Senator 24v

[Pete-M]

I have been after this for a few years, it was looked after for years by a friend of mine on behalf of the 80-odd year old bloke who owned it. It's a 24v automatic with black leather trim. 102k on the clock.

 

Everything works, the Grundig 10 disc CD changer / RDS radio, switchable suspension, electric aerial, headlamp wipers, air conditioning, the lot.

 

It drives well, smooth and responsive with the only rattle being from the exhaust which needs a fresh rubber at the back.

 

These are the only pics I have of it at the moment as it is awaiting a service and MOT (it has been off the road for three or four months following the old blokes demise) so you'll have to wait for more pics.

 

There are a few signs of old bloke ownership. There are "Visit Devon" brochures in the glovebox dated 1996, the interior needs a bloody good valet, there are a few light scratches on the rear bumper, nearside of the front bumper and n/s/f door. The chrome strip on the nearside corner of the front bumper has been self-tappered on in kwality giffer repair stylee. All easily fixed.

 

Structurally it's bloody good. The rear arches have a bit of bubbling along the lower lip and it could do with a bit of tidying where the rear doors overlap the arch when closed. I'll get these bits done and the paintwork put back to how it should be.

 

 

 

DISCLAIMER

This car is not in perfect condition and needs some work doing to make it nice again. My comments regarding slight rust on a 21 year old Vauxhall were not intended to cause offence to Vauxhall fans or those who own older cars of any make or model. This post was intended in an informative manner for the entertainment and amusement of the readers of this here forum.

[eddyramrod]

Sweet! Hold on to that, I'll see you in September...

[Cheggers]

What a lovely old motor - I remember being in my ex-boss's one at stupid speeds on the M1 and it felt as solid as a rock. Must have been the fastest giffer in the (north-) west

[bigstraight6]

That looks very nice Pete, one of my favourite Vauxhalls

[stormee]

May the 'over-the-moon-cavalier-bloke' get passed by with this one. 3.0 f***ing 'I', eat this, mate!

[HMC]

Lovely! Looks nice and straight. Underrrated when new, and pretty rare now. Is there much history?

[trigger]

I love this car, I've only ever drive one, and that was on a wet day but it was enough to make me shit myself on the wet roundabout, a real weapon of a car.

 

Back the early 90's i used to go to karate lessons with my mum's friends boy, his dad use to take us in his company brand new Senator (I think it was a K plate) and i still remember it being a bloody nice car whilst bombing up the A12 at 90 mph whilst listening to ABBA on the CD player (I was most impressed with this). He had a Rover Sterling before the Senator but that never seemed as well made (too a untrained a 10 years eye that is).

[Pete-M]

Lovely! Looks nice and straight. Underrrated when new, and pretty rare now. Is there much history?

 

Not really. Old bloke had it for a long time and always had it serviced by his local garage. I know he spent about a grand getting the aircon system repaired a year or two ago as I arranged for it to be done. If memory serves me right he spent similar money getting the adjustable shocks replaced a year or so before that. All the handbooks and stuff are with it, but no sign of the paperwork for servicing. The garage doesn't have copies of the paperwork to hand as it's an old fashioned garage that doesn't have computerised records going back that far.

 

I'll have a look through and see what's what when it gets here.

[scooters]

I drove one of these for a few months in 2000. It was amusing to see how drivers of a certain age still had dibble unmarked paranoia on seeing the egg crate in the rear view

 

GR7 4 APEERING ON BAK EPISOWDES OF POLEECE KAMRA AKSHUN CHASIN MK 2 GTI WIZ JOY RIDERZ

[Bren]

cracking car - only real problem with these is rot in the front and rear chassis legs, also the strut tops, like the previous model of senator, can suffer from fatigue and get weak - the paint cracks and it starts to rot.

[RoadworkUK]

It's luvverly.

 

Stealthy, too, without the 24v badging. I love these, they always seemed a size up from the Granny Scorp, and even the Cosworth didn't have a brochure that claimed 150mph. I can't see how that figure can be remotely possible, though, on a big old sled with 204ps.

 

Terrific things inside, with the poke-the-driver-in-the-back-of-the-head headrests. Fisher-price chunky switchgear, the worlds largest dashboard air vents and LCD-does-analogue dashboard. And that coolasfuck fuel computer with the LCD running down the side of it. Please put some pics up of what the dash looks like at night.

 

Lucky chap. Well done.

[rml2345]

Classy as fook! And still a bloody desirable car now. I IZ GELUS!!!

849,000/10

[Spiny Norman]

Love these.

Had a test drive of one a few years back with the idea of buying it but it never happened, can't quite remember why but it must have been something pretty major because these cars are permanently on my "want one day" list.

 

I can't see how that figure can be remotely possible, though, on a big old sled with 204ps.

They were quite aerodynamic old buses and like a lot of aero cars with very high top gear ratios they could pull some quite stupid speeds on a long road.

[RoadworkUK]

I can't see how that figure can be remotely possible, though, on a big old sled with 204ps.

They were quite aerodynamic old buses and like a lot of aero cars with very high top gear ratios they could pull some quite stupid speeds on a long road.

 

So almost a notional maximum, then. My 825 would probably do the 137 it's supposed to, but would likely need the entire M6 to achieve it. And explode doing so.

[RobT]

That looks ace Pete, will look forward to more pics of the ultimate 80s barge

[red5]

Nice, very nice indeed. Get some Carlton GSi suspension on her for the 5-0 effect !

 

What you want is a nice Brown/Gold Triumph instead...

[Pete-M]

Alas, the digi dash was a delete option. This one had that box ticked. Dibble style analogue jobs I'm afraid. I don't mind so much as my old 24v Carlton had the digital one and although it was always a grin to see it go to --- (which is what happens after 148 mph) the fuel gauge in 'em is hopeless. It's a number that tells you how many gallons are left. It flashes from 2 down to -- or "YO ON YO OWN NOW, SUCKA" as it was referred to.

 

It does have the little trip computer with the lcd display, and it works properly. Even the outside temp gauge.

 

According to Wikipedia, the 24v is theoretically capable of 149 mph and 0-62 in 7.8. The acceleration I'd believe as it's a fair bit quicker than the 528i, but that's not surprising really. The 0-60 for a 528i auto was 8.8 when new, that's 300,000 miles ago in the case of my 5.

 

Oh, do any of you lot fancy taking on the starship 5 series challenge? As soon as the Senator is fettled, the 5 is for sale.

[Shep Shepherd]

I really want to own a Senny B one day

[RoadworkUK]

You're right about digi-fuel gauges, Pete. The last gen MB E-Class and CLK had the infuriating combo of anaogue speed 'n revs, and LCD fuel and temp. The fuel was calibrated in 10 horizontal bars, so when the last one was extinguished you had anywhere between zero and seven litres on board. Similarly, the fuel range read-out on the trip-comp wouldn't drop any lower than thirty miles. After that it just showed a picture of a petrol station.

 

"Just fill it up then, drongo" will be the universal chorus, but it's a pain when you've just taken the car in as p/x and don't know if the remaining fuel will even get you to the BP

[R9UKE]

God that's sexy. Would love one of these. And a 3.0 V6 Omega... and a 3.2 Signum, all beside each other.

[dollywobbler]

Love it, even with 'boring' clocks.