Rover P6 - Well, Why Not?

[phil_lihp]

I'm sure there's plenty of people on here who can chime in on this topic!

 

I change my mind about what cars are on my wish list almost daily but the Rover P6 has been a long-term desire.  I'm thinking some time early next year of giving one a home so I thought I'd see what the autoshite hive mind recommends.  My thought is that their values are steady if not on the up a little so if looked after, isn't likely to depreciate.

 

I drove Conrad D. Conelrad's 2000 P6 at Welshfest earlier this year and, lovely though it was, to be honest (no offence Mr C!) I was disappointed, I thought it felt very underpowered, much more so than I expected but then I was comparing it to the 2.0 T Series R8 I had at the time.  I also know I was being very delicate with it and since then it's been tuned and fettled so it was running better so it's not a fair judgement.

 

That said, is the 3500 auto the only one to have?  Values seem all over the place, on eBay I've seen tidy ones for under £2000 but immaculate ones for £8000.  My budget would be firmly in the 'roadworthy but scruffy' category.

 

My head's been turned by this one:

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1973-Rover-P6-2000SC-47k-miles-fully-loaded-/141453581063?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item20ef4a5b07

 

 

To me it's one of the right colours (I know people like Tobacco Leaf but I really don't!) and has the right grill - again, the chrome grill doesn't look right to me.

 

What's to watch on these particularly?  Rust obviously, I know the sill covers can hide a multitude of sins, are they generally dependable, useable things though?  I'm assuming so, seeing as Conrad D. Conelrad and Junkman at one point both ran them as such.  My only issue with running 'old' cars is that, while I accept faults and problems are par for the course, I'd rather drive it than fix it and therefore can't be doing with a really high-maintenance garage queen.

 

What say you?

[panhard65]

I much prefer the series 1 which has cleaner lines and was better built that the BL cars. The V8 is ok but can be high maintenance a 2000tc was always my favourite with the rostyle type wheels. They really do rust though and the 4 cylinder cars have trouble with the engine side plates rotting through. On single carb cars they sometimes rattle from the top end which turned out to be the steel sleeve under the carb cracking and rattling about. My first ever classic was a P6 and I used to use it every day with no trouble.

[Junkman]

Have you really thought this one through?

 

If I ever buy another one, the only thing I will examine really carefully, is whether there are any traces of Ectoplasm.

Everything else can usually be fixed relatively easily.

 

Depending on where your future into-insanity-driver is located, I'm happy to come along and check it over for you.

Make sure you also bring a preacher man along, who is qualified in doing exorcisms.

 

A P6 is like a cat. It takes control of your life, makes you its servant, but you love it and don't want to be without it.

[EssDeeWon]

The good thing about these cars is that they are now getting really old (40+ years), they are british and carry the Rover badge, that means whichever car you buy there is absolutely nothing that can go wrong.

 

Seriously though, there are plenty for sale so be fussy and try and find a V8 with long test and ideally one that has been used regualarly and not stood still in a garage for the last 10 years because you could spend the next 10 years getting it right.

[Conrad D. Conelrad]

I drove Conrad D. Conelrad's 2000 P6 at Welshfest earlier this year and, lovely though it was, to be honest (no offence Mr C!) I was disappointed, I thought it felt very underpowered, much more so than I expected but then I was comparing it to the 2.0 T Series R8 I had at the time.  I also know I was being very delicate with it and since then it's been tuned and fettled so it was running better so it's not a fair judgement.

Conrad D. Conelrad enters the thread to remonstrate:

 

Nah, you're right. Mine felt fast enough as long as you didn't go near any hills or inclines, but I wouldn't want to drive one that had any less power. It was an excellent daily car, I ran it as my sole transport between February and October and the only problems it suffered were introduced by me (i.e., when I broke the cooling system). I only got rid because it had crazy rot and I'd already bought the V8.

[plasticvandan]

I was brought home from hospital after being born in a tobacco leaf V8 P6 and heres a pic of an avacodo 2200TC my dad bought for £250 in around 2004

 

Ive hankered after one ever since,but dont think i could afford the fuel

[dollywobbler]

Simply has to be a V8. TCs are good, but drink almost as much fuel as a V8 anyway. Series 1s are far nicer in my opinion.

 

This is the one I owned. The colour! The numberplates! The noise!

 

Oh how I STILL miss it. Sadly, I got ripped off by a shady dealer. The sills were borked, so it wasn't as good as it looked. It did manage 26mpg on a run though, and made me smile more than it made me cry. I had no garage or undercover storage though, so sold it in the end. For £1700! Slightly less than I paid to have both sills replaced (and a few other jobs).

 

To be fair to the four-pots, the handling is good enough that you can drive them like a 2CV - just don't slow down. Unlike a Citroen DS though, the P6 did actually get the engine it deserved.

[Junkman]

Ive hankered after one ever since,but dont think i could afford the fuel

 

Mine is decidedly economical. It only needs about seven tank fills per year.

[derskine]

I like em and I think I want one at some point.

Probably a v8.

[Lord Sterling]

Another vote for the V8 here. Yes I've not owned one but I have driven one. The V8 Auto doesn't feel overly fast but it is powerful and the noise is just something that simply puts a smile on your face.

 

Like it says in this

- 'For discerning people with a bit of dash'

 

I'm not one of those, I'm small round bloke from Birmingham, but despite that, I will have one someday, I just don't know when.

[Bren]

Just remember - buy cheap, buy twice.

 

A bad one will make you wish you could'nt drive.

[Uncle Jimmy]

I'm going to swim against the tide and suggest you buy a 4cyl in better condition than you could get a V8. How fast do you need to go? I'm wondering now whether the 4cyl could be breathed on; it is 2 litres after all....wonder if anyone's ever stuck FI on one...

[HillmanImp]

I have to ask, PlasticVanDan, why have you got a picture of Triggers wife as your Avatar?

[Junkman]

I'm going to swim against the tide and suggest you buy a 4cyl in better condition than you could get a V8. How fast do you need to go? I'm wondering now whether the 4cyl could be breathed on; it is 2 litres after all....wonder if anyone's ever stuck FI on one...

Not wanting any of this daft newfangled FI bollox is one of the main reasons for someone to opt for a car like a P6 nowadays.

The 2200TC is not one yota slower and doesn't need a millilitre less petrol than a V8, but it doesn't SOUND like one.

So what's the point?

 

A rather sensible upgrade for the V8 is the ZF 4HP22 4-speed automatic with lockup, which effectively makes it a 30 OMGMPG car,

should anyone really care.

[Uncle Jimmy]

That's kinda what I was thinking, esp as most V8s are autos and most 4 pots will be manual. The BW35 does sap power a bit.

[Uncle Jimmy]

Aye, new fangled injection bollocks, invented by some Germans in about 1935

[Inspector Morose]

Ahem.

 

[garethj]

I prefer the looks of the early ones, and if your money will get a better condition 2000TC than 3500, maybe that's worth considering.  Depends on what your drive is like; my current commute is busy motorway so I might as well do 55mph in the inside lane than 75mph - 40mph - 60mph in the outside lane.  I could comfortably get by with 50bhp, but if you're attacking hilly A roads and need oomph for overtaking, maybe you need the power more.

 

They're a lovely looking car, I can understand you want one.

[scruff]

I love them but have only sampled the breed in V8 flavour - both auto and a manual S which was just brilliant. 

[Inspector Morose]

Had a series 1 2000SC, a very, late 2200TC (547th from final chassis no.) and a 3500 with a five speeder fitted. Loved them all. Wouldn't mind another series one but it would have to be re engineered for the devils fuel to be a practical everyday solution for me nowadays.

[purplebargeken]

V8. Take Junkman with you, no matter where or when. 

[phil_lihp]

Excellent advice as always, chaps.

 

http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C557294

 

 

See, this sort of thing is awfully tempting given the price and the absolutely fantastic colour.  I think then that I'm right in saying the grill on this one indicates that it's a Series II?  

 

What do all the TD, TC etc. designations mean?  Trim levels I'm guessing.  The colour is important, they really did come in some excellent shades and Avocado is now on my wish list, never seen one that colour before.

 

It wouldn't be an everyday car but I would want to be able to use it when I wanted and get some miles out of it at weekends.  I'm not a fast driver really and these don't strike me as hooning cars so sedate performance isn't the end of the world, it just seems a bit wrong for something that looks so good to be sluggish to drive, plus the V8 sound is obviously preferable.  That said, I like the logic of spending the money on a 2000 in better condition.

 

Junkman, that's an awfully kind offer and one I might take you up on.  I'd really like to try a V8 at some point to see if it ticks the right boxes or not - anyone brave enough to let me try theirs if I was passing?  

[Conrad D. Conelrad]

Silver alloy grille, body colour sills = Series 1

Black plastic grille, metal side strips = Series 2

 

SC: Single Carb

TC: Twin Carb

[dollywobbler]

SC - single carb. TC - twin carb. That's it. Series II has sharp bonnet bulges and the black grille amongst other changes. Series 1 has a fabulous strip speedo. 

For me, what makes the V8 so good is thumping torque and the sheer noise. The twin carb ones do go well, but you just don't get that 'wall of torque' feel. 

[phil_lihp]

Mmm, that might answer the engine selection right there, I much, much prefer engines with lots of low-down torque.  I suppose I could always get a 2000 and drop a diesel in it.

 

No, maybe not.

[dollywobbler]

Has been done. At least one Perkins Prima P6 out there. P6D.

[Inspector Morose]

^ my ideal P6. Everyone to his own I suppose.

 

Honestly a P6 is one of those cars, everyone must own at some point. They're GGRRRRREAT!

 

Edit: my 5 speed V8 lunched its engine so it was replaced by a diesel lump from a long scrapped sd1. Not a good conversion. Difficult to fit and far too heavy and generally shit. You live and learn. XUD much better suited I would think plus bell housing already available for the five speed box from LDV.

[Junkman]

That's kinda what I was thinking, esp as most V8s are autos and most 4 pots will be manual. The BW35 does sap power a bit.

 

Later ones (from 1973) had the BW65, which is far superior. However, top gear is still 1.00.

The ZF 4HP22 gives you a real overdrive, being 0.73 in top gear, and it has the converter lock up.

This allows for far superior long distance travelling and the gearbox is generally better suited for

a lazy V8.

[Junkman]

Junkman, that's an awfully kind offer and one I might take you up on.  I'd really like to try a V8 at some point to see if it ticks the right boxes or not - anyone brave enough to let me try theirs if I was passing?

 

You can try mine. If it runs.

[dollywobbler]

4-speed auto sounds fantastic. 80mph was a bit revvy with the ol' BW35. I think what saved me from financial ruin was that kickdown on mine didn't work. I can't say it really missed it! Would occasionally drop it into second just for the noise...