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Mick Rae

Active Member
Hi there,
My names Mick, and I live in East Lothian, Scotland. I've been an MGB person for a long time, but recently decided I'd had enough (could be an age thing!), and at about the same time a lovely Rover P6 2200sc in Mexico Brown came up for sale.

It was a car known to a friend who runs a restoration business, and he happened to show me it on the ramp a year or two back - we marvelled at how clean it was underneath, how untouched and original. He also happened to say he had been working with the car for some years, and that the structure under the panels was very solid, no welding done or required - unusual in his experience. I said I'd love such a car that was all original - but of course it wasn't for sale. It had less than 40K miles on the clock, and clearly was the owners pride and joy who has obviously cared for the car extremely well, clearly a labour of love. Fast forward a couple of years, and it was for sale, and I could not help myself. I am no mechanic by a long chalk, and so apologise in advance for any daft questions (many daft questions), but I like to have a go, could cope with the work MG's need, so looking forward to the Rover - seems very well built.

So, a basic first question. Oil pressure. Seems a little low to me,, well as compared to what I read online - cruising and idle sit around 40/45 psi on gauge. Pulls well, could sit at 65mph all day, and can go faster (but I am never in a rush). No knocks, no rumbles when cold, runs very smooth, warning light goes out upon engine start up and does not come back on - and with only 40K (just turned) on clock (backed up by service history) seems a bit early for bearings. Is it possible the gauge or even the sender unit could be at fault? I am likely going to live with it in a 'not broken, don't fiddle about' style, I just wondered if there was any worth swapping out the sender first. My restorer friend who knows the car reckoned it has been like this a long time, and as someone with a lot of experience of old UK engines, he just shrugged and said there was nothing to worry about, in his opinion its running as it should, and that he would believe the engine sound and performance over a gauge that may or may not be accurate. I know he is very expert in such matters and I am not, hence my wondering about the accuracy of gauges and senders. Sorry, I am guessing that the experts here get sick of answering such a basic question.

Meantime, I am in the process of a deep clean inside, a full service, all door to window rubbers getting replaced, rear deck seal to get replaced and various other wee jobs that can make all the difference. Its only been 4 days into ownership, and already I know I made a good move - such a beautifully designed and built car, better than anything I have ever owned.
I'll post a picture once I figure out how to make the magic come from phone to laptop.
all the best
Mick
 
Hi Mick sounds like a cracker of a car. I'm a bit of a lapsed owner, still got 3 in various sheds but unlooked at for a couple of years unfortunately. I'm no far up the road around Kirriemuir.
 
Cheers chaps!
Busy day, oil change, air filter, coolant flushed and replaced with new, door window seals all done now, and rear decker seal done (that was a bit more involved than anticipated, as the old seal just came off, hadn't been fitted right, replacement was a somewhat longer process - those self tappers that hold the clip that holds it in place are a bit small for my hamfisted ways!). Then off for a 60 mile trip in the rarest of things, Scottish sunshine. Oil pressure now reads 50psi at all times - I noted the filter i am now using was a lot taller than that which I removed, but I cant see that affecting pressure, who knows, no idea what the oil was, its now fancy Heritage oil from Penrite. I may have added a couple of pictures here - nothing is certain with me and a computer.
all the best
mick
 

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Hi Mick ,Nice work. I think part of the fun of owning one of these is doing most of the maintenance yourself.
Once you've been around the car replacing this and fixing that, you will be an expert like the rest of us . Haha.
You look to have a nice P6 there. Gerald
 
Welcome. It seems that you have a very nice example, and apparently a really late one!
Are you aware that your car is fitted with the TC clocks? I wonder if these were retrofitted by a previous owner, or they were there from the factory.
In any case 50 psi is about right, so there is nothing to worry about.
 
Hi Demetris,
I wasn't aware the car had the wrong clocks for the model, thought maybe this was a year thing - nothing in its history file to indicate a change was made - and seems a weird thing to do, given how cool (in my eyes) the strip speedometer was. Whoever did it, and for whatever reason, made a helluva good job as I'd never have known to be honest! Unless as you say factory fitted, I'll need to read up and see if towards the end they just used one instrument type - pretty sure though that you guys will know as much as anyone else, or more, so if anyone knows for sure............
Anyway, todays job is to investigate a drip from the heater box, suspect a blocked drain (the one at the very bottom). As regards the 'side drain' from the top of the heater, I dont have the tubes currently fitted, I am presuming they are 'just tubes' that vent down the engine somewhere and dont actually connect to anywhere (other than the heater?).
BTW - is it bad form to ask tech questions here - if so, apologies and I'll move over to the proper place.
 
That looks nice, same year, colour and interior as mine. As a P reg, I expect it’s Brazilia brown, not Mexico brown.
 
It's not a year thing. It was either a TC originally, or someone has retrofitted the clocks later.

What are the first three numbers of the engine number listed on your V5?
 
Hi Chris,
First three numbers are 471. Thanks in advance, I'm convinced it would be a case of retrofit as I've got all the docs, passport etc to indicate it's an SC. But interested to know your take. I've checked and it's definitely Mexico Brown, well, according to the data on the engine bay panel. Cheers!
 
It must be one of the last Mexico brown cars. P reg was 1975-1976 I think, and Mexico was available until October 1975. There is a 3 month overlap assuming it was ordered and registered straight away, or maybe it sat around at the dealership before being registered. When was it registered? The under bonnet sticker is likely correct, I can never tell the difference between Mexico and Brazilia from photos. The buckskin interior was an option with either colour.
 
Hi Tom,
Date of sale was 9-10-75, so would have been one if the final Mexico Browns as you describe. I will admit that brown of any kind wasn't first choice for me, but it's grown on me a lot. My MGB GT was Limeflower, another love it or hate it colour, family now accept when I describe a car as 70s chic it means brace yourself, it's a weird colour! But I like these shades, takes me back to being a kid in the 70s
 
P would have been Sept75 to Aug76. With Mexico Brown ending around October 75, it's certainly one of the last Mexico cars.

I'd guess that the dials have been retrofitted. Either way, it's a late car, and a decent looking survivor. Well done in picking it up.
 
Lovely looking car.

It has the SC-spec. switches on the dash, which would fit with the instruments being fitted later.
 
Re your question at the end of post #7, it's best to start a new thread for each separate technical question you have, otherwise it can get lost within the thread and as the original thread title wouldn't be relevant to the new question, some might not read it.
 
Cheers for the information Tony, Chris and Tom Someone, sometime decided round gauges were what they needed! Well, is what it is, not something I'd do myself, but not something I will undo either as I like the layout as is, and enjoying the last of the summer driving too much!
All the best
 
Identical to my old girl, except mine was Auto and didn't have the Clock.s. I changed the seats, took the black leathers from my older one. That front bumper with the grill bar thingy I've only seen on a 2000. It's hard to say about the clocks, I've never seen two the same..

Mick, This one is on YT for sale, same mileage. It looks like it was Polished and Ceramic Coated. The Brown looks amazing.
 

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Brian.......that is indeed super shiny! I don't think my paintwork is ever going to achieve that, nonetheless, I'm finding that a bit if spit and polish has really made all the difference to the browness of it all.......initially was a little unsure, but now it's a fine enough colour I reckon.
Just back from a couple hundred miles round trip, running like a scalded cat, really lovely driving old car. Manys a wee job to be done if course, but after a good few drives not discovered any major issues. Isn't using any oil, starts easy, and no heavier on fuel than my old MGBGT, or Saab, or various old Volvo's (all sadly gone on to other owners now, one 1970s car is enough for my incompetent ways!)
 

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