OCC 469 - restoring & running a "sharkstooth" 2000

I've been looking for the correct handbook for OCC & there's currently this on ebay:

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OCC came off the production line on 28 April 1964 & was sold from a dealer on 6 May 1964, so this would seem to be the current one at the time. However, there are various revisions & confusing part numbers. One is in May 1964 with part number 4600. Then there's one in September numbered 4603 IIRC & also grey & red versions.

Confusing....:hmm:
Possibly a bit late, however, back in the day I had an early 2000 (originally my father's) which was registered on 12 June 1964, although I have no idea of the actual build date. I am 99% sure that the owner's handbook on that one was red, however, I'll hope you'll understand that I can't recall the part number, if I ever knew it ;). There appear to be a couple for sale at the moment.
 
One of the reasons behind changing the catch was that you could undo it from the outside, and gain access to the car via the quarter light..
 
I've managed to weld the spindle to the 1/4 light frame, although I don't know whether the frame is chromed brass because it took a lot of faffing around until it was right. Maybe they were originally brazed? Anyway, I'm very happy with the result:

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I notice the glass has a dot under the 'G’ on "toughened"; presumably because it's the 4th letter & the glass was made in 1964?

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I now have the glass guide to change:

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I've also cut out the parts of the door shell I'm going to replace. I'll have to be careful to ensure the door bottom has that curve in it, so I've taken some measurements (plus I have a few spare doors for reference ;)

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Quite a bit more than I thought, but I have chopped all the rot out :thumb:
 
I have now got the quarter-light back in with a replacement rubber seal that I got many moons ago for this (& I'm quite pleased with myself for actually finding it! :)):

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I've also replaced the glass guide with one liberated from the other side on an old door (they are just screwed on & are usually in good condition):

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I probably should have welded it on for total authenticity ;) but never mind. This should stop the window clattering when shutting the door... in a very non-Rover-like manner, I hasten to add! :LOL:
 
Incidentally, I did originally consider changing the broken quarter-light frame, but couldn't find any in my spares with the required shorter upper hinge:

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Maybe something else peculiar to the early cars... :hmm:
 
Now complete with door skin repaired & etch-primed:

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I know it won't be perfect when it's finished, but I've managed to save the original door & will be doing the same for the other three, so I keep as much of the car as possible :)
 
OCC has always been a great starter over the 5 years I've had it running. However, when I went to start it after a few weeks' lay-up, it totally refused. I knew the spark was the problem, as I could smell the fuel!

I took the distributor cap off & saw the terminals were a little manky, so cleaned them with some emery paper. The car then started before I'd got the key fully turned :cool:. However, for a while it ran very poorly, as if it was on 3 cylinders, but then improved again.

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I thought I'd better have a good go through the ignition circuit, even though the car has only done about 1,000 miles per year & everything was new when I put it back on the road. All I can say is 'shock, horror!'....:eek:

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This is No.1 HT lead compared to No.3 (& all the others in fact).

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And here is the distributor cap, showing No.1 terminal less than shiny. This has actually cleaned up well, but it's obviously a new set of leads. I can't believe it continued to run so well for so long!

How can that one be so bad when the others are fine? I must have trapped some water in it or something similar.
 
It looks like the lead did not seat tight into the cap leaving a gap that the spark jumped. When your acorns are screwed tight see if you can pull the leads in and out, if you can you need to investigate why, maybe the inserts in the end of the leads are not compatible, or the insert itself is not crimped correctly to the lead.
 
Finding a made up set of HT leads with early connectors was difficult, so in the end I bought some end pieces & a crimping tool & fitted one to the cleaned-up lead. It runs superbly now! :)
 
Whilst I'm not a huge fan of wire wheels on a P6, I do have a full set for OCC with driveshafts & hubs. One of these days I'll get round to putting them on ;) but in the meantime, I asked my local engineering firm to make up a spanner for the knock off nuts, which on a P6 are a big nut rather than 'eared' spinners:

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I know you can buy these in 'ring' form, but it's great to have something that is so nicely engineered :). It is similar to the 'Borrani' ones but wasn't quite as expensive!

Whilst I'm on, I do have at least 4 spare wire wheels (maybe 5) if anyone is interested for a small fee. I don't have any spare hubs though unfortunately.
 
OCC continues to drive really well, but it 'pinks' badly until the engine is warm, then it seems to stop.

Is this normal for pinking? I will retard the timing a little & see how it goes, but does anyone think there is anything else at play here, that I ought to be wary of?
 
I did set it with a strobe, Harvey at about 4 deg BTC.

I run it on super unleaded but I know this can vary in quality, so I may fill up somewhere else today & see if that helps first.
 
The fuel check is a good idea, if that doesn't resolve it I'd get the strobe out again and make sure that the timing is still correct, and that the mechanical advance isn't coming in too early.
 
I've identified the sound now - it seems to be more of a light clicking sound coming from the back of the engine, which disappears when the engine warms up. Most peculiar.....:hmm:
 
I have also made a bit more progress with the bodywork.

The original driver's door that I wanted to keep is now back on the car. I've repaired the broken quarterlight hinge, the broken window winder mechanism, the rattling window, the very worn lock & of course some of the metalwork...but it's still the original door...;)

I've managed to spray it too & with a bit of mixing have got a reasonably close match:

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I know it's not perfect (& it's not quite "City Grey") but I'm too far in to change now. Just one door to do on this side & I'll try to get it at least to match the front one!

I've attached a decent 2nd hand rubber to the front door:

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(I managed to keep the 'Motorcraft' service sticker from 1978)

The rubber was rejuvenated with Baby Oil - as you do:

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Someone told me it replaced the oils lost by weathering & it seems to do a reasonable job :)
 
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