|
|
Post by canoelessinpanama on Jul 2, 2009 10:49:42 GMT
No Rover P5s in Panama, or at least none that I've managed to find so far (plenty of Ronda 200s, 400s and 600s though), so I ended up with the closest equivalent I could find and afford. This is a 1994 Chevrolet Lumina Z34 Coupe (an obviously not very successful competitor to the Ford Thunderbird in the "personal luxury coupe" market), 3.4 litre V6 and automatic transmission. It hasn't moved in 4 years, and had no battery or fuel in it when I bought it. Hoping to try starting it up within the next few weeks (after giving it a full service, getting a new battery, radiator top hose and replacing the burned out alternator (as evidence of the lack of room under the bonnet compared to a P5, changing the alternator requires removal of a wheel and an engine mounting bracket!)).  |
|
|
|
Post by canoelessinpanama on Jul 2, 2009 11:55:00 GMT
And it cost $500 (about £300 at current rates), the only bodywork that needs attention is a small dent to the driver's side rear wheelarch and the top of the main bracket at the front which needs a bit of welding (the grill and various other bits and pieces screw on to it very close to the leading edge and the lip between the edge and the holes has broken off in 2 out of the three). I haven't been underneath it yet, but the floors all feel very solid and the suspension all looks good. Numerous small cosmetic problems, but the interior is generally very good and it doesn't look as though anyone ever sat in the back!
It will certainly do me until I can find a P5B locally!
|
|
|
|
Post by Roy of the Rovers on Jul 2, 2009 17:20:44 GMT
Put a set of magnum 500s on it and you'd never be able to tell the difference!  |
|
|
|
Post by canoelessinpanama on Jul 2, 2009 18:11:51 GMT
Roy, I was thinking of gold x-laces or something in black and red, but new wheels are some way off!
No way it is ever going to look like a P5, but at least it will stand out from the Korean and Japanese boxes (and overpriced German 4WDs) on the road here! There simply is nothing remotely like a P5 here (if there are any older Rovers, Humbers, VDPs or Jag saloons around, they are well hidden and only brought out on special occasions), the closest I've seen were a couple of Chevy Bel-Airs, and even a restoration project one was 3 times what I paid for the Z34.
|
|
|
|
Post by Warwick on Jul 3, 2009 0:05:10 GMT
I think subsequent Luminas are rebadged Holden Commodores.
Those in S.E. Asia and the Middle East certainly are.
|
|
|
|
Post by canoelessinpanama on Jul 3, 2009 9:19:25 GMT
All deeply confusing Warwick! Post 2006 Holden Commodores are sold in Asia as Chevrolet Luminas whilst, before that, the Holden Monaro/Vauxhall Monaro in the UK, itself derived from the earlier (Opel Omega based version of the) Commodore, was sold in South Africa and the Middle East as the Chevrolet Lumina.
|
|
|
|
Post by Warwick on Jul 4, 2009 9:07:48 GMT
The Monaro was sold in the US as a Pontiac GTO and current Commodores and utes under other Pontiac names. All that has changed of course since Pontiac was scuttled recently.
|
|
|
|
Post by canoelessinpanama on Feb 10, 2012 2:53:55 GMT
Been a while since I posted anything on this, so thought I'd give an update ..... and everyone a few laughs......
Attempts to start the Z34 came to nothing, and it quickly became apparent that it needed at least a top end rebuild (ludicrously complicated spark plug leads broken, oil leaking onto a couple of the plugs). I stripped everything down, ordered up new gaskets, spark plug leads etc, and while I was at it, had the cylinder heads reconditioned ...... unfortunately, with the humidity here, there was no way to keep the block dry while the heads were off .... and you can guess the result! It wasn't pretty watching the cylinders oxidise despite the cling-film, towels and everything else I tried to keep them dry!
In December 2010, I took up the recommendation of the guy who had done the heads and arranged for the car to be delivered to a local "expert on Gringo cars" to have the block reconditioned. After spending another $1,000 on parts (Panamanian mechanics don't source parts for you!) the engine was rebuilt ... but my "expert" on Gringo cars turns out not to know how to do the timing (which according to my research requires specialist tools). Last time I spoke to him (December 2011), he thought his brother had found out how to do it, but I haven't heard anything since then! No rush to get it back on the road, because I lost my wallet with my UK driving license in it last year (and it cannot be replaced unless I return to live in the UK), and I'd been avoiding getting a local one until I have my full Panamanian residency and can get a full local license (instead of expensive monthly temporary ones)! Good job that there is a good (air-conditioned) bus service and plenty of cheap taxis here!
Now thinking I should probably use the 6 months until I get my residency to have the transmission reconditioned as well. The one stroke of luck I had was finding a replacement for the badly cracked windscreen in a local parts place - with only a handful of Lumina Coupes sold here, I had expected to
have to order one from the US (and probably a second, when the first arrived in pieces).
|
|
|
|
Post by Roy of the Rovers on Feb 10, 2012 12:36:04 GMT
Jim you are a glutton for punishment aren't you? Wouldn't it be cheaper to just buy the original drophead from Oz and have it shipped to you in Panama? see for sale section  Roy |
|
|
|
Post by canoelessinpanama on Feb 11, 2012 1:49:06 GMT
Nice idea Roy ..... but the steering wheel is on the wrong side (nothing to do with the fact that I couldn't afford the shipping, let alone the purchase price!)
|
|
|
|
Post by Warwick on Feb 13, 2012 5:52:48 GMT
Good to hear from you again Jim. Despite all your woes, it sounds like you're still further advanced than me.
|
|
