Introducing myself!

T

TeRRa4

Member
Hello all,

I'll be short and sweet with this: I'm a 21-year-old looking to buy my second ever car. I was originally looking at a 4x4 but a friend is selling his 3500S, so I figured I'd grab that off him instead.

I'm still waiting to get paid so that I can buy the car, but it's pretty much a done deal. Mechanically the car is sound, but cosmetically it isn't. However I like the untidy look. Not sure why.

My father used to own a '65 MGB, and I've always loved classic cars. Figured it was time to get my own. Should have it up and running by the 10th of November, and I'll hopefully be picking the car up on its 41st birthday! I'm very excited.

I'll be talking to you lot about various upgrades and a few tricks to make the car more reliable, but I don't plan on modifying it. If anything, I'll do my best to restore it. :)

You all seem like great people. I we get along. :D

Bevan
 
Hi and a warm welcome, will look forward to a few pics when you get your car.
The more restored P6's the happier everyone on here will be :D

Graeme
 
Thank you, all. I'm going to see it tomorrow to make my final decision. I'll be taking pictures of everything and I'll be getting a couple videos of the engine and it driving along. I will share them when they're all uploaded. :D
 
A fine choice. As it is a friend they might be willing to pop-off the cover sills for a look underneath. Also do the normal "lift the rear seat and poke in the corner" test. It's useful if brakes don't need any work, especially at the rear.

These cars are actually pretty reliable except for the inevitable issues being 40+ years old brings to the party. With the S, the gearbox can be a bit weak. The best maintenance is regular use and servicing.

As far as improvements are concerned I recommend an electric engine fan, electronic ignition and many litres of Dinitrol. In the future a 5-speed upgrade is a great idea. Like most cars of the era, they are undergeared for modern motorways and fast A-roads.
 
Hey all! Thanks again for the warm welcomes.

I went to see the car today and I love it. This isn't the first time I'd seen it, but it was the first time I'd seen it whilst also thinking about buying it. I managed to drive it too, and my word is it different from a Peugeot 106. :LOL: The steering is crazy heavy and the gears are stiff, along with a heavy clutch. I understand about the steering, but are the heavy clutch and stiff gears normal? Never properly driven a classic car before, but don't want to get one with a load of issues. It's not a problem to drive, I just don't want it to be broken - hahaha.

Car: http://i.imgur.com/X1mXPtQ.jpg
Engine bay: http://i.imgur.com/dxPatxQ.jpg

I quite like the interior, too!

It's got SD1 wheels on it at the moment, but I'm hoping to swap those for the originals. Actually, those SD1 wheels just need a bit of TLC - and the look is warming on me, so I'll just adjust the speedo instead. :p The heater is also a bit dodgy so I'm gonna take a look at that. I'm also going to fit an electronic radiator fan - just in case. It needs some new rubbers around the handbrake and the gear lever, and the carpet on the passenger side needs some attention, but otherwise it's pretty tidy. I like it.

I pick it up Saturday, November the 1st. I'm looking forward to it.

Any handy hints or tips that any of you have are much appreciated! Thanks! :D
 
Looks o.k . How wide are those tyres ? Wider than standard will make the steering heavy , Make sure they're up to pressure , and the tread is good . Also ensure your rolling when you turn the wheel , even only if it's slightly rolling it'll help . You get used to driving a classic and it becomes second nature . I don't find mine a problem at all . As for the clutch and box ensure the oil level is correct and the correct grade ( i think 20/50 in a manual , someone'll correct me if i'm wrong ! ) Might be worth changing it any way . It should become easier as it warms up . The clutch , ensure the fluid level is correct , other than that , don't know .
If the motor is up to scratch you shouldn't be needing to change gear much , the torque will pull it along without much cog swapping !
Enjoy :D
 
stina said:
Looks o.k . How wide are those tyres ? Wider than standard will make the steering heavy , Make sure they're up to pressure , and the tread is good . Also ensure your rolling when you turn the wheel , even only if it's slightly rolling it'll help . You get used to driving a classic and it becomes second nature . I don't find mine a problem at all . As for the clutch and box ensure the oil level is correct and the correct grade ( i think 20/50 in a manual , someone'll correct me if i'm wrong ! ) Might be worth changing it any way . It should become easier as it warms up . The clutch , ensure the fluid level is correct , other than that , don't know .
If the motor is up to scratch you shouldn't be needing to change gear much , the torque will pull it along without much cog swapping !
Enjoy :D
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I'm not completely sure. I think they're all 195/70 R14's. The steering might just be something I'll have to get used to (would certainly save me going to the gym!) The tread is good on all 5, so that's good.
Yeah, I'll have a look at all the fluid levels when I get it back home on the Saturday I pick it up. It has plenty of coolant and engine oil to get me home, but I feel as though the gearbox could do with an oil change, and the clutch feels a bit off. It's had the slave cylinder done recently though, so I'm not sure what it could be.
When test driving it I accidentally pulled away in 3rd gear - I just thought I lifted the clutch a little too high, so I'm really impressed. Obviously won't do that in the future though - haha!
Thank you! :D


ghce said:
You can always convert to power steering in the future.
Click to expand...
I was toying with that idea. How difficult is it to do that? Any idea how much it'd cost?

Bevan :)
 
Welcome!
Good luck with your new toy!
Is it a genuine 3500S or an auto with a 5 speed box conversion?
Looks like a 3500 badge on the wing,not a 3500S one!
If converted,when was it done,how many miles since then?
There could be a problem with the conversion thats causing a stiff clutch?
A lazy master or slave can also cause problems!
Converting to PAS is quite easy if you get all the right parts from a donor car!
I have know cars with heavy steering to have a PAS steering box fitted but no pipework or pump!
 
Pilkie said:
Welcome!
Good luck with your new toy!
Is it a genuine 3500S or an auto with a 5 speed box conversion?
Looks like a 3500 badge on the wing,not a 3500S one!
If converted,when was it done,how many miles since then?
There could be a problem with the conversion thats causing a stiff clutch?
A lazy master or slave can also cause problems!
Converting to PAS is quite easy if you get all the right parts from a donor car!
I have know cars with heavy steering to have a PAS steering box fitted but no pipework or pump!
Click to expand...
It has a 4-speed, so I believe it's a genuine 3500S. One of the back wings were redone due to a hole in it or something, so that could be why it has that badge.
The slave has been done, so I'll look at the master and perhaps change that after I've had it a little while (gotta create a "Rover" fund for everything that needs doing).
I'll have a look when I get it and see if it has the parts. If not, I'm not too bothered. I understand it comes with the territory of owning a classic car. :p
Thanks for your help!
 
Good on ya Bevin, sounds like you are ready to enjoy v8 motoring! Let's see now, what to check?
Tyres, check date code on sidewall, check sidewalls for cracking if oldish tyres, pressure can be increased a bit to lessen the rolling resistance and help steering.
The plastic fuel line from the fuel filter to the carby (and the other that feeds the drivers side carby) can be known to harden and crack causing fuel leakage, give these a check.
Good firm brakes, keep an eye on the brake fluid level in case of leaks, sometimes they leak into the booster servo, give the brake hoses a once over for cracks or damage front and rear.
And check condition of rear suspension at the lower arm rear bush area for soundness, ie no serious corrosion at the steel elbow.
That should be the basics for now, safe motoring.
Regards,
Scott
 
marcus/rosie said:
Hi looks a good car . It should be a load of fun blasting it around.
Have had a good look round the under body.
marcus
Click to expand...
Thank you. Yeah, it's all really tidy. The current owner has looked after it well. :)

Thanks for the tips, Scott. I've passed on some information to the current owner. He should have it all fixed before the big day. Thanks for all the helpful information and advice. :D
 
Transmission tunnel in a genuine S will be about a foot wide and straight,an auto one bulges out quite a bit into the footwell.
 
Pilkie said:
Transmission tunnel in a genuine S will be about a foot wide and straight,an auto one bulges out quite a bit into the footwell.
Click to expand...
I'll have a look when I get it in my hands. If it isn't genuine (which I doubt will happen) it won't be the end of the world.
 
I've seen that car for sale before (couple of years ago maybe?) and I certainly have been tempted. I'd say you've got a good car there. As regards power steering, I haven't driven a power steer'd one, but have heard that they tend to wander on the motorway. Overall, I look forward to seeing your thread on the car :)
 
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