Lord Sterling's fleet of failure - Front bumper issues and more parts for the Vectra (AVAS nonsense, Adge Cutler etc...)

[red5]

Ouch - if time and small children allow I'll try and help...

[LC Torana]

Off topic, but I have to say I just love the "Sheikh Abdul bin Sterling al-Rover" mock title.

 

Makes me smile every time.

[Lord Sterling]

You'd probably be better off leaving them uncovered. Yes, they will get dirty and mouldy but they (and the interior) will at least be able to breathe. A tarpaulin will just trap the moisture. Being BL, you'll still get water in, but you've got to make the best of less than ideal storage.

 

That'll make it worse, as I've said the tarpaulins blew off leaving the cars out in the rain thus causing flooded footwells, so far since tying the tarps down (now I know why they are referred to a 'cat piss' because smell like it,  ) there hasn't been much mould/interior flooding. The picture of the moulding interior was taken today and there wasn't that much.

 

 

Ouch - if time and small children allow I'll try and help...

 

Thanks Sam, I know you have offered before and we spoke about it, but I do know how busy you are with small children 

[oldcars]

Its a shame, but with no inside storage what can you do. The summer should soon be here, lets hope for a dry one.

[beko1987]

You could get a spray bottle with anti bac in, spray the fabric, agitate a bit then suck the water out with the new vax you have. Then repeat a few times, then maybe mist anti bac on and leave it for now? Should draw all the mould spores out (maybe)

 

Is there any way you can make it less airtight in there? Remove the pollen filter, or leave a door cracked or something? Sounds like it's properly sealed, with no airflow.

 

I'd agree with leaving the car cover off too. As long as it's not under a pine tree or the flightpath of birds it will be ok. Wether that helps the interior or not though, but it might help the outside not condense, which will help the internal temps

[They_all_do_that_sir]

Hate tarps, they just trap moisture. But if the car leaks they are better than nothing.

 

Love the rovers, they must be getting fairly thin on the ground now

[Bren]

You would be surprised the damage tarps can cause to paint - they wear it away.

[tooSavvy]

Can a tubular 'exoskeleton' be jigged up to support a tarp but off the bodywork?

 

JussTinkinn lyke

 

TS

[They_all_do_that_sir]

Can a tubular 'exoskeleton' be jigged up to support a tarp but off the bodywork?

 

JussTinkinn lyke

 

 

 

This x100 - would be fairly easy to build a frame from scrap wood with the tarp nailed to it.

 

No more tarp resting on the car and ventilation would be much better

[billyboy406v6]

This x100 - would be fairly easy to build a frame from scrap wood with the tarp nailed to it.

 

No more tarp resting on the car and ventilation would be much better

Might cause probs if wind starts to thrash frame/nails about ? How about inner tubes tied to bonnet/roof/ boot to encourage water off and air circulating, and bungees to keep tarps on ?

[jonny69]

Dunno if there's much you can do once a car starts growing. If I leave mine in the cold and wet for more than about a week I have to pick the mushrooms out the carpets. Fug knows how they got in there in the first place, but they're a bloody nuisance.

[Guest Lord Sward]

I'd be cutting my losses on those Rovers and scrapping them.  They're too far gone.

[hauserplenty]

^ This. EDIT: I agree about cutting losses, but not with simply giving up and junking all your cars.

 

I've said it before, and with all due respect of course squire, but I agree that it's time to think about what you've spent to keep them this long, versus cutting your considerable losses and starting again. If you flogged the lot you'd have enough to fix up the BMW to a high standard, and no more monthly storage payments or faffing about with tow trucks/tarps etc. The longer you wait, the worse their condition will be... It makes sense to find another enthusiast to sell them to. Failing that, a trip across "The Bridge Of Death!!" would be a last resort. The Benz is worth a fortune in parts, I should think.

[Lukas]

I would keep one or two Rovers that you are able to look for, and get rid of all the others. 

 

Make one or two good ones out of them. Having too much cars that are just projects AND no were to keep them safe and dry is not a good idea. 

[Lord Sterling]

Thank you Hauser and Lukas, with all due respect if I felt they were a burden I'd have got rid of them long ago, they're not so I haven't and I won't. I know how it looks from the outside but I have a few 'irons in the fire' so to speak. So with all due respect, thank you two for your advice.

[beko1987]

I'd stick with them for now (although maybe not get any more). Now you've got the Beemer and can keep them all off the road, you don't need to do as many running repairs.

 

Can you SORN/uninsure (or at least 3rd party F&T) them where they are stored? Make them cost you zero, then save the money to fully fix the easiest one up etc. Spend nowt on them until the summer (when the arse to weather ratio improves), and fix one up spot on. Then move on to the next etc, all the while pottering about to jobs/money making schemes in the beemer of much brilliance but zero personality...

 

Failing that, take the worse one that will cost the most/be uneconomical if you really think deep out the back, shoot it in the head and break it for spares. You'll feel good* that it keeps others on the road, and get a cash injection you can tell no one about and sink into the rest.

 

I agree about not binning them off, would be a bit pointless to have them this long then just get rid and make all the previous few years pointless! Don't bin them and become a BMW man, that's not the Mo we all love!

[Lord Sterling]

I'd stick with them for now (although maybe not get any more). Now you've got the Beemer and can keep them all off the road, you don't need to do as many running repairs.

 

Can you SORN/uninsure (or at least 3rd party F&T) them where they are stored? Make them cost you zero, then save the money to fully fix the easiest one up etc. Spend nowt on them until the summer (when the arse to weather ratio improves), and fix one up spot on. Then move on to the next etc, all the while pottering about to jobs/money making schemes in the beemer of much brilliance but zero personality...

 

I agree about not binning them off, would be a bit pointless to have them this long then just get rid and make all the previous few years pointless! Don't bin them and become a BMW man, that's not the Mo we all love!

That is exactly what is happening now, they are simply being stored until things are in place and I can get the cars sorted. They are currently safely stored, the water problems were down to me not securing the tarpaulins correctly. All cars start and drive with exception of the Mk2 827 Sterling, though I think a battery and refilling of the autobox oil will see it start and drive.

 

I have offers of help too, even a local one so it'll be sorted. I know my cars and I know what they need. Just biding my time.

[hauserplenty]

You seem proper determined. May your bl00dy-mindedness serve you well, Your Lordship.

[D Spares & Tyres]

Well what I would do is strip the carpets out of them all then ditch the tarps, they cause more harm than good. Then you will know exactly where the water is pooling and can drill a small hole in a strategic place on each car

 

Tub of rice or cat litter in should sort rest of damp probs!

 

Save the Rovers ☺

[tooSavvy]

 .. drill a small hole in a strategic place on each car

Mk3 Cortina (Bloo, star of 'The Secret life of the Ford Cortina' no less...!) had a 1/8 hole under the accy pedal, as swimming wasn't my Olympic sport

 

Cured it.....

 

 

TS

[D Spares & Tyres]

Don't forget to keep the leather fed or you will wreck that too!

[Lord Sterling]

Well, here is the other 'free' car I got 'that call' about whilst residing in Turkiya:

 

 

Yep, it's yet another Rover 800.

 

I put it up for sale here some time back, one idiot on here complained about the price as if he was being forced to buy it or summat. Lol, whatever 

 

From what I can remember, the Rover '820i SE' was supposed to be some sort model aimed at the company car driver, a sort of Sterling spec 800 without the leather and big engine. So Basically, from what I can tell an 820SLi with 'prestige' alloys. Hmm, not convinced 

 

Anyway, story about this particular car goes that the original owner, a 90-year old chap I chatted to once or twice had owned this car for a number of years, had passed away last year and the son had sold the house and had nowhere to put the car, he tried to sell it without much luck, then it got to point where it was either give away or scrap it.

 

He offered me the car just before I came back to England, we struck a deal and when to come and pick the car up. I told the seller that I had too many cars and too little liquid cash, however, what I could see was that the seller didn't have any space, I offered to sell the car for him and give him all the cash, but he refused, he just wanted it to go to a good home, we eventually agreed that we'd go 50/50 on the eventual sale price, it's the least I could do.

 

Yesterday came and my mate who was supposed to pick me up took his time, a very long time. Eventually, I was picked up and taken to Bartley Green in Birmingham to pick the car up, met the seller/giver away, signed documents, told about some of the foibles of the car, shook hands and off I went for a drive.

 

It felt like an old Sierra or Montego to drive, but has quite a bit of poke on acceleration, clutch has a low biting point which I assume means recent-ish clutch, brakes are good and the wheels and tyres are in great condition otherwise the car itself is whilst solid but a bit tired and in need of some tlc. 

 

The originally came from Evans Halshaw Rover in Dudley, it has loads of service history, the first owner lived in Stourbridge, I wonder if he is still around? and then the car went to it's second owner, the father of the chap I got it off.

 

Lets look around the thing now daylight has arrived:

 

 

Dealer sticker, plates and mats...

 

Hmmm, looking Ok so far...

 

 

But wait...

 

 

No mirror... Original mirror had been kicked off by kids (this car lived in Bartley Green which speaks for itself)

 

Corroded wing...

 

Dirt...

 

Interior:

 

The interior had more dead leaves in it than my local park in Autumn.

 

Dash lift:

 

Problems found so far

 

1. It's a Rover 800

2. Whilst in idle, after about 5+ minutes of standing the temp needle starts to climb, this is probably either a faulty thermostat or the fan isn't kicking in. Will investigate.

3. Drivers side doors will only unlock by key, rear door needs unlocking by hand.

4. No remote fob, if the alarm goes off I need to run to the passenger side door and unlock it from there to turn off alarm/disable immobilisor.

5. Wheel bearing noise starting to get noticeable.

6. Wing rusty, other wing bent on lip.

7. Electric mirrors not working.

8. Various bit and bobs of trim missing/broken.

 

So far I've replaced the wing mirror so it actually has one, cleaned the car inside and out and 'woke' up most of the electrics (windows and sunroof)

 

Currently:

 

I think I'll stick an MOT on it, try and fix what I can, get it presentable and get it sold as soon as I can.

[chaseracer]

Nice colour.  Very similar to my first XM.

[dugong]

Looks clean for nowt. I knew about the infamous 800 dash lift, but did someone try and force the glove box open earlier in its life? 

If you think the interior mings in that, you'd chunder at the state of my white 605's cabin; I reckon the seats will have to come out. 

[Lord Sterling]

Looks clean for nowt. I knew about the infamous 800 dash lift, but did someone try and force the glove box open earlier in its life? 

 

If you think the interior mings in that, you'd chunder at the state of my white 605's cabin; I reckon the seats will have to come out. 

 

Lol! The glove box doors also suffer from 'melting/lifting' not the first one I've seen like this.

 

Trust me, what I pictured of the interior is nowt compared to what was actually down by the sides of the seat. You couldn't see the carpet. I think he must have had a White dog or cat (I remember seeing a White Cat when I called round) as there are a fair few white animal hairs embedded in the carpet.

 

That said, the previous owner was 90-odd years old and the car did live outside for most of it's life, I wouldn't have expected him to keep the car in a freshly valeted condition.

[Cavcraft]

That's ace, Mo, for a free car it's fabulous. Nice work!

[xtriple]

I like that big lots

[drum]

Nice car. Can the dash lift be fixed?

[Skizzer]

Looks very fine, especially for a freebie.  It takes dash lift to new heights though, literally.

[egg]

Maybe just take the alarm horn off. Solves a problem!

 

Nice car.