Hi!

[nonote]

Just a hiya to all the helpful folks on the forum. I’ve been a long time onlooker, gleaning the odd bit of info from all the helpful threads on here.

I’m from North Notts, 2 minutes from the A1. My P6 is a 1971 (J) V8 Auto in Zircon Blue and has been mine for the last 30 odd years. Learned a fair bit about them during that time and also forgot a lot as the car was at the bottom of the toy box for a good while because of life/work stuff. Hopefully in the next few years I’ll have the time to enjoy it a bit more, together with its garage mate, a 96 Sterling.

Anyway I’m Steve and am happy to lend a hand to anybody near to NG24 who needs a spanner passer!

 

[GRTV8]

Hello nonote, Welcome aboard
Obviously can't introduce you to the "system" as you've been watching from afar for quite a while.
30 years of ownership is quite the milestone
Im interested to see some pics of your p6 from over those years
Gerald

 

[redrover]

Welcome, Steve.
Would love to see pics of your car. Sounds like it's a good one!

 

[nonote]

Well thank you for the warm welcome and interest.
Here it is in all it's glory - the black dog - oh and much less important blue thing is the old Rover.
Hope the picture comes through and if it works OK I'll post some others highliting some suff of interest (to me anyway)! The RAC badge is the latest addition, it's my idea of customising.
If the pic doesn't work please point me towards some instructions.
Steve

 

[GRTV8]

Well thank you for the warm welcome and interest.
Here it is in all it's glory - the black dog - oh and much less important blue thing is the old Rover.
Hope the picture comes through and if it works OK I'll post some others highliting some suff of interest (to me anyway)! The RAC badge is the latest addition, it's my idea of customising.
If the pic doesn't work please point me towards some instructions.
Steve

Hi Steve
that looks very loved

 

[Phil Robson]

Welcome Steve!

That look like a lovely car

 

[redrover]

That's a beauty! Original style reg plate too. Can't be beaten!

 

[nonote]

Thank you for the kind comments about the car. It has one or two "discrepancies" when compared to standard. If you look at the attached pic, bearing in mind it has power steering you'll see one of them. That's how the car was delivered as I confirmed it with the first owner, there's also a road test of a new car with the same issue. Wonder why?
If one of the mods can let me know where to put these pics in the future I'd be happy to keep posting if folks are interested enough.

 

[redrover]

That's how the car was delivered as I confirmed it with the first owner, there's also a road test of a new car with the same issue. Wonder why?

That's very interesting! On the flip side, I wonder if any cars were supplied with PAS steering wheels when they had manual steering boxes....
It's great that you have the history and insight. So many cars have been restored these days (my own is a total bitsa) that much of this historic insight is lost on many cars.

 

[quattro]

If one of the mods can let me know where to put these pics in the future I'd be happy to keep posting if folks are interested enough.

We're always interested in pics, just post them in the thread you're posting in.

 

[nonote]

Hello again to all the folks kind enough to be interested in my old car.
I took it out for a mini shake down earlier this morning, it’s not had a run out for more years than I care to admit. Over a couple of miles near my house, round the pot holed industrial estate then around the two nearest housing estates at a time of day when most folks are still asleep. A couple of people stopped to stare, I assume the engine sound didn’t match the car shape in their minds! Outcome of it was a tiny drip of oil from the bell housing area – hopefully the rope oil seal will swell up with use and start doing its job properly - if not I will sort it by putting a drip tray on the drive. My other tinkerings since it was last used include a fuel pump overhaul, rear brakes relined in stainless together with all new hoses, refurbished and prettied up brake servo, second hand power steering pump (from my stock), screenwasher pump impeller replaced with one from a new old stock Trico pump (series Land Rover), all new fuel lines in as near to original plastic that I could find plus loads of other stuff which I’ve forgot about. You might understand how nervous I was when I took it out.
Glad to hear, Redrover , that your car is a bitsa like mine. I’m fairly sure almost every panel on mine is from different cars, I remember travelling miles to pick up a door from Humberside and leaving with a pair of rear headrests that had been brush painted with cellulose plus the door which for whatever reason took some choice swear words before it fitted! The panel gaps on my car could be accurately described as inter panel chasms but at least they all match. The headrests took several days to clean off with thinners and the bonus is that they were Buckskin underneath.
Anyway here’s another few pics of another of the car’s anomalies, the safety belts. Never seen them in any other car, they seem to be an inertia reel development of the static belts fitted to the series one cars. I can only assume they were fitted from new as there’s no indication of the “stalk” type belts ever being fitted. The first owner, a Doctor from Nottingham, would have specified front inertia belts because a good part of his work was house calls. The prevailing attitude in those days was “if you can walk to the doctors then you can walk to work”- how times change. I was 14 when my car was made and my Dad was running a very ropey Ford Anglia with the sills patched up using angle iron – he was a Colliery Blacksmith after all.
The Pics:

 

[GRTV8]

Car certainly has been well looked after over her 50 years.
I too have inertia belts in the front from the factory. My seats don't have that deep cutout for the inertia unit. Interesting.

 

[nonote]

Hi GTRV8

The car was on its last legs when I got it, basically on its way to the scrapyard due to terminal rust. The lady who sold it to me was quite savvy but very nice. Her husband was terminally ill and she was quite matter of fact about things, I could have the car for the value of its engine plus the twenty pounds that the scrap lads would pay for it but not until her husband had died.
I spent a good few years getting it sorted, taught myself how to weld (ish) and painted it myself in the garage. I really go overboard with the waxoyl etc underneath, in the days when it needed to be MoT'd the tester usually had a moan about the dolloped on gunk underneath! I've met some interesting people purely due to owning the car, several of them are still in my circle of friends even though their P6s are long gone.
I bet the CKD cars are full of interesting stuff, I understand a certain amount of each car had to be supplied locally so I bet you got whatever the factory could get their hand on plus stuff to suit local conditions and tastes.
Regarding seats, I was once given a new set of front seat leather covers in return for a some work I did for a friend. I tried several times to fit them but they were just too small, it was some time later I discovered that the early series ones had slightly thinner seats and I assume the covers were made for them. Incidentally I've just broke up a 2015 Ford Focus drivers seat (rotted leather) in order to get rid. The electrics involved are amazing - motors, switches, heating pads, side air bag plus associated cabling and also a metal frame for the lumbar support. The local tip will now take the upholstery stuff and the scrap lads will be glad of the chunky metal frame.
The seat cutouts came with the UK series 2 cars I believe, they have a Stainless plate covering the recess, assume it’s about the time that inertia reel became common and governments started to hint at compulsory use. The cutouts as you can see will allow a quite chunky safety belt mechanism to fit. Interesting that your CKD car doesn’t have them though.
Steve

 

[GRTV8]

Hi GTRV8

The seat cutouts came with the UK series 2 cars I believe, they have a Stainless plate covering the recess, assume it’s about the time that inertia reel became common and governments started to hint at compulsory use. The cutouts as you can see will allow a quite chunky safety belt mechanism to fit. Interesting that your CKD car doesn’t have them though.
Steve

Hi Steve
My P6 is a fully imported UK assembled S2, so must have missed that cutout upgrade. Interesting stuff eh?

 

[nonote]

Hi GRTV8
Fascinating stuff about your car, did you import it or do you know the story behind it? It must have cost a fair amount in shipping costs alone plus the red tape associated with customs.
If it's an early series 2 like mine I bet they were using up the old series one stuff where it didn't matter, I suppose it was a different world then where companies were expected to stockpile components to edge against strikes both in the car factory and also amongst suppliers.
I'd love to know the story behind your car if you get chance to post it.
Steve

 

[GRTV8]

Hi GRTV8
Fascinating stuff about your car, did you import it or do you know the story behind it? It must have cost a fair amount in shipping costs alone plus the red tape associated with customs.
If it's an early series 2 like mine I bet they were using up the old series one stuff where it didn't matter, I suppose it was a different world then where companies were expected to stockpile components to edge against strikes both in the car factory and also amongst suppliers.
I'd love to know the story behind your car if you get chance to post it.
Steve

Hello Steve.
Briefly about my P6.
I was living/working in West Australia in the 70's.
NZ had an arrangement whereby if you lived overseas , you could buy a car and import it duty free if you owned it overseas for at least a year.
Oz had a deal if you imported a car into Australia and exported it after a year ,you paid no duty. So I ordered a P6b from the factory in solihull into Aust. for a year ,and then exported it to NZ.
The new delivery was delayed with UK workers strikes and when it did finally arrived ,the dealer I used in WA mistakingly sold my first import attempt to someone else. Things dragged out for about 6mths
So my P6b is a fully loaded export UK model with a/c, Sundym , p/s,,rostyles,and spare wheel touring kit. Bit different to the NZ Nelson assembled cars
Had a brain fart in '74 when I sold it for a Jag. I missed the P6b I eventually tracked it down after a few years and bought it back.
I still have it

 

[GRTV8]

Hello again to all the folks kind enough to be interested in my old car.
I took it out for a mini shake down earlier this morning, it’s not had a run out for more years than I care to admit. Over a couple of miles near my house, round the pot holed industrial estate then around the two nearest housing estates at a time of day when most folks are still asleep. A couple of people stopped to stare, I assume the engine sound didn’t match the car shape in their minds! Outcome of it was a tiny drip of oil from the bell housing area – hopefully the rope oil seal will swell up with use and start doing its job properly - if not I will sort it by putting a drip tray on the drive. My other tinkerings since it was last used include a fuel pump overhaul, rear brakes relined in stainless together with all new hoses, refurbished and prettied up brake servo, second hand power steering pump (from my stock), screenwasher pump impeller replaced with one from a new old stock Trico pump (series Land Rover), all new fuel lines in as near to original plastic that I could find plus loads of other stuff which I’ve forgot about. You might understand how nervous I was when I took it out.
Glad to hear, Redrover , that your car is a bitsa like mine. I’m fairly sure almost every panel on mine is from different cars, I remember travelling miles to pick up a door from Humberside and leaving with a pair of rear headrests that had been brush painted with cellulose plus the door which for whatever reason took some choice swear words before it fitted! The panel gaps on my car could be accurately described as inter panel chasms but at least they all match. The headrests took several days to clean off with thinners and the bonus is that they were Buckskin underneath.
Anyway here’s another few pics of another of the car’s anomalies, the safety belts. Never seen them in any other car, they seem to be an inertia reel development of the static belts fitted to the series one cars. I can only assume they were fitted from new as there’s no indication of the “stalk” type belts ever being fitted. The first owner, a Doctor from Nottingham, would have specified front inertia belts because a good part of his work was house calls. The prevailing attitude in those days was “if you can walk to the doctors then you can walk to work”- how times change. I was 14 when my car was made and my Dad was running a very ropey Ford Anglia with the sills patched up using angle iron – he was a Colliery Blacksmith after all.
The Pics:

Large dose of humble pie for me.
I too have the recess for the inertia belts , although they don't look as deep.

 

[nonote]

What a cracking looking vehicle! House looks very idyllic too, just the place to have a P6 parked outside. The first P6 I ever lusted after was in that colour and was for sale in the garage on my paper round. I was 14 at the time and nobody amongst my pals had parents rich enough to own a P6 although my boss did have one of the first Jaguar XJ6s in the county - now that was a machine and a half.
Your car seems to have had a charmed life but nice to know you also preferred it to a Jaguar! I wonder what Jaguar bosses thought about Rover getting the V8 and hence nibbling away at Jaguar XJ6 sales in the showrooms.
Your seats look to be just like mine but my belts are definitely different to"standard". One of the chaps that comes to our local meet has a car very similar spec to yours, ie aircon and UK spec etc, it's tobacco leaf so a bit darker compared to yours. He's putting in a 5 speed box (inbetween modifying his drive and garage to fit the P6 in)!
Once the bug bites you can't be cured, just controlled and I reckon you got bit quite hard!
Any tips regarding rust proofing or general care and attention?

Steve

 

[GRTV8]

What a cracking looking vehicle! House looks very idyllic too, just the place to have a P6 parked outside. The first P6 I ever lusted after was in that colour and was for sale in the garage on my paper round. I was 14 at the time and nobody amongst my pals had parents rich enough to own a P6 although my boss did have one of the first Jaguar XJ6s in the county - now that was a machine and a half.
Your car seems to have had a charmed life but nice to know you also preferred it to a Jaguar! I wonder what Jaguar bosses thought about Rover getting the V8 and hence nibbling away at Jaguar XJ6 sales in the showrooms.
Your seats look to be just like mine but my belts are definitely different to"standard". One of the chaps that comes to our local meet has a car very similar spec to yours, ie aircon and UK spec etc, it's tobacco leaf so a bit darker compared to yours. He's putting in a 5 speed box (inbetween modifying his drive and garage to fit the P6 in)!
Once the bug bites you can't be cured, just controlled and I reckon you got bit quite hard!
Any tips regarding rust proofing or general care and attention?

Steve

Pic is not my house , just liked the tree fallout with the Almond flavour., so stopped for a pic.

As we didn't the salt on the roads in winter as some Northerners did , our cars tend to only get rust that sneaks up while we sleep. Neil Young wrote a song about my car!!

Mine has a few areas with the odd paint bubbles, which is telling me something to watch out for. This is on my to-do list.
Many years ago I spent a few messy hours under the car spraying a sheep lanolin product around. I had used it previously on farm machinery that I could only store outside ,and was impressed with the metal preservation over time.

I was under the car yesterday replacing the final drive bushes and found an area I missed when I did the lanolin treatment. You guessed it - mild rust. So I was pleasantly surprised and also disappointed. In this case as the lanolin is miles away out at the farm and living in the city, I used a spray can of CRC rust kill. It will get the lanolin treatment later.

Your mate with the aircon- does he have sundym glass?
When I ordered mine in '72 in Perth WA ,the salesman talked me into tinted windows as it worked hand in hand with the a/c. I wonder if it's the same for non export UK cars?. My a/c is still working well for its age.

Good talking to you
Gerald

 

[nonote]

Hi Gerald

Your car has a fascinating history to it, the P6 was a really special car and tended, even when on the go, to have a healthy following but even so I think you Top Trumped most other stories I've heard!

Thanks for your vote for Lanolin as a rustproofer, I reckon I might see how it goes over the Waxoyl that mine has been covered in since it was restored. Lanolin is a relatively new suggestion for rustproofing in the UK as far as I know, although a mate's father used to use it (unbeknown to me) liberally on his P4. He was a Rolls Royce (aerospace) employee so perhaps they were using it somewhere in the factory back in the seventies. The only stuff around in the 70's used to be waxoyl or used engine oil! Anyway that P4 is still around.
Ziebart arrived on the scene to be followed by Zieguard when the warranty claims started to pile up and then came Waxoyl followed by a few others and now we have Lanoguard which I'll try.

Regarding my mate's aircon car, yes it does have sundym, I think it came as part of the aircon package. I think I read this in the James Taylor book. My car has sundym because I went round the scrapyards salvaging the stuff for next to nothing when there were plenty of yards and P6's in them. I picked a couple of spare screens up as well but I wish I had been aware of the laminated screens at the time, mine is the usual toughened glass.

For general viewing here's a couple of pics of my latest annoyance - warped door cards and the results of my first experimental fix! I'm a bit peeved as although I got the 'nearly new' look as you open the door the unwanted side effect is that I've got a little wrinkling in the vinyl around the window winder. Can't seem to capture that in a photo. I shall do the front card next when I get the chance and will refine my technique a bit before I let folks know how I did it - absolutely no mystery, just common sense tempered with a some dumb ideas!

Steve