more incoming unpleasantness.............

[BeEP]

1 hour ago, Isaac Hunt said:

I thought Mirage, but unless it has had a blow over, it is too early for Mirage which was a circa 73 or 74 Colour, polished primer we used to call it.  In the later pics this looks more Dove Grey.

it looks a fine old machine

Agreed, not Mirage.  Could be Dove grey, but some photos make it look too pale.  Possibly Arabian grey,  Lovely looking thing either way. 

Photos confirm no power steering (the pump is driven off the back of the dynamo).

[Rocket88]

well........collected from Eastbourne, which is a strange place indeed......

Sit Rep;

Engine ; Spiffing

Gearbox ; Spiffing

Brakes; Spiffing

Bodywork ..averagely spiffing

Other bits.....riddled with giffertastic mods [more pics later]

? in the room..........the Hydragas suspension is completely on the bump stops.................help desperately needed....any suggestions ?

[adw1977]

On 20/08/2020 at 22:32, Six-cylinder said:

One weekend he turned up in a young Triumph 2500 Pi telling us he was trying it as the person who had it had left the company and he had been offered it instead of his 1800. He found the Triumph a bit cramped and kept the 1800.

I should think almost everything seems cramped if you're used to a Landcrab.

[BeEP]

30 minutes ago, colc said:

? in the room..........the Hydragas suspension is completely on the bump stops.................help desperately needed....any suggestions ?

Pedant mode; it's hydrolastic not hydragas.  Which is a very good thing as there's no gas to escape!  It doesn't look completely down in the photos (the wheels really do disappear into the arches when it is), so hopefully a pump up will sort it out - it may well just have gradually subsided over a period of years.  They often weep unnoticed from around/through the valves.  If it were me I'd get it pumped up and monitor; there may be an old school garage near you who still has a pump.  Probably no help whatsoever but if you could get it to West Norfolk I'd be happy to pump it up for you.

[xtriple]

I had a 2200 many, many years ago. It was my 'winter' car so the bike could stay in the front room (Kawasaki Z1000 Z1R with many mods and is still registered!) and I paid more for the 2200 than any other winter heap - £90. Loads of tax and MOT and cheap to insure, plus, a towbar.

It was meant to last the horrid months between December and April but ended up lasting nearly a year, being used to tow a trailer loaded with multiple LC350s and spares so we could crash expensively and let other people/racers laugh at us. I'll be honest: it was a bit of a heap but God I loved it. It got used by so many different people, thrashed, abused and neglected. Everyone loved it. A few tears were shed when it finally went to stay with Josh Eva as it was using more oil than petrol. Got back about £50 for it so very cheap motoring.

I've always wanted a 3 litre even though I know they are very different (rear wheel drive, yes?)  but the style is just, fantastic.

Enjoy  

[DSdriver]

3 hours ago, adw1977 said:

I should think almost everything seems cramped if you're used to a Landcrab.

Especially the back seat

[Rocket88]

As giffertastic mods go....this is a cracker

[yellowperil]

On 8/22/2020 at 3:52 PM, xtriple said:

I had a 2200 many, many years ago. It was my 'winter' car so the bike could stay in the front room (Kawasaki Z1000 Z1R with many mods and is still registered!) and I paid more for the 2200 than any other winter heap - £90. Loads of tax and MOT and cheap to insure, plus, a towbar.

It was meant to last the horrid months between December and April but ended up lasting nearly a year, being used to tow a trailer loaded with multiple LC350s and spares so we could crash expensively and let other people/racers laugh at us. I'll be honest: it was a bit of a heap but God I loved it. It got used by so many different people, thrashed, abused and neglected. Everyone loved it. A few tears were shed when it finally went to stay with Josh Eva as it was using more oil than petrol. Got back about £50 for it so very cheap motoring.

I've always wanted a 3 litre even though I know they are very different (rear wheel drive, yes?)  but the style is just, fantastic.

Enjoy  

Xtriple, one of my motorcycling influences was the Z1R, I was to young to ride, but there was a bloke in the village with one, he used to blast it past the school bus most mornings at big speed.

To a teenage lad who didn't even own a bicycle (seriously, I didn't get a bicycle until my fifteenth birthday, I was definitely not a spoiled child.) this was the coolest thing ever.

I just knew that one day I would own a big powerful bike and I did and still do and always will.

So your generation,  who were slightly older were the coolest.

Forgive the ramblings, alcohol is my friend this afternoon and OP your car is really nice, I would rather own that than the modern I have got.

[dozeydustman]

Top buyage. My uncle had a mk3 one of these when I was young but I don’t recall going for a ride in it.

 

known in my family as an Uncle Derek car

[High Jetter]

That was well hidden! There's another E reg, owners also have a MGB. Where was that advertised?

[eddyramrod]

I think that was an excellent find.  I'm no fan of the shape of the 1800, nor of FWD, nor of grey cars, but even I like this, just because it's survived so well.  Someone I knew at art college had one and I had a lift in it once; it was automatic, with the shifter mounted on the dash, which I'd never seen before.  I seem to remember it was quiet and comfortable, which says a lot because our family car was an A60 at the time!

[Rocket88]

10 hours ago, High Jetter said:

That was well hidden! There's another E reg, owners also have a MGB. Where was that advertised?

Lurking on Facebook..............

[Rocket88]

Managed to find someone who can have a look at the suspension.............a very slow 18 mile drive on Wednesday.............!

[Yoss]

My friend has a former garage hydrolastic pump stripped down to the essential bits so it can go in the boot of a car. Don't know where you are but if Wednesday doesn't work out we could work something out. I don't know what the situation is with displacers at the moment (I'm thinking if it still leaks after you've had it pumped up). I know the Landcrab club were having new pipes fitted to the displacers at one point (the rubber tube between the displacer and and the metal pipe) but I haven't had one for a few years so I don't know the situation at the moment. 

Hopefully it's just gone down slowly  over the years if it's been sitting around. It's a wonderfully simple system really. A displacer at each end with a metal pipe running front to rear to connect the two. That's it. Each side is a seperate system. 

[SiC]

Plenty of converted water pressure tester pumps converted into hydrolastic pumps on eBay. Usually go for around 90 quid. I built my own before they were around and used it on the two 1100 I've had. Pumping it up would be the first port of call. 

If pipes or hoses have failed, these are probably the guys you need to speak to:

https://m.facebook.com/groups/Hydrosuspension

See Phils Princess thread for their work on his car. 

[SiC]

According to the ADO16 manual, you can drive to a maximum of 30mph with the car on its bump stops in the event of pressure loss. Given how long they are when no pressure, it will be quite a hard and uncomfortable ride!

[Rocket88]

2 hours ago, SiC said:

According to the ADO16 manual, you can drive to a maximum of 30mph with the car on its bump stops in the event of pressure loss. Given how long they are when no pressure, it will be quite a hard and uncomfortable ride!

I have already experienced the delights of this...comfy it ain't........!

[Rocket88]

After driving this ungrateful old shed [it's actually quite endearing] 18 miles to T.Wells on it's bumpstops, to get the suspension pumped up, I get a call to tell me that both rear sphere hoses are leaking. Got it recovered back here, and spheres being removed on Monday, and sent for reconditioning................Total cost, about £100 with postage , which is pretty reasonable.

Might have to invest in a pump to re-pressurise it after fitting.

Apart from the rather scabby body, and rear end droopiness, all other mechanical bits seem in good order. Quiet engine, good clutch and box, and steering seems ok., as are the brakes. Statutory B series leakage is present, of course. Driving position is awful [wonder if you can fit one of those Mini column drop thingies]

[Rocket88]

Wrestled the rear suspension off the Grey Crab today...was surprisingly co-operative, only one bolt proved to be recalcitrant, and some industrial swearing , heat, and Plus Gas sorted that out. The whole rear suspension and hubs are held on with only four bolts per side ! As suspected, both rear hoses were looking distinctly ropey, the spheres themselves seem to be OK.

Now packed up ready for shipping to specialists for re-hosing and checking.

Photo of one complete suspension arm

[Yoss]

That doesn't sound too bad to me. I did mention the hoses, it does seem to be a weak point in the system. Glad to see somebody is still repairing them, like I say I've been out of the loop for a few years now. You'll be pleased to know the front units come out just as easily should the situation arise and there is a metal pipe joining the front and rear and that's it. The spheres themselves are merely held in by the weight of the suspension on them. Once depressurised they just pull out. 

The driving position is a bit of an acquired taste but you settle in to it (though this is coming from somebody who owned a Routemaster bus for thirty years so I had a head start). 

[Rocket88]

Wondering if I could use one of those Mini column drop thingies to make the angle of the steering wheel a little less bus like.............

[Yoss]

As I said above, give the driving position a chance, you'll grow in to it. Your arms will eventually grow in length to compensate. 

[Rocket88]

Decided on drastic action ref seats....picked these up for a fiver on Faceache....................passenger side fitted.ade subframe up to attach to stout wooden frame, they're firmly attached on the back edge , ' Renault" style down the middle, bolted in using original runners. Passenger side done..........

[Yoss]

Hope you're going to keep the originals somewhere safe/dry. They're a very rare colour and being a mk 1 real leather. 

[Peter C]

Do I understand correctly that you fitted the new seats with pieces of wood?

[Agila]

3 minutes ago, Peter C said:

Do I understand correctly that you fitted the new seats with pieces of wood?

Looks that way, euro ncap "stoutness" rating zero star.

[Rocket88]

7 minutes ago, Peter C said:

Do I understand correctly that you fitted the new seats with pieces of wood?

Yup...........and I presume that you're now going to tell me that nuns and kittens are going to die....................you are obviously wildly concerned for my safety, for which I thank you.

[Agila]

Just now, colc said:

Yup...........and I presume that you're now going to tell me that nuns and kittens are going to die.

Depends i suppose if nuns and kittens are going  to be sitting on them. Lol.

At least if the worst happens the nun shouldn't have any trouble getting in with the boss upstairs.

[Rocket88]

They're actually more securely mounted than they were..............a lot of old stuff have similar arrangements..........what that photo doesn't show you is that what it's sitting on is a steel plate, which the back of the seat is welded to. If wood was good enough for Morgan.........

[Rocket88]

On 8/21/2020 at 9:52 PM, BeEP said:

Agreed, not Mirage.  Could be Dove grey, but some photos make it look too pale.  Possibly Arabian grey,  Lovely looking thing either way. 

Photos confirm no power steering (the pump is driven off the back of the dynamo).

No power steering......much twirling..................