HMC- XK8 Starts!

[Boycie]

9 minutes ago, HMC said:

I wondered, but the first keepers seem to have been farmers in hampshire, looking at the service book.

Farmers .... I'm surprised it's still got a service book ....I'm a farmer's son

9 minutes ago, HMC said:

I wondered, but the first keepers seem to have been farmers in hampshire, looking at the service book.

5 hours ago, HMC said:

Ive recently adopted this orphan…

After a colourful life including three engines, and at least 1 new gearbox, its spent the last few years dragging its older, more glamourous relatives about for spares and restorations. (photos by St Austell Bay classics)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Anyway, its been replaced by a discovery 3- and there was a possibility the next step would be for it to be sold off in parts through their e bay account.

I was interested in it as its an unusual colour for a p38 and its a very low spec one. 

No extra wood, more basic heating system, no sunroof, no leather etc

 

Its also has had the rear seats removed and the load bay extended. easy enough to reverse.

So its the poverty model of the least appealing range rover. But its had everything its needed mechanically as its been in front line use. 

 

It wafts along nicely on air, whilst not particulary quick (its the 2.5 bmw 6 diesel) and although the interior needs a clear and a few (cheap) replacement bits, it still feels special to drive.

I think it looks quite funky in white.

 

Did it use to have blue lights on the roof ?

[Supernaut]

All I want is a video of it running.

BMW straight 6 diesels give me the horn.

[Schaefft]

White suits it quite well, looking good!

[Tayne]

7 hours ago, HMC said:

Ive recently adopted this orphan…

 

 

 

I think it looks quite funky in white.

 

Did you buy  a shonky, low spec p38 with no back seat as a tribute to Steve Wright?

Serious Alightin, no G.

 

 

[HMC]

4 hours ago, cort16 said:

Lovely, a brown corduroy interior could almost sway me into owning one. Was it a police one?

I wondered, but the first owners seem to have been farmers.

I somehow expected you to have had one?

[cort16]

17 minutes ago, HMC said:

I wondered, but the first owners seem to have been farmers.

I somehow expected you to have had one?

I've not even had a 4x4 I think going direct to p38 might be too traumatic .

[Tayne]

My p38 put me off Land Rovers for life.

[RoadworkUK]

8 hours ago, HMC said:

 

That interior is just fabulous. Whole car is, really. From back when they recognised that some folk might want a Range Rover for using rather than posing in.

[Hertz]

Top buy as per usual. I reckon this and the while Rolls you have a prime wedding car business on the go by spring. 

[wuvvum]

5 hours ago, Tayne said:

Also, given that you have a Rolls Royce and a Range Rover will your next purchase be a…..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rickman Ranger?

Robin Reliant surely.

[Tayne]

5 minutes ago, RoadworkUK said:

That interior is just fabulous. Whole car is, really. From back when they recognised that some folk might want a Range Rover for using rather than posing in.

 

Its not completely BASE as the auto box would have been an extra £1045.

Outwith the EU you could get them without a passenger air bag so there was a big open storage compartment on the dash top.

[HMC]

48 minutes ago, cort16 said:

I've not even had a 4x4 I think going direct to p38 might be too traumatic .

 

42 minutes ago, Tayne said:

My p38 put me off Land Rovers for life.

Ive always dodged them. For me growing up i loved the classic . Seeing one was an event. I had a couple ages ago. IIRC @Tayne you had a k reg one in a really cool colour.

I skipped p38s and went straight to the L322 as, to be honest i wasnt keen on the styling compared the classic, or the horror stories.

It seems the styling has grown on me, and im ignoring the horror stories. IIRC @Sam Glover recounted his experiences with his p38 in an article in PC, which made sobering reading!

[Tayne]

Yes, I had a '92 Classic in Aegean Blue, 3.9 manual on air.

It was great.

But...

 

So I bought a p38, a '98 2.5DSE auto in Niagra Grey with a beige leather interior. It was a lot more economical.

 

Until it died.

Every LR product I've driven since (apart from the Evoke) has made me think "I should get one of these" for about 3 minutes then common sense returns.

[Bren]

6 hours ago, cort16 said:

Lovely, a brown corduroy interior could almost sway me into owning one. Was it a police one?

I wondered the same given the number of engines.

A mechanic who did work for the local constabulary stated they stopped using RR's as engines were a service item - some were on their third motor in 100k.

[fairkens]

My great uncle had one like this, or at least very similar. My schoolboy recollection is that it was a DSE. He was also a Hampshire farmer, albeit it wasn't his primary occupation. I don't recognise the reg though.

If I have any other unhelpful musings I'll let you know. 😄

[Six-cylinder]

It felt like good times when I got my P38, even if I didn't have a Silver Shadow to go with it.

[ETCHY]

On 10/02/2024 at 11:15, HMC said:

The shad shed has had some later replacement plates…

 

 

Theyre in a blocky modern font and follow the love for black background plates. IIRC you can put these on anything up to a ‘79 now. To a number plate obsessive (raises hand awkwardly) this feels, and looks, all wrong.

Anyway- would a 71/72 k been on the more modern reflectives or the old plates? Maybe, maybe not. I wanted a bit of 70s modernist realism going on so ideally wanted a reflective set. 

Trouble is, the 7s and 8s are all wrong on these. I want an 8 to have an hourglass shape. Yes im aware this sounds pervy 😂 and a brand new number plate has no patina.

So i got hold of an old number plate that had the key older characters i was after, and added new old stock one of those that were missing.

 

I then aged the too-new looking NOS ones with some wet and dry, took it all to bits, and drilled and reassembled.

So the shad shed has a bit of a 70s sweeney / long good friday era look to it….

 

Cool job.

Is there a guide anywhere ( or book even)  as to what type of number plate style is appropriate to what years ?

I'm interested in this stuff but know nothing about it.

Cheers

[ETCHY]

23 hours ago, HMC said:

Ive recently adopted this orphan…

After a colourful life including three engines, and at least 1 new gearbox, its spent the last few years dragging its older, more glamourous relatives about for spares and restorations. (photos by St Austell Bay classics)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Anyway, its been replaced by a discovery 3- and there was a possibility the next step would be for it to be sold off in parts through their e bay account.

I was interested in it as its an unusual colour for a p38 and its a very low spec one. 

No extra wood, more basic heating system, no sunroof, no leather etc

 

Its also has had the rear seats removed and the load bay extended. easy enough to reverse.

So its the poverty model of the least appealing range rover. But its had everything its needed mechanically as its been in front line use. 

 

It wafts along nicely on air, whilst not particulary quick (its the 2.5 bmw 6 diesel) and although the interior needs a clear and a few (cheap) replacement bits, it still feels special to drive.

I think it looks quite funky in white.

 

That looks great. I really think the P38 shape has aged well. In many respects I prefer it to the "classic" 4 door.

[cort16]

14 hours ago, HMC said:

 

Ive always dodged them. For me growing up i loved the classic . Seeing one was an event. I had a couple ages ago. IIRC @Tayne you had a k reg one in a really cool colour.

I skipped p38s and went straight to the L322 as, to be honest i wasnt keen on the styling compared the classic, or the horror stories.

It seems the styling has grown on me, and im ignoring the horror stories. IIRC @Sam Glover recounted his experiences with his p38 in an article in PC, which made sobering reading!

I remember reading that set of Sam Glover articles as I wanted to see how someone who really knew how to fettle cars handled one but I think it beat even him? I think his was a full air suspension 4.6 v8 though wasn't it that have the issue with thin cylinder walls?

[Captain Mainwaring]

Still love P38s, I'm neither brave nor financially able to take one on but my hat is well and truly off to you sir.

Re the police questions, would plod not have opted for the 4.0 engine anyway? 

[83C]

That’s a nice P38, glad to see it’s still on air too. Coil spring conversions on P38s and L322s ruin the ride quality.

[grogee]

15 hours ago, Tayne said:

But...

 

What in SATAN'S HANDBAG has happened there? It looks like the CGI has clipped through the ground. 

[RichardK]

On 17/02/2024 at 10:08, HMC said:

Ive recently adopted this orphan…

After a colourful life including three engines, and at least 1 new gearbox, its spent the last few years dragging its older, more glamourous relatives about for spares and restorations. (photos by St Austell Bay classics)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Anyway, its been replaced by a discovery 3- and there was a possibility the next step would be for it to be sold off in parts through their e bay account.

I was interested in it as its an unusual colour for a p38 and its a very low spec one. 

No extra wood, more basic heating system, no sunroof, no leather etc

 

Its also has had the rear seats removed and the load bay extended. easy enough to reverse.

So its the poverty model of the least appealing range rover. But its had everything its needed mechanically as its been in front line use. 

 

It wafts along nicely on air, whilst not particulary quick (its the 2.5 bmw 6 diesel) and although the interior needs a clear and a few (cheap) replacement bits, it still feels special to drive.

I think it looks quite funky in white.

 

Paying attention to this one, I like the P38 Commercial idea 😂 Sort of the antidote to my modded RRC which has a boxed in boot that makes it hard to get anything big in there.

[RichardK]

2 minutes ago, grogee said:

What in SATAN'S HANDBAG has happened there? It looks like the CGI has clipped through the ground. 

Just looks like a North East Derbyshire pothole to me.

[Dick Cheeseburger]

On 10/02/2024 at 11:15, HMC said:

 

 

Rat Great storm of '87 look. White pressed plates, I see.

 

 

[Vantman]

Do it in style!---1970 London to Mexico rally.

[HMC]

3 hours ago, fairkens said:

My great uncle had one like this, or at least very similar. My schoolboy recollection is that it was a DSE. He was also a Hampshire farmer, albeit it wasn't his primary occupation. I don't recognise the reg though.

If I have any other unhelpful musings I'll let you know. 😄

It was originally registered J1AWD if that helps?

[Boycie]

Range Rovers catch my eye the same way my mates  pyscho gf did 25 years ago , you know it'll be expensive and painful but ..... you still want a go

[fairkens]

2 hours ago, HMC said:

It was originally registered J1AWD if that helps?

I'll check for old photos but I don't think it had a private reg

[HMC]

Ive removed the load bay liner in preparation for the rear seats ive got coming off e bay.

Having had 2 RR classics in the past, i was a little bit wary/ having the fear about what id find. Turns out the boys at lode lane did a great job of not making it rot. 

Actually the whole car is incredibly sound. my then 17 year old classic was eye wateringly crusty in these bits that are blemish free on this 27 year old p38. So its not as iconic; but it doesnt dissolve so VIGOROUSly either, at last bodily if not electrically.