Stansted Sterling

[TDHFastback]

Have seen this a couple of times in the east Herts area but never had my camera with me. Finally parked in same car park in the SE fully equipped with camera and leaflets.

Its a very tidy 2.7 Sterling though it seems to be lacking some of the usual Sterling luxuries as you can see in the interior shot (heated seats?)

Its driven by a blond middle aged woman.







I was hoping to speak to her but just saw her driving off.
With a bit of polish it would come up really nice and there was no rust around the arches or dash lift.
I like the cream interior with the black exterior colour.
A very nice car with the Mk2 style but reliability of the 2.7. Milage was 62000ish

Kate

[Very Tall Brad]

The early Mark 2 Sterlings were not fitted with heated seats, just electric adjustment and memory.

[scoobyh123]

Looks to be a local-ish car Kate - VS is a Luton registration and Stansted isn't too far away. My car (UR) was first (and second!) sold in Cheshunt and has found it's way to Cambridgeshire so it's possible that said blonde lady lives close to or maybe even works at the airport.

What Brad said about the bum-warmers is right, mine (Mar 1994) dipped out by about 6 months i think but i'm not sure if that was an option at that time or standard kit. Seem to remember seeing a bit in the (original) handbook about them so possibly an option on my age car which is a little newer than this one.

[Russell820i]

Nice spot and pics Kate, really nice looking car. Genuinely cant remember the last time I saw an 800 on the road

[mjc9967]

Its doing well from that year not to have dash lift

[scoobyh123]

Very true unless the owner got busy with the Superglue like i did!

[mjc9967]

Yes - although from what you can see of the LHS binnacle in the pic it looks too neat, even for the neatest of repair jobs.

[scoobyh123]

Well this is mine before :



and after :



I think it looks pretty neat but then i would

Looking again at the pics of the black one, i think it has been garaged a lot - the wood trim is still bright and has good colour whereas mine is a bit dull and faded in areas where the sun has got to it. The sun is probably the major cause of dash lift as it weakens/softens the glue used originally and then bows the dash causing the lift in the first place. Ironically the best time to glue a lifted dash is in direct, hot, bright sunlight with the windows shut - in other words when it's like an oven inside the car!

[Russell820i]

Nice work mate, first time ive seen what the dash lift looks like, neat job mate....and i approve of the Aviators....i have mine in the Sterling too!!

[scoobyh123]

Thanks! If you ever need to do yours, it's pretty simple. Remove the screws that secure the instrument surround/heater controls and remove it, unplugging as you go.

Don't worry about where the plugs go, they only fit in one place each. Cover the steering wheel, column cowl and instruments with old newspaper or similar to prevent splashes from the glue. Using some big spring clamps and blocks of wood (i used some thin MDF off cuts), work a couple of inches at a time from outside to the centre, glue it and clamp it with the wood and clamps. I gave the glue about 10-15 mins each time to set, even with industrial strength, military spec superglue it had a habit of peeling back if i tried getting away with shorter times for clamping.

I know the glue is expensive but it's worth it for not having to do the job twice!

[Russell820i]

Thanks! If you ever need to do yours, it's pretty simple. Remove the screws that secure the instrument surround/heater controls and remove it, unplugging as you go.

Don't worry about where the plugs go, they only fit in one place each. Cover the steering wheel, column cowl and instruments with old newspaper or similar to prevent splashes from the glue. Using some big spring clamps and blocks of wood (i used some thin MDF off cuts), work a couple of inches at a time from outside to the centre, glue it and clamp it with the wood and clamps. I gave the glue about 10-15 mins each time to set, even with industrial strength, military spec superglue it had a habit of peeling back if i tried getting away with shorter times for clamping.

I know the glue is expensive but it's worth it for not having to do the job twice!

Cheers mate, souynd advice That should be "a sticky" lol. Fingers crossed it never occurs...but you never know!! Dont think MK1's seem to suffer in that way do they, its a different design the MK2 Mind you isnt it.

[scoobyh123]

Sticky - like it!!

I've not heard of the Mk1 suffering either although thinking about it my Mk1 Sterling had what looked like the beginnings of it!

I think it's standard fit on the Mk2 unless it's been garaged all it's life - soon as the sun gets on it the glue becomes soft/weak and it starts to lift.

[Russell820i]

Sticky - like it!!

I've not heard of the Mk1 suffering either although thinking about it my Mk1 Sterling had what looked like the beginnings of it!

I think it's standard fit on the Mk2 unless it's been garaged all it's life - soon as the sun gets on it the glue becomes soft/weak and it starts to lift.

Ill keep it out the sun lol

[ksclark3522]

my mark 1 has a nice case of dash lift. my 98 sterling was perfect, and it sat outside for five years of rain and sun. i think it's pot luck to be honest.

[scoobyh123]

I think if it's "nose into the sun" it's worse - just my theory on it from having seen mine and previous experience of other things.