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Classic Thinking about a.....
- Thread starter Henry_b
- Start date
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- 2,101
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- Mull of Kintyre
Western Slope Rover
Well-Known Member
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- 4,073
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- On a mesa
For the drive I prefer the standard wheelbase, but oh, the legroom and cargo capacity of the LSE.Withdraw
I’d want an LSE
And by the way, it's a LWB.
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Get a 3.9, better all round.
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- 58,170
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- Preston Lancs.
You need to get an early seventies one. Driving at speed down a twisty road is a experience not to be missed.
classic kev
Well-Known Member
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- 3,506
MMMMM......... RRC, there's good and bad. Early ones do roll a bit in the bends, later ones that had the anti-roll bars are quite good, you can push them quite hard in the bends or at least that is what I have found. Don't know about ones on air though. I do know I found my classic handled better than both the P38 and L322; the air suspension is fine but just didn't feel as planted as the old bus on coils.
I guess that's the springing thing, let's talk RUST - sills, inner wings, door shells, rear arches, boot floor, rear cross member, body mounts. Electrics, I get the impression that is a bit of a lottery. I've been lucky, My Vogue SE has had few electrical problems.
Next I suppose is engines. Whether 3.5 or 3.9 there is not much to choose between them. The injection system is not too bad to work on, it is a simple affair, I would take the hotwire system over flapper. Ignition system can be a bit twitchy and you need to be prepared for tracing odd faults that will most likely be due to corroded wires, with the age of these motors now, hard, brittle wiring is a cause for some issues. Ignition system components are O.K. but don't put pattern parts on. This means, Lucas dizzy cap and Lucas rotor arm. Decent plug leads help too.
On models with ABS you need to make sure everything is as it needs to be. ABS faults WILL occasionally appear and sometimes tracking down the cause will drive you nuts and if you have to bleed the brakes, follow the workshop manual to the letter.
Despite the many trials and tribulations of owning a Classic and having given it moderate green lane style abuse over the years I still love it. If you can find one at sensible money that just needs tidying up at the edges then go for it. A rough one though will be a money pit and some parts are now very hard to find or cost ridiculous money.
I guess that's the springing thing, let's talk RUST - sills, inner wings, door shells, rear arches, boot floor, rear cross member, body mounts. Electrics, I get the impression that is a bit of a lottery. I've been lucky, My Vogue SE has had few electrical problems.
Next I suppose is engines. Whether 3.5 or 3.9 there is not much to choose between them. The injection system is not too bad to work on, it is a simple affair, I would take the hotwire system over flapper. Ignition system can be a bit twitchy and you need to be prepared for tracing odd faults that will most likely be due to corroded wires, with the age of these motors now, hard, brittle wiring is a cause for some issues. Ignition system components are O.K. but don't put pattern parts on. This means, Lucas dizzy cap and Lucas rotor arm. Decent plug leads help too.
On models with ABS you need to make sure everything is as it needs to be. ABS faults WILL occasionally appear and sometimes tracking down the cause will drive you nuts and if you have to bleed the brakes, follow the workshop manual to the letter.
Despite the many trials and tribulations of owning a Classic and having given it moderate green lane style abuse over the years I still love it. If you can find one at sensible money that just needs tidying up at the edges then go for it. A rough one though will be a money pit and some parts are now very hard to find or cost ridiculous money.
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- 58,170
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- Preston Lancs.
You have got to be joking. The P38 and L322 are light years better handling than any Classic. The very early classic were death traps on twisty roads driven with any gusto. P38 has far far better handling than any classic and L322 is better than the P38.
classic kev
Well-Known Member
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No I'm not joking, perhaps when I say handle, I should talk about "feel". I have simply found the air suspension lacks feel and the L322 definitely felt like it had more body roll and had more understeer when pushed.
I would have to agree the P38 and L322 have more ultimate grip due to wider tyres and although neither model is a particularly bad drive I just didn't think they rode as well at speed compared to the classic on coils. That said, for a motorway L322 wins, P38 was not bad, I liked the 4.6. At the end of the day it is a simple matter of opinion, then again, these motors were never designed to be driven like a sports car.
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- Preston Lancs.
I am sorry but you must be. No classic is as good a ride or handles as well as the P38 L322. I worked at the main dealers when they came out, one of the lads rolled a two door on corporation street roundabout just up from the garage. Did a lot of warranty work on them including transfer boxes that sounded like a siren after a few hundred miles in some cases. They improved over time P38 was a big improvement on the classic.
Datatek
Well-Known Member
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I test drove a brand new Classic in the 80's, the pitching and rolling were enough to give me motion sickness.
RangeRoller dt
Well-Sprung Member
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I thought the whining transmission was normal
Henry_b
Think outside, no box required.
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I've had one, had to sell it to free up funds..
Bought it from a chap who was having a divorce and he didn't want his wife getting it!!
He wanted it off the drive that day, and i made a silly low offer and he accepted!
67k original miles, 3.9 Vogue Manual..
It had the horrible textbook RRC handling, the Boge strut had cleared its desk a long time ago and the arse sat stupidly low all the time!!
New Police spec springs fitted with Bilstein shocks.
Red poly bushes too..
It made it handle slightly better, but still rolled a bit, but much better than before!
Motion sickness was lessened and passengers could ride in it for a while without being sick
Oh and the LT77, probably the worst feeling manual ever fitted to a LR i had to double clutch it into almost every gear!
Went well though, being a manual 3.9
Sold it..
Fancy an Early 80s one with exposed hinges.
As for which one is better..
The Classic while it rolls a lot the ride was far superior to the P38 and definitely the L322
Handling as said the P38 was far superior, sticks to the road like shít to a blanket, still evident it's a 4x4 the L322 handles like an estate, akin to a P2 V70.
Nice to drive...
Bought it from a chap who was having a divorce and he didn't want his wife getting it!!
He wanted it off the drive that day, and i made a silly low offer and he accepted!
67k original miles, 3.9 Vogue Manual..
It had the horrible textbook RRC handling, the Boge strut had cleared its desk a long time ago and the arse sat stupidly low all the time!!
New Police spec springs fitted with Bilstein shocks.
Red poly bushes too..
It made it handle slightly better, but still rolled a bit, but much better than before!
Motion sickness was lessened and passengers could ride in it for a while without being sick
Oh and the LT77, probably the worst feeling manual ever fitted to a LR i had to double clutch it into almost every gear!
Went well though, being a manual 3.9
Sold it..
Fancy an Early 80s one with exposed hinges.
As for which one is better..
The Classic while it rolls a lot the ride was far superior to the P38 and definitely the L322
Handling as said the P38 was far superior, sticks to the road like shít to a blanket, still evident it's a 4x4 the L322 handles like an estate, akin to a P2 V70.
Nice to drive...
RangeRoller dt
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Love that retro interior.
Velour in my P38 is extremely comfy so guessing the Classics’ similar. No side arms in back though
Velour in my P38 is extremely comfy so guessing the Classics’ similar. No side arms in back though
Henry_b
Think outside, no box required.
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Armrests in the back were nice!
Velour was comfortable, better than leather in quite a few ways, don't want to think of how many farts it had absorbed though!
RangeRoller dt
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Probably few through the bends.
I used to do carpet cleaning so my P38 have had good putsyin. My arm rests also have bits on the seat covers - not sure what they are - took them off is like new underneath
I used to do carpet cleaning so my P38 have had good putsyin. My arm rests also have bits on the seat covers - not sure what they are - took them off is like new underneath
RangeRoller dt
Well-Sprung Member
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Henry_b
Think outside, no box required.
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Nice looking seats
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In what ways?Armrests in the back were nice!
Velour was comfortable, better than leather in quite a few ways, don't want to think of how many farts it had absorbed though!
Henry_b
Think outside, no box required.
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Not Boiling hot in summer.
Not freezing cold in winter.
Doesn't tend to rip and look threadbare like leather can, if neglected..
And it is softer!
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Mine was negeltected and still looked and felt great. Could sit in em all day. And did. Shame they were the baby poo brown colour though. I dont get the hot and cold thing for leather. Unless its black its not gonna heat up and they warm up quicker than material when cold.
