HMC- Return of the Cheeky 500

[HMC]

Also had been meaning to take a pic of this…

Because patina

[N Dentressangle]

Somewhere, an ergonomics textbook is missing that photo 😉

[High Jetter]

3 hours ago, HMC said:

Also had been meaning to take a pic of this…

Because patina

Class.

[HMC]

P38 now has full oem rear underlay/ carpeting fitted . The underlay is rubber/ foam backed and has made quite a difference to the interior noise levels. 

I went for a walk along a disused railway with a misbehaving beagle and got a picture of the p38, and its reputation.

Which on the basis of my experience so far, is unfounded.

[HMC]

This just came up on one of my colleagues “1 year ago today”

 

I promise i didnt crash!

[Matty]

12 minutes ago, HMC said:

This just came up on one of my colleagues “1 year ago today”

 

I promise i didnt crash!

With your reputation it might as well have been 5 mins ago 🤣. Im pretty sure ive asked this before, but with another 12 months under your belt, what would you have kept long term? What really got under your skin?

(That 7 though. Obviously not a long term head over heart thing mind. But when you bought that (and I get quite excited every time you buy owt) I nearly danced a jig. Just brilliant)

[wuvvum]

16 hours ago, HMC said:

This just came up on one of my colleagues “1 year ago today”

 

I promise i didnt crash!

Those things do have an appalling turning circle for such a tiny car.

[Boycie]

On 08/03/2024 at 19:34, HMC said:

Also had been meaning to take a pic of this…

Because patina

That's seen a lot of fingers , sadly you can't get the same patina on a 2001 Golf.... I'd be tried 

[mat_the_cat]

34 minutes ago, Boycie said:

That's seen a lot of fingers

Reminds me of an ex of mine.

[Tubbo]

2 hours ago, mat_the_cat said:

Reminds me of an ex of mine.

Kitkat?

[HMC]

P38 still going well, Quite a relaxed drive- not fast but it makes you relax and waft. It came with a George Michael cd in the player. Didnt he crash one into some parked cars at some point?

Anyway I decided to slap a plate I had on it to add to the old money vibe….

[HMC]

 

Actually it seems to have been a rarely washed  L322 

[Rustybullethole]

17 minutes ago, HMC said:

P38 still going well, Quite a relaxed drive- not fast but it makes you relax and waft. It came with a George Michael cd in the player. Didnt he crash one into some parked cars at some point?

Anyway I decided to slap a plate I had on it to add to the old money vibe….

Yes, and snappysnaps too.

 

[HMC]

Ive got to say i just dismissed the p38 as junk but basically its nicer to drive, less rot prone and WAY cheaper than a classic, and also more unusual than an L322. As those age they are throwing up their own issues (weirdly they seem more rot prone than a p38)

[Tayne]

I really liked my p38.

Had it not been for terrible reliability it would be in the running for best car I've ever owned.

[Spiny Norman]

Am I right in thinking a V8 powered P38 is probably the least shit of all the Land Rover range? I really fancy one.

[goosey]

2 hours ago, HMC said:

Ive got to say i just dismissed the p38 as junk but basically its nicer to drive, less rot prone and WAY cheaper than a classic, and also more unusual than an L322. As those age they are throwing up their own issues (weirdly they seem more rot prone than a p38)

Just behind where the passenger side fog light blank/grill would be is where the transmission cooler lives, Make sure you check it for leaks as it has a hard time as it quite exposed to road crud and the steel pipe fittings cause it to corrode as it’s alloy, I’ve actually seen them corrode to the point where the pipes have actually snapped off with corrosion. 
Fun fact - you could never spec a p38 diesel auto with fog lights due to the location of the transmission cooler but you can spec them on the manual p38 diesel 

[N Dentressangle]

11 hours ago, Spiny Norman said:

Am I right in thinking a V8 powered P38 is probably the least shit of all the Land Rover range? I really fancy one.

Kind of.

The tooling for the V8, or the alloy used (pick your old wives tale) was getting very worn by the time these engines were made, so there are plenty which suffer massive HGF or slipped cylinder liners. Find one which has had a Turner top hat conversion already paid for by someone else and you're laughing. Apart from the 15mpg obvs 🤢

Here's my old one on its way to meet its maker following explosive HGF:

I really liked mine too. Not fast, even with the V8, so I'd probably go for diesel auto next time. The BMW derv has its own issues but on balance is possibly more reliable than the V8 and responds well to chipping, apparently.

[horriblemercedes]

11 hours ago, Spiny Norman said:

Am I right in thinking a V8 powered P38 is probably the least shit of all the Land Rover range? I really fancy one.

Probably the diesel rather than the V8, I'd say

[Six-cylinder]

I have driven a few Range Rovers over the years and found the P38 Auto Diesel to be too slow even for me.  When it was time to buy a P38 I bought a 4.6 V8 petrol at 16 mpg and a friend always drove her 4.6 in sport and got 14 mpg. I was happy with it at the time but opted for the 3 Litre  diesel when I went to L322 to get 22 mpg.

[goosey]

I recall there being a vacuum hose on the M51 that goes from the inlet manifold to the Turbo Wastegate, over time this hose can collapse internally which can significantly reduce performance, when I replaced this hose on mine the difference was night and day.  Adjusting the Injector Pump timing to compensate for wear on the timing chain  also helps fuel economy and performance and also cures the Hot Start issues M51s can sometimes have 

[cort16]

I think a diesel on springs like HMC's is going to reduce the liability factor greatly I don't think the old BMW 525d engine is hugely complex.  I remember reading about the issue with the later v8's I think the combination of worn out tooling and them maxing out their capacity made them pretty problematic.

[HMC]

1 hour ago, cort16 said:

I think a diesel on springs like HMC's is going to reduce the liability factor greatly I don't think the old BMW 525d engine is hugely complex.  I remember reading about the issue with the later v8's I think the combination of worn out tooling and them maxing out their capacity made them pretty problematic.

Just to add some jeopardy its on air suspension still 😆

[Cookiesouwest]

17 hours ago, HMC said:

Ive got to say i just dismissed the p38 as junk but basically its nicer to drive, less rot prone and WAY cheaper than a classic, and also more unusual than an L322. As those age they are throwing up their own issues (weirdly they seem more rot prone than a p38)

Whats the key or twisty knob thing in the offside wing, just behind indicator?

[HMC]

4 hours ago, Cookiesouwest said:

Whats the key or twisty knob thing in the offside wing, just behind indicator?

That turns the electrics off, isolates the battery (almost like on a track car) not sure if i like it or not, apparently there was a parasitic battery drain and this was their solution, back when it was basically a meat and 2 veg tow truck with half the interior gutted.

[Tayne]

5 hours ago, N Dentressangle said:

Ki 

so I'd probably go for diesel auto next time. The BMW derv has its own issues but on balance is possibly more reliable than the V8 and responds well to chipping, apparently.

That was the combo I had.

HGF and a few other issues, also the gearbox dipstick tube snapped off.

[Spiny Norman]

6 hours ago, horriblemercedes said:

Probably the diesel rather than the V8, I'd say

I don't do diseasels.
I always thought that given the age of them now, any still running well will have had any bugs sorted by now, body module, suspension, engine etc?

[horriblemercedes]

18 minutes ago, Spiny Norman said:

I don't do diseasels.
I always thought that given the age of them now, any still running well will have had any bugs sorted by now, body module, suspension, engine etc?

More or less, yes

 

The BeCM (body module) is much cheaper to fix than it used to be. It used to be a part you had to get brand new from a dealership - now there are mail order services that will repair them for under £200 on a 48 hour return service

Suspension more or less fine these days. The original airbags developed leaks which caused the compressor to burn out as it was trying to keep the pressure. No cars will still have the original Dunlop bags now and there are much cheaper, tougher aftermarket ones. I'd definitely want one on air, not coil springs

Engines are not bad these days. The V8s are a lot better than back then but I'd still say the diesel is the toughest engine in the range. 

I think they will all have had the heater o-rings replaced now. If not, that's a dashboard-out job to replace about £2 of o-rings. I very much doubt there are any left that haven't been fixed, however

[HMC]

A bit more of the bitsa interior. Upside- it’s semi trashed so very usable. (OSR door card- partially eaten by a dog?)

Dog guard secured by a ww2 soviet machine gun sling

The headlining is just the backing only, as it the internal a b c d pillar trim-

The NSR 1/4 window still has the breakers yard markings on it for extra couldnt give a fuck points. Actually this glass is more tinted, and is optikool rather than the other side windows being triplex- so off a later model i think.

 

Farthest off road so far

Verdict- must try harder

 

[HMC]

Question. what does a £600 mgf look like?

This

Long mot, body good but poor paint, and a long mot.