Abandoned Range Rover P38... Resurrection or Bust
Discussion
Rather than hijacking someone else's thread I thought I should start my own
Backstory: After admiring a friend's P38 for a couple of years, this car was spotted on "The Everyday Abandoned Vehicles" thread by a fellow petrolhead and P38 owner who knew I was sort of hankering after one. He mentioned it to me at a local car group that I organise. I said "I'll take a look" but wasn't really hopeful as it was on the "Abandoned cars" thread.
The picture didn't inspire confidence but above mentioned friends persuaded me it was likely to be better than it looked. It seemed to be local to us as "Valley Windows" sign written on the van parked next to it in the pic suggested it was in the Welsh Valleys (we're in Cardiff). WRONG!
My friend then tracked down the pub that was advertised on the back of the car and convinced me to ring the pub. It was in Wigan, 200 miles away from Cardiff. I figured it was only a phone call and would probably come to nothing. I spoke to the Landlord of the pub who said he sold it. Oh well never mind. Then he told me he sold it to his "Boss" and gave me his number. I spoke to his "boss" who said he had sold it (oh well ... but wait) and bought it back as air suspension failed and he gave the guy his money back and the car had sat in the commercials yard since.
I did a bit of due diligence (MOT history etc) and asked owner if I could take a look at it and he said "help yourself".
Another car club mate was going from Cardiff up to Cheshire to look at a house, so I agreed to go with him and continue on to look at the RR last week. I spent an hour and a half looking over it and playing with it. Couldn't get underneath as didn't have a jack, it was on the bump stops and the tyres were flat. Checked they would hold air (yup) but the compressor I had wasn't great and the tyres hold a lot of air so I was unable to pump them all up.
Although unable to look underneath, the body looked in remarkably good condition, although covered in a layer of filth and black mould. The inside was very dirty but initially looked reasonable (headlining down but what's new there on a P38?) and the key was recognised (power pack deployed as battery flat obviously). Then I realised it had been parked up with the sunroof open an inch. Oh dear! But wait, the carpets and (leather) seats were dry and other than mouldy sun visors there was no evidence of the ingress of water (probably all just leaked straight out again)
Unsurprisingly it wouldn't start having sat for 2+ years and the manky key (buttons missing etc) wouldn't allow me to operate the central locking. I did manage to get it to turn over slowly.
I decided it might be worth a punt if I could get it at the right price. After a chat with the owner a very generous (on his part) deal was agreed and I agreed to get it collected ASAP.
Tuesday was collection day. Wednesday was delivery. I hadn't even mentioned this car to SWMBO and wasn't sure how she would react but I'm guessed, based on past experience, it would be pretty much "OK". She's amazingly laid back usually, although I've never acquired a 2 tonne potential heap of trouble before when I don't even have a job and I already have two V8 Rover engined cars. I warned my friends that If I didn't post for a while, please send grapes.
I started to get excited and nervous in equal measure about what i had agreed to take on. And then i got a message from the transport guy with a picture.
A sleepless night ensued. I had arranged for SWMBO to be out with a friend on Wednesday when the car arrived but that fell through due to an urgent vet appointment so another friend was appointed to help get SWMBO out the way using doggy walks as the excuse. It worked. Phew!
Wednesday morning arrived and the delivery was delayed from 10.00am to "As soon as we can get there"...
Backstory: After admiring a friend's P38 for a couple of years, this car was spotted on "The Everyday Abandoned Vehicles" thread by a fellow petrolhead and P38 owner who knew I was sort of hankering after one. He mentioned it to me at a local car group that I organise. I said "I'll take a look" but wasn't really hopeful as it was on the "Abandoned cars" thread.
The picture didn't inspire confidence but above mentioned friends persuaded me it was likely to be better than it looked. It seemed to be local to us as "Valley Windows" sign written on the van parked next to it in the pic suggested it was in the Welsh Valleys (we're in Cardiff). WRONG!
My friend then tracked down the pub that was advertised on the back of the car and convinced me to ring the pub. It was in Wigan, 200 miles away from Cardiff. I figured it was only a phone call and would probably come to nothing. I spoke to the Landlord of the pub who said he sold it. Oh well never mind. Then he told me he sold it to his "Boss" and gave me his number. I spoke to his "boss" who said he had sold it (oh well ... but wait) and bought it back as air suspension failed and he gave the guy his money back and the car had sat in the commercials yard since.
I did a bit of due diligence (MOT history etc) and asked owner if I could take a look at it and he said "help yourself".
Another car club mate was going from Cardiff up to Cheshire to look at a house, so I agreed to go with him and continue on to look at the RR last week. I spent an hour and a half looking over it and playing with it. Couldn't get underneath as didn't have a jack, it was on the bump stops and the tyres were flat. Checked they would hold air (yup) but the compressor I had wasn't great and the tyres hold a lot of air so I was unable to pump them all up.
Although unable to look underneath, the body looked in remarkably good condition, although covered in a layer of filth and black mould. The inside was very dirty but initially looked reasonable (headlining down but what's new there on a P38?) and the key was recognised (power pack deployed as battery flat obviously). Then I realised it had been parked up with the sunroof open an inch. Oh dear! But wait, the carpets and (leather) seats were dry and other than mouldy sun visors there was no evidence of the ingress of water (probably all just leaked straight out again)
Unsurprisingly it wouldn't start having sat for 2+ years and the manky key (buttons missing etc) wouldn't allow me to operate the central locking. I did manage to get it to turn over slowly.
I decided it might be worth a punt if I could get it at the right price. After a chat with the owner a very generous (on his part) deal was agreed and I agreed to get it collected ASAP.
Tuesday was collection day. Wednesday was delivery. I hadn't even mentioned this car to SWMBO and wasn't sure how she would react but I'm guessed, based on past experience, it would be pretty much "OK". She's amazingly laid back usually, although I've never acquired a 2 tonne potential heap of trouble before when I don't even have a job and I already have two V8 Rover engined cars. I warned my friends that If I didn't post for a while, please send grapes.
I started to get excited and nervous in equal measure about what i had agreed to take on. And then i got a message from the transport guy with a picture.
A sleepless night ensued. I had arranged for SWMBO to be out with a friend on Wednesday when the car arrived but that fell through due to an urgent vet appointment so another friend was appointed to help get SWMBO out the way using doggy walks as the excuse. It worked. Phew!
Wednesday morning arrived and the delivery was delayed from 10.00am to "As soon as we can get there"...
About an hour later I got a call that the transporter was at the end of the road and down they came... 
We managed to get the RR unloaded and the transporter away just a few minutes before SWMBO returned. The RR was pushed down the side of the house where SWMBO usually parks the current dogmobile. She pulled up on the drive apparently assuming that the RR belonged to a friend who had popped round to see me. I asked her whose RR it was and she said she hadn't a clue and I said "Well you'd better have it then" ...
We managed to get the RR unloaded and the transporter away just a few minutes before SWMBO returned. The RR was pushed down the side of the house where SWMBO usually parks the current dogmobile. She pulled up on the drive apparently assuming that the RR belonged to a friend who had popped round to see me. I asked her whose RR it was and she said she hadn't a clue and I said "Well you'd better have it then" ...
105.4 said:
Great story, and bravo 
This must be one of the stupidest car purchasing stories I’ve heard in ages 
You have my respect and my admiration.
Thank you. I think? This must be one of the stupidest car purchasing stories I’ve heard in ages You have my respect and my admiration.
Aaaaanyway...
Having got Lord Nelson home (well, did you see the advertising?... Obvious name is obvious for a battleship) I decided upon a 4 step plan of attack...
1. Get it to start
2. Get it moving under it's own steam
3.MOT
4.Improve to safe comfortable use standard
In order to achieve number 1 I needed a suitable battery. Now I must confess to not going into this entirely blind in that the aforementioned friend, Martin and another friend in Scotland, Simon, both have experience of running P38's as daily drivers., Simon for many years as he owns Angus Autogas and they recommended a Hankook MF 31-1000 Battery which I duly ordered for under £100.
The battery arrived the following day and now I think I know what the MF stands for...
Stanley knife for scale.
The battery had a weight warning on it - 25 Kilos!
I cleaned up the terminals on the car, covered them in Vaseline (the postman was walking by as I was digging a nitrile gloved finger into the tub of Vaseline and he visibly quickened his pace) and connected up the battery.
As the keyfob isn't working I had to use the EKA (Emergency Key Access) to get the engine to turn over (fortunately the original code was on a card in the wallet with the documents). I entered the code using the key turning process, hopped in, inserted the key and turned it to the ignition position and heard the fuel pump running. I then turned to the start position.
I immediately thought, "WTF is that noise" and in the same moment it dawned on me, the bloody thing had only started. No cranking, no whirring of starter just an immediate burst of life that settled into a rough tickover rumble. To say I was happy was an understatement.
I was stunned. After a minute or so the roughness suddenly smoothed out and I noticed that the little blue blinking light on the dash had stopped blinking and was showing a steady blue light. Lord Nelson was running on gas!!!! Oh yeah, I didn't mention it has a gas conversion did I? Better still there is half a tank of gas in it.Fair play for taking on such a massive project. The sort of thing that mere mortal wimps like me could only dream of.
I can't help shake the notion that cars run on LPG conversions haven't been well-maintained. I'm on the lookout for a cheaper, ULEZ 4x4 at the moment, and so many of the older petrol options have gas cylinders taking up half the boot.
I can't help shake the notion that cars run on LPG conversions haven't been well-maintained. I'm on the lookout for a cheaper, ULEZ 4x4 at the moment, and so many of the older petrol options have gas cylinders taking up half the boot.
This could be a fun one to watch.
The fact it burst happily into life then switched onto lpg is a decent sign.
The other bonus is the p38 community is massive and pretty much any issue has already happened, been addressed and there’s a comprehensive write up to follow to fix it.
If it moves and stops then it could be a decent car again.
The fact it burst happily into life then switched onto lpg is a decent sign.
The other bonus is the p38 community is massive and pretty much any issue has already happened, been addressed and there’s a comprehensive write up to follow to fix it.
If it moves and stops then it could be a decent car again.
I am really bad for taking photos. I tend to forget until the job is done but I'll do my best.
After the success of starting I decided to transfer the fob into a new case I'd bought. Took me an hour to get the old fob apart with a knife and a junior hacksaw very carefully. Fitted the fob into the new case with new batteries and it doesn't work. Oh well, I won't spend any more on fixing the key until the car has an MOT.
Next I turned my attention to the interior which was minging. So Mrs TT and I spent a lovely hour or so with baby wipes cleaning the interior. Had to take the sun visors out to clean them as they were so mouldy. I really wish i has photographed the interior. I also sprayed the door cards with Flash as they were so dirty and mouldy in places but they came up well.
The following day I was sat inside and wound (electrically) the windows down to air it out. Later found the passenger sides wouldn't go up so had to remove the switch control panel between the seats. Dismantled as far as I dare and sprayed with switch cleaner. This fixed the passenger front but not rear window. As it was getting dark and threatening to rain and I was beginning to worry about having to leave the window open all night, Mrs TT popped her head through the window and asked if it would go up using the button on the rear door? Doh! up she went. A bit more research reveals that the switch contacts are a known issue and there's lots of info about overhauling them That's one for another day.
After the success of starting I decided to transfer the fob into a new case I'd bought. Took me an hour to get the old fob apart with a knife and a junior hacksaw very carefully. Fitted the fob into the new case with new batteries and it doesn't work. Oh well, I won't spend any more on fixing the key until the car has an MOT.
Next I turned my attention to the interior which was minging. So Mrs TT and I spent a lovely hour or so with baby wipes cleaning the interior. Had to take the sun visors out to clean them as they were so mouldy. I really wish i has photographed the interior. I also sprayed the door cards with Flash as they were so dirty and mouldy in places but they came up well.
The following day I was sat inside and wound (electrically) the windows down to air it out. Later found the passenger sides wouldn't go up so had to remove the switch control panel between the seats. Dismantled as far as I dare and sprayed with switch cleaner. This fixed the passenger front but not rear window. As it was getting dark and threatening to rain and I was beginning to worry about having to leave the window open all night, Mrs TT popped her head through the window and asked if it would go up using the button on the rear door? Doh! up she went. A bit more research reveals that the switch contacts are a known issue and there's lots of info about overhauling them That's one for another day.
Next in line for attention is the suspension; known to be troublesome on P38s but great when working well (which is, I understand, rare).
The air suspension control lights on the dash were indicating it was trying to raise the car but no movement and no compressor sound (not that I know what that would sound like at this point.
Online I found a Beginners Guide to EAS on the P38 Range Rover. Bloody brilliant. Whoever wrote that deserves a medal. Following the step by step guide I have diagnosed that the thermostatic cut out has died. So I pulled the pump apart.
First clue someone had been here before was that there were small holes in the wires into the pump where someone had probed a meter into them. Second clue is the solder on the cutout on the circuit board:
Third clue was that the cutout fitted was rated at 125 deg c and the originals were, I'm informed , 120 deg C.
Looking at the seals inside the pump it's likely that it has overheated and needs rebuilding:
So, Pump rebuild kit and Thermal cut out ordered (the latter being difficult to find without some help from the forum) and now waiting for delivery.
Meanwhile I thought I'd look at a few jobs that would fail an MOT that might be cheap to fix but would save time later...
The air suspension control lights on the dash were indicating it was trying to raise the car but no movement and no compressor sound (not that I know what that would sound like at this point.
Online I found a Beginners Guide to EAS on the P38 Range Rover. Bloody brilliant. Whoever wrote that deserves a medal. Following the step by step guide I have diagnosed that the thermostatic cut out has died. So I pulled the pump apart.
First clue someone had been here before was that there were small holes in the wires into the pump where someone had probed a meter into them. Second clue is the solder on the cutout on the circuit board:
Third clue was that the cutout fitted was rated at 125 deg c and the originals were, I'm informed , 120 deg C.
Looking at the seals inside the pump it's likely that it has overheated and needs rebuilding:
So, Pump rebuild kit and Thermal cut out ordered (the latter being difficult to find without some help from the forum) and now waiting for delivery.
Meanwhile I thought I'd look at a few jobs that would fail an MOT that might be cheap to fix but would save time later...
Next on the list was a silly one. The driver's side windscreen washer wasn't working. Pulled the hose off the non return vale and it squirted fine. Removed the non return valve and I could't blow through it either way - Blocked! Bypassed and working - replacement ordered.
Next was the number plate lights which were full of water and algae. Lenses and housing removed and handed to Mrs TT to deal with while I looked at the non working lights.
I removed one of the bulbs from it's holder, it looked OK so reinserted it and it lit up. Easiest fix ever! Tried the same with the other one but no worky. Swapped bulbs. Good bulb still works in other side therefore duff bulb. Dig in my spare bulbs box (this isn't my first rodeo but possibly my biggest) and find a replacement - hey presto at which point Mrs TT wanders out and hands me the cleaned out housing so all is quickly reassembled.
While messing with the number plate lights it came to light that the tailgate has been repaired at some point and not particularly well but then the bodywork is way from great so no real worries. Not rusty but lots of scrapes, scratches and dings. The tailgates are prone to rot I am told.
I do love the split tailgate and had been sitting on the lower part and noticed the support strap bolts were in a very corroded state so i decided, although not MOT related, as a treat, I'd soak them in Plusgas and see if they's come out. the top 2 looked REALLY crusty. After a day of soaking then I gingerly tried the first one and after a bit of persuasion if gave suddenly. So suddenly that I thought it had sheared. The other 3 came off without too much drama surprisingly so I've ordered 2 new straps. I am definitely getting sucked in.
Next was the number plate lights which were full of water and algae. Lenses and housing removed and handed to Mrs TT to deal with while I looked at the non working lights.
I removed one of the bulbs from it's holder, it looked OK so reinserted it and it lit up. Easiest fix ever! Tried the same with the other one but no worky. Swapped bulbs. Good bulb still works in other side therefore duff bulb. Dig in my spare bulbs box (this isn't my first rodeo but possibly my biggest) and find a replacement - hey presto at which point Mrs TT wanders out and hands me the cleaned out housing so all is quickly reassembled.
While messing with the number plate lights it came to light that the tailgate has been repaired at some point and not particularly well but then the bodywork is way from great so no real worries. Not rusty but lots of scrapes, scratches and dings. The tailgates are prone to rot I am told.
I do love the split tailgate and had been sitting on the lower part and noticed the support strap bolts were in a very corroded state so i decided, although not MOT related, as a treat, I'd soak them in Plusgas and see if they's come out. the top 2 looked REALLY crusty. After a day of soaking then I gingerly tried the first one and after a bit of persuasion if gave suddenly. So suddenly that I thought it had sheared. The other 3 came off without too much drama surprisingly so I've ordered 2 new straps. I am definitely getting sucked in.
A couple of incidentals. The tyres were all flat when I viewed the car and the transporters had part pumped them up. Once it was on the drive i inflated them all to 30psi just to see if they hold air. I scrounged some valve caps from a local garage as they were all missing. Seems like 3 of the 4 tyres are holding but the o/s front has a slow leak which i will deal with post MOT pass (can you sense the optimism?)
I also noticed that one of the polished,stainless 27mm (yes 27mm!) wheel nuts was missing so I've ordered one (after swapping one to the empty stud to check the thread was OK) as it would be an MOT fail.
So today, while I wait for the air suspension parts to arrive I decided to fix the horn so it's another little step toward the MOT.
Nothing emanated at all when you press the horn pad on the steering wheel and online research suggested it could be the contacts on the the wheel, the fuse, the relay or the horns themselves which are known to fail.
Armed with my multimeter I pulled the fuse and check it and supply to it and it was good. Next easiest to access was the relay. No clicking when the horn was pressed so I pulled it and checked the supply to it - all good! So I took the top off the relay and operated it manually and a very sick sounding single horn bleated at me. It sounded like a sick duck in a tunnel. After a few manual operations of the relay the horn tone improved to close to what it should be (although only one operating rather then the dual tone it should be but it'll be good enough for a MOT so relay ordered.
Total spend to date including shipping £238 and battery £96.31 is £439
I'm pretty sure I will have to change the air bags on the suspension which will add another couple of hundred but let's wait and see.
Thanks for reading so far and I'll try and take more pics
I also noticed that one of the polished,stainless 27mm (yes 27mm!) wheel nuts was missing so I've ordered one (after swapping one to the empty stud to check the thread was OK) as it would be an MOT fail.
So today, while I wait for the air suspension parts to arrive I decided to fix the horn so it's another little step toward the MOT.
Nothing emanated at all when you press the horn pad on the steering wheel and online research suggested it could be the contacts on the the wheel, the fuse, the relay or the horns themselves which are known to fail.
Armed with my multimeter I pulled the fuse and check it and supply to it and it was good. Next easiest to access was the relay. No clicking when the horn was pressed so I pulled it and checked the supply to it - all good! So I took the top off the relay and operated it manually and a very sick sounding single horn bleated at me. It sounded like a sick duck in a tunnel. After a few manual operations of the relay the horn tone improved to close to what it should be (although only one operating rather then the dual tone it should be but it'll be good enough for a MOT so relay ordered.
Total spend to date including shipping £238 and battery £96.31 is £439
I'm pretty sure I will have to change the air bags on the suspension which will add another couple of hundred but let's wait and see.
Thanks for reading so far and I'll try and take more pics
Did a bit more digging this afternoon - the horn issue may not be the relay as first thought. Will need further investigation.
Managed to get underneath for the first time (Damn, forgot to take pics) and everything looks solid. There's some surface corrosion on the air tank but mainly it's solid and the bushes I could see look ok.
I stripped out and cleaned up the air suspension valve block and air dryer pending rebuild when the bits arrive in the next couple of days.
[url]
|https://thumbsnap.com/NHv9XJwn[/url
]
Managed to get underneath for the first time (Damn, forgot to take pics) and everything looks solid. There's some surface corrosion on the air tank but mainly it's solid and the bushes I could see look ok.
I stripped out and cleaned up the air suspension valve block and air dryer pending rebuild when the bits arrive in the next couple of days.
[url]
|https://thumbsnap.com/NHv9XJwn[/url]
This morning I managed to get underneath the front and take a few pics:
It all looks surprisingly good for a 21 year old car that's been stood for a couple of years albeit a bit crusty here and there.
At lunchtime the seals arrived for the pump and air valve unit so I spent an afternoon stripping and rebuilding the air block and then began on the pump (still waiting for the thermal cut out). The pump isn't going to plan. The bearing is supposed to come off with the piston I think but after I undid the grub screw it still wouldn't come off so i gently levered the piston off and it came without the bearing.
Oh well, I'll finish rebuilding it tomorrow and see how it performs. Replacement bearings are less than a tenner online so if it doesn't work it's not the end of the world
I keep forgetting to take pics as I go along. There are 7 solenoids and each one has to have the cap removed, the base unscrewed, the two parts split and 4 seals replaced on each. I almost missed putting in one of the seals as I got distracted with a phone call but fortunately I had laid out all of the seals in rows before I started so I had one left over. I guessed the one I missed was number 5 that I was doing when the phone rang and sure enough...
I know the pump wasn't performing before rebuilding as it's supposed to produce over 10 bar and it definitely wasn't as I could keep my thumb over the outlet (the standard pump test I'm told) so I'm looking forward to testing it once it's up and running again.
Hopefully the replacement thermal cut out will arrive tomorrow and I can refit it all to the car and see if it works
It all looks surprisingly good for a 21 year old car that's been stood for a couple of years albeit a bit crusty here and there.
At lunchtime the seals arrived for the pump and air valve unit so I spent an afternoon stripping and rebuilding the air block and then began on the pump (still waiting for the thermal cut out). The pump isn't going to plan. The bearing is supposed to come off with the piston I think but after I undid the grub screw it still wouldn't come off so i gently levered the piston off and it came without the bearing.
Oh well, I'll finish rebuilding it tomorrow and see how it performs. Replacement bearings are less than a tenner online so if it doesn't work it's not the end of the worldI keep forgetting to take pics as I go along. There are 7 solenoids and each one has to have the cap removed, the base unscrewed, the two parts split and 4 seals replaced on each. I almost missed putting in one of the seals as I got distracted with a phone call but fortunately I had laid out all of the seals in rows before I started so I had one left over. I guessed the one I missed was number 5 that I was doing when the phone rang and sure enough...
I know the pump wasn't performing before rebuilding as it's supposed to produce over 10 bar and it definitely wasn't as I could keep my thumb over the outlet (the standard pump test I'm told) so I'm looking forward to testing it once it's up and running again.
Hopefully the replacement thermal cut out will arrive tomorrow and I can refit it all to the car and see if it works
Great thread, looking forward to seeing your progress. P38s have aged really well IMO.
I'm also fixing up an abandoned green Range Rover, although mine is an L322 and did run (only just about) before I handed over the money. Your mechanical skills appear to be far greater than mine though, which is a definite advantage!
I'm also fixing up an abandoned green Range Rover, although mine is an L322 and did run (only just about) before I handed over the money. Your mechanical skills appear to be far greater than mine though, which is a definite advantage!
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