Scimitar as a daily driver?
Discussion
As the title says really, would it be a do-able proposition to run a scimitar as a daily driver. Assuming that its reasonably well sorted in the first instance.
I have seen a couple advertised on car and classic, one has been converted to V8 - any thoughts or advice??
I currently run a morgan so am used to regular fettling and keeping on top of maintenance
I have seen a couple advertised on car and classic, one has been converted to V8 - any thoughts or advice??
I currently run a morgan so am used to regular fettling and keeping on top of maintenance
A few people do run them as a daily drivers. I used to do 7500 miles in my GTC a year which is not quite daily but was pretty much daily in the summer. For all year round driving I would want to fit uprated fan motors and heater matrix as a minimum. Tyre choice is also a bit limited on the standard wheels although Vredestein do very good summer, all season and winter tyres that fit.
No reason why not - but as above you'd need to get the cooling system perfect: I'd add a new, cast-impeller water pump and a comprehensive block flush.
You'd also be well advised to replace all the electrical connectors you can get to with decent quality bullets, find a 65 amp alternator and replace all the glass seals, including the windscreen: a car that lets the wet in will be an unpleasant place to be in a fairly short time.
A set of 15" wheels will make it much simpler to find decent tyres, too.
You'd also be well advised to replace all the electrical connectors you can get to with decent quality bullets, find a 65 amp alternator and replace all the glass seals, including the windscreen: a car that lets the wet in will be an unpleasant place to be in a fairly short time.
A set of 15" wheels will make it much simpler to find decent tyres, too.
Mine was an everyday car when last on the road (around 1994 and I still have it in the garage up on stands). I can say it was the most reliable car I'd owned, always started on the button, very practical, great looking, nice sound, no probs bar a near overheat in traffic once, after which I added a fan over-ride switch. That car was my first foray into classic cars and a lucky choice. The only downside was fuel consumption at 18 - 20 mpg and 25 on a trip. I get better from my 5 ltr TVR!
Just to add, this one is a '72 SE5a GTE Manual O/D.
Just to add, this one is a '72 SE5a GTE Manual O/D.
Edited by fausTVR on Sunday 25th August 09:47
cheers chaps, I haven't been any further with this idea yet. I need to move the morgan on first.
Apart from the Rover V8 engine transplant are there any other popular transplants that get done with these (zetec or vauxhall red top? ) - I'm thinking a more modern engine might improve ultimate longevity, performance and possible fuel consumption
or is that heresy?
Apart from the Rover V8 engine transplant are there any other popular transplants that get done with these (zetec or vauxhall red top? ) - I'm thinking a more modern engine might improve ultimate longevity, performance and possible fuel consumption
or is that heresy?
Edited by sawman on Sunday 25th August 10:30
My boss ran a couple of these as daily drivers in the 80's and 90's,the first with the Essex engine and the next with a Cologne. He did over 20K miles per year and neither ever let him down.
Regular issues were suspension top hat bushes and corroding Wolfrace wheels, that's all I recall but they were maintained regularly regardless of cost. Koni shocks, stainless exhaust, Mobil 1, electronic ignition etc. He changed the fibre cam gears for steel which made a noise like a stuka until they bedded in.
There was an issue with noisy exchange rear axles until we bought all the tools and rebuilt it ourselves,that fixed it for good. Autoboxes packed in after 85K miles like clockwork, the manual was ok but had a complicated linkage you had to keep your eye on.
Hopefully the cars you are looking at will be ok on unleaded, using additives would work out expensive. I would have no problem using one daily.
Regular issues were suspension top hat bushes and corroding Wolfrace wheels, that's all I recall but they were maintained regularly regardless of cost. Koni shocks, stainless exhaust, Mobil 1, electronic ignition etc. He changed the fibre cam gears for steel which made a noise like a stuka until they bedded in.
There was an issue with noisy exchange rear axles until we bought all the tools and rebuilt it ourselves,that fixed it for good. Autoboxes packed in after 85K miles like clockwork, the manual was ok but had a complicated linkage you had to keep your eye on.
Hopefully the cars you are looking at will be ok on unleaded, using additives would work out expensive. I would have no problem using one daily.
Mine was constantly plagued with minor electrical gremlins, and eventually interfered with the ECU. Still off road 2 years later as I've not had the time or resources to get it sorted.
Also, my cabin used to get insanely hot - that was just needed the cooling system liking at as it wasn't always that bad.
Apart from that, and the approx 17mpg, it was bloody great as a daily driver!
Also, my cabin used to get insanely hot - that was just needed the cooling system liking at as it wasn't always that bad.
Apart from that, and the approx 17mpg, it was bloody great as a daily driver!
Mine was constantly plagued with minor electrical gremlins, and eventually interfered with the ECU. Still off road 2 years later as I've not had the time or resources to get it sorted.
Also, my cabin used to get insanely hot - that was just needed the cooling system liking at as it wasn't always that bad.
Apart from that, and the approx 17mpg, it was bloody great as a daily driver!
Also, my cabin used to get insanely hot - that was just needed the cooling system liking at as it wasn't always that bad.
Apart from that, and the approx 17mpg, it was bloody great as a daily driver!
sawman said:
cheers chaps, I haven't been any further with this idea yet. I need to move the morgan on first.
Apart from the Rover V8 engine transplant are there any other popular transplants that get done with these (zetec or vauxhall red top? ) - I'm thinking a more modern engine might improve ultimate longevity, performance and possible fuel consumption
or is that heresy?
It's all just meccano, so you can put whatever you like into it, but a v-engine with DOHC will be tough to make fit and you'll probably need to think about an aftermarket ECU as it'll be less costly than mating someone else's factory job with the Scimitar's very basic loom.Apart from the Rover V8 engine transplant are there any other popular transplants that get done with these (zetec or vauxhall red top? ) - I'm thinking a more modern engine might improve ultimate longevity, performance and possible fuel consumption
or is that heresy?
Edited by sawman on Sunday 25th August 10:30
The 4.0 version of the Cologne will bolt straight to any of the Ford gearboxes and pick-up on the factory engine mounts in an SE6a - quite possibly less work than a Rover - and the Vauxhall 24v V6 is also a reasonably well-trodden path.
When mine was stock it gave me 25-30 mpg.
The old man had a SE6a as a daily driver for 3 years; it never broke down, although it did need tinkering to fix niggly problems like a non-functioning overdrive, a wonky gearshift mechanism, and odd electrical gremlins. My brother had a SE5a as a DD for a couple of years also and it was similarly reliable with no strandings, just odd electrical infarctions. It was rock solid right up to the point he wrote it off spinning at the exit of a roundabout and rolling it into a ditch; he eventually owned up to the fact he just got a bit too enthusiastic with the right foot for the damp tarmac. 
Both had modified cooling systems with the extra pressure cap assembly where the thermostat housing goes, I guess if the car has a solid cooling system it'll be fine as a DD.
Both had modified cooling systems with the extra pressure cap assembly where the thermostat housing goes, I guess if the car has a solid cooling system it'll be fine as a DD.
I run mine as a daily driver doing about 6000 miles a year
It also has a rover V8 with the 5 speed box from an SD1. This gives quite a lot more power than the V6 and the engine is much lighter. I get about 25mpg on a run and it's running with staged heads and a Holly.
Try looking on http://v8church.co.uk/ loads of stuff on there
It also has a rover V8 with the 5 speed box from an SD1. This gives quite a lot more power than the V6 and the engine is much lighter. I get about 25mpg on a run and it's running with staged heads and a Holly.
Try looking on http://v8church.co.uk/ loads of stuff on there
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