Zel's Fleet Blog - BX, Jag XJ-S, Sinclair C5, Mercedes 208D & 230TE, AC Model 70.

[Gibbo2286]

The last Rover a P6 2000, I had dealings with for a customer was a nightmare, the petrol tank was rusty inside and filters in the fuel line clogged regularly, without the filters it just flooded the carbs, he lost interest in it and it stood for three years in his yard until a local garage owner, a bit of an enthusiast, bought it for very few pounds.

[CitroJim]

I swear that car is cursed. It just cut out on me again. Wire fell off the coil.
Pretty sure it just hates me!

Paint it red and call it 'Christine'...

[MattBLancs]

It feels that really the best engine for that combination of bits of car would actually have been that body/gearbox but with a 2.6-3.0 litre creamy smooth six cylinder engine. Yes you're going to blunt the absolute performance a bit, but really maximise the waft factor. Of course that was never going to happen as Rover didn't HAVE a six pot which was suitable when the P6 was in development - the old IoE engine from the P4 being vastly too heavy and underpowered, though it was without any doubt being one of the smoothest engines I've ever been lucky enough to experience. That's why the Buick sourced V8 ended up in the P5, and latterly the P6. Does just feel like there was something missing between the 2.2 four pot and the 3.5 V8 in the line up though.

Interesting thought:

I think you could be basically saying: the P6 could do with the engine line up of it's successor, the SD1 (which could have the Triumph straight six, I think 2.3??? And 2.6 variants). I'm sure I've read they were excellent engines, possibly even detuned to avoid showing up the 3.5??

[Zelandeth]

That's an interesting thought. The P6 never got that engine as it predated Triumph being brought into the disaster that BMC was rapidly descending into. Could definitely be an interesting "if I won the lottery and wanted to do a project just because I can" type experiment. Engineering wise, lateral space is probably the biggest headache. It's really not a long engine bay - especially as the steering gear all being up above things behind the engine rather than tucked underneath like it usually is in any conventional car (again - another really odd design similarity between it and the Trabant).

[mickthemaverick]

I had a 2300 SD1 which was a brilliant car until I blew up the engine in the outside lane of the southbound M1 approaching J21 on my way home from ICI in Middlesborough in time for Friday night footy!! I had a 2600 transplanted in over the weekend and headed north with more umph on Monday!!

[Zelandeth]

Well a decision has been made and a deposit has been paid. Just seems too good a deal to pass up. The asking price was about a third of what I'd expected. Being probably my favourite colour for a car didn't help my restraint either.

P6 is very much up for sale. I reckon at the asking price of £4500 it's probably one of the cheapest decently solid P6s you're going to find.

Need to have a chat with a couple of folks to see what delivery is likely to cost as given it's a four plus hour drive away and I'm going to be pretty busy over the next week because we have family visiting I'm not exactly going to have much time available to go on epic collection missions. If I do go to collect it it would be a two day job with an overnight stay as getting myself there is the best part of 7 hours on public transport, and I know full well I don't have the stamina for that nonsense in one shot these days.

Will be the oldest car I've owned to date. Do folks want to try to guess what it is, or should I just tell you?

First of the more specialised pinball parts has turned up today.



A pair of flipper switches.



I don't actually have any real need for the big caps that are attached here as we won't be using these to directly switch a stinking great solenoid so back EMF isn't an issue. I'll probably remove them just to minimise clutter.

I need to make up a spacer to stand it up from then side of the cabinet, but they'll be positioned roughly like so.



Hopefully putting Gottlieb parts into a Bally table won't make the universe divide by zero and spontaneously explode...

I really need to get the PC that's going to drive the thing sourced as I can at least get a basic proof of concept up and running then. That bit involves chucking a few hundred quid at it though, so might well wait till the P6 sells.

[mickthemaverick]

Is that a 4 hour drive in the car you are buying or 4 hours in a modern car Zel? I may be able to help !!

[CitroJim]

Intrigued to know what the new acquisition might be Zel Looking forward to both seeing it and hearing all about it

Those big yellow capacitors on the flipper switches will come in useful for other duties I'm sure

[Zelandeth]

Is that a 4 hour drive in the car you are buying or 4 hours in a modern car Zel? I may be able to help !!

Probably not a huge amount in it to be honest, aside from the fact I'd be taking it pretty easy a 200+ mile trip in an as yet unproven to me car is always a bit of a baptism of fire.

Honestly between my availability being patchy over the next few weeks anyway and the sheer distance involved I'm leaning towards just having this one delivered. I know it's a bit of a cop out, but I think just makes sense.

I've been astonishingly lucky with the number of sight unseen long distance collection missions I've done lately and feel like I'm kinda due one turning into a headache!

[] Skoda 130GL - Birmingham - MK - Aberdeen.
[] Lada Riva Estate - Livingston - MK.
[] Rover P4 110 - Bristol - MK (In a horrendous summer storm!).
[] Trabant - Portsmouth (more or less) - MK.

All of the above went completely without issue, despite the latter three all having not been used for much beyond local trips at all in recent memory before I turned up.

[CitroJim]

I've had great service from Shipley in the past... They moved Bluebell twice. Firstly from Ringwood to Alasdair's and then from there to Paggers... They treated her with great care on both occasions. She was very much a non-runner at the time.

So yes, likely a good plan Zel although cost-wise it'll be a lot juicier than hiring Mick for the day Against that, you'll not get to enjoy Mick's company for a few hours if you use Shipley

[bobins]

As a starter for ten I'm guessing Austin / Morris / MG ?

[CitroJim]

As a starter for ten I'm guessing Austin / Morris / MG ?

I think you may well be on for those ten points...

[Zelandeth]

As a starter for ten I'm guessing Austin / Morris / MG ?

MG would be a good bet, especially as we'd been pondering doing a swap with a friend's MGB GT, but that's not quite come to anything. So not just now - I reckon there will be an MGB on the drive at some point, just not yet.

It is not any of those brands this time.

[Rp0thejester]

I'm thinking AC as you are knowledgeable about them. As for missing out on Mick's company, get it delivered!!!!

[Hell Razor5543]

Just so long as it isn't a Rolls Canardly!