This is to be my new project, and the back-up plan for RR09 so that I can tow Family Dragster there if it isn't finished in time!
I sold my 2000SC about 8 years ago and i've wanted one again ever since. I vowed earlier this year to stop procrastinating and actually get a P6 this year, so I joined the excellent Rover P6 Owners Club and put an ask on the forum to see if anyone had anything.
THe criteria was pretty optimistic- It had to be a V8 this time, had to be tax exempt, could do with it bieng fairly close by and had to be dirt cheap.... Don't ask much do I?! ;D
But to my suprise a fellow on the forum told me about a P6 fitting my criteria that he'd spotted on the driveway of a house just 2 miles from me! Not only that, but he knocked the door up to ask if it was for sale (great because I hate doing that) aswell as getting a price and a phone number for me to call! Legend
I didn't need to tell Benzboy and PaulMi16 twice- They were a excited as I was and Paul came to pick me up and took us for a look around it.
She's been sat for quite a few years, owned by a very nice bloke called Paul who had intentions of restoring her but decided to move her on as he can't find the time to start the project.
Despite her appearance, a rudimetary prod around indicates that she isn't actually too bad in terms of rot.... Certainly more solid than my last 2000SC was!
Engine is all complete, and the owner said she was driving fine before bieng parked up which is the kind of thing you want to hear
She has black leather which is nice. I really like the leather seats on P6's, and the well worn condition doesn't bother me at all! The doorcard is sitting in the back seat after having its drivers window hastily replaced.
So, a deal was struck at £100 and I went away to make some arrangements to get her shifted. And after an agonizing wait (I wanted to sleep in the thing!) monday was the day that saw my Rover finally at its new home!
I had struck a deal with a local scrap dealer, who had agreed to pick up the P6 and deliver it to my workshop in return for a scrap shell that I needed rid of. No money changing hands.... That's my kind of deal!
With the car moved from its resting place for the last 7 or 8 years she was slowly winched onto the trailer. We were all quite suprised that the old girl rolled so easily!
It was at this stage that it dawned on me that the scrap guys might decide they liked the P6 better than the shell I was offering in payment and could drive away with my pride and joy and weigh it in instead! I was a little nervous going inside to do the paperwork, but thankfully they were still there when I came out and we hauled the P6 over to my place.
Yes, thae truck was over-laden somewhat!
And here it is delivered outside my workshop, which went without incident. Now I could have a proper look around the old girl and see what's needed! I was pretty excited, finally I had another P6 again!
The first thing I did was sit in there and make engine noises. I like the dash clocks on the V8 with its rev counter and oil/water guages all lined up. I noticed the mileage was 96,000.
The leather is split and needs a good clean and feed as it's quite dry, but I do love the interiors on these cars, real luxury!
Lovely big V8! Trying to find out weather this is the high compression or the low compression version, as 1972 was the changeover. It will make a difference when it comes to fuelling the old girl up.
I was really chuffed to see that Paul, the previous owner had kindly included all the mechanical spares he'd had in stock which included a brand new dizzy cap and leads, a replacement distributor, alternator, brand new water pump and a replacement water pump! He said he was just glad to see someone wanting to do something with it as he'd been messed about in the past and he didn't want to see her broken up either.
The years spent sitting on a driveway untouched has taken their toll on the outward appearance of the old girl, but I have to say I love how it looks! Very Christine-esque. I reckon i'll be washing the moss off and preserve it like that with anchor wax ;D
The front wings will need replacing but the previous owner has some panels for me which i'll get off him at a later date. I have some pretty definate plans for what i'm going to do with in terms of body mods anyway
But she's solid in all the right places. Bulkhead and inner wings appear nice nad origional with no work needed, the n/s/f inner sill is perfect as is the floor on that side.
The o/s/f inner sill requires repair (but the previous owner kindly included a pair of inner wing repair panels) and there's a hole at the front of the sill, along with needing a replacement outer sill which I have somewhere in my garage.
After that there's just a small hole in the boot that need attending to, then she'll be ship shape!
All in all i'm really chuffed with this purchase!
So, fast-forward to this morning- My partners in crme PaulMi16 and Benzboy came over to have a proper look on their way to picking up BB's new car! Paul had brought his battery booster and was quite keen to see what would happen if we cranked the thing over- I was curious but less optimistic.
But, after chucking a good battery on from my Escort we stuck the keys in the ignition, pulled the plug lead off the coil and turned the key- She cranked over eagerly and after a few turns to get the compression up we decided to put the coil lead back and push our luck....... She cranked over well, and after a little while to everyones amazement she coughed and splutteres into life!!!
Despite bieng on 8 year old fuel she sounded amazing and settled into an acceptable idle not long after. 8 years worth of curse word came shooting out the exhaust but once she was warmed up and the choke was off she purred like a kitten! We left her running for a while which she did with no complaints. MEGA CHUFFED!
Benzboy has a video of the momentous occasion wwhich i'll add when I get it
So the plan is to give her a bit of a service with new filters, oil, leads and plugs (maybe even some fresh fuel!) and then from an engine point of view she's ready to rock.
I've got a really clear idea of what I want to do with it. I'm already doing a slammed car so for a change of pace i'm thinking of going high! I reckon P6's lend themselves naturally to bieng a gasser so that's what i'm going to do! Something like this.....
.....In terms of stance, anchor way the knackered paint and rust, fenderwell headers, whip off the front panel and bumper, get some red window tint etc just to get her looking right for the moment. Then in the future think about 2-dooring it and hopping up the V8 ;D
Waddya think guys?
I sold my 2000SC about 8 years ago and i've wanted one again ever since. I vowed earlier this year to stop procrastinating and actually get a P6 this year, so I joined the excellent Rover P6 Owners Club and put an ask on the forum to see if anyone had anything.
THe criteria was pretty optimistic- It had to be a V8 this time, had to be tax exempt, could do with it bieng fairly close by and had to be dirt cheap.... Don't ask much do I?! ;D
But to my suprise a fellow on the forum told me about a P6 fitting my criteria that he'd spotted on the driveway of a house just 2 miles from me! Not only that, but he knocked the door up to ask if it was for sale (great because I hate doing that) aswell as getting a price and a phone number for me to call! Legend
I didn't need to tell Benzboy and PaulMi16 twice- They were a excited as I was and Paul came to pick me up and took us for a look around it.
She's been sat for quite a few years, owned by a very nice bloke called Paul who had intentions of restoring her but decided to move her on as he can't find the time to start the project.
Despite her appearance, a rudimetary prod around indicates that she isn't actually too bad in terms of rot.... Certainly more solid than my last 2000SC was!
Engine is all complete, and the owner said she was driving fine before bieng parked up which is the kind of thing you want to hear
She has black leather which is nice. I really like the leather seats on P6's, and the well worn condition doesn't bother me at all! The doorcard is sitting in the back seat after having its drivers window hastily replaced.
So, a deal was struck at £100 and I went away to make some arrangements to get her shifted. And after an agonizing wait (I wanted to sleep in the thing!) monday was the day that saw my Rover finally at its new home!
I had struck a deal with a local scrap dealer, who had agreed to pick up the P6 and deliver it to my workshop in return for a scrap shell that I needed rid of. No money changing hands.... That's my kind of deal!
With the car moved from its resting place for the last 7 or 8 years she was slowly winched onto the trailer. We were all quite suprised that the old girl rolled so easily!
It was at this stage that it dawned on me that the scrap guys might decide they liked the P6 better than the shell I was offering in payment and could drive away with my pride and joy and weigh it in instead! I was a little nervous going inside to do the paperwork, but thankfully they were still there when I came out and we hauled the P6 over to my place.
Yes, thae truck was over-laden somewhat!
And here it is delivered outside my workshop, which went without incident. Now I could have a proper look around the old girl and see what's needed! I was pretty excited, finally I had another P6 again!
The first thing I did was sit in there and make engine noises. I like the dash clocks on the V8 with its rev counter and oil/water guages all lined up. I noticed the mileage was 96,000.
The leather is split and needs a good clean and feed as it's quite dry, but I do love the interiors on these cars, real luxury!
Lovely big V8! Trying to find out weather this is the high compression or the low compression version, as 1972 was the changeover. It will make a difference when it comes to fuelling the old girl up.
I was really chuffed to see that Paul, the previous owner had kindly included all the mechanical spares he'd had in stock which included a brand new dizzy cap and leads, a replacement distributor, alternator, brand new water pump and a replacement water pump! He said he was just glad to see someone wanting to do something with it as he'd been messed about in the past and he didn't want to see her broken up either.
The years spent sitting on a driveway untouched has taken their toll on the outward appearance of the old girl, but I have to say I love how it looks! Very Christine-esque. I reckon i'll be washing the moss off and preserve it like that with anchor wax ;D
The front wings will need replacing but the previous owner has some panels for me which i'll get off him at a later date. I have some pretty definate plans for what i'm going to do with in terms of body mods anyway
But she's solid in all the right places. Bulkhead and inner wings appear nice nad origional with no work needed, the n/s/f inner sill is perfect as is the floor on that side.
The o/s/f inner sill requires repair (but the previous owner kindly included a pair of inner wing repair panels) and there's a hole at the front of the sill, along with needing a replacement outer sill which I have somewhere in my garage.
After that there's just a small hole in the boot that need attending to, then she'll be ship shape!
All in all i'm really chuffed with this purchase!
So, fast-forward to this morning- My partners in crme PaulMi16 and Benzboy came over to have a proper look on their way to picking up BB's new car! Paul had brought his battery booster and was quite keen to see what would happen if we cranked the thing over- I was curious but less optimistic.
But, after chucking a good battery on from my Escort we stuck the keys in the ignition, pulled the plug lead off the coil and turned the key- She cranked over eagerly and after a few turns to get the compression up we decided to put the coil lead back and push our luck....... She cranked over well, and after a little while to everyones amazement she coughed and splutteres into life!!!
Despite bieng on 8 year old fuel she sounded amazing and settled into an acceptable idle not long after. 8 years worth of curse word came shooting out the exhaust but once she was warmed up and the choke was off she purred like a kitten! We left her running for a while which she did with no complaints. MEGA CHUFFED!
Benzboy has a video of the momentous occasion wwhich i'll add when I get it
So the plan is to give her a bit of a service with new filters, oil, leads and plugs (maybe even some fresh fuel!) and then from an engine point of view she's ready to rock.
I've got a really clear idea of what I want to do with it. I'm already doing a slammed car so for a change of pace i'm thinking of going high! I reckon P6's lend themselves naturally to bieng a gasser so that's what i'm going to do! Something like this.....
.....In terms of stance, anchor way the knackered paint and rust, fenderwell headers, whip off the front panel and bumper, get some red window tint etc just to get her looking right for the moment. Then in the future think about 2-dooring it and hopping up the V8 ;D
Waddya think guys?