project Rover P4 110 - Gone

[Vince70]

That looks absolutely amazing.

Being yours is the Super Duper 110 does it have the freewheel.

I will pretend to know what it is, but I’m guessing it’s some form off overdrive as my Dad and Uncle had a couple of them in the late 60’s and mentioned it.

I’m also sure my uncle said something about changing the metal doors for earlier alloy skinned examples due his being a bit rot.

I remember a really nice one in that colour sitting dumped at the end of a private road in Chislehurst Kent for a couple of years in the Mid 80s and always wanted it and it just disappeared one day.

The P4/5/6 were most definitely world beating cars that’s for sure.

 

[vulgalour]

2 hours ago, SiC said:

This job might need quite a few refills 😅

What chrome there is left is about to peel off anyway!

You're not wrong there.  From the other photos it looked more like extensive pitting rather than full on sunburn.  Tape definitely the way to go here.

[colnerov]

4 hours ago, Vince70 said:

That looks absolutely amazing.

Being yours is the Super Duper 110 does it have the freewheel.

I will pretend to know what it is, but I’m guessing it’s some form off overdrive as my Dad and Uncle had a couple of them in the late 60’s and mentioned it.

I’m also sure my uncle said something about changing the metal doors for earlier alloy skinned examples due his being a bit rot.

I remember a really nice one in that colour sitting dumped at the end of a private road in Chislehurst Kent for a couple of years in the Mid 80s and always wanted it and it just disappeared one day.

The P4/5/6 were most definitely world beating cars that’s for sure.

 

 

 Hi, If you're used to modern cars, having a freewheel will be a surprise and not a good one.  Freewheel is a sprag or one way clutch and disconnects the engine from the axle and provides no engine braking on the over run.  It was used as an economy device.

 Colin

[wuvvum]

I actually quite liked the freewheel on the Saab 96s I owned - makes clutchless gear changes easier for one thing.  Those probably had better brakes than a P4 though to be fair.

[SiC]

Freewheel also allows clutchless and this smooth gear changes. Alas mine is a newer one and merely had overdrive. 

Even back in the day the freewheel wasn't universally loved. I can't find it to hand but there is a notice in the (iirc)P3 handbook that says it recommends new owners to give it a try.

 

[somewhatfoolish]

Maybe try chrome wrap for the bumper?

[bobdisk]

Why not clean off all the rust from the bumper, and paint it body colour. Might start a new trend! No perhaps not!!

[HMC]

I’m gonna say leave it, embrace the look. 

[95 quid Peugeot]

When I had the last gilbern,  the bumpers were similar condition,  I rubbed them down, etch primed and chrome sprayed, more than acceptable I felt

 

[SiC]

I do have the can of Chrome spray paint, so I'm still tempted to give it a go. Failing that it'll be a good base to put on the aluminium tape that's on its way from Amazon. 

Even if it does age and rust breaks through, that'll fit in better as it will look wrong if too shiny.

[SiC]

I bought a key for the glove box as none of the keys I had moved the lock. Handily (but insecurely) Rover put the key numbers on a plaque on the A post. The key I had for the boot lock is one number out from that.

Anyway good news! It turns the lock!


Bad news! It still doesn't open.

I think I'll need to find a way to break in. I really want to know what's inside. Probably nothing after all this.

[HMC]

1 minute ago, SiC said:

I bought a key for the glove box as none of the keys I had moved the lock. Handily (but insecurely) Rover put the key numbers on a plaque on the A post. The key I had for the boot lock is one number out from that.

Anyway good news! It turns the lock!


Bad news! It still doesn't open.

I think I'll need to find a way to break in. I really want to know what's inside. Probably nothing after all this.

I asked the vendor about the history, he said he was hoping it was in the locked glove box, will be interesting to see it’s secrets!

[SiC]

And the glovebox is now open! Just needed a good pull. I used a plastic trim tool to give me the leverage without damaging the trim.
The contents are a bit disappointing as I was hoping for some history. Instead I got a new spark plug, a metal rod, some manky old blue roll and a tax disc.
Tax disc is from Kent and 1993. Presumably the last time it was on the road.
Sadly this is the full amount of history I have for the car.

A bit of an anti climax.

[Mally]

55 minutes ago, SiC said:

I do have the can of Chrome spray paint, so I'm still tempted to give it a go. Failing that it'll be a good base to put on the aluminium tape that's on its way from Amazon. 

Even if it does age and rust breaks through, that'll fit in better as it will look wrong if too shiny.

Clean it up level as best you can then treat the rust and prime it. 

The better it looks with primer on, the better will be the chrome* finish.

[SiC]

Purplebarken recommend to spray Ford Strato silver as apparently that looks pretty good on a bumper. That's one of the backup plans.

I'm quite intrigued on how the chrome spray will dry and how it goes shiny. It's one of the reasons why I want to give it a go. 

[dozeydustman]

Re the chrome effect paint. I recall someone at school used some on some plastic handles, properly primed and flatted back before several coats of the paint which was then coated with lacquer. I remember it being quite shiny but not the mirror effect like plated chrome but we’re talking some 26-27 years ago.

If you have the paint already there’s no harm in giving it a go, but I recall it will show up the tiniest of blemishes.

[Matty]

I'd be genuinely tempted to leave the bumper as is Si. Problem if you do anything with it is it will look far too straight against the rest of the car. The rest of the car speaks for itself as a genuine survivor. When I was growing up in 80s Lancashire, there were still relics like this and big Farinas and so on dotted about the valley still being used as daily transport. Back then they were just old cars and cheap motors. Something about this one and @HMCs that take you back to those days. Get it mechanically Bob on and leave the cosmetics to shine as they are I reckon 

[2flags]

This is a great buy. I was offer two of them in the 80's. Both had cracked blocks as no anti freeze had been put in. 😡 Unfortunately I had nowhere to put them or I would have been on them like a shot! I was also given a P6 that year for the same reason. 🙄 Got some useful bits off of that one. Lack of space, the curse of every motoring hoarder um, enthusiast.

[SiC]

Brake fluid isn't supposed to be coming out of this pipe!



Also remembered I meant to buy a set of whitworth sockets and spanners. Thankfully 14mm was close enough.

[SiC]

Replaced the Girling servo today with a modern Lockheed unit. Location is the one recommended by John Wearing on the 110. I don't like drilling holes into old car bodywork but hopefully this unit is pretty much fit for life on this car.

Brake fluid came out of the vacuum hose on the old unit, pretty much confirming that it's dead.

Still need to replace the master cylinder before I can get to bleeding the brakes. I was hoping to go to a car meet tomorrow morning in this but it doesn't look like that will happen unfortunately.

I forgot that I need whitworth spanners and sockets! Made do with a 14mm socket. Wasn't the best fit but a 6 sided one was sufficient for the job.

Bezo finest should be delivering me a set of spanners, deep and normal sockets tomorrow. Then I'll tackle the master.













While it was up on stands, it gave a better chance to look underneath.
That chassis really is a girthy thing.
It's really in excellent condition! The underseal is coming off but the metal is still plenty thick enough and solid.

[N Dentressangle]

Definitely the right call on the brake servo - no point messing with 60 odd year old brake components just to preserve 'originality'.

Looks solid enough. The heavy* build quality is probably one of the reasons so many survive 🤣

[SiC]

I could have had the original Girling sent off to rebuilt. Or get a rebuild kit but no diaphragm though and that's probably what has split. But the Girling units aren't as good design as the Lockheed. Even when new they apparently forever having issues with them sticking on. Being 1500kg, they aren't easy things to move if they do either!

Tbh fitting this one wasn't much harder than removing/replacing the old unit. Just needed the holes marking, drilling, fitting, replacing the hard lines and bending them to shape. 

Their heavy build quality is why so many unfortunately ended up around the oval. 

[High Jetter]

Iirc it was done back in the day, as an upgrade. Brake rivalry!

[SiC]

Replaced the master this evening. Nice to have the longer days back.


Removal was straightforward with my new Whitworth sockets.




I did have to replace the rod and washer assembly between the old and new. The bores on the old master actually looked immaculate and probably would have been fine. But I don't like to take any risks on single circuit brakes.






Also replaced the rear brake hose. Last owner did the fronts but didn't do this back. Again a cheap part and straightforward to do but massively worth it if the vintage of the hoses is unknown.



Finally bleeding. Always fun. I despise brake fluid too. Ruins everything it touches and it stinks. I tried my pressure bleeder but unfortunately that quickly showed up a pin hole on the top of the reservoir as I got a jet of brake fluid squirt out the top! I'm glad I'm not that bothered about the paint. I had a bottle of water on hand to douse down the fluid.


Ended up using my cheapy vacuum bleeder. I always find it hard to know when it's got most of the air out as it tends to make bubbles as it sucks through the bleeder. Only done the rear driver's side at the moment too. So I need to go around and do the rest.
However I do have a moderately hard pedal now.


I've done the old trick of leaving a jack handle pressed on the pedal to let the air flow out over night. Often it is pretty effective in letting air to the top and removing it.



Tomorrow I'll go around and bleed it properly from the furthest to the closet.

[N Dentressangle]

Unsurprisingly that MC looks similar to the CB type one used on earlier Series IIA Land Rovers. The 3 mounting lugs are different though.

They're an utter sod to bleed, so hopefully you're having more success 😄

[lesapandre]

Original carpets too by the look of it. Super quality interiors on these.

[SiC]

32 minutes ago, lesapandre said:

Original carpets too by the look of it. Super quality interiors on these.

Carpets are original. I don't know what condition the rear is like but the last owner said he stuck it around the washing machine and it didn't survive very well 😬

They could do with a bit of a clean but they are very fragile. 

[SiC]

1 hour ago, N Dentressangle said:

They're an utter sod to bleed, so hopefully you're having more success 😄

I've started to get a solid pedal now. So I think I've got that mostly full of fluid. I cracked open the inlet fitting on the servo and let gravity do it's thing. Took a while but fluid started bubbling out. Then did the same with the outlet fitting but that's a bit harder to see or hear. 

Not only is that master needing bleeding, the servo is just as notorious for getting air trapped too. It's not fitted in most optimum or preferred angle either. 

[N Dentressangle]

30 minutes ago, SiC said:

It's not fitted in most optimum or preferred angle either. 

Rover seemed to enjoy that trick, the little tinkers. I remember having to jack the car up as far as it would go to correct the tilt.

[SiC]

New boot time! After eBay 20% discount code, they worked out at £35 a tyre fully shipped. Local garage charged me £18 a tyre to fit/balance/dispose. I thought it was a bit expensive but then disposing of old tyres is an arse nowadays. Also required special dumpy valve stems on these old rims.


Still need to finish bleeding the brakes once the weather eases off raining. Then go for a spin to see how it drives.


Original front tyres were date coded 1992. Rears had no date code and so likely much older than this!