OCC 469 - restoring & running a "sharkstooth" 2000

make sure the gearbox is in gear, with the handbrake on, then simultaneously jiggle the engine backwards while turning the crank.

It's embarrassing to admit being so thick at times.... I've been trying this with the gearbox in neutral :rolleyes::rolleyes:
 
Thanks Harvey! Tried this last night & it took about 5 minutes to get the engine back on the gearbox.

I did have it lined up properly beforehand, but a top tip! It's saved me hours of frustration & rude words ;)
 
I have just set things up manually & by ear so far but everything is going smoothly. I've finally bid the engine rattle 'good bye'! :cool: Hopefully I'll get it set up by strobe at the weekend.

Having done around 25 miles 'bedding in' I did have another rattle but it was coming from the dynamo & sounded like a duff bearing or similar. Having researched possible new or refurbished ones, I thought I'd just check the easy stuff first. Turned out that I hadn't done the rear bolt up from when I loosely assembled everything before the engine went back in....:rolleyes:. As we always say: "try the easy things first!"

We're intending to take OCC to the all Rover rally at East Kirkby in Lincolnshire next month, so I want to get a couple of hundred miles under its belt before then, so we've got a bit of confidence. Hopefully we'll see some of you guys there.
 
I love it when it’s something simple! Congrats on having the engine in and getting OCC running. If you’re like me you’ll be paranoid for a while with every noise.
 
150 miles now & another loose dynamo bolt :rolleyes: but otherwise doing great!

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I'm looking forward to going to the All Rover Rally at East Kirkby...... not sure if Karen , my wife is as keen on going in this P6. She wants to go in Hazel instead, but if all's OK in the next week, we'll go in OCC :)
 
We had a good do at the Rover rally on Saturday; here's OCC with some friends:

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The oldest & roughest-looking P6 there! However, the car went really well, doing a lot of miles at or close to the speed limits. She's pretty well run in again now.

Before we went, I thought I'd install an entertainment system (or do we call them 'solutions' now?). I'd gleaned from people I'd spoken with that some 70s radios had a switch to change to +ve earth & sure enough, one I'd had for decades had! I managed to install it relatively easily after a bit of faffing with the aerial. I think it looks good:

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It's truly evocative of the old days as it's only got AM & LW. The sound through the one (original) speaker is actually quite good & rich, although AM does have a tendency to go quiet when you pass under wires etc ;)

You may have also noticed Esso's 'Mr Drip' hanging from the Reserve knob:

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A period mod I believe.....:cool:
 
I'm cracking on with the seat restoration of OCC as posted here Rejuvenating (very dry) leather seats

An interesting point is a difference again with these early cars; this one is the plywood section that makes up the back of the rear seat squabs:

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I can't remember these on the other P6s I've got, but will check when the opportunity arises!
 
I'm still on with the seat restoration Rejuvenating (very dry) leather seats

This is the underside of an early front seat, with its different forward & back adjusting handle & cables:

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I have also got the clock working Series 1 clock & have been tweaking its speed over the last two weeks. It now is pretty spot on after 5 days, so I'm happy with that. Probably the best accuracy I can remember even when we had them in the 70s!
 
OCC's ignition warning light has started to stay on & when I charged the battery up & it was still the same :(. Also, as I'm having problems with getting BOP's ignition light to go off (charging fine), I thought this was going to be another of those difficult to solve problems.

Tonight I thought I'd just check the connections on the dynamo & one seemed a little loose to the touch, so I started to dismantle the air filter & carb heat shield to get better access. That's when I noticed this:

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Fortunately, it's as simple as the fan belt having given up :). Come to think of it, I had heard a bit of a clicking last time I was out....
 
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I have done a bit of touching up of the labelling of knobs & switches on OCC to lift it from that 'worn-out' appearance. You may recall the Petrol Reserve knob (unique type on early cars) in the earlier picture:

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Well, after not too much effort, I got to this point:

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This is merely using a small paintbrush with cellulose paint, then wiping off with a cloth lightly dampened with thinners. You may need a few goes to get it right. The colour should probably be 'off-white' but I'm happy with it as it is. I've also done the gearknob which had nothing left on it:

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(Note the small rubber gaiter - again on early cars).

It's always said that 'it's the detail that counts' & it does make a big difference to the driving experience as things like this lift the car. I have changed the switch backings to ones with good print, although I've yet to find one for the wiper switch (please contact me if you have one for sale...):

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Painting the various knobs and switches was one of the first jobs i did to the interior of my Rover. As you say it makes a difference between a well worn and a smart interior. If you can't find good switch backings you can ask a print and label shop (i am not sure how to say this correctly in English but you get the idea) for some copies. I have a few custom to made to compliment the A/C controls in my car. It is not expensive or difficult, but you have to provide a dimensioned draw in WORD, and finding the correct fonts might take some time and patience.
 
Part of my discovery journey last week end as I was busy cleaning the fuel line from carburetor backwards. I was done with the fuel pump
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and going further, I find this enigmatic T junction : 2 lines into 1, hemmm... What the heck is this? Humm, a pull cable?.... let's have a look inside...(remember, I am a LR serie (rugged vehicle) enthusiast, not yet acquainted with Rover cars...)
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how nice is this?!
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