Amazon, P6 or left field choice?
Discussion
Used to sprint in the same series as a guy who had dropped an ex Mercedes DTM motor in his dad's ZA Magnette, lowered it and welded up the diff. Looked and sounded great, especially when totally sideways under power at Lydden Hill. He confirmed it was a proper handful as mods (eg steering) were minimal :-)
jr6yam said:
P5BNij said:
P6B, manual S if you can find a good one. In Avocado green or Paprika orange with a Mango interior and all the kit! Still a relative bargain compared to many old barges.
Or, Lunar Grey with Black interior
Also, have you considered an SD1? Easier to work on than a P6 and loads more boot space
crankedup said:
^^^^^^^
Thanks for interest, haven't had too much chance of driving the old girl tbh. Attended to a few minor issues and today it is having a towbar attached. When I have driven it always starts easily once the carbs are primed, loads of space and very comfortible, cruise all day at 70mph with the overdrive in its lovely. No regrets buying.
Thanks.Thanks for interest, haven't had too much chance of driving the old girl tbh. Attended to a few minor issues and today it is having a towbar attached. When I have driven it always starts easily once the carbs are primed, loads of space and very comfortible, cruise all day at 70mph with the overdrive in its lovely. No regrets buying.
I think I have homed in on either a 4 door Amazon, must have overdrive, or an early P6 slushbox or later 3500s, maybe a 2200TC. Defo not any 2000, or any 4 pot slushbox.
SAAB 96?
Probably doesn't fit the bill due to an insatiable desire to rust, but how about an Alfa 1750/2000 saloon or a Lancia 2000HF? The Alfa in particular would be a 'left field' choice and a lovely thing to own.
If that doesn't float your boat, how about an E3 BMW? More robust than the Alfa but still a real sense of 'occasion' when you drive it.
Merc S class ('72 - '81 ish; is that the W116???) could also be a strong contender. There was a beautiful one at Anglia Auctions last year which didn't meet its reserve of £12k. The car was like new with 58k on the clock.
Food for thought?
If that doesn't float your boat, how about an E3 BMW? More robust than the Alfa but still a real sense of 'occasion' when you drive it.
Merc S class ('72 - '81 ish; is that the W116???) could also be a strong contender. There was a beautiful one at Anglia Auctions last year which didn't meet its reserve of £12k. The car was like new with 58k on the clock.
Food for thought?
P5BNij said:
I've not heard or read anything confirming that, but at least P6 panels are fairly easy to replace if the dreaded tin worm rears its head (there are seventeen in all, including the detachable roof section). My three were all pre-'74 and luckily were very solid.
They certainly did in my experience! I bought a 1973 P6 3500S in 1979 and within a year the driver's side top mount for the De Dion rear axle pulled out of the inner wing (random rear wheel steering was interesting)! When we looked closer the nearside had already been welded back in! And it had rot in the inner sills (which are the structural bits) as well as many other places! It replaced a 1970 Fiat, and frankly wasn't any better from a rot perspective!
But with that V8 up front 85/90 cruising all day was easily achievable - not that I ever did your honour!
Just don't expect much in the handling department - they rolled like a ship in a swell, but despite that they did stick to the road pretty well.
Huntsman said:
crankedup said:
^^^^^^^
Thanks for interest, haven't had too much chance of driving the old girl tbh. Attended to a few minor issues and today it is having a towbar attached. When I have driven it always starts easily once the carbs are primed, loads of space and very comfortible, cruise all day at 70mph with the overdrive in its lovely. No regrets buying.
Thanks.Thanks for interest, haven't had too much chance of driving the old girl tbh. Attended to a few minor issues and today it is having a towbar attached. When I have driven it always starts easily once the carbs are primed, loads of space and very comfortible, cruise all day at 70mph with the overdrive in its lovely. No regrets buying.
I think I have homed in on either a 4 door Amazon, must have overdrive, or an early P6 slushbox or later 3500s, maybe a 2200TC. Defo not any 2000, or any 4 pot slushbox.
SAAB 96?
Mr Tidy said:
P5BNij said:
I've not heard or read anything confirming that, but at least P6 panels are fairly easy to replace if the dreaded tin worm rears its head (there are seventeen in all, including the detachable roof section). My three were all pre-'74 and luckily were very solid.
They certainly did in my experience! I bought a 1973 P6 3500S in 1979 and within a year the driver's side top mount for the De Dion rear axle pulled out of the inner wing (random rear wheel steering was interesting)! When we looked closer the nearside had already been welded back in! And it had rot in the inner sills (which are the structural bits) as well as many other places! It replaced a 1970 Fiat, and frankly wasn't any better from a rot perspective!
But with that V8 up front 85/90 cruising all day was easily achievable - not that I ever did your honour!
Just don't expect much in the handling department - they rolled like a ship in a swell, but despite that they did stick to the road pretty well.
Stiffening up the front end on these is fairly easy - there's a 3500S knocking about that has had a Rangie 3.9 dropped in and the squashy bits beefed up to make it handle a little more serenely. The great thing about the P6 is there are still plenty about compared to many other saloons of the period, with around 327,000 built the survival rate is very good. Most are 2000s or 3500s, 2200s are quite rare as they were only built from late '73 to early '77.
P5BNij said:
I must have been very lucky with mine then!
Stiffening up the front end on these is fairly easy - there's a 3500S knocking about that has had a Rangie 3.9 dropped in and the squashy bits beefed up to make it handle a little more serenely. The great thing about the P6 is there are still plenty about compared to many other saloons of the period, with around 327,000 built the survival rate is very good. Most are 2000s or 3500s, 2200s are quite rare as they were only built from late '73 to early '77.
There's one running a 4.6!! Off to see a 3500S on the weekend, its has a 5 speed box too.Stiffening up the front end on these is fairly easy - there's a 3500S knocking about that has had a Rangie 3.9 dropped in and the squashy bits beefed up to make it handle a little more serenely. The great thing about the P6 is there are still plenty about compared to many other saloons of the period, with around 327,000 built the survival rate is very good. Most are 2000s or 3500s, 2200s are quite rare as they were only built from late '73 to early '77.
One of the things I like about the P6 is the wobbly ride, I certainly won't be stiffening one!
Huntsman said:
P5BNij said:
I must have been very lucky with mine then!
Stiffening up the front end on these is fairly easy - there's a 3500S knocking about that has had a Rangie 3.9 dropped in and the squashy bits beefed up to make it handle a little more serenely. The great thing about the P6 is there are still plenty about compared to many other saloons of the period, with around 327,000 built the survival rate is very good. Most are 2000s or 3500s, 2200s are quite rare as they were only built from late '73 to early '77.
There's one running a 4.6!! Off to see a 3500S on the weekend, its has a 5 speed box too.Stiffening up the front end on these is fairly easy - there's a 3500S knocking about that has had a Rangie 3.9 dropped in and the squashy bits beefed up to make it handle a little more serenely. The great thing about the P6 is there are still plenty about compared to many other saloons of the period, with around 327,000 built the survival rate is very good. Most are 2000s or 3500s, 2200s are quite rare as they were only built from late '73 to early '77.
One of the things I like about the P6 is the wobbly ride, I certainly won't be stiffening one!
Often wondered if the same 'box can be fitted to a P5B!
Huntsman said:
P5BNij said:
Best of luck with the 3500S.... SD1 'box maybe...?
Often wondered if the same 'box can be fitted to a P5B!
Yes. SD1 box (and wheels too! urgh!)Often wondered if the same 'box can be fitted to a P5B!
Are there manual P5's?
The five speed in my mate's 2600 SD1 is a pleasure to use, could do with a bit more poke though. Every now and then he threatens to sell it and bag a Vitesse V8 but can't quite let it go as he's had if for years now.
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