Buying RRC... Things to look for

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Thanks very much.
I've looked online and new swivel ball and seal kits are pretty reasonable.
I'm going to have a second and decisive viewing, with the wife, and go over some checks I missed.
just need to find a garage to keep it in for the winter.
 
jimalmighty said:
Thanks very much.
I've looked online and new swivel ball and seal kits are pretty reasonable.
I'm going to have a second and decisive viewing, with the wife, and go over some checks I missed.
just need to find a garage to keep it in for the winter.
Click to expand...

Pitting of the spherical swivel hubs was a common fault due to muck and grit etc being trapped in the housing seal which caused the seal to leak and gradually lose the oil (EP 90 I think). The spheres are simply stripped and re-chromed. LR got over the issue by filling the hub with a "One Shot" sachet of Moly type grease in place of the oil.
I remember changing the swivel spheres on my old Classic and the hub cavity was full of rusty water when I stripped it down. :eek: The upper & lower swivel taper bearings were shot but they are as cheap as chips to replace and available from any bearing supplier. The preload on the bearings needs to be set with a spring balance and is an easy job.
The HT ignition needs to be up to scratch, especially leads, dizzy cap and rotor arm etc.
Good Luck :)
 
jimalmighty said:
Hi all,
well, today i finally got round to seeing the classic and it was good.
The bodywork is in very good condition, there is about £300 worth of repair to be done to the front wing and she's cracked the sidelight cluster but apart form that it's tight. All joints between the steel and ally skins are rust free too and i removed the indicator and poked a torch down the inside and all looks jolly.
Rust wise it's prety clear, the footwells seem fine... as far as i could see without ripping the carpet out, and when i hit those and the boot floor it was solid. there is some corrosion on the rear axle, especially around the diff but its mostly top layer and i dont think its any worse than my disco. there is minimal rust at the bottom of the top boot lid and same for the lower.
Mechanically it's ok, the car has only done 86k and has been in a garage for the last 10 with little than a monthly drive about. Air suspension works fine and all the electrics and gadgets work.

There are a couple of things i need some advice on:
1. The front ball joints are covered in oil based ****, it goes right up to the very top and covers the track rod joints too... the ball is also pitted slightly in its extremities... see image
2. It's carrying a lazy cylinder, it's a little vibration when low revs... i know this could be just a plug or a lead but just want to make sure there isnt a common fault here
3. The head lining is sagging at the back, i know this can be fixed but is it pricey?

other than that she's pretty good, and the money is good too hopefully
Click to expand...

On the headlamp boxes the only way to tell is to remove the light bowl. The A and B pillars always rot out on classics. lie on your back under the sill and look at where the A and B pillars meet the sills. also the outer sills as these are hidden by the plastic sill covers.. rear crossmember too.. you'll only see by removing the raear bumper. the wheel well anchor points can be seen from the wheel arch outside, inside if you lift the boot carpet cheack around where the wheel arches meet the boot floor..

I'm giving you a run down here as I am restoring my 1991 CSK and 1971 Suffix A and restored my 1990 Vogue SE over winter !! The front wings where they join the ally will tell you nothing, you'll only know when you get the front wings off.. BUT.. look at the wheel arch from outside and where it meets the bulkhead..

1. Range Rover's rust prevention of the sterering is from oil leaks.
2. Lazy cylinder could be a plug or lead..
3. headlining is a PoP.. martyns trim do a roll in the right colour and width.. it cost me about 70 for the roll plus a meter spare to do the sunroof panel and have a little left over to do it again if needed.. i did.. the cost included shipping and the adhesive.. follow the guides for it.. before you cut it, lay it out. plan how you will do it.. start back to front, work at a foot a time making sure you dont get wrinkles and work it into the curvatures.. the adhesive is adhesive.. you get one shot !!
 
As said before rust rust rust, you can have a love for the motor and the v8 but if you are happy with the oil burning version you would be well looking for a VM or a classic or even a tdi thing.
Personally being the owner of 3 of the beasts (v8) I am biased but they all suffer rust.........lol
So will your disco
 
Ok perfect. 2nd viewing is Monday and I'll check as much of the above as possible... Looks like I've found a barn to keep it in for the winter too.

Question is... What's it worth? I've checked eBay, Autotrader and some other classifieds and prices are hugely different.

Here are the basic facts:

Good...
93 LSE in grey with grey leather trim
86k miles
Bugger all rust (yet to be double checked)
2 owners, last for 20 years (garaged for last 10)
Air suspension works
All electrical gizmos work
Leather seats and dash are in great nick

Bad...
Got a misfire/lazy piston/buggered HT/Plug
Sagging headlining in the rear
Slight crash damage to nsf wing/cluster
Needs new spheres

Any advice on where I should be aiming much appreciated, as is the input so far.

Jim
 
jimalmighty said:
Bad...
Got a misfire/lazy piston/buggered HT/Plug
Sagging headlining in the rear
Slight crash damage to nsf wing/cluster
Needs new spheres

Any advice on where I should be aiming much appreciated, as is the input so far.

Jim
Click to expand...


It isn't going to help you i know, but it's only worth what someone is prepared to pay for it.

Sagging headlining is really a non issue. misfire, lazy piston ? could be simple or it could eat your face
slight crash damage. if you want a perfect example then what is it going to take to do it. you could get the wing off and find a bucket of corrosion.
new spheres.. meh !
 
On the subject of your 'lazy cyl.' does it mis-fire when cold but starts to fire on all eight as the engine warms up?
If so, compare the plug (after a run) with the others, if the sus cyl. plug is cleaner you could have a more serious problem, as it could be coolant getting into the combustion chamber when the engine is cold (ie overnight) & being burnt off as the lump warms up.
 
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Well when I ran it at a standstill, ie. When I first fired it up i didn't notice anything. It was only when I drove it that I noticed it at low revs. Pulling away revs.
 
I just stuck it in webuyanycar.com and they offered £75 for it... Ha ha. If I could buy it for that I'd be happy.

Seriously though, is it £1k, £4k, £7k, £9k? I do want it but it's a luxury and the mrs will kill me if I place a foot wrong!
 
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jimalmighty said:
Seriously though, is it £1k, £4k, £7k, £9k? I do want it but it's a luxury and the mrs will kill me if I place a foot wrong!
Click to expand...

It could be any of those ! 1k, 4k, 7k, 9k, 15k

It depends on the condition and what someone is prepared to pay for it.

Things like webuyanycar.com, glasses, CAP, Parkers, will only tell you the value of production models up to a few years old with variations for conditions. even those are not hard values. I've seen cars go through the auctions at way above book value and way below.

You're looking at a classic car, value could be anywhere between 500 quid and 18k plus. it depends on the example and.. what someone is prepared to pay for it.

Nb. I've Just acquired an LSE myself... to add to the Vogue SE, The Suffix A and the CSK collection.. Not to mention the two P38's
 
Hmmm ok... The issue I have is the dear old lady isn't going to have any idea of price and I'm stuck in a minefield of numbers.
I don't want to rob her of the car but at the same time I don't want to rob myself.

The guy that put me in touch had £6k as the figure, his LR dealer friend said they'd pay £5k for it and move it through the trade, but now I'm thinking it should be much less.

:oops:
 
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