Craigs new Mk1

[Phil Nottingham]

???Hi Craig why not tell us about your Mk1 - these are getting very rare these days and they are quite different in detail to last P5B's

I know so far its a manual but has it the w overdrive and has it got the plastic window vents?

Where are you based and are ypou coming to the cliub National 20 year rally in September

[Deleted]

Hi Phil,

It's back at the mechanics - indicators and headlights wouldn't work - intermittent faults with whole lighting system (except brake lights oddly enough). Tried to collect again today after mechanic said he'd fixed it - but same problem again. I think it needs a total re-wire. Also tends to stall when it warms up and is idling, so getting the carb tuned.
Two tone, green and white paintwork. Yes it still has the perspex side louvres. It seems to be pretty rust free except for obvious repair work near the rear wheel arches (must be some type of filler under the paint), and little spots here and there which needs to be seen to (wondering about those electronic anti-rust devices??) - I think it needs a full repaint - who knows what's underneath.
I'm based in Pretoria, South Africa. P5s are very rare over here - I've only ever seen one example at a car show. See a lot more P6's around, and Jags from that era.

[Deleted]

Oh I forgot... Yes I think it has overdrive. A lever on the right - next to the indicator - a little closer to the dash though. I have not tried it yet, having barely reached fourth before I turned round and took it back to the mechanics. Apparently it needs its own lubrication refill under the carpet somewhere
Not sure I'll be going over again any time soon for any events over there - I just came back from presenting at a conference in June, missing the bombs by 7 days.

[dorsetflyer]

Craig, the lever you were asking about behind the indicator stalk on the same side is the headlamp switch or should be.
Is that why you can't get the headlamps working.

[Phil Nottingham]

Interesting - its a shame your not UK based - but these cars are very easy to work on although they do have their littel quirks like the light switch. The overdrive has safety devices to prevent operation in any other gear but top. The relay can fail and the solenoid can stick.

If the wiring is the original then it will be well past its best by now altough it can be patched up but I would recommend fitting a battery cutout - the main cable runs under the nearside sill and up the footboard to the startr solenoid.

[Deleted]

Thanks John, I did try moving the lever when trying the lights but to no effect. I'll see what the mechnic sais.

Phil why would you put in a cut out switch?

[Deleted]

One other strange thing I've noticed is that the wood is not Walnut as I would have expected. It looks more like the African Cherry wood I've seen in pictures of later models.

[Phil Nottingham]

Old wiring especially like that fitted on these cars can self ignite. This more so as there are few fused circuits. It also provides a useful antitheft device

[Phil Nottingham]

By the way the overdrive switch shoild be on the left of the column and I can never tell the differeence between Walnut and african Chrry wood and Rover swapped between them several times. Perhaps export models were different.


How early is it eg drum front brakes, no power steering, no wood round doors, chrome on brass side strips raether than stainless

[Deleted]

1959. Bench seats, wood below window sills (front and side) - appears to be stainless - didn't see exposed brass. Strange intake silencer I have not seen on engines I have seen on the web. Will have a closer look, once it is back from the mechanics and get back to you - they are still sorting out the idling problems and lights. Not sure about power steering - seems lite though for such a large vehicle (though perhaps gearing ratio on steering makes it feel that way).
Walnut doesn't have such a straight grain as far as I know

[Deleted]

Took it for a +- 100km trip to Heidelberg, and to my surprise went very well Only problem is a petrol leak once I switch off the engine. Tried replacing seals but to no avail - must be some type of valve giving problems

[Phil Nottingham]

Did you replace the HD8 diaphragm in the SU carb - the old type dissolve in unleaded fuel

[Deleted]

Hi Phil,

I only use 93 octane leaded fuel. What does the diaphragm do

[Phil Nottingham]

It allows the main jet tube to move up and and to provide rich starting mixture and at the same time stops the float chamber draining petrol. If it perforates through old age or petrol additives then petrol will drip out the bottom of the carb on to the dynamo. 93 Octane is rather low but the lead in it will help a bit - I wish we could get it over here at reasonable price even unleaded 95 octane is £4 a gallon now

[Deleted]

Thanks.
Yes unfortunately its 93 Octane this far inland (unfortunately also high altitude - but it runs fine - I suppose the timing was adjusted for it). Petrol is about R5 (which is about 45 pence) per litre here. Unfortunately leaded is on its way out here too - but luckily a company called Sasol (they've made fuel from a coal extraction process for years( which is blended with all the brands to some extent by law)) sell something which is acceptable for cars designed for leaded and unleaded - some type of lead substitute I suppose. I see it's an SU carb - thankfully - so should be able to get that diaphragm without paying a fortune to import ;D

[Phil Nottingham]

The HD carbs are obsolete now and were a short lived attempt to do away with the toublesome leaky gland on the jet tubes of the normal H type SU's. They were superceded by the HS types which are simpler (no diaphragm but a flexipipe to the jet) and were fitted to many cars of the 1960/70 including the V8s. These were then superceded by the HIF. Burlen Fuel Systems do rebuild kits including the diaphragm/jet tube assembly. They are a generally reliable carb but also differ from other SU's in that they have a separate idling mixture screw which means that Colortuning is more hassle tah on conventional SU's.

[Ken Nelson]

Just replaced the diaphragm/jet assembly on my P5 3-litre for the 3rd time in about 10 years of an ongoing rebuild, and noticed this site. Is there any better substitute for this diaphragm which seems to have its own built in self-destruct mechanism?

[Phil Nottingham]

Where are getting the diaphragam's from - they last years, at least 10, this arrangement was used on thousands of P4's and Jags. Perhaps its your fuel?

[Ken Nelson]

Could be the fuel gumming the jet up and causing the diaphragm to tear I suppose. I've just used our unleaded gas with a lead additive, but most of the time the car has been idle. I've gotten the diaphragm from a US based long-time SU carb rebuilder and parts supplier named Joe Curto.

[theroveringmember]

philnottingham said:

How early is it eg drum front brakes, no power steering, no wood round doors, chrome on brass side strips raether than stainless

No wood around the windows? What was around them then. Just had a look at a picture of YAC 636, the pre-production vehicle & it certainly appears to have wood surrounds from what I can see (Must get the big P5 book).

[Phil Nottingham]

Its very dark grey vinyl (actually old fashioned leatherette I believe)

You must get the book - there are one or two of these cars in the club still and others who are not

[Eric R]

I had headlight troubles until i read the user manual! they wont work unless the sidelights are on! oh, and if you forget, you can walk away from the car at night and leave the headlights on if you are used to remote locking etc. lol

[Phil Nottingham]

Never bothers me gave up remote locking and headlamp on warnings 17 years ago