HMC blue VDP progress

[lesapandre]

On 08/03/2025 at 18:02, HMC said:

I love it even more 😂

Was it the facelift model? 😂

[lesapandre]

PUNCTURE - refers to your rapidly deflating bank account. 😂

[timolloyd]

Or punch her. A suggestion of how to treat your mistresses.

[MAF260]

Stunning purchase!

These cars are way more robust than they're given credit for, but only if you keep on top of maintenance. Warning lights are typically for guidance only unless they're persistent. A strong battery is essential, as is regular usage. Parts can be hard to find and eye-wateringly expensive. There are a lot of enthusiasts who've found alternative parts which don't come in Maserati-branded boxes for significantly less cost.

The one thing you must check on this car is the front subframe - these are well-known to rot through for fun. If it's in good condition you're very lucky (but slather it with anti-rust treatment now. If it's saveable with some rust treatment and possibly patching then get it seen to immediately. If it's too far gone you're looking at thousands to replace. They can rot from the inside out (usually upper wishbone mounts), so often get missed during MOT inspections until it's disaster time.

Pics of not uncommon upper wishbone mount rust:

[Stinkwheel]

19 hours ago, HMC said:

 

Not wishing to bash the Maserati (you are obvioulsy a brave, talented and popular man of means to run one of them IMO) but when i saw the above pic, i did kind ojust think of this

 

 

Which amused me

[HMC]

5 hours ago, MAF260 said:

Stunning purchase!

These cars are way more robust than they're given credit for, but only if you keep on top of maintenance. Warning lights are typically for guidance only unless they're persistent. A strong battery is essential, as is regular usage. Parts can be hard to find and eye-wateringly expensive. There are a lot of enthusiasts who've found alternative parts which don't come in Maserati-branded boxes for significantly less cost.

The one thing you must check on this car is the front subframe - these are well-known to rot through for fun. If it's in good condition you're very lucky (but slather it with anti-rust treatment now. If it's saveable with some rust treatment and possibly patching then get it seen to immediately. If it's too far gone you're looking at thousands to replace. They can rot from the inside out (usually upper wishbone mounts), so often get missed during MOT inspections until it's disaster time.

Pics of not uncommon upper wishbone mount rust:

Absolutely. My “specialist evaluation” was crawling about in the gutter and feeling around the subframe manually and with a screwdriver when i went to view. It all seemed solid but the acid test will be the weekend when i get it up in the air. Yeah the sort of thing a dilligent buyer does before hand 😂

 

Meanwhile the sense of occasion is still strong even when your collecting a chinese

[HMC]

Im quite keen to remove the rear tints (they seem aftermarket and IMO are lame) but im too lazy so the poundshop gangster look will have to do.

[lesapandre]

You just need to get an inflatable celebrity to go in the back - "please don't parking ticket me I have (insert name of celebrity) in the car - would you like their autograph?" 🤣

[grogee]

On 12/03/2025 at 17:27, HMC said:

some is illegible due to water getting onto some of the paperwork

That water is tears from the previous owner who had to pay those bills. 

Great viaduct money shot. Bet it sounds glorious blasting across the moors, in complete denial of the ridiculous 40 limit. In my day it was a proper NSL and sheep be damned. 

[2flags]

That is one glorious motor sir. You are a brave man indeed. 

[HMC]

Well, as this has massive 20 inch alloys (oddly enough the austin 12/4 also has 20 inch rimz) i was able to put my hand between the alloy spokes by phone torch and determine that the upper wishbone bit of the subframe isnt rotten. Full insepction and waxoyling can wait untill sunday. Meanwhile im going to [ censored ] in it to emulate its rock and roll reputation.

 

 

[N Dentressangle]

Google reckons you might be 14mph short. Maybe try it down Telegraph Hill?

[HMC]

Been pottering in a different blue 4 door this morning. During the commute on tuesday I thought it had developed a low load missfire but that wasnt there today. Electrical or fuel related? Dunno.

Vaper or Vapour? An onlooker takes a drag beside an austin with a (now resolved?) possible fuelling issue.

[HMC]

Got the qp up in the air this morning to assess the front subframe in more detail.

Its a partially box section frame that can rot quite badly. A particular weak spot is the upper wishbone mounts. 

These are a sort of “C” shape thats angled slightly upwards and tends to attact water and mud with predictable results.

Before purchase id had a look as best I could, not ideal as I was unable to lift the car up. It seemed ok (famous last words?!)

Time to have a proper look…..

Very nice to see up close those mounts look fine.  Naturally there were some bits of light surface rust here and there. 

So i wired brushed it and sprayed it with dynax. I also used the bolt holes to access the areas of box section and insert a lance in and give it a good dousing. 

Obviously nothing beats stripping the front end and powder coating it particularly as there are some bits not really accessible when mounted on the car. Plus thats not something I could do myself. Nevertheless, ive managed to hopefully preserve a vulnerable bit of the car for longer, and the top wishbone area looks good.

 

 

[HMC]

I also sometimes wondered- what does the bottom of a dry sump engine look like? (I think those braided hoses are the oil lines from the remote oil tank) Undertrays usually hide this.

[grogee]

8 hours ago, HMC said:

I also sometimes wondered- what does the bottom of a dry sump engine look like? (I think those braided hoses are the oil lines from the remote oil tank) Undertrays usually hide this.

Fuxache! As if it wasn't barmy enough already, it's a bloody dry sump. On a saloon! Mental. Even the quick Jags never had that (eg XKRS GT). 

I'm really glad you didn't find any grot in your inspection. Have you got the only good RHD QP ever made? Or are you simply praying to the correct Italian god? 

[dome]

I'm so glad to see this is looking solid for me the next owner 

[MAF260]

23 hours ago, HMC said:

I also sometimes wondered- what does the bottom of a dry sump engine look like? (I think those braided hoses are the oil lines from the remote oil tank) Undertrays usually hide this.

Congrats on finding a solid QP. Subframe rot is often the end for these cars as they're not economically viable to repair. New subframe is c.£3k, labour at least half that again. That's without replacing any bushes or suspension components found to be below par.

The braided hoses are indeed for the dry sump system. If they're anything like the coupes of that era the failure point is the large fastening nut at the tank end. These fracture which results in oil leaking. The replacement pipe is a small fortune and a bugger to remove and refit - ask me how I know! 😢

[83C]

15 hours ago, dome said:

I'm so glad to see this is looking solid for me the next owner 

I’m spending most of my waking hours refreshing the For Sale section for when the inevitable advert appears.

[flat4alfa]

On 13/03/2025 at 17:34, HMC said:

Meanwhile the sense of occasion is still strong even when your collecting a chinese

Cosa Nostra - Tavistock Capo.

The visit to the Chinese Take-Away was not to order food, it was to get the 'protection' racket enforced, wasn't it?

[High Jetter]

1 hour ago, flat4alfa said:

Cosa Nostra - Tavistock Capo.

The visit to the Chinese Take-Away was not to order food, it was to get the 'protection' racket enforced, wasn't it?

Devon only, knows...

[Morris 63]

You've seen Tulsa King with Sylvester Stallone; coming soon to Amazon Prime: Tavistock King, with HMC!

[wuvvum]

On 16/03/2025 at 20:01, grogee said:

Or are you simply praying to the correct Italian god? 

He was Polish.

[grogee]

10 hours ago, wuvvum said:

He was Polish.

Sure, but played for Italy. 

[High Jetter]

1 hour ago, grogee said:

Sure, but played for Italy. 

Played, or prayed? 😀

[HMC]

Took a different 4 door out to a chinese restaurant this evening. Its a lovely old thing to potter about in. I found some trim rings in the boot so decided to fit them for some 60s bling

 

[N Dentressangle]

Was just thinking we needed more Cambridge action and unlike the takeaway, you've delivered.

Things were better when such cars were driven.

[Yoss]

I might be in a minority but I'd have that over the Maserati any day. 

[N Dentressangle]

2 minutes ago, Yoss said:

I might be in a minority but I'd have that over the Maserati any day. 

weirdly I think you might be in the majority here 🤣

[Matty]

17 hours ago, N Dentressangle said:

weirdly I think you might be in the majority here 🤣

I still have bad thoughts about building a quick one (standard looking) but it's one out one in here 😭