Broadsword

The C1 keeps getting more improvements. I really like driving it. Clutch adjusted just right now, new number plates and I’ve even fixed the driver’s door lock. The starter motor failed in the week. £25 and 20 mins work on a Saturday morning saw it sorted. The car is delightfully easy to work on. MOT is first thing Tuesday morning. The Corsa C has had it’s minor bump damage mostly fixed after a good donor car was found in the scrap yard and I put on a good used injector pump. The car is mostly sorted now bar needing a less squeaky alternator… In other news the paint-shop messaged saying the XJR manual is finally going in for final paint!! Busy times!

Fiat Albea. Spotted one in Finland recently. Looks like a Mk2 Punto with a boot. Very strange.

The C1 has been doing daily duties for a week now. It's doing quite well. Steering/suspension/brakes tight as a drum. Engine is fantastic, very quiet. The main issue is that the starter has developed a fault, which seems to be getting worse. The bendix won't throw out from time to time. I'm starting to think the starter motor did not appreciate hanging in the breeze for a month while I was away. I'll try clean the starter up next weekend, or else replace it with a scrap yard unit. That is the only reliability issue. Today I replaced a load of smal things to make it a nicer car overall. This included. *Replace missing weather strip on driver' side roof *Replace cracked hazard warning switch *Replace manky hand brake lever trim *Replace driver's side interior door handle which broke *Replace delaminating rear view mirror *Quick T-cut of headlight before I get round to wet-sanding and laquer *Small clutch adjustment Jobs to do: *Pull some dents *Refurbish headlights *Some fresh number plates would be nice *Fix driver's door lock *I'd like a half-decent matching set of tyres (let me know if any are going for sale cheap!) *Fix stater motor *MOT (due soon) *Underseal before winter sets in

I second the point as regards P38’s rust resistance. Only very neglected examples have rusty bodies. The P38 chassis is basically unbreakable. I’ve never heard of a P38 with chassis rot. Sure the rest of it might be a problem, but a Land Rover not afflicted by rust concerns is a novelty.

Good news! The C1 is back together with a brand new clutch and driving very well now. After being out of the country for a while and coming back fresh to the job I simply used an engine crane to pull the gearbox nice and level from underneath. It was quite easy to mate to the engine with it just hovering at the right height. Other than that some of the bolts were being a pain (crud on thread being the main complaint), a broken vacuum line was fixed easily and a non-start at the end turned out to be a broken wire on the side of the head. The clutch bite point is a touch low (well it was way to high before, maybe I'm just not used to it with a new clutch), the adjustment was miles off on the clutch cable, so that might still need some fine tuning. Other than that we are in business. For now I'd like to remedy the non-working driver's lock barrel, underseal the lovely solid chassis and fix some trim pieces. It goes in for an MOT in two weeks. The XJR is still in for paint. I saw a few snaps of it being prepped while away. Other than that I'm patiently resisting the urge to keep bothering the guy trying to do his job! 215049845_C1running.mp4

That would roffle a treat here if no-one else buys it.

The current craze for new cars to be specced in Primer Grey. Why do it? They are so ugly it's distracting. I'm not kidding those block colour battleship grey cars being genuinely look like they have been left in primer to my eye!

If the car is a keeper for any length of time, have you considered a gearbox serviced? If it's working well now, might be prudent to "fix the roof while the sun is shining" as George Osbourne loved to say.. Seriously the gearbox must be the weakest part of the car, it's just the regular ZF 6-speed from the regular RR and Jags of the period?

31.7 MPG seems pretty impressive for a big barge like that!

Good to get a recession-proof daily in before inflation hits 15%... Winter is coming!

Never fix everything on a Land Rover. The moment you do is when something else breaks. Now for the most burning question.. So how fast is it exactly?

It should be pretty choppy when the EAS is malfunctioning and on the bumpstops. This is certainly the case with a P38. I once drove a Jag X350 which was on the bumpstops for 220 miles (EAS pump was dead). It was an interesting trip and an excersise in smooth driving..

Excellent news! Cash it in now and reap the profit while it's happy and working. It won't get any better than when you drive it home I predict!!!

Exciting stuff! Cure those warning lights and you will be well ahead.

Who's was this R21 Savannah? It's just like one we had in the family almost 15 years back. I covet it!!! Amazing cars.