My '72 P6 V8 is back in use on UK roads and once again wearing its silver on black 'K' plates!

You do know there are two holes in that pin ?
There is no gap between the bush and the split pin. The split pin goes in the inner hole making it very difficult to compress the bush to get the pin in, the outer hole is for the use of the Rover tool to compress the bush and allow fitment of the thick washer and split pin.
I only ever used new rubber bushes in the shock eyes, poly is over kill on a road car.
Cutting the end off the pin is a bonkers idea as well, perhaps you better just leave it stock and not mess with it.
 
A friend who changed his front shocks made the error of using outer hole for split pin and could not understand the knocking noises - he asked to check mine out to compare and realised there where inner holes which he had not used! Of course the manual would shown him too. Had a lot pain getting the pins in right holes as no tool or method I think he consulted a knowledgable person! Was all ok once pin fitted ok of course.

Dave
 
Tx. Yes am aware but the polybush with the Gaz shocks means you can't get the split pin in the inner hole. The rattle is caused by the gap between the bush and pin when fitted in the outer hole. Am going to try a larger washer to see if that helps...
 
The further out from the body the shock is mounted the more leverage will be placed on the pin. This may lead to cracking of the unibody around the pin area. If the width of the bottom eye and poly bushing is wider than an OEM unit then the units are not made correctly.

If you still have the OEM units measure the width of the eyes to compare. If they are the same as the replacement shocks consider fitting new rubber bushes so that they may be installed correctly.

The OEM units have an eye that has conical inner surfaces, see pic in post #777 of a Gaz unit with correct shaped eyes, if you have the shock eyes with a plain cylindrical hole and bushes that have a steel inner sleeve that fits over the pin you will never stop the rattle !
 
My issue is that the bush supplied with the shock covers the inner hole. Am going to try fitting additional spacers to take up the slack...
 
webmaster said:
You can get halogen conversion kits for the P6, if they take H4 bulbs then you can add a HID (xenon) conversion to that, but you'll be looking at the best part of £300
Click to expand...
Be careful of HID on main beam. Dipped are fine because once on, they stay on. Mains are on and off for short periods. The risk is that the bulb does not properly warm up and constant switching messes up the various gasses and metals causing failure.

Also, HID needs a big chunk of power to get them started. Will the wiring cope?

Have you cosidered switching to LED instead? This is the route I am taking.
 
I went with LED headlamps last year. The nice thing about them is they draw less current than the standard seal beam units. The US units have a different pattern due to local legislation, they have a higher cutoff here vs the UK. But I’ve not been flashed for too bright a low beam, but main beam is almost too bright.

If you do go for LEDs make sure you get the ‘bulbs’ with an integral cooling fan. That really helps longevity and performance.
 
This has been an interesting digression, discussing modifications to the lower front shock mounts, and upgrading headlamps. Now I'm going to get back to the ongoing saga of keeping my blue '72 running as my daily driver.
The coolant leak I could smell and taste in early December worsened to the point the windscreen was fogging a lot, and so I suspected a knackered heater matrix. MGBD swiftly sent me a replacement, and I had it fitted last week. After a fair few cold weeks of driving with the heater bypassed, it is jolly nice to once again have a toasty warm passenger cabin, and a demister function that actually works! Quickly and efficiently too! Whilst the heater box was out of the car it was discovered that a previous owner had welded the splined ends of the control rods in place, preventing fine adjustment of the various flaps. Functionality is restored, but can't be fully optimized. Hey ho. All the many pivot points of the complicated linkages got cleaned and freshly lubed, and now the flaps open and close properly again and with a satisying audible 'clunk'.
My car had also recently and suddenly developed a nasty misfire, and was noticeably running on fewer than the full compliment of cylinders. Turned out to be a cracked distributor cap, causing dramatic arcing. Not too expensive a fix, fortunately.
Now the starter motor is playing up, and frequently needs a few thumps with a long stick before it will respond to the turn of the key. I had it reconditioned only three years ago. Herrumph. Might have to shell out for a new gear reduction starter next. Endless fun, eh!?
 
The split pins for the lower front shock mountings are 3/16" (5mm). Recently replaced all the front rubbers and pins. Used a home made (by another) tool to compress the rubbers, with a fair bit of difficulty. Have now made my own tool that I hope I will never have to use! Front shocks are Koni Reds that seem to have done many miles but are still doing an excellent job.
 
I splashed out on a high-torque gear reduction starter motor. It arrived this morning. I promptly got underneath the car to fit it.
I've struggled it into position and bolted it up, but I don't know which wire goes where!
I'm attaching two photos. The first is the old Lucas starter, in situ. In addition to the chunky black battery power wire, coming from the stud on the driver side footwell, there are two more small wires with small female spade connectors. One is white with a brown trace, and a blue connector. The other wire looks as if it is white, and has a red connector.
Which one is the solenoid trigger wire from the ignition switch, and which one is the cold start/ballast feed?
I don't want to wire it wrong and f*'k anything up! Don't laugh at my ineptitude, I don't understand electrickery!!

lucas starter.jpghitorque-starter-terminals.jpg
 
lol I was just looking at this for my friend who is having solenoid troubles! What a coincidence!
The brown white wire is the solenoid trigger wire and comes from the relay on the drivers side inner wing. The other white wire which I recall is thinner gauge is the ignition wire.

Dave
 
Hi @DaveRover3500s
Top marks for your prompt reply sir!
So the brown and white wire with the blue connector goes to the solenoid trigger connection, and the the thinner white wire with the red terminal goes ... where!?!?
 
The brown wire on the relay on inner wing drivers side should be constant live from battery via the post connection point in footwell. The white ref wire is the trigger wire (non load relay coil wire) from ignition key connection. If this helps
 
Yes white brown to relay trigger. I can only assume - I am not familiar with the new starter motor itself, but as the only place it (the white wire) can go is on to the cold start terminal it must go there. The idea if I recall is that as the motor is turning the engine over the white wire is kept with a 12v feed which keeps the coil feed live - I think direct to coil not via ballast- ballast is when it’s running. So try that.

Dave
 
@DaveRover3500s
Thanks! I'm going to try that... Fingers crossed!
- Brief pause as I clamber back underneath the blue meanie... –
Success! Functionality is restored. I'm off for a drive!
 
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Well done Mr T

Not all those reduction starters have the second terminal for a 12v shunt to the coil. Please share the make, model and supplier.

Thank you.
 
It's a WOSP 1.4kW starter, serial no. LMS1075. UK made. I got it from JP Racing in Honiton.
Sounds like a helicopter starting from cold! Spins the engine a damn sight faster than the old one, and it fires up quicker.
I reckon I should've fitted one years ago. Actually, only three years back when I last considered upgrading they cost about a hundred quid less.
Here's hoping it lasts a nice long time, 'cos at £264.- incl. VAT it wasn't cheap!
 
mrtask said:
It's a WOSP 1.4kW starter, serial no. LMS1075. UK made. I got it from JP Racing in Honiton.
Sounds like a helicopter starting from cold! Spins the engine a damn sight faster than the old one, and it fires up quicker.
I reckon I should've fitted one years ago. Actually, only three years back when I last considered upgrading they cost about a hundred quid less.
Here's hoping it lasts a nice long time, 'cos at £264.- incl. VAT it wasn't cheap!
Click to expand...
Thank you.
I'll file that for when the headers on the Cobra cook the current one - again.
 
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