрын

Yea, just crazy it was left to rot :(

@jeffo83

Жыл бұрын

he must be loaded

Love the Welsh accent. The MR-2 is the real find.

In 1989-90, a high school friend of mine showed up at school one day in his father's brand new Merkur (as it was known here in Canada) X4RTi. It looked like something from the future! He took us for a drive during our lunch hours and a few weeks/months later, he let me drive it around the block too. I don't really know why that memory stayed with me, but I remember how fun it was to hang out and listen to our favourite music in (on cassette of course)!

@mikeford963

Жыл бұрын

Those Merkur's were made by the German of Ford of Europe. At least that's what I've been led to believe.

@E9JMX

Жыл бұрын

@@mikeford963 yes they where. "Ford Werke Köln". In 2014, i had 1 of 3 UK registered Merkur XR4ti's. B35 RHC was the reg. It was unfortunately bodged to make a 3dr Cosworth

Such a shame, if that was in the garage with the MR2 then it would be a whole different ball game. It would be good to see it restored but I think it could be too far gone, the whole underside is probably worse than the top.

@jameslatimer1432

Жыл бұрын

Old Sierra cars rot from the Inside Out

Pointing a camera at people normally makes them clam up but JS, you manage to make people feel so comfortable and open up. Love this series.

Definitely restorable and the rarity would say save it, love a barn find great episode 👍

@montanaheaventush

Жыл бұрын

not worth it, too far gone, and rare or not it would make no financial sense. Maybe if it was a Cossie but not this one. Strip it and sell any salvagable parts, the engine which is low mileage would sell for decent money ditto the gearbox, & axle are probably fine.

@Andybarney555

Жыл бұрын

It's fucked. Water +metal+30years In same spot... game over. 40 more be just slush

@notmanynamesleft

Жыл бұрын

All that water around the sunroof and inside almost guarantees that it's beyond saving,will be rotten to the core unfortunately. 🙁

@davidpritchard6102

Жыл бұрын

Way too optimistic. An 80s Ford that's been standing in a damp building for 30 years? If they'd pulled any harder to get it out, they might have snapped it in half! It's a donor car, nothing more.

@samholdsworth420

Жыл бұрын

It's restorable but not cost-effective no one's going to do it

While it's sad to see a car with such low mileage parked when young and just rotting away it's a timely reminder that a lot of old cars in garages and barns will be like this. The idea of finding an easily restorable car hidden away is rare, unless it's something particularly special lots are just good enough for donor parts before being crushed. Still great to watch them being unearthed as the stories behind them are almost always worth hearing!

@jimbo4375

Жыл бұрын

Especially in a rainy part of the country. In the south east it might not be quite so bad, as long as there's no burst pipes!

@Neil2022

Жыл бұрын

Especially with a burst water pipe.

Me and my dad just recommissioned his mk1 xr4x4, 20 years sitting in a garage. Some minor recommissioning and it went through a mot with no advisories....excellent cars..

@Roverturbo

Жыл бұрын

I have an estate version.

@stevenking2946

Жыл бұрын

@@Roverturbo I know I watch your channel....got a brief video on mine if you wish to view...

@Roverturbo

Жыл бұрын

@@stevenking2946 yes mate.

When Johnny said it was parked up at 6 years old I thought this’ll be a right little gem! Bit gutted to see what the ravages of time have done to it despite it being garaged + the no key situation. Fantastic series these barn finds, very enjoyable watching Mr Smith!

I really enjoyed this, what a cracking find. Dad's Sierra. Cassettes of eighties classics. Naff sunglasses, and questionable aftershave. Transported me right back to the eighties that did. Marvellous. And what a brilliant brilliant car. This Sierra so deserves to be restored. I'd love to see it back on the road.

Love this episode. I've owned my xr4i for 34 years, good on Ronnie keeping his.

@TheLateBrakeShow

Жыл бұрын

34 yrs? That is awesome Arthur.

maybe for future videos you could do a "barn find follow up" series to revisit any of the barn finds that have been restored.

Got to love the MR2!! My dad use to have a 1994 (M) in British Racing Green, superchipped with K&N, boy did that thing go well and gripped the road like no end with its Yokies!! Please do a video for the MR2 Jonny!

Fond memories of my XR4i reg A734 LLK. It was an ex Ford demonstrator and was entirely colour coded white including the alloys, headlight and rear light covers. I remember it even had electric heated seats and headlamp washers. #goodolddays

I remember someone up the street from me as a kid had a yellow MR2 and I thought it looked amazing, you know what it still does! Love to see a video on that if you ever pop back. Be great to see them out on the road again both are classics.

Incredible what can be found in old storage! Fantastic video, a *lot* of work to do on that Sierra...

"5195" is the warranty finish date for the battery, probably 4 years so end of 91. Ford batteries tended to last between 5 and 8 years, so that would be the first new battery to replace the original

@TheLateBrakeShow

Жыл бұрын

Thanks Chris, great info

My uncle had one new bought from Elstons in Brecon the same colour and year, 13k with a pretty mint interior that's got to be worth restoring the MR2 is Barn Find Auction fodder that could start the funds off for the restoration so Ronnie can cruise the 4i again but more important than the money with this one is the family story nice one Jonny.

Wow what ashame to see the Sierra in that state hoping Ronnie does restore it would be painful to know it had to be scrapped 😭😭😭love the mr 2 aswell what lovley man well done Johnny finding these 👍🏽👍🏽

I really like these videos, it's the ownership stories as well that go with them that make these finds that bit more special.

Love these Barn find videos. Especially when they have little bits of nostalgia knocking about the car or garage… the stories behind them too. If any of the barn finds get restored would love to see follow up videos to them 😄 keep up the great work Jonny 👍🏼

If it had been kept in a watertight garage, that would have been quite a find

@starfox_wr-45e93

Жыл бұрын

Nothing is watertight in Wales. If it was it has been water-eroded from all the rain 🤣

@ATomRileyA

Жыл бұрын

@@starfox_wr-45e93 haha

@jimbo4375

Жыл бұрын

unless there was a burst water pipe!

@jayteeee1972

Жыл бұрын

Its a ford,it was rusting on the production line.

Jonny mentioned the Merkur XR4ti which was sold in North America, they still have a cult following here. Engine was an EFI turbo 2.3L SOHC 4-cylinder rated at 175 hp. I still remember being at a big annual all-Ford show in the mid-eastern U.S. in 2005 which was the 20th anniversary of the Merkur introduction. The Merkur Club of America put a strong push-on to get their members and cars out for the event. From memory there were about 110 XR4ti in attendance along with a few assorted Merkur Scorpios ... quite the sight all gathered together.

@808v1

Жыл бұрын

yes! I remember these being for sale in imports edition of Auto Trader when I first got my license - and they were affordable strange/cool 'sports' car that I could actually afford - they were dirt cheap back in the 90's

@ChrisMaz

Жыл бұрын

Wheeler dealers did one a couple of season's ago.

@mosschops2890

Жыл бұрын

Car wizard had one in background of a video last week but didn't show it. Gutted.

@RR0381

Жыл бұрын

I saw one the other day here in British Columbia! I never knew they sold them in North America. As a Brit and child of the 80s I couldn’t believe seeing an old XR4i on the road in Canada 😄

@808v1

Жыл бұрын

@@RR0381 I'm in Ontario...they were actually quite common here in the late eighties/early 90's - in the biweekly autotrader for imports you'd prob see 2-3 of them - and like I said previously they were cheap enough for a broke high-school kid to afford back then....I ended up buying a Fiat x1/9 instead :)

I mean. All these barn finds videos are just incredible. Love a Ford Sierra. I grown up in one. My family bought a blue estate Sierra back in june 1988 and we had it until 2005.

I want that MR2! What a little surprise at the end of the episode.

I love the owner just addressing the camera directly.

I just love these videos...thank you so much...Finding cars all over the UK and saving them is amazing..

Oh man, I want that MR2...absolutely love them!

Class! From an age when Ford made some of the most iconic cars on the road.Thanks to everyone involved in bringing us this piece of motoring history and hopefully breathe life into it again

Absolutely love the Barnfinds !!! Hope they both get back on the road 👍👍

Fascinating barn finds!! Love an 90s era car

remember when Sierra's were launched and seeing them on the roads as a kid - they were so smooth and slick and spaceship like....they look really clunky now! Great episode and hope something can be done with the car.....and nice bonus barn find too.

@rovingenglishman

Жыл бұрын

The controversial ‘jelly mould’! Pretty mundane shape these days

@koitorob

Жыл бұрын

Same here. The first one i got to see close up was the one i helped push out of the snow outside my house. I was driving my first car, a Morris Marina Coupe and thought the Sierra's dash was a bit naff!

Brilliant, must bring back so many memories of people who probably aren’t with us anymore. Love these barn find videos, could watch them all day long.

if i got offered the mr2 i'd snap it straight up 😂 love these barn find videos its absolutely amazing hearing these stories i'd love to see the xr4 restored it'd be so worth it

These episodes are so good. It's refreshing to watch a programme that is mature, really entertaining and has a total lack of bullshit.

Try looking above the sun visors for the keys or under the floor mats. Great video Johnny.

Awesome stuff Jonny. Thanks for the video!

I drove a XR4i when it was new, a short distance. Later when the XR4i 4x4 came out, I had one of those for a long journey, maybe 600 miles on winding roads from Oslo to western part of Norway. What a journey with that car on snow.

I can never forget seeing the Sierra for the first time. Playing football on our street in the early 80s and this vehicle which looked like something out of space went past, totally different looking car.

Love Jonnys enthusiasm for ‘normal’ exotica like this! To me this is true petrolheady stuff. Keep it coming!!!!

Enjoyed this always love these videos, seemed like a nice chap too. Shame the rot has gotten to the XR4i but i bet it could be sorted and if it had not been stored it probably would have been scrapped long ago.

Nice vid, amazing what gets tucked away! Brought back some nice memories of my Grandad’s blue Sierra. All the best Ronnie, thanks for sharing!

' man and machine in perfect harmony' That was the strapline 😂

Far worse has been restored, but there’s a hell of a lot of work in that. Depends how bad the floor is. Non cracked/warped Sierra dashboards are sought after, and lots of XR4i specific parts will be sought after too, so there’s value in it even if it’s too far gone for anyone to be interested in. Try and find a Sierra Minker K1 for ultimate rarity!

I had an 82 plate, one of my favourite cars from my past.

When it was put away it probably was already quite rusty. My brother had a 4x4 Sierra estate at 5 years old at 25000 miles it had rust on the arches wings tailgate. They rusted badly.

@Lookup2Wakeup

Жыл бұрын

I had a brand new Sierra 1.8 GL company car. The tail lights were faulty, there was a clunk in the gear box from new, & there was rust on the seams in the boot.....😁

@koitorob

Жыл бұрын

Different model, different shell, (probably) different factory (made in England?) I've got an '84 XR4i with no rust on the back.

Great episode ! I own a 1981 Capri 2.8 injection since 1987.Still in perfect condition. It never ceases to amaze me people throwing stuff on their cars !

That XR4i was put into that garage same year I was born. As a fast Ford fan, I hope that someone can fully restore it!

Every time I see one of these I wonder just how many cars are out there undiscovered. Some people just aren't into cars and might have no idea how treasured the thing that's been taking up space all these years could be by someone else.

Another brilliant barn find 👍 love these episodes with all the car n human stories 😊 Johnny such a pro n you can feel his genuine excitement 😊

Mint video, love barn finds 🙌🏼

Sierras... back in about 1990, my brother in law had loads, engines for a hundred quid from the scrapyard, 2 hours work and then we were sideways on roundabouts having a right lark... we got an XR3 for 200 quid , put an XR2 engine in it.. fantastic sound.... After that I had an XR3i with RS body kit, flat out everywhere.... good memories thanks Johnny!!!

Breaking my heart ❤️. HOW do people forget they have cars in barns and garages and then when its a Sierra or an MR-2? Mind boggling. he needs to restore the Xr4i and get the MR to a proper mechanic.

Lovely car, I really hope it can be saved. Ronnie is great character too. Thanks Jonny

I had a fair few xr4i's and xr4x4's back in the early 2000's when they could be had for a few hundred quid, I used to visit ford fair every year and go to XROC/Interford meetups... How times have changed, wish I could go back!.. I always fancied an XR8 myself :)

Such a shame. I had an XR4Ti many years ago. Loved it.

What a car! I was a kid when the Sierra was launched and it looked mental compared to anything else on the road. My dad had an XR4i and I have fond memories of him trying to hit the top speed on the local dual carriageway.

Late brake show knocked it out the park again ,superb little episode,well done Johnny and the crew 👌👌👌

I owned one of these in silver until the early 2000's, amazing fun to drive and a real head turner.

These barn finds poke the old memory bank in so many different places. I had an A reg XR4i, though I think Ronnies is in better nick than mine was back then. I had a pair of the old folding Aviator sunglasses. They were scratched to the point that I could hardly see through them, but I had to wear them because they looked cool. The anticipation of standing outside the garage waiting to open that door must be unbelievable. Years ago I was taken on to manage a stalled project. When I arrived the project was 18 months overdue and I was shown the equipment waiting to be installed. It had been locked in a secure room since being delivered almost 2 years earlier with all the computers and monitors in unopened boxes still sealed with shrink wrap. This was a time when flat screen technology was just taking off. We had 5 big flat screen monitors for the project that had cost 8,000 USD each. Once we got everything moving we moved the equipment to the installation site and opened everything up. That's when we found that sometime during the 2 year period they were in storage, the monitors had been stolen from boxes and replaced with bits of scrap for weight. Jonny - have you ever got to a garage, opened it up and found that the car had been nicked? That would be an interesting video!

Love the camera work in these vids. The way the camera gets that low shot as they pull roll of fencing out is perfect.

@peterdashper2251

Жыл бұрын

Yes but the sound still needs sorting out!

Wow. I really hope this car gets the propaer care and love it needs. Always had a soft spot for the old Sierras. My first car was a 91 Sierra 2.0i saloon. Looking at car sites every now and again, and always check Sierras and Cossies just to see if there's a bargain or two. Never is.

My brother had one of these, same colour and when it eventually needed a fair bit of welding he parked it up in his (thankfully under house heated) garage for 20+ years. The hope was to restore it someday. He sold it recently I believe and the rust he put it away for...now classed as extremely minor! Most rotted and the body panels/shells have always rare. It's a Fast Ford, someone will restore it. Peace Charlie 🇬🇧

Great video as always Jonny, Shame to see the condition of the Sierra but what a great family story about the car, the music tapes, the aftershave, the sun glasses. And then the MR2!

Fabulous as usual. The Police in Essex had a couple of XR4is back in the eighties. The MR2 looked pretty good under the grime, from what I could see sills looked OK as well. Must have been very early Rev3 (Mar '94) and one of very few on an L Plate. Caribbean Blue replaced the Rev2 Zircon Blue (mine was Jan '94).

Great episode this. What a top bloke, and that German Shepherd a beautiful old dog 👍🏻

That shape of MR2 was such a looker

Level 42 and Givenchy. I just stepped into a time machine and regressed 35 years!

My dream car back in the day, in my favourite colour. My dad had an A reg 1.6GL that we all loved, in Status Silver

That MR2 was something else! That color combo with the black leather seats. Would love to have seen the interior of it for sure and to see if it was a T-Top car. I had a friend back in the early 90's who had a new white one with t-tops and blue interior. Man, the times we had in that car and she sure knew how to drive the crap out of it! 😉

I had one of these in 93,I was 24 years old ,white,2.8 with a full jan speed exhaust,I loved it.

I worked for Avis Car Rentals in Earls Court London in 1987. We used to get new cars direct from the factory delivered to us. We had a few of these brand new on the yard. I have a few photos of us with the 4wheel drive models, out the back of the yard, trying to see if we could spin all 4 wheels! Other notable cars we had was the XR3i and the Montego Turbo. The one I liked the most was the Ford Granada V6.

Absolutely banging what a legend.

What I love most about these barn finds is that the people in them and their families are true, cut from the cloth car enthusiasts. The kind of people who love driving so much that they own and drive an MR2 until they literally can't get into and out of it, move on to another car, but can't bring themselves to sell it. I just hope that people like that aren't a dying breed.

I remember when the first came out, they looked absolutely crazy, the twin spoiler was bonkers! It was like they were from another planet

another cracking barn find! 😎👍

Jonny finds yet another Sierra barn find! Great timing as I rewatched the GLS 4X4 video the other night

@TheLateBrakeShow

Жыл бұрын

👍🏽

Love both cars, shame the Sierra was stored in such conditions😢 Everything is restorable, just that to do well would cost realistically about 20k minimum! The Mr2 should be done asap!!

Great stuff Johnny thanks

Read somewhere that the quarter windows were meant to ape the design of the Porsche 928. Shame about the rot but with that mileage someone will want to take it on! Great vid as ever, love these barn finds

Do you think we viewers could have a follow up video on some of the barn finds, to see what has happened to them since?

They were made on the Karmen production line and out of all of the Sierras the XR4i’s had the best paint and rust protection out of all of them

@arthuradderley5872

Жыл бұрын

Absolutely 👍

@koitorob

Жыл бұрын

That makes sense. My passenger side front wing is original. 100% rust free. The driver side was replaced. Now it looks more like a mid 2000s Ibiza/Golf with the VAG foam problem

This show really makes we wonder just how many amazing cars are sat abandoned across the world. If I had all the money and time in the world, I think I'd spend it finding them and restoring as many as I could

Another great episode. Well it'll either get restored or worst case broken and at least some of the parts will help other owners regardless. Great show, keep them coming.

Had an Xr 4i, then XR 4x4 2.8, then XR 4x4 2.9. Dare I admit I used to tow caravans with them! Great cars. Great episode.👍

The dog looks worried. Great work all involved.

wonderful videos, absolutely brilliant to watch.

Barn finds are brill!..

My dad had one of these, in this colour. The dealers nicknamed it slammer blue as it was the colour of wet tarmac and had 4 if I remember, fender benders with people just not seeing it. What a find!!

My Grandpa had a Sierra, one with a big (for the time) diesel engine in some garish red colour that got stolen, he then bought a silver one from my Aunt. Lots of memories of these cars, when I was in my early teens and before I could drive everyone wanted XR series Fords when they were old enough.

Gotta LOVE 🥰 the twist at the end!!! 👏🏻😵

Loving the cars what a find a must for restoration but, OMG.. folding aviators they bring back memories I remember feeling so cool in my 20s having them... sad or what. Lol.

Trying to remember the name of the magazine from the 80’s, one of those collectible mags where you get the free binder. It was aimed at kids and had full breakdowns of how things work, with cutaway illustrations like WW2 planes and in this case the brand new Ford Sierra. Memories! 👍🏼