Hello, advice please.

M

marty

Member
I have been looking at buying a P6 for some time. Viewed 2 cars, ; 1) a 2200TC been laid up for a while but needs seats re-trimming-- it has the pleated cloth interior in an off-white colour, car is mexico brown. 2) an other mexico brown car, 3500 auto., but body issues . Both cars in Worcestershire.

My concerns in regard to a V8 is potential/ probable excess oil consumption. In the road test book I have, each car seemed to burn oil at the rate of 1 pint per 500-1000 miles,(which I regard far too excessive for a new car) whereas the oil consumption of the 4 cylinder cars were virtually nil. I've also read the V8 pulls on head studs, and did so til modifications made until mid 90's. ; possible cause of above? Should I be concerned??

The higher fuel consumption isn't so much a problem if you treat it as an "occassional car" in the classic car sense, and the extra performance is nice but not essential, on todays UK roads you can't use cars to full extent anyway with all the "policing" going on.

May I ask for your views

thanks martin
 
Both are good cars but without as lot more info on 'body issues' and your mechanical ability, very difficult to say anything.

Rovr V8s don't have head studs, unless you convert them to studs which are apparently a lot better than the bolts.

My V8 doesn't use any oil (since I tightened uo the sump bolts) :oops:

Richard
 
Marty

Best advice is

Read the buyers guide I think its some where on the p6club.com site

Take some one with you who is familiar with the cars when you go to look
 
HI Marty

Key thing with any classic car is the body! This is what stops you getting MoT's! With a tendency to low annual mileage, minor mechanical ailment can often be put up with. P6's are just like any other classic in this respect, except that the bits that look rusty or shiny actually don't matter. Everything with an external finish is just a bolt on to an underlying "base unit", akin to a chassis or space frame. The car can actually be driven without evry and all body panels including the roof! The base unit condition is therefore by far the most important thing to look at when buying a P6 - shiny outside can conceal a rot box. See if you can tempt one of us to come with you to look at a car as an education. One hint, the older the car, the less likely to have rust - entirely counter intuitive! Theories include changing steel qualities, shortening waiting lists leaving base units sat outside longer and finally the dreaded SD1 paint shop coming on stream at the end of the car's life.

Series 1 cars have a period charm, S2 TC's and V8's are entirely usable in modern traffic, 2200TC by far the best of the 4 pots but compromised by late build rust issues. Perhaps the best are very early S2's with free road tax!

As for oil consumption on the V8. Well I don't really see the issue - if you want to drive it like a company car the whole car will engage in a race with the ashtray filling up to determine when you need another one. More significant than oil consumption is the requirement for the V8 of an oil change at least every 3,000mls - and despite the blurb that applies to Range Rovers too, right up to and including the 4.6!

Hope that helps to start you thinking.
 
hi Again, thanks for the info., chaps.

I spoke to a gent with a series 1 2000 in red, extremely nice car, whilst at Severn Valley Railways British Classic car day (oct 2009), who explained about viewing base unit, removing carpets etc; very helpful. I was just slightly inquisitive re the V8 after reading period road tests and other "blurb" on the net. I tend to change oil on a "more than regular basis anyway" from habit, but in the V8's case I believe its to prevent premature contamination , protecting cams etc.

I shall bear these details in mind, cheers again and happy new year.
 
Hi Marty

I would o for a 72 or earlier o/a free road tax although some 73 registered cars are also eligible if they were made in 1972. Chassis numbers and English Heritage may help here.If you decide to buy insure with someone like Ion who do fully comp fpr about £80 if you have a good record and another car as your main car. That includes a club discount but it is only about 10% off. Np tax and cheap insurance leave money for any weding or mechanical work you cannot do yourself. Now the big thing as already menyioned by others - the hidden rust potential. It depends what you are paying for the car. If pay a lot you want all 4 wings off and on or be convinced by the seller with photos when they were last off for a restoration or at the worst ask the seller about it and let him convince you it is ok underneath the wings. Open each door and check underneath the door that the drain holes are clear and the bottom of the door is not rusty. Insist the outer sill on each side of the car is removed. It unscrews easily. Inspect the inner sill which is behind the outer one you have removed for rust as this is structural. Lift the 2 rear seat bases out and you will see into the structual inner sills from above. Check for rust here. Lift the front carpets and check for rust where the floor pans join the inner sill. Open the boot lid and shine a torch under the rear decker panel which is the piece of metal behid the rear window. Open the bonnet and check below the two front corners of the car near the lights. Have a look at Wadhams site (you can find it via google). They are one of the P6 spares specialists and havbe a picture on their site of all the weldable spare bits they sell including the inner sill sections which I call inner sills and inner inner sills. Its the labour welding that costs not the metal bits if you have to get the inner sills done.

Oh also check the rear de-dion tube rubber gaiter is in good condition and not spplit by lookong under the rear of the car. And when you look under the rear decker panel check that water is not leaking in via the two nuts on the bolts (one each end) because the rubber washers have deteriorated or disappeared with age. A small leak here equals water seeping down behind the rubber boot lining. So whilst in the boot lift the boot carpet to check for sogns of water or rust, Also check the strip of metal along the edge of the boot at the rear of the boot. This is easily repaired but often missed if a small rust hole or two exists and lets water in. Finally check the gutters each side of the roof for pin holes or worse. If present water will have seeped in behind those 2 badged pieces behind the rear doors and found its way into the rear of the inner sills. A look each year will save the problem if it is not already there!

If all above is ok the resy probably is but there is never a guarantee. Plus Usual mechanical checks of course.

Now I hope I have not put you off. The beauty of the cars is everything unbolts and fixing problems if they have not gone too far is usually not a major problem if you can do it yourself or are prepared to pay.

I have seen a car brought back to life with what seemed like more new metal than old! All the panels were off and the chap had lovimgly welded for days to perfection. I wa amazwd at what I saw and following the respray less importantly it looked like new outside as well. Hopefully someone has already done this to the one's you are lookingh at or maybe you have found one of the earlier cars that has never been affected by rust.

Cheers and Happy New Year

Tony Bunting
 
cheers again chaps,

that's a very honest appraisal of viewing the P6, Tony, almost frightening! Reminds me of people looking at Lancia Gammas,( i've been into italian cars for 28 years) nice car to look at and drive, but a host of warnings to look out for when viewing , in their case both mechanical as well as bodywork orientated. I don't know how vendors may take to insisting outer cills or panels off when inspecting but can see the logic off it, particulary if looking at a "cosmetically" nice looking car.

I'll keep you posted on further developements.
 
Tony,

Have read and re-read your advice - thanks..! I've found a 2000SC that appears in relively fine fettle on the outside but is currently a non-runner due to no drive - engine runs as sweet as a nut..! It's been sat in a grassy field ove winter and I have been given the option to buy at a ridiculously low price, so low that I'd be daft to say no even if the base unit is shot. I'll have alook for my own piece of mind but definately very useful info - Thanks.


Andy
 
If you ever need to look at a stripped P6 give me a call - I've had one in bits for the last 5 years. :( Might give you some ideas.

My own view is that a car with a 'shot' base unit is spares only, unless of significant historical interest etc, but then I don't always take this advice! :LOL:
 
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