HMC Quattroporte assaulted

[mk2_craig]

I would agree but the wiring has been carefully threaded between the skins of the cargo area within the insulation identical to the other wiring and the holes for access in the fire glass inner shell carefully cut with the same closing hatches in the manner of all the other holes. The type of sealing grommet and sealant all match to close up after removal. The site of the beacons on the roof matches what seems common practice for plod Vans from what I can fathom....

 

IMG_3645.PNG

Screw the LDV tin, tell me where I can get my grubby hands on that Fiesta Courier!!

[SierraMikeHotel]

Wonder if it was used as a more standard police vehicle to begin with

Could well have been, or it could have been plucked out of a batch that had just arrived... I agree the placement is just right for blue lights though.

 

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[dollywobbler]

Yes, seems likely it might have been a proper Copper wagon initially. As many of us have thought, V8 auto is an unusual spec for a surveillance van. 

 

Is there a discrete corner you can knock a bit of paint off to see what's beneath? Can you find exposed metalwork in the cab to suggest a colour change?

[HMC]

THe engine bay and in all the box section internals in the back are the same grey/blue, and the sealant on the roof is ontop of the blue; removing the sealant stuff where the lights were reveals the same blue/grey too, as does peeking under door cards and underneath.

 

[tooSavvy]

Better than finding a blue front chassis + PO red rear, then :/

 

Loving all this...

 

 

TS

[Datsuncog]

Genuinely fascinating stuff here... it's like Autoshite's very own Mystery Machine.

 

Wonder whether anyone on some of the classic police vehicle forums (e.g policecaruk.com) may be able to shed a bit of light here? I understand that a fair few ex-plod spanner mechs hang out there...

[Felly Magic]

Leeds had Merc Vitos for this job, and they were fast as feck, and had hidden blues,it was probably tacked on to a fleet order for the met, with the V8 & auto matching the rest, so made servicing easier

[Hertz]

Hey mister can we hear it running again please?

[HMC]

Up there earlier today...

 

 

[timolloyd]

I love the archaeology of this. I keep expecting Tony Robinson and the hairy one from Time Team to post photos of a roman mosaic they've found under the transmission tunnel

[HMC]

Fun phakt- the entire roof section above the roof gutter on these high roofed 400s is fibreglass in a single large section with metal stiffeners as this thrilling* promotional video shows.....

 

[RoadworkUK]

And, as Scrapheap Challenge has pointed out in the past, those roof assemblies make excellent speedboats if you invert them.

[Talbot]

v8  ES  sherpas and  v6  ES transits are  pretty quick off the mark as fairly short geared  and will do  90- 100 depending on body  and fit out for  as long as you  have  petrol  in the tank

So, several minutes then!

 

I am somewhat joking about this vehicle. It will be undoubtely massively faster than the C25 I had on the road for 5-ish years.. that was about the same size as this (LWB High-top 1800kg capacity) but with a 2.5 N/A diesel, which had 70hp when new. It would just about barely do 70 on the flat and level, but was far happier at 60, and I often just bimbled along at 50 so that I didn't get a headache, and could get low-30's MPGEES. It did, however, have impressively powerful and fade-resistant brakes, which I got used to.

 

.. and then I drove an early mercedes sprinter, which had OMGloadsofpower, and OMGmilkbottletopsforbrakes. That was a calm* and pleasant* experience.

 

It strikes me that there is a much greater variance in how commercial vehicles drive compared to passenger cars.

[HMC]

Needless to say nobody needed to ask who came to work in a tired ex police v8 Sherpa...

[DodgeRover]

I have an LPG tank here near Gatwick, FOC to anybody on here

[wuvvum]

.. and then I drove an early mercedes sprinter, which had OMGloadsofpower, and OMGmilkbottletopsforbrakes. That was a calm* and pleasant* experience.

I had that in my first twin cam smiley Transit.  Mate was hooning down a back road in his Mondeo, I was right up his arse all the way (that van fugging flew), then we came to a T junction and I eventually managed to come to a stop half way across the main road - fortunately nothing was coming and mate had already got out of the way, but I drove the van somewhat more circumspectly after that.

[wuvvum]

Very true - I once managed to keep up with a Mk3 Golf GTI (driven by an increasingly pissed-off chav) in a C-reg LT40 van along a particularly twisty B road, simply because I could see over the banks and was therefore straightlining all the bends.  And the lad in the Golf looked about 12 and didn't really have much of a clue.  Although that van went surprisingly well too (2.4 straight 6 petrol), and handled too until the non-assisted steering got too heavy.  Also the brakes didn't fade like the Transit's.

[Pillock]

You both claim it's because of better visibility, but everyone knows they make vans faster than cars.

 

The current land speed record is held by a Peugeot Bipper. FACT.

The original plan was to launch a Vauxhall Movano into space, but there were fears it would actually outrun the host rocket so they went with the slower Tesla instead. FACT.

[paulplom]

My 2010 tranny is quick for a van. 140bhp and 6 speed box. It just powers through the gears till the limiter kicks in at 104mph at 3000rpm. I do have a tuning box fitted though.

[Kiltox]

You both claim it's because of better visibility, but everyone knows they make vans faster than cars.

 

The current land speed record is held by a Peugeot Bipper. FACT.

The original plan was to launch a Vauxhall Movano into space, but there were fears it would actually outrun the host rocket so they went with the slower Tesla instead. FACT.

Can confirm nothing traverses the land faster than a Cat C Relay - it’s like parting the Red Sea

 

Oh wait, it’s limited to 70, as you were

[HMC]

Been busy with the interior of the LDV, aiming for a circa 1995 first installation feel- think 1992-96ish tech etc. It's basically being "dressed" as such rather than being fully wired in to function etc but here's a quick snap of where I've got to by close of play today......

[dozeydustman]

I love the archaeology of this. I keep expecting Tony Robinson and the hairy one from Time Team to post photos of a roman mosaic they've found under the transmission tunnel

 

 

Which hairy one?

[eddyramrod]

You both claim it's because of better visibility, but everyone knows they make vans faster than cars.

Both are true.  I often need to use some of the back lanes between the bakery and Ulverston, usually in the 07 Ducato, which is getting a bit "used" now (not helped by someone breaking the sun visor, ahem...) and let's just say... don't be there when I get there!  I'm flying, because I can see over the hedges.

[They_all_do_that_sir]

Our works L200 is surprisingly rapid. The long travel suspension make it particularly well suited to country lane hooning. I'm convinced on some of the roads I end up on it makes better progress than I could on the motorbike

 

Commercial vehicles aren't stuck with stupid rubber band tyres and suspension designed for a super smooth race track which helps

 

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[HMC]

I've barely used the little GS since I bought it, it's been tucked in the garage and it's a big tick off my want to own list. Its very tidy, has been thoroughly waxoyled in the past, imported from southern France in approx 2015. Drives perfectly and impressively. The rear seat back upper edge has degraded a bit in the sun, part of the rear parcel shelf is missing, and it can be a pain to start when hot ( leave it 20 mins and it's fine) I suspected the ignition coil and it seems better. I'm aware I could put more effort into a sale elsewhere and ask rather more but I thought I'd see if anyone here fancied it first. I got a good deal when I bought it and I thought I'd offer it here for the same. Look back on here for more pics, I'll put up some tonight...

Located Tavistock devon

[dollywobbler]

OH BLOODY HELL. Would I be prepared to part with the Honda to own this? Hmmm....

 

Anyone want a Honda?

[cpjitservices]

I've barely used the little GS since I bought it, it's been tucked in the garage and it's a big tick off my want to own list. Its very tidy, has been thoroughly waxoyled in the past, imported from southern France in approx 2015. Drives perfectly and impressively. The rear seat back upper edge has degraded a bit in the sun, part of the rear parcel shelf is missing, and it can be a pain to start when hot ( leave it 20 mins and it's fine) I suspected the ignition coil and it seems better. I'm aware I could put more effort into a sale elsewhere and ask rather more but I thought I'd see if anyone here fancied it first. I got a good deal when I bought it and I thought I'd offer it here for the same. Look back on here for more pics, I'll put up some tonight...IMG_3466.JPG

Located Tavistock devon

Has DW written all over it!!!

[bramz7]

Oh crumbs. I did semi want this but feel a fine car like this is wasted on me when I have Fiats to attend to....

[BorniteIdentity]

Cheapest one I can find online for sale right now is £1000 more! Is it really that bad? Certainly doesn’t look like it. I can’t take a whole day out of my life to get this, which is frustrating but pretty typical.

[gadgetgricey]

OH BLOODY HELL. Would I be prepared to part with the Honda to own this? Hmmm....

 

Anyone want a Honda?

 

Don't tempt me. Always loved the SMX.......

 

I'd consider buying the GS off HMC, but 4 cars off him might be considered greedy..