The Almost Free Rover 218vvc Tomcat..

[XAF]

Because an FRP and normal Puma aren't ruinous enough to keep in OCD levels of fettle, a slowly decaying Rover 218vv Coupe (or Tomcat depending on who you talk to) may be joining the fleet on Saturday...

The car has sat on a driveway at the top of my parents street for about 2-3 years now, slowly going green with moss and tree sap. The old guy who owns it used to polish it within an inch of its life each weekend back in the day, but sadly he is now in a nursing home and the car is just sitting there.

I put a note through the door back in May, and the solicitors who are dealing with his affairs have asked if I still want they car. I said yes, firstly as I've always had a soft spot for them, secondly as my brother used to get ferried about in it when he was younger, and thirdly I'd hate to see someone cart it off for scrap. How many left now shows only 121 left on the road...

So, educated people of the internet.... it's been stood for some time, and I have an 30-40 minutes with the family representative on Saturday morning to decide if I want to have it - if it's a rotbox I'll sadly have to walk away. But if it's not, I want to know if the thing runs and all the lights etc go out on the dash. Now obviously, new battery is a must, and I was thinking of turning it over with the fuel pump fuse out before I tried to start it, but with limited time, what else could I do to prevent accidentally goosing the engine as all the lube will have long since drained away and 2-3 winters my have misted the bores with rust.

Is WD40 down the bores before cranking it over a good idea? Fresh oil poured in the top to cover at least some of the cams and leave oil in the top end for start? Or just turn the key and hope for the best? Would ideally crank the engine on the pulley but don't think I'll have time to jack it up and do that....

If it runs, it's a 100 meter drive to my parents where they are relishing the thought of me taking apart an 18 year old Rover and dragging it to life in their front garden. In my rose coloured glasses world, this is where I give it a full service, replace all the discs and pads, and skip off for an MOT.....

 

[tuonokid]

Cambelt James?

 

[XAF]

[post]359546[/post] Cambelt James?

We'll see how bad the MOT looks first Barry, but then a cambelt for sure. It's the initial start that I'm over thinking right now. :grin:

 

[tuonokid]

Hi James
No I meant if it's been parked up a long time maybe it's not even a good idea to crank it as the belt may snap.
Barry

 

[XAF]

[post]359548[/post] Hi James
No I meant if it's been parked up a long time maybe it's not even a good idea to crank it as the belt may snap.
Barry

Ah, I think that's a risk I'll have to take - I've no idea on the service history yet. Could be a folder six inches thick, or not a jot as they can't find it. We don't even know if we've got keys yet.

I'm deliousionally hoping it was freshly serviced with a cambelt just before it's extended sleep :lol:

 

[tuonokid]

Hi James
You could buy the car (cheaply) if the shell is good enough and sort out the engine later which is less of a risk than trying to crank it there and then. Sometimes Aldi or Liddle sell cheap endoscopes so you can check the condition of the cylinders through the spark plug holes.
Barry

 

[zinc2000]

I would certainly avoid cranking it with the key before you get a proper look at it, suddenly asking a sleeping thing to move very quickly is always risky (if you have teenagers you will understand)
I think best bet would be get it first if it looks reasonably solid then sort out the engine later and if the old guy looked after it properly hopefully the service history will be there somewhere too.
Good luck

 

[TGPlayer1]

If it's 100 metres then just push the bugger, or tow it if the brakes are stuck. It's not worth the risk of turning it over.

 

[The Arch Bishop]

Am I going to get the blame for this James? :grin:

I'd be half tempted to just fire the bugger up and hope for the best, but that's not the sensible way of doing it...

Plus, even if the cambelt is fine, you may find it was laid-up due to a head gasket giving up and the bores are full of silty coolant.

 

[XAF]

[post]359574[/post] Am I going to get the blame for this James? :grin:

I'd be half tempted to just fire the bugger up and hope for the best, but that's not the sensible way of doing it...

Plus, even if the cambelt is fine, you may find it was laid-up due to a head gasket giving up and the bores are full of silty coolant.

Partly to blame!

I think I'm going to do the sensible thing and have a prod around it, look at the service history, etc and then push it to my parents if it looks like a good one.

Then it will be plugs out, small amount of oil down the bores and crank by hand, replace all fluids, new plugs and start. Cambelt will be subject to MOT!

 

[stuvy]

Take a crow bar and check the bushes, they will more than likely be perished but tif the mounts move then it's a lot more work involved

 

[The Arch Bishop]

The tension mounts....

Will it be a rare beauty or a rotbox?

 

[XAF]

[post]359634[/post] The tension mounts....

Will it be a rare beauty or a rotbox?

Neither really. She's definitely not beautiful at the moment!!











It's only got a couple of areas of potential rot I can see, one is a bit of bubbling on the rear arch, and the nearside rear sill may need a small patch. Interior is amazingly dry, with a good covering of mould!

Put a battery on and the fuel pump ran, lights went out and immobiliser turned off. Went balls deep and tried a quick crank with the fuel pump fuse out but thankfully (probably!) the battery wasn't the right ampage so it just clicked. That or it's seized!

Brakes are totally seized, it's not moving until they are taken off, totally shot as expected. Shame it can't even roll though as it's either going to have to be freed up somehow on the drive on dragged on a flatbed.

So, I guess it's worth a punt. Got service history up to 78k with MG Rover but no invoices to be found at the moment. No idea about the cambelt.

 

[TGPlayer1]

If I were you James (which I'm not, but if I was) I'd take a punt on it. If it turns out to be a pile of poo then all you've wasted is time.

As they say "you only regret the things you didn't do"

 

[XAF]

Yeah, think I'm going to put an offer in. Worst comes to the worst it goes on ebay without turning a wheel!

Can spend a morning trying the careful way to start it then too

 

[748]

Put an offer in?
Would have though they'd be paying you to take it away :lol:

 

[The Arch Bishop]

Certainly worth a punt. I suspect that a day with some decent cleaning products and that would look very presentable!

Amazed that the inside is dry considering the targa roof!

I'd have it!

 

[JAC]

I never knew they made a 218, was that a UK thing? I remember a friend having the 220 when we were teenagers, I always thought it was a lovely car. I have always had a soft spot for Rovers since I was a kid.

 

[XAF]

[post]359723[/post] I never knew they made a 218, was that a UK thing? I remember a friend having the 220 when we were teenagers, I always thought it was a lovely car. I have always had a soft spot for Rovers since I was a kid.

The 218vvc replaced the 220 as the vvc gave it a little bit more power. Apparently. Only 121 left which I makes it rarer than my FRP...

So an update too, the deal is done! £50 great British pounds was all it took to secure a bit of Birmingham's finest. eBay has already been pilfered for a new battery and oil filter. Just need to find some time to spend the morning getting it going...

 

[JAC]

Congrats on another rare project, I'm sure that in no time it will be worth 10 times as much!! :-D

As I said above, I've always liked Rovers, but I have only owned one. It was a 1.4 Metro that I was given, with the intention of turning it into a rally car, but after playing with it for a few weeks, I gave it away, I think it is the only car I have actually felt terrified driving