What to check on a 2200TC. P6 newbie!

GJM

Member
Hi all,

I'm possibly about to purchase a late 2200TC. Will be my first P6 but not first classic (myriad of Imps, BGTs and old Volvos)

It's a bit of an unknown quantity, not much history othe than it was restored in the late 90s. Having a look over it I couldn' find any rot, nothing under the rear seats, inner sills good and evidence of lots of previous welding. Mechanically again couldn' find much to fault, recent service and all new brake components. Carbs looked like you could eat your dinner off them. When driving it was a bit stutter and bumpy when on the gas initially but i think that' just down to it doing very little milege in the last year. Roof panel pain was crazed and cracked so would need spraying.

I'm wanting to use it pretty much as my daily driver. I believe classics are meant to be use and the p6 seems like an ideal candidate.

My question then is this:

If you had just purchased a 2200tc to use daily what would you be checking/replacing in the short term to make sure it's up to the job?

I'm going to get my classic friendly garage to have the brakes comprehensively checked.
Want to get the carbs cleaned, balanced and tuned.
Replace all ignition components (What would you replace here exactly?)

In the long run I'd fit electronic ignition
New fuel pump?
Reconditioned or modern alternator
Reconditioned starter motor
Get suspension checked over.

So basically, what would you be doing asap on a newly acuired p6 if you were wanting to get it into use quickly?

Thanks!
Graham
 
I'd fit electronic ignition. an electric radiator fan and an 13 row oil cooler. Ideally get it set-up on a rolling road. A compression test involves little effort too and it is pretty useful as a health guide.

The rest is perfectly fine if working normally.

The rear suspension well, you know why that always needs to be inspected. If you don't then search for "rover p6 dedion elbow".

Check everything rubber in the suspension as this will really ruin the driving experience. and hoses as you can very easily avoid issues here. Much of it at this age just falls apart regardless of use. I could write a book on random things that happen to cars that are stored or infrequently used for a time. I'd definitely consider the first 2-3000 miles a "shakedown" exercise. I had leaks galore from seals, gaskets and most worryingly in the fuel system both some rubber hoses. and the feed from the float bowl to the carb (not a problem for your HIFs). Both at inconveniently different times too.

Remove all 4 wing and the cover sills for inspection and apply dinitrol. Also inspect the a-pillars - inject dinitrol here and between the 2 structural sills. With practice a wing in only a 10 minute job and you'll get to know your way around the car quickly!

I use my car as a regular driver but not if I know the weather is going to be bad. I don't worry if it rains and I get caught but I tend not to use it without thinking. Remember how less durable cars were? Well start using it daily and it could deteriorate very quickly. Later cars were known to be less well built. Keep an eye on water entering anywhere including under the seats even f these look good.
 
I’ve used my 2200TC as my everyday car at times, and generally it works fine. The only mods I’ve made are to replace the points with one of those electronic modules, replace the brake flexi pipes with braided hoses, and I’ve replaced the sealed beam headlamps with bowls that take normal bulbs. I would also consider fitting relays to the high current circuits in the electrical system. The series 2 fuse box isn’t really up to the job and is prone to melting and possibly catching fire. I’ve been planning on doing this for ages and must get around to it, but other projects get in the way. Other than that, everything I’ve had to do is periodic maintenance on standard spec kit.
 
Thanks chaps. Good news is it sounds like I've managed to buy the car in question. Picking it up tomorrow so fingers crossed it gets me 50 miles home without the use of my AA membership.
I hope to get it booked into my local friendly mechanic to get the brake and carbs checked over asap then will get stuck in myself.
Your modifications all sound very practical Tom W, can I ask what electronic ignition you used on your 2200TC and what halogen lamps you fitted?
I'll probably give it a thorough service including liquids in the next few days and try and get a peek under the wings to see what is lurking below.
Thanks
 
Agree with all of the above. I've used my 2000TC every day for years and have made most of the mods listed. I went for Pertronix electronic ignition as that was the best choice at the time. It probably still is, though there are now far cheaper options, eg. SimonBBC which I've used on an infrequently driven Land Rover with no problems.
I chose Autopal halogen headlamps as they were cheap and available without the hole for sidelights. Illumination is great, good focus and spread. But the silvering is starting to corrode. Anyone's guess whether more expensive units last longer.
I'd add a recored radiator to the list if there's any sign of age at all on yours.
Also LED interior courtesy lamp - the original bulb gets pretty hot and turns the lens brittle.
Manual switch in the boot for the boot light. Just my preference, handy to be able to switch it off when you leave the bootlid open while working on the car, etc. This is in series with the courtesy switch so leaving it switched on means business as normal.
185 70 14 tyres. Michelin Energy is my choice.
 
Good luck with your purchase GJM! I stand to be corrected, but actually I think if you do need to fit new tyres that the correct size should be 185/90R14. If I'm not completely mistaken the 185 70 14 size that Willy E. suggests have a lower sidewall, therefore a lower rolling circumference, so your speedo would read incorrectly. If you get it home without any mishaps, or even if you end up on the back of an AA truck, let us see some pics of your new toy! We like pics here.
 
Good luck with your purchase GJM! I stand to be corrected, but actually I think if you do need to fit new tyres that the correct size should be 185/90R14. If I'm not completely mistaken the 185 70 14 size that Willy E. suggests have a lower sidewall, therefore a lower rolling circumference, so your speedo would read incorrectly. If you get it home without any mishaps, or even if you end up on the back of an AA truck, let us see some pics of your new toy! We like pics here.
Correct tyre size is 185/80 R14
 
I apologise unreservedly! I'll get my coat. ;)
Sorry Willy E. Didn't mean to impugn you. I've not yet owned a 4 pot P6, and I hadn't realised they had a different tyre size to the V8s.
I was offered a Tobacco Brown manual 2200TC last week by a fellow here in Berlin who doesn't really use it often enough, but I really can't afford another P6 at the moment so I passed it up.
 
No worries. :)

Now about that Tobacco Leaf 2200TC... in my experience the best time to buy a car is when you don't need another one. If you can't afford it, yet it still looks too good to miss, it probably is!
 
Trust me, one is quite enough! The guy needs to unload it, I don't need any more burdens on my patience or pocket! :D
Sorry to have diverted your thread here GJM! Did you and your new ward make it home OK yet?
 
Yes indeed, made it back without the use of a AA van! (This makes a change for me as the last 2 cars I've purchased have made their maiden voyage by flatbed...)

All went well. Ran well through the torrential rain.
The wipers decided to have a fight when the passenger side decided to part company with its spindle and I couldn't see much as the washer motor was kaput (took apart and cleaned up so that now works). Also the speedo only seems to work when it wants. Nice gravelly nice from the back of the dash which I presume is the speedo cable gnawing against the dial. Do they tend to work loose or is a new cable likely to be needed?

A bit of a judder when pulling away from standing in first with a bit of a rumbling noise and really need to rev it to get it to pull away - perhaps the clutch on its last legs?
 
Congratulations with your purchase.

I bought my electronic module from A-series spares. It’s one of the red, hall effect modules that just replaces the points, so the original advance springs and advance curve remain. It needs a 12v feed to bypass the ballast resistor wire, best taken from one of the un-fused ignition switched feeds. It also needed a new, non ballasted coil. The headlamps, I think, are from an XJ40 Jaguar. They don’t have the holes for sidelights. I got those from my local motor factors, they came in green Lucas boxes. They take regular H4 bulbs on the outside, and, I think, H7 on the inside. The original wiring connectors plugged straight on.
 
Congratulations with your purchase.

.....The headlamps, I think, are from an XJ40 Jaguar. They don’t have the holes for sidelights. I got those from my local motor factors, they came in green Lucas boxes. They take regular H4 bulbs on the outside, and, I think, H7 on the inside. The original wiring connectors plugged straight on.

I believe the inner lamps take H1 bulbs.
 
Thanks folks.
Car running fine, just trying to iron out problems. Had the car over to Lake View garage at Rudyard. Tom looked over the car and found a bit of rot that needs sorting but otherwise the suspension and brakes have all been refurbished recently. Carbs needs setting up and balancing and he is going to do the gear stick bushes.

I've been tying to get the heater to work. Wasn't doing much when i got it but after flushing and backflushing it now gets toasty. Also replaced the thermostat as the car was running quite cool. The control linkage for the high/low direction broke into 4 bits however as I was trying to get up the disconnected linkages.
See wanted post in the sale/wants section :)

Looking to fit electronic ignition next. I see you can also get full electronic distributer. What's the difference and any pros/cons to a full leccy dizzy?
 
Hi GJM
Your first move to have Tom look at your P6 is a master stoke! Stick with him.

Now with at least three P6 in use in Cheshire it's about time we got these cars to meet up. I'll show you mine if you show me yours!

Riddler are you out there? Mick do you fancy a run out soon? These cars need to be seen.

All the best

Andrew.wiggins001@googlemail.com
 
Yup I'm all up for a meet. Always been involved in meets with the Imp Club and MG owners Club. Love to meet like minded loons :)
 
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