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

Re: My extensive '72 3500 restoration project - Forum users migh

quattro said:
I have a 4L P6 and an Audi A6 2.7 Biturbo quattro.

The Audi is technically better than the P6, it is smoother, faster on bends and anything apart from a totally dry road, safer, more comfortable, has electric windows, heated seats, Dual zone climate control, two CD players (don't ask, I don't know why) and loads of other stuff that I don't even know about. I like driving it.

But, when I drive my P6 - I do so with a smile. :)

I haven't named the Audi, but I have the P6 (Sparky) - it has character which is something modern cars have lost.

I second that, although replace Audi with a 57 plate Astra SRi XP. I like driving my P6 so much the Astra is now all most exclusively used by the misses.

One thing I don't like about modern cars, and you don't notice it till you jump in the P6, is the level of vision. On the Astra the A pilers are a right pain on bends. With the P6 you simply don't need distance sensors. On the Astra you can't live without them!

What I do like about Modern cars is longs trips are trivial, just get in and drive. And 100k on the clock these day's is 'just' ran in. :shock:

If I had to sell one, I would sell the Astra. But I would rather have both, not forgetting my bike is also very nice for quick trips to the office :)
 
Re: My extensive '72 3500 restoration project - Forum users migh

My other car was a '91 BMW 730i 'E32' with 265,000 km on the clock, in silver (at least three different shades thereof!) with a good complement of dings and dents.
It was a present from my girlfriend's dad, who'd had it 17 years.
I could never find a parking space big enough in my neighbourhood so I flogged it after a year's fun. :roll:
 
Re: My extensive '72 3500 restoration project - Forum users migh

mrtask said:
I could probably use the automatic box out of it for my P6! Mr York, Messrs. various and knowledgeable, anybody know what gearbox is in it and whether I could attach it to an RV8?

It's a 5 speed ZF, and anything's do-able with enough ability. (And cash!)
 
Re: My extensive '72 3500 restoration project - Forum users migh

After many months of inactivity whilst my project was relegated in favour of cars belonging to clients with money to spend, my buddy has finally finished spraying a tenacious plastic underbody sealant on the underneath of my Base Unit, and applied two coats of 'satin black' to the engine bay. The satin is still pretty damn shiny, but I'm happy anyway. I've just spent the best part of the weekend painting my suspension components in shiny black 2-pack with a brush, and the boot has consumed eight spray cans of semi-matt black. Suffice to say that at long last my project is ready for re-assembly. I've got the Base Unit sans just about everything bar the dashboard now sitting on axle stands in the storage area behind my friends' restoration garage, and I'm going to start in on trying to work out what bits go where tomorrow morning.
Watch this space!
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Re: My extensive '72 3500 restoration project - Forum users migh

Indeed! My buddy Axel did a proper job of painting the engine bay and underbody, and it is going to be a proper job putting the thing back together again!
Today I got off to a bad start. Pressing the old bushes out of the rear trailing arms was going well, when all of a sudden the 2ton press came apart and the bottle jack flew into the side of my head. Fairly knocked me for six, great big swollen lump on my temple but fortunately no need for stitches in the wound. I was concentrating on the impact socket with which I had already pressed the last of the four bushes half way out, and wasn't paying attention to the big bottle jack up at about eye level, the base plate of which struck my head. The sidepiece of my metal framed spectacles was bent about sixty degrees with a sharp fold, I imagine my head wound would have been deeper if I hadn't had my glasses on! A salutory lesson - pay close attention to the tools you are using as well as the piece you are working on, and definitely wear eye protection!
 
Re: My extensive '72 3500 restoration project - Forum users migh

You had a lucky escape there ,Is this a proper press ?
 
Re: My extensive '72 3500 restoration project - Forum users migh

Mate of mine broke a finger doing the same job using a big vice.... Went straight out and bought a proper 10 ton press after that !
 
Re: My extensive '72 3500 restoration project - Forum users migh

...after a very long pause, I've made some more progress with my restoration. Yesterday the front suspension was reassembled. Once we've done the new brake lines I'll finally get it back to my own lock-up to commence putting it all back together.
The front springs are 3cm shorter uncompressed, so they actually went in without much difficulty, lifting the top link with a trolley jack and compressing the spring with conventional spring compressors. I didn't get the old rubber pieces off the top links, but they looked fine so I didn't bother trying to fit the red urethane rerplacements. They'll make good clowns noses for red nose day.
I am not entirely happy with the top ball joints, the dust cover doesn't reach the top link because the taper sits further from the ball than the originals. The photos also show the uprated beefier front anti-roll bar, the front chassis reinforcement plates and the chunkier lower shock mounts, all from Classeparts, as were the GAZ shocks.
 
Re: My extensive '72 3500 restoration project - Forum users migh

That suspension looks so good it will be a shame to put the wings on !
 
Re: My extensive '72 3500 restoration project - Forum users migh

Looks great, did you cut some of the blue dust seal on the Gaz shocks away? I have just fitted the same to my car on full extension the bottom the shroud sits on the adjustment knob.
 
Re: My extensive '72 3500 restoration project - Forum users migh

Thanks for the compliments chaps. The front shocks haven't moved up and down yet, the front suspension assembly isn't completely finished and the wheels aren't on yet. The base unit will sit up fairly high (perhaps more like the original unladen height of a complete P6) until the engine and ancilliaries, box, driveshaft etc. are fitted, the windscreens, panels and trim are put back on and the interior back in. It'll probably be some time before I get the shocks travelling to the limit of their compression/extension... Thanks for the tip BB, I'll keep an eye on the dust covers when I get that far.
I managed to obtain suitable new UNF Nyloc nuts to replace the crown nuts on the new bottom ball joints, which have no provision for split pins. Got them tightened up today, and replaced all the scabby old 7/16" UNF Nyloc nuts for the front top shock mount, rear lower swing arms and various other nuts to hold the rear suspension together. Not easy getting nuts and bolts with these threads here in Berlin.
My mechanic mate and I provisonally assembled the rear crossmember, lower arms, elbows, trailing arms, diff, extension housing and diff hanger plate this morning. Unwieldy, heavy, couldn't have bolted it in place alone.
On the old rear shocks there was a mangled length of squishy yellowish rubber hose between the two rubber bushes. What are they made of and how long should they be?
Having mislaid the front outer hub bearings I had to get some more locally. I'll doubtless now find the ones I mislaid (I remember filling with grease the other month, before I realised the hub had to be on the swivel pillars before I could fit them). Much as I hate mislaying things, I love visiting the former Rover dealer here (Royal Cars, Schöneberg). Mr Kells, the helpful chap in the spares department, has the original P6 parts catalogue on a Microfiche (remember them?), and although I gave him the part numbers of the bits'n'bobs I needed he loves double-checking on his little blue index cards. Brilliant. I'm just about the only customer for miles around who ever asks for spares for a P6.
Hopefully tomorrow morning I'll get the rear suspension mounted properly and all the bolts torqued up to spec.
More snapshots to follow...
 
Re: My extensive '72 3500 restoration project - Forum users migh

If you're using GAZ shocks on the rear you shouldn't need the bits of tube. Just use the supplied rubbers (if they came with any)

The question about the front shocks was because you're ones aren't clashing with the adjustment knobs (so you shouldn't need to modify). With no weight on the front the shocks will be full compressed as the shock. Must be a different batch to mine.

Be interested in a close up of the anti roll bar as thinking about fitting one to mine.

Keep up some regular posts now it's going back together!!
 
Re: My extensive '72 3500 restoration project - Forum users migh

This morning I got the diff mounted to the car properly, having figured out that the small steel sleeves I had left over went between the diff hanger plate and the body, and the large cup washers on top of the rubber body mounts. I got the lower swing arms bolted into the crossmember properly, and attached the De Dion elbows, the rear trailing arms, the rear discs and the driveshafts, before I ran out of time.
The next hurdle to be jumped in the great P6 event; I have mislaid the shims for the bolts holding the driveshafts and discs onto the diff, will have to replace them before I can tighten the half shafts properly. Presumably I'll have to jack the lower swing arms up to compress the springs before I can fix the lower shock mounts. No need for spring compressors at the back end, right? Raising the lower swing arms will spread the De Dion elbows apart enough to fit the De Dion tube, right?
At this rate I reckon I'll have the thing back on it's wheels next week. I'm already pleased as punch to see the suspension finally going back together. Forgot my camera today, will post more pics during the week.
The Panhard rod (?) going sideways from the diff hanger plate up to the underside of the base unit was held in place at the underbody end with just a split pin. Would it be a good idea to cut a thread on the mounting and hold it on with a big nut? Just looks kind of wimpy, if you know what I mean.
What size ahould the washers be on the outer end of the bolt through the boot side wall holding the rear trailing arms? I used two of the four dished washers I had left over, but they look a bit big.
What size are the dished washers for the retaining bolt holding the front end of the driveshaft extension housing to the rear crossmember? Might they be the other two large dished washers I have left over?
 
Re: My extensive '72 3500 restoration project - Forum users migh

I've finally fitted my rear suspension and got my car back on it's own wheels. I had been getting pretty demoralised about my project being an immovable object, more of a concept than an actual car. Now I feel positive again, I'm definitely 'over the hump' of my rebuild project now. The front end looks ridiculously high without an engine or bodywork.
I had to relieve the inner edge of the front brake discs because the castings weren't quite round, but the braking surfaces aren't distorted and the outer machined edges are properly round, so I'll go with them. Next week I'll be collecting the vehicle from the workshop where it has been for the last 30 months, and taking it to another professional restorer who is going to show me how to make up and fit nice tidy brake lines! Watch this space for more photos...
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Re: The optimist

Time to bump this thread back up to the top of the list!
Today I finally trailered my P6 project back to my own garage. Tthe power steering is now installed, albeit as yet without hoses and fluid, and the braking system was also fitted. It's all new; discs, pads, flexible hoses, newly formed hard lines throughout, stainless steel pistons, refurbished master cylinder and callipers. Filled it up with DOT 3 and bled the system. Refitted and adjusted the handbrake. I have brakes and steering once more!
The heater box and windscreen wiper motor are also back in place, sitting snugly atop their shelf which was refinished with black stipple-finish Mercedes sound and heat insulating material. Looks much tidier now than when it left Solihull! The heater box was refitted on top of a new closed-cell foam gasket that should keep out any moisture. The pesky finely-splined control rods in the heater had seen better days, and in the end I had to resort to spot welding the levers to the control rods! Super glue wasn't a strong enough bond to prevent the levers rotating on the control rods, which meant no flaps were opened or closed. I lost patience with repeatedly refitting the heater and re-linking the controls only for them to swivel uselessly out of place again, necessitating repeated removal and refitment of the heater unit!
The snow has started to fall here again in earnest, luckily it waited until just after I got my project snugly back in my garage. I've got a whole lot to do before my P6 is driveable once again. I'm going to shut myself in my workshop and get stuck in! I'll post some more pics shortly, must remember to take my camera to the lock-up with me.
 
Re: The optimist

The snow and ice has finally begun to melt away, and I have found a bit of time to get busy in my workshop. My project car is tucked away to one side and my organ donor vehicle is jacked up sufficiently for me to crawl underneath. I've disconnected the front end of the prop shaft, but I am having trouble getting to the bolts attaching the rear end of the prop to the diff extension. The crossmember is in the way. I've jacked up the diff but can't get a socket on or an open ended spanner to fit on the rear-facing end of the four bolts. Any helpful tips welcome. I could provisionally make some sort of wire sling to hold the front of the prop off the floor, but I'd rather take it right out.
Today I wire-brushed three different shades of silver paint off my mild steel exhaust system, in preparation for my mate to spray it with a uniform coat of silver 800°C 'Mipatherm'. I refinished the propshaft from the project car with new 'Land Rover' UJs and after much wire-brushing painted it in the same black over grey primer as the suspension components, and with silver ends/flanges because I had some paint left over from the brake callipers. I still have to similarly refinish the radiator undertray, some brackets for the engine bay (accelerator linkage etc.), the bumper irons, and the headlamp bowls. Then I can get on with getting it all reassembled!
This weekend I hope to extract the engine and autobox from my '73 donor car, and give it a cosmetic once-over on the outside. The cast iron exhaust manifolds will then get the wire brush treatment and a couple of brushed-on coats of the high-temperature silver paint.
I am not sure what to use to bring the valve-covers, intake manifold, carb-to-elbow segments (shoulders?) and the elbows and airbox all up to scratch. I have both ribbed P6 and flat-topped SD1 valve covers, both stripped to bare alloy, to choose between. I could get a pair of valve covers highly polished. If I paint the intake manifold in-situ with a brush what sort of paint should I use? I'd quite like to match the blue-grey it was originally, presumably with a high-temperature resistant enamel? I want to fit a NADA airfilter box with the 'snorkel' that matches up to a hole in the bonnet beneath the long central NADA scoop. Would the airfilter can (it has AC Delco pressed in it) have been pale silver 'Hammerite' with a sort of 'faceted'/ 'speckled'(? really hard to describe) finish, or a uniform metallic silver? Anybody got some good photos of a tidy original NADA engine as a reference? I am looking at Lance LeCerte's car on britishv8.org.
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The more I look at the picture the more I realise I have to do. I need to refinish the PAS fluid reservoir, just look at how shiny the one in the photo is! Damn :LOL:
The flaky decrepit old grey factory paint I removed from the intake manifold looked darker. Your thoughts/input on how best to proceed is most welcome, chaps.
 
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