Roy William’s 529bhp Sierra shows why
RS500s shouldn’t only be standard-spec museum pieces.
The spec stayed faithful to RS500
tradition, featuring a tough (six-long-studded) bottom end, ported head, trick
cams, eight old-school green injectors, and whopping T4 turbo with Maram shaft.
Pectel management and a new braided loom ensure there’s a docile idle and
smooth delivery, despite blasting up to 529bhp on Field Motorsport’s dyno.
All
of the RS500s were individually-numbered with a special metal plaque on the
centre console. Ford UK have kept 001/500 to add to there collection at the
Ford heritage centre in the UK.
Joe settled the engine into place alongside
a new, Germansourced touring-car-ratio T5 gearbox and paddle clutch, then Roy
took the car home to finish it off.
Over the next couple of years, Roy kept
busy by restoring and replacing the rest of his Sierra to cope with its
dramatic power hike. AP four-pot calipers have done the trick, and Roy is
equally impressed by his ATB differential, which has proved tough enough for
hard launches. He also swapped to Gaz front coilovers and 400lb rear springs,
if only because he prefers to feel a rockhard ride.
“I love it!” he grins. “It’s exactly what I
wanted. Being a builder, I knew how everything should look – functional. I’m
not into the bling, so I had a hell of a lot of parts dipped and replated, and
the rest powder-coated in black satin.”
Roy struck lucky with friends working for a
Cornwall Ford dealership, where clips, fasteners and bits of trim were hunted
down for sensible money; the rear window surrounds were newold-stock, as was
the $68 sunroof rubber. Nice work.
Classic Look
It would be impossible, of course, to
improve an RS500’s appearance, so Roy stayed sensible with a set of sexy
Compomotive CXN split rims. It’s a smart, classic style that’s far from what
you’d expect to see being given some serious welly. And although Roy runs a
ratty rear-drive Sapphire Cosworth for regular hooning, he’s certainly not shy
of showing his RS500 the sole of his right shoe.
“I’m 60 in September but 18 at heart,” he
jokes. “I remember having it off the 170mph clock in 1993 when it was stage
one, but now it’s a road-going touring car. Joe warned me to be careful because
it will bite.
It
would be impossible, of course, to improve an RS500’s appearance, so Roy stayed
sensible with a set of sexy Compomotive CXN split rims.
“There’s a hell of a shove when that turbo
kicks in – the T4 bang! It’s like being shot out of a gun! It comes alive at
4500rpm, and only drops a little between changes at 7000rpm. It’s flying.
“I haven’t yet gone mental because I don’t
want to lean it out at the top end. I’ve only done 300 miles since the rebuild,
and I’m taking it to Ahmed Bayjoo for live mapping – he knows these things
inside out.
“I want it driveable but still giving the
thrills. I’ll be happy with 500bhp. Ahmed backed it off last time because it
had only one fuel pump and needed two separate lines to the rails. Since then
I’ve made my own twin-pump system with alloy brackets. Builders aren’t usually
this neat!
”With the final map will also come an
adjustable rear suspension beam to stave off so much squatting under
acceleration. “I know it’s a serious improvement and I’d be silly not to put it
on,” reckons Roy.
Figure Of Eight
“The whole package is what I’ve been
working on in stages for the best part of eight years. It’s very much
irreplaceable.
The
engine is the usual Focus RS unit, itself a heavy rework of the Volvo 2.5-liter
transverse-five-cylinder. But the mods for RS500 use are more than a mere chip
remap.
”Even so, Roy’s not afraid to use his
RS500. He’s planning on track time to exploit the full 500bhp-plus potential,
and there’s no chance of putting the Sierra back to standard for entering some
concours competitions. He agrees, “Under the bonnet the VIN plate is original
and tatty, but I left it as it was. A bloke at a show told me it spoils the
look, so I said it’s my car and I’ll do what I want.”
After a quarter of a century’s use, abuse
and complete dedication, Roy’s certainly earned that right. Here’s to the next
25 years with this absolute corker of a Sierra.
