All vxls r8 shizzle, Royale wedding info.

[cort16]

Looks like the black one is spiny Normans old one above . It's worth 35o quid if it's not going to take 10 years to weld up. It looks okay in the pics But I think these hide the rot quit well

[Minimad5]

A local old boy has one of these sitting on his drive, wonder how banjaxed it is.

Good luck !

Edit: Found on street view

[Bren]

Was this not offered on ebay not long back?

 

A shame there is little or no interest - better than a mk 2 granada.

[Spiny Norman]

Looks like the black one is spiny Normans old one above . It's worth 35o quid if it's not going to take 10 years to weld up. It looks okay in the pics But I think these hide the rot quit well

 

Aye, the black one's my old one, the ex PC car. It didn't seem that bad when I had it, even passed a couple of MOTs but they rot like fuck and it's not helped by the fact that so few of the body panels unique to the car are still available and those that do get snapped up for Monzas.

Shameif  it's being broken, I spent a few bob on it and the bloke that bought it off me did quite a bit to it too, but I guess no-one thinks they're worth saving.

Should still have its original GM factory workshop manuals with it if they haven't been tossed or kept for another car. It had an absolute shitload of service history with it too.

[Magnificent Rustbucket]

They're good looking cars and lovely and smooth to ride round in.

 

They're definately a car I'd like to own, so if you can get hold of one - and can weld - then what a marvellous thing to have.

[Spiny Norman]

The first one I had was gold, with that same caramac coloured interior.
Then one night many, many years later I saw the black one on Ebay after a few beers and the inevitable happened.....

 

[Junkman]

A shame there is little or no interest - better than a mk 2 granada.

 

They are infinitely better to drive than Grandads, but the Fords are vastly superior in overall quality.

 

Back in the 80s, I had an ex-US-State-Department Senny 3.0i in full ambassador spec, with blue crushed velours, electric curtains in the back,

heavy duty everything and push bars concealed behind the front panel. 

As I said earlier, probably one of the best highway cruisers ever built, but it rusted away underneath my arse.

[Station]

Are these the same as mk1 carltons/senators?

Sorry, I'd rather have an early Carlton, these are too rare now and they'd be a pain to keep roadworthy.

There was a Carlton on RR with a GREEN velour interior. I was nearly plunged into a deep coma just looking at those uber comfy seats.

[Spiny Norman]

Are these the same as mk1 carltons/senators?

Sorry, I'd rather have an early Carlton, these are too rare now and they'd be a pain to keep roadworthy.

There was a Carlton on RR with a GREEN velour interior. I was nearly plunged into a deep coma just looking at those uber comfy seats.

They are basically Mk1 Senators with Vauxhall badges and more often than not a 2.8 carb engine rather than the Opel's injected 3 litre.

They're similar to the Carlton but longer from the A pillar forward to accommodate the big I6.

[Junkman]

Interestingly, the 3.0i engines were built by Holden and shipped to Opel.

To my knowledge, there was no Holden model with that engine, though.

[Spiny Norman]

Huge big slab of engine too, but so easy to work on compared to most modern stuff, even for a dummy like me. Looks worse than it was because of the shit rocker cover and airbox, but at that point it was all pretty solid.

[Mr_Bo11ox]

I'm sure the carb-fed ones of these must be so thirsty as to be realistically unusable.

[Bren]

I'm sure the carb-fed ones of these must be so thirsty as to be realistically unusable.

They probably are - the old CIH engine is very thirsty in relation to its contemporaries.

 

I also had a 2.5 senator auto which only ever averaged about 20mpg.

 

The SD1 vitesse that replaced it was more economical.

[Spiny Norman]

They're not that bad.
Although I say that as someone who has recently owned a Jag XJ40.

 

I avaeaged about 20mpg from mine which when you consider it took about half a pint of fuel to fire it up from cold wasn't bad at all.

[AnthonyG]

There was a early Royale 4dr at retrorides day, a red one with very wide rear wheels, don't know what engine it had in it, but was a bit 'hot rod'. Looked well past it's best, so probably not long for this world.

 

Junkman is right, Mk2 Granadas were much better built and very robust, probably the best build quality of any European Ford. Easily equivalent to contemporary Volvo/Saab and approaching Mercedes (in their good old days!!)

[r.welfare]

I had a 2.5 injected Senator manual on a D plate, that gave about 22mpg IIRC. Wasn't too rusty around the struts either. I gave something daft like £102 for that in 2006, with short MOT. Seem to recall it passed another.

 

I'm sure Mk2 Grannies were better quality but I really didn't gel with mine (a 2.3L from '80) the same way I did the Rekords. The small Cologne felt arthritic and the interior (dashboard and seats particularly) put me in mind of a Mk1 Fiesta on steroids rather than a large executive saloon. I'm sure I'd feel differently about a facelift 2.8 Ghia of course.

[Bren]

A nice W reg royale on retro rides.

 

However it is up for a rather salty £2200.

 

Worth it though for the red interior.

[Rocket88]

My old coupe is up for sale......a grand would buy it......................

[cms206]

Last I saw was RCS 970X in a gorgeous metallic orangey red; it's apparantly now in Ireland

[STUNO]

Interestingly, the 3.0i engines were built by Holden and shipped to Opel.

To my knowledge, there was no Holden model with that engine, though.

 

AFAIK the only 3 litre injected engines in Holdens were Nissan  sourced. Used in the Holden also in 2L guise.

 

Nissan 3L with a Holden badge.

[STUNO]

In Holden style and owned by a member of this lot, but with a Nissan 2.8 diesel

 

 

 

[nisfan]

Ok had at look at this today, its not that bad tbh, Work needed: welding to front chassis leg, small bits on front footwells, behind bach arches, small bit in boot, strut tops have been done. Fuel tank and lines need replaced (tank and straps supplied) Comes with a shitload of spares, exhuasts, diff, front and rear subframe, lights, interior etc etc Basically a van full.. The outside looks to be in good order, no visible rust The only thing putting me off is its the 2.8 carb so would hardly use it.

[Spiny Norman]

The outside looks to be in good order, no visible rust The only thing putting me off is its the 2.8 carb so would hardly use it.

 

The difference between this and an injected one, or a 2.8 injected Merc/BMW/PRV6 of a similar age is only going to be 3-4mpg tops, 18-25mpg is all you'll get from anything that size & vintage. For a fun low mileage cruiser it's not worth worrying about IMO.

Doesn't sound too bad tbh, I'm biased but I'd say it sounds worth saving.

[Skizzer]

My old coupe is up for sale......a grand would buy it......................

 

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!  Stop it.  Just stop it.

[Skizzer]

This series 2 Senator was for sale at Tredegar House yesterday.  The colour and the epic lacquer peel makes it look like a medical textbook chapter on sunburn, but it's got a fresh MOT, there was no bubbling and it appeared solid underneath.  Ã‚£795, see photo for phone number (click to enlarge if necessary).

 

Open Senator CD by Skizzer, on Flickr

 

Senator for sale by Skizzer, on Flickr

[Rocket88]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!  Stop it.  Just stop it.

 

pm sent

[cort16]

This one's for sale in Kilwinning too.

 

and of course the interior.....

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1986-Opel-Senator-3-0L-automatic-in-blue-/321529914235?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item4adcad237b

[Cavcraft]

Ok had at look at this today, its not that bad tbh, Work needed: welding to front chassis leg, small bits on front footwells, behind bach arches, small bit in boot, strut tops have been done. Fuel tank and lines need replaced (tank and straps supplied) Comes with a shitload of spares, exhuasts, diff, front and rear subframe, lights, interior etc etc Basically a van full.. The outside looks to be in good order, no visible rust The only thing putting me off is its the 2.8 carb so would hardly use it.

 

 

Lob an Omega 3.0 V6 engine in it. 

[Rocket88]

This one's for sale in Kilwinning too.

 

and of course the interior.....

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1986-Opel-Senator-3-0L-automatic-in-blue-/321529914235?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item4adcad237b

 

 

has to be GOLD velour interior........it's the law.

[stormee]

 

 

 

heavy duty everything and push bars concealed behind the front panel. 

 

Please explain to a not knowing. Heavy duty suspension, bigger battery and alternator, what else?