Re: Your Opinions on ebay Series IIa please.

In message <[email protected]>
Cymro Gwirion<[email protected]> wrote:

>
> Hi, The local Series IIa I was after fell through, after he decided that
> he couldn't part with it. I have started looking on ebay, and was
> wondering whether some of you Series owners would give your opinion on her.
> She is too far for me to go and see this week. Basically - what do you
> think!? Link is
> http://tinyurl.com/mt88x
>
> thanks for your help.
>

Speaking personally here.....

The repair and hole in the door pillar doesn't look promising. There's
work waiting for you there. It sit's nicely, which is a good
sign, but you *really* need to have a good look at the chassis. At
best it's not going to be perfect unless it's been replaced.

You're never going to get a perfect example, at least not for silly
money, so you've realy got to decide, after giving the chassis a
really good look over, is this the motor for me - warts and all.

Richard

--

In message <[email protected]>
Cymro Gwirion<[email protected]> wrote:

>
> beamendsltd <[email protected]> wrote:
> >In message <[email protected]>
> > Cymro Gwirion<[email protected]> wrote:
> >
> >>
> >> Hi, The local Series IIa I was after fell through, after he decided that
> >> he couldn't part with it. I have started looking on ebay, and was
> >> wondering whether some of you Series owners would give your opinion on her.
> >> She is too far for me to go and see this week. Basically - what do you
> >> think!? Link is
> >> http://tinyurl.com/mt88x
> >>
> >> thanks for your help.
> >>
> >
> >Speaking personally here.....
> >
> >The repair and hole in the door pillar doesn't look promising. There's
> >work waiting for you there. It sit's nicely, which is a good
> >sign, but you *really* need to have a good look at the chassis. At
> >best it's not going to be perfect unless it's been replaced.
> >
> >You're never going to get a perfect example, at least not for silly
> >money, so you've realy got to decide, after giving the chassis a
> >really good look over, is this the motor for me - warts and all.
> >
> >Richard
> >
> >--
>
> Thanks RIchard,
> In a recent post I gathered that Bulkhead and chassis are the two major
> things to look for, and as I am unable to travel to see her before
> bidding - I think this one might be a bit of a risk! I gather that
> galvanized chassis is a big plus - which might be something to look for. Is there

A galvanised chassis is definately a good point! Even if they've made
a complete balls of fitting it........

> anything rather than a description of condition I should look for
> regarding the bulkhead?

Look for patches on the top corners, as per the one we were looking at.
Also look for patches on the door pillar. The door pillar isn't *too*
difficult to replace, but it's not for the faint-hearted really, as
some chiselling is required to break some spot welds. It does give a
good clue as to the condition of the rest of the bulkhead though.

> I think I will sift through ebay and maybe autotrader
> tonight and have a look for some more. I intend to post them here -
> maybe you would be so kind as to look at a few and give me your opinion. I
> think this would help me understand what to look for and how to spot a
> nice one. Though I look forward to looking after her once I own her - I
> don't want a major project at this time. Thanks again for your answer.
>
>

Patience is going to be a virtue in your search - there are good
ones out there, but they are getting hard to find.

Richard
--
www.beamends-lrspares.co.uk [email protected]
RISC-OS - Where have all the good guys gone?
Lib Dems - Townies keeping comedy alive

On or around Tue, 15 Aug 2006 09:19:36 -0500, Cymro
Gwirion<[email protected]> enlightened us thusly:

> In a recent post I gathered that Bulkhead and chassis are the two major
>things to look for, and as I am unable to travel to see her before
>bidding - I think this one might be a bit of a risk! I gather that
>galvanized chassis is a big plus - which might be something to look for. Is there
>anything rather than a description of condition I should look for
>regarding the bulkhead?

Things to look for, when looking at an actual vehicle - top front corners
(where that other one is patched), door posts, around the vents (open 'em
and look under the vent panel) and footwells. All these are the places that
bulkheads rot. Door posts are available as replacements, and not too hard
to replace, so if you're sure the rest of the bulkhead is OK, iffy door
posts are not necessarily a reason to reject a motor, but they are a reason
to pay a bit less.

As you say, galv. chassis is a big plus point, but reflected in the price -
it also means the motor has been rebuilt as they didn't come like that - and
people going to the expense and trouble of a new chassis generally don't put
a crappy bulkhead on it. Replacement chassis is almost always done by an
enthusiast who intends keeping the motor as it's no way worth doing just to
sell it, unless it's something fantastically rare.

points to look at on the chassis - rear crossmember, outriggers and the
front ends where the front spring hanger is. You don't want to see rust
holes, you don't want to see crappy repairs. bear in mind that any chassis
with lots of patches on is suspect. Main frame tubes are not usually too
bad, and if it's ONLY the back end, it's not too bad or expensive a repair -
rear crossmembers, with or without extensions, are easily available and not
very pricey - front legs likewise. however, if there are several of these
wrong then the chances are the whole chassis is past its best.

Often you'll see several small (about 2") patches on a chassis - this is a
sign of poor repair work. If you just patch the hole you can see, then
another hole is not far off... when you get a hole in a chassis due to rust,
the whole area is suspect. I'd far rather see a nice big patch which runs
from top to bottom of the chassis and about a foot long, than half a dozen
little ones.

Naturally, a chassis with extensive repairs, even if sound, is not as good
as a tidy unrepaired one.

>I think I will sift through ebay and maybe autotrader
>tonight and have a look for some more. I intend to post them here -
>maybe you would be so kind as to look at a few and give me your opinion. I
>think this would help me understand what to look for and how to spot a
>nice one. Though I look forward to looking after her once I own her - I
>don't want a major project at this time. Thanks again for your answer.

BTW, don't worry about posting links. You'll likely find that if any of us
are nearby, someone will be able to come with you for a second opinion on a
motor, as well.
--
Austin Shackles. www.ddol-las.net my opinions are just that
"You praise the firm restraint with which they write -_
I'm with you there, of course: They use the snaffle and the bit
alright, but where's the bloody horse? - Roy Campbell (1902-1957)

On or around Tue, 15 Aug 2006 12:18:35 -0500, Cymro
Gwirion<[email protected]> enlightened us thusly:


looking on ebay...

this looks quite good but might cost a bit:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170017189935

This one looks well sorted and comes with a hard top and a V8, which you
could either fit or sell on.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=150019927314

There are quite a bunch of 88" not tax-exempt, some of which look good. only
one tax-exempt 109", and that's a project not been run on 3 years, but looks
quite tidy.

now this one looks fun; not what you're after, but fun:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=190019727592
--
Austin Shackles. www.ddol-las.net my opinions are just that
"The great masses of the people ... will more easily fall victims to
a great lie than to a small one" Adolf Hitler (1889 - 1945)
from Mein Kampf, Ch 10

On or around Tue, 15 Aug 2006 14:21:08 -0500, Cymro
Gwirion<[email protected]> enlightened us thusly:

>One question I failed to ask - what would you expect to be a reasonable
>price to pay for a good Series II - without MANY issues? I was thinking
>from £1500 - £2000. Am I close to the mark?>

hard to say. My 109" sIII (1971) cost me 950, but had a few issues -
missing top tailgate for exmaple, and defunct locks which I had to replace -
the windows still need re-doing properly, and the chassis has needed a bit
of work this year for the MOT.

a good 'un with overdrive and decent chassis and good tyres and such will
fetch more. There's not a lot betweem a IIA and an early III, really. IIA
gearboxes are non-synchro in 1st and 2nd, but on the flat you can pull off
in 2nd especially in a 88" when running light, so it's not a major issue,
and some people say that the IIA boxes are stronger.

--
Austin Shackles. www.ddol-las.net my opinions are just that
"The great masses of the people ... will more easily fall victims to
a great lie than to a small one" Adolf Hitler (1889 - 1945)
from Mein Kampf, Ch 10

"Austin Shackles" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> On or around Tue, 15 Aug 2006 14:21:08 -0500, Cymro
> Gwirion<[email protected]> enlightened us thusly:
>
> >One question I failed to ask - what would you expect to be a reasonable
> >price to pay for a good Series II - without MANY issues? I was thinking
> >from £1500 - £2000. Am I close to the mark?>
>
> hard to say. My 109" sIII (1971) cost me 950, but had a few issues -
> missing top tailgate for exmaple, and defunct locks which I had to
replace -
> the windows still need re-doing properly, and the chassis has needed a bit
> of work this year for the MOT.
>
> a good 'un with overdrive and decent chassis and good tyres and such will
> fetch more. There's not a lot betweem a IIA and an early III, really.
IIA
> gearboxes are non-synchro in 1st and 2nd, but on the flat you can pull off
> in 2nd especially in a 88" when running light, so it's not a major issue,
> and some people say that the IIA boxes are stronger.
>
>
Oi, Stop saying IIA boxes are stronger, in what way Austin?

Martin.

On or around Tue, 15 Aug 2006 23:19:15 +0100, "Oily"
<[email protected]> enlightened us thusly:

>
>"Austin Shackles" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>news:[email protected]...

>>IIA
>> gearboxes are non-synchro in 1st and 2nd, but on the flat you can pull off
>> in 2nd especially in a 88" when running light, so it's not a major issue,
>> and some people say that the IIA boxes are stronger.
>>
>>
> Oi, Stop saying IIA boxes are stronger, in what way Austin?
>
> Martin.
>

*I* wasn't saying that, I don't know... I said "some people" say it.
Personally I doubt it - but it's possible that in changing the gear train to
fit synchros on 1st/2nd the gears got smaller or something. I've no doubt
someone knows the answer...


My main point was that in normal motoring, the lack of 1st/2nd synchro is
not a major issue.
--
Austin Shackles. www.ddol-las.net my opinions are just that
"Pereant qui ante nos nostra dixerunt"
(confound the men who have made our remarks before us.)
Aelius Donatus (4th Cent.) [St. Jerome, Commentary on Ecclesiastes]

> >
> >"Austin Shackles" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> >news:[email protected]...
>
> >>IIA
> >> gearboxes are non-synchro in 1st and 2nd, but on the flat you can pull
off
> >> in 2nd especially in a 88" when running light, so it's not a major
issue,
> >> and some people say that the IIA boxes are stronger.
> >>
> >>
> > Oi, Stop saying IIA boxes are stronger, in what way Austin?
> >
> > Martin.
> >
>
> *I* wasn't saying that, I don't know... I said "some people" say it.

No, but by mentioning the idea, you infer that you agree with the views of
'some people'. ;-)

> Personally I doubt it - but it's possible that in changing the gear train
to
> fit synchros on 1st/2nd the gears got smaller or something. I've no doubt
> someone knows the answer...
>

Well, Series 2a boxes always sheared the layshaft because they were made
from Blackpool rock but you don't find Series 3 layshafts suffering from
such a problem and the gears are much the same size with same bearings etc.

> My main point was that in normal motoring, the lack of 1st/2nd synchro is
> not a major issue.
>

Agree there.

Martin.