Vera will return

Vera will return

Author
Discussion

shadowfax

Original Poster:

1,103 posts

242 months

Thursday 13th April 2006
quotequote all
in two weeks, she goes to Stuey's garage for a slow resto, under cover of darkness, towed so as to avoid having to tell too many white lies to Herself e.g. "Who bought her, dear? Oh, erm, some bloke....if he aint happy, he may just dump her back outside the house, my love, who can say? " etc

Tis Spring!!!

350zwelgje

1,820 posts

262 months

Thursday 13th April 2006
quotequote all
Good plan! Hatching a plan myself to get my '81 2300s back on the road, as the wedge needs major surgery...., an probably will be back on the road after summer '06.
Benefit: old girl 25 years old in June, so the cunning plan is to get it on the road and no tax etc...... Won't take a lot of work: replacement of fuel and coolant hoses will do. Perhaps wishfull thinking, but you never know.

Rob

shadowfax

Original Poster:

1,103 posts

242 months

Friday 14th April 2006
quotequote all
Rob - Good news BUT you WILL apy tax. Only vehicles registered before 7th January 1973 aqre eligible for Historic Vehicle tax. My old MGB was a sept 73 reg'd and the car club lady knew her stuff when she did the search for me. Never mind, what you'll save in juice over the 17mpg three speed auto V8 would probably pay the £190 p.a. tax anyway

350zwelgje

1,820 posts

262 months

Friday 14th April 2006
quotequote all
Jim, I live in Belgium, and it is a dutch car....
Oldtimers is from 25 years onwards (Belgium and Holland), based on first registration date - until now. It is currently on a dutch registration, but plan to import into Belgium.

Belgium car 25 years old = no road tax, and driving up to 30km no MOT required....
Shame the wedge is only registered in '87.

Rob

shadowfax

Original Poster:

1,103 posts

242 months

Saturday 15th April 2006
quotequote all
Good news that, Rob. In 2012, it looks like the wedge will be an 'Old Timer'. Great! Keep it under 30kph and it'll cost pennies to run

shadowfax

Original Poster:

1,103 posts

242 months

Thursday 25th May 2006
quotequote all
Vera has awakened ....

Engine not been started in the last 18 months. Scooped water from footwells where t had got in between cover and door seals over the last year & a half. Did oil & filter change, charged battery and she turned over. Remembered she had no juice. Threw battery back on charger on fastr charge, got a gallon of Optimax in and Broom, Broom! She started first time. Next stop, garage for welding. Great piece of engineering. Than ks, chaps.

Watch this space

shadowfax

Original Poster:

1,103 posts

242 months

Tuesday 30th May 2006
quotequote all
Vera went into garage this evening. First step, weld and repairs, to get a MOT.

Am looking for tips on what bits to source to upgrade for safety e.g. braded hoses for brakes; better pads. Any ideas?

shadowfax

Original Poster:

1,103 posts

242 months

Wednesday 7th June 2006
quotequote all
Barsted .... reckons she's too much like hard work; wont let me order panels for him to repair even though he's quoted over a £1k work; now gotta pay for labour for him fixing a throttle linkage so he could move her in & out the garage. Point was once in the garage she wasnt gonna come out, hence me choosing him to do the job. Barsted. The search continues. I wont let her die like this.

UPDATE: Steve Benyon of the Rover P6 Driver's Club has been a great help. He's gonna see the fail sheet; come and have a blimp; and we'll send her off to Cheshire to his mate to weld or Clive Annabel, Derbyshire, who is apparently the dog's knackers when it comes to restoring P6s ( Sh! Dont tell the Missus )

Edited by shadowfax on Wednesday 7th June 21:43

roverv8

9 posts

220 months

Thursday 15th June 2006
quotequote all
I have seen some of the work done by Annabels and was very impressed. Good luck with the restoration. Keep us updated.

shadowfax

Original Poster:

1,103 posts

242 months

Thursday 15th June 2006
quotequote all
Thanks, Steve. Just awaiting news on when we can send to the Gas Man. Your blue motor sounds like a riot. Talk about Street Sleeper

shadowfax

Original Poster:

1,103 posts

242 months

Wednesday 2nd August 2006
quotequote all
Ah well, today is The Day. Goes to Dave for opinion re mot failure list. Mainly replacement posts I hope and then used & or recon parts to reach MOT. No way she'll be ready for Turweston gathering though

shadowfax

Original Poster:

1,103 posts

242 months

Monday 7th August 2006
quotequote all
..... "WILL Vera return?" more like. Bad news it seems. Steve Benyon suggested I may wish to consider looking for another base unit .....

350zwelgje

1,820 posts

262 months

Monday 7th August 2006
quotequote all
Sorry to hear. Or you need to find somebody that wants to do the welding for free (sorry no help either - sometimes engineering schools like to practice under teacher supervision). But if I may/dear to ask.... if it is the case, will you look for a P5B then?

Rob

shadowfax

Original Poster:

1,103 posts

242 months

Monday 7th August 2006
quotequote all
Thanks Rob. Have to go and see the damage tomorrow. The body man has the wings off. Will take pics of all areas needing work. Then, if he says it can be done but he wont do it, I have to pay for it to be transported again to somewhere else. Then source the parts.
Spoke to guy at Wadhams - renowned, but reputedly costly, Midlands company for parts for all older Rovers - and he said all the base unit panels are purchasable separately and can be replaced. It is all, of course, a matter of cost.

So, I will see what is needed and try to put back together again after stripping the car, getting the body all cleaned up and put it all back together with old used, cleaned original and some new bits wherever safety is an issue. And run her as I intended. Then in time I will see about that P5B Coupe.

Seems like the only way. Scrapping Vera is not an option - Yet.

Meantime, look at this:

www.photobox.co.uk/album/album_fullsize.html?c_photo=73453388

P6 3500S, restored by the son of the original owner. At Woodvale Rally, nr Southport yesterday. It is a BEAUT. Must be one of only a handful in the country that looks so good. Cost a few shillings to get it there though.


Edited by shadowfax on Monday 7th August 22:45

shadowfax

Original Poster:

1,103 posts

242 months

Tuesday 8th August 2006
quotequote all
Looks like all inner wings front & rear and D posts need replacing. Plus prep & welding time. Could be £1500 before we look at the running gear. I could pay him £150 a month and take a year to get it done.

Could be if I dont sort out our wedding before this, then there wont ever be one.

Ouch

tyre_tread

10,535 posts

217 months

Friday 11th August 2006
quotequote all
shadowfax said:
Spoke to guy at Wadhams - renowned, but reputedly costly, Midlands company .....................
Seems like the only way. Scrapping Vera is not an option - Yet.
Edited by shadowfax on Monday 7th August 22:45


Jim, we should talk about your proposed supplier for Rover parts.

The emotion in that last quoted statement might cost you a lot of wonga.

How about looking for the P5B in the short term and a (rare) P6B tourer in the longer term?

I'll PM you my contact details.

shadowfax

Original Poster:

1,103 posts

242 months

Saturday 12th August 2006
quotequote all
Right....Firstly, HAPPY 34th Birthday to Aunty Ve for last friday 4th August

£1K for the job, over the next 6 months so I can try to get it paid, a corner at a time.

Steve Bennion, P6Club membership secretary, who lives over the road from the body shop, has GIVEN me an outer front wing, rear valance and a new outer sill, all from his garage store. Then he rang his mate Rob, who is GIVING me two D posts, inner and outer. All I need now is another outer wing.

Meantime I can nip over and remove bits for refurbing myself as & when able.

to the P6 Drivers' Club




Edited by shadowfax on Sunday 13th August 00:14

tyre_tread

10,535 posts

217 months

Monday 14th August 2006
quotequote all
shadowfax said:
Right....Firstly, HAPPY 34th Birthday to Aunty Ve for last friday 4th August

£1K for the job, over the next 6 months so I can try to get it paid, a corner at a time.

Steve Bennion, P6Club membership secretary, who lives over the road from the body shop, has GIVEN me an outer front wing, rear valance and a new outer sill, all from his garage store. Then he rang his mate Rob, who is GIVING me two D posts, inner and outer. All I need now is another outer wing.

Meantime I can nip over and remove bits for refurbing myself as & when able.

to the P6 Drivers' Club




Edited by shadowfax on Sunday 13th August 00:14


Great news!

I told you there are cheaper suppliers!

shadowfax

Original Poster:

1,103 posts

242 months

Monday 11th September 2006
quotequote all
Humbly and with a heavy heart I must acknowledge Vera cannot be restored within my budget after all. A No more borrowing! decision made some time ago means I am donating her to the Robert Jones Foundation for P6 Perpetuation i.e. to the Chester branch of the RP6DC - minus the engine which shall be removed and messed with in a small gap in my garage untli such time as I can afford another car - P6 or P5B - and one day, maybe, tuned. Must sell Bluey too as I aint got over a grand a year to maintain as such a car requires, plus the insurance and tax. There is indeed only space in my life for one woman after all ....

tyre_tread

10,535 posts

217 months

Monday 11th September 2006
quotequote all
shadowfax said:
Humbly and with a heavy heart I must acknowledge Vera cannot be restored within my budget after all. A No more borrowing! decision made some time ago means I am donating her to the Robert Jones Foundation for P6 Perpetuation i.e. to the Chester branch of the RP6DC - minus the engine which shall be removed and messed with in a small gap in my garage untli such time as I can afford another car - P6 or P5B - and one day, maybe, tuned. Must sell Bluey too as I aint got over a grand a year to maintain as such a car requires, plus the insurance and tax. There is indeed only space in my life for one woman after all ....



Sad news indeed! Sorry to hear that.

You could always turn your attention to finding the 'king leak on my P5B. It's driving me nuts banghead