Have we been foolish? Yes but we're all grinning from ear to
Discussion
Have you ever done something so incredibly foolish that the only outcome has to be good?
3 friends and I left a commission bid on this: http://www.barons-auctions.com/details.php?ID=6522
We left a bid well below the lowest guide without even driving to see it, only to get the call to say that we won it!
I picked it up on Wednesday:
I've driven it around my yard a bit and it seems to go really well, she's not the tidiest of old girls but everything seems to function. It's having a pre-MOT check today and hopefully will go through next Wednesday. The most pressing issue is the front seat keeps motoring forward on its own to the stops all the time. Would this be an errant micro switch or the much more expensive ECU? Is there a particular connector I could unplug to stop it doing this temporarily?
I was also wondering where I would be able to get service items and spares for reasonable cost? Tyres look a bit rare, any good sources out there? Any recommendations would be welcome!
A foolish purchase maybe? I can't help thinking I am going to have enormous fun finding out!!
d2t
3 friends and I left a commission bid on this: http://www.barons-auctions.com/details.php?ID=6522
We left a bid well below the lowest guide without even driving to see it, only to get the call to say that we won it!
I picked it up on Wednesday:
I've driven it around my yard a bit and it seems to go really well, she's not the tidiest of old girls but everything seems to function. It's having a pre-MOT check today and hopefully will go through next Wednesday. The most pressing issue is the front seat keeps motoring forward on its own to the stops all the time. Would this be an errant micro switch or the much more expensive ECU? Is there a particular connector I could unplug to stop it doing this temporarily?
I was also wondering where I would be able to get service items and spares for reasonable cost? Tyres look a bit rare, any good sources out there? Any recommendations would be welcome!
A foolish purchase maybe? I can't help thinking I am going to have enormous fun finding out!!
d2t
Congrats - they are indeed enormous fun!
I also have a 89 Turbo R, series II like yours and it does make me smile.
Service items and spares are pretty easy to get - main places are http://www.introcar.co.uk/ and http://www.flyingspares.com/ and I use http://www.spurparts.com.au/ here in Australia.
Here is my backyard service: http://www.bentleyspotting.com/2013/02/bentley-tur...
For the seat the tech doc is here: http://rrtechnical.info/sz/sz87/s2.pdf and the fuses are here: http://rrtechnical.info/sz/sz87/tsd4701/3.pdf
I've dug up some funny web discussion between a mechanic and a customer who had a similar seat problem - I smiled at the Rolls-Royce language referenced in the tech docs.
Customer: the facia stowage compartment is where on the car??
Customer: where is the facia stowage compartmant located??
Eurocar Inc: glove box
Chat here: http://www.justanswer.com/car/7kw2p-bentley-turbo-...
My car also did not come with a Flying B mascot - but I put one on - vid here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aVSJ0SmPJdI
Have fun with it!
I also have a 89 Turbo R, series II like yours and it does make me smile.
Service items and spares are pretty easy to get - main places are http://www.introcar.co.uk/ and http://www.flyingspares.com/ and I use http://www.spurparts.com.au/ here in Australia.
Here is my backyard service: http://www.bentleyspotting.com/2013/02/bentley-tur...
For the seat the tech doc is here: http://rrtechnical.info/sz/sz87/s2.pdf and the fuses are here: http://rrtechnical.info/sz/sz87/tsd4701/3.pdf
I've dug up some funny web discussion between a mechanic and a customer who had a similar seat problem - I smiled at the Rolls-Royce language referenced in the tech docs.
Customer: the facia stowage compartment is where on the car??
Customer: where is the facia stowage compartmant located??
Eurocar Inc: glove box
Chat here: http://www.justanswer.com/car/7kw2p-bentley-turbo-...
My car also did not come with a Flying B mascot - but I put one on - vid here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aVSJ0SmPJdI
Have fun with it!
Flying Spares is the place for bits - that and ebay (who are considerably cheaper)
Rolls Royce Club of Australia have all of the technical documentation uploaded to the www
tyres, unfortunately, are unique to this model. Avon only I'm afraid. Nothing else has the speed rating and so would be a no-no if only for your insurance.
regarding the seat - yes its most likely the microswitches in the seat position switch assembly. You can unplug and wind the seat forward/backwards manually.
..... and welcome
Rolls Royce Club of Australia have all of the technical documentation uploaded to the www
tyres, unfortunately, are unique to this model. Avon only I'm afraid. Nothing else has the speed rating and so would be a no-no if only for your insurance.
regarding the seat - yes its most likely the microswitches in the seat position switch assembly. You can unplug and wind the seat forward/backwards manually.
..... and welcome
Thanks for all the replies. We put it (her) up on the lift yesterday: everything seems really solid underneath. Obvious mot items are the driveshaft gaiters which are brittle and cracked and the tyres, 2 of which are unsafe. The spare looks good so we may only need one especially if we use a cheaper tyre as a spare for mot.
d2t
d2t
I will be stripping out my Turbo R for track prep soon, so will have heaps of spares. Alloy wheels with new tyres, all ecu's except engine, all interior, overmats, boot carpet, window lift motors etc, also active ride set up.
BTW, well done on your purchase - always love those black dashboards instead of wood....
BTW, well done on your purchase - always love those black dashboards instead of wood....
Just want to put in a word for Roberts Hall for parts - I consistently find them to be significantly more more competitive than anywhere else for Genuine parts - here is an example - set of front pads for my Continental R £230 from Flying Spares, £91 from Roberts Hall. Same genuine parts. And David Roberts is very helpful - but best by email as they are a small team and really busy a lot of the time.
http://www.roberts-hall.co.uk/
However, Flying Spares do have a very big superb inventory of used parts of course. I would recommend the parts and workshop manual available from Flying Spares which is excellent for £25 - once you work out how to navigate it. But almost indispensable if you intend to do any work on the car yourself as it can save hours, even just in locating components in the car.
Regarding your front seat - the switches can stick, just check them to make sure it isn't sticking in the forwards position. If it isn't that simple and you need to just stop it happening, just remove the fuse.
http://www.roberts-hall.co.uk/
However, Flying Spares do have a very big superb inventory of used parts of course. I would recommend the parts and workshop manual available from Flying Spares which is excellent for £25 - once you work out how to navigate it. But almost indispensable if you intend to do any work on the car yourself as it can save hours, even just in locating components in the car.
Regarding your front seat - the switches can stick, just check them to make sure it isn't sticking in the forwards position. If it isn't that simple and you need to just stop it happening, just remove the fuse.
Edited by matt5791 on Tuesday 6th May 19:34
It's VIN SCBZR04A7KCH27529 so post 24502 so series II right?
To identify the year - from the exterior I check the headlamp washers - 1988 and prior have flat jets flush with the bumper - 1989 cars and beyond have the protruding box dual washers. To tell a 1989 car from a 1990 I check the interior, there are 4 bulls eye vents on a 1990 and only 2 near the centre on a 1989. I'm sure there are more ways to tell as well - especially with engine bay shots. Series II cars have more plastic engine cover bits near the strut towers as well as different cooling hoses etc.
Now to that switch. It gives more power - by ensuring that those cheeky rear passengers don't wind down their windows creating unnecessary drag.
Have fun with it!
To identify the year - from the exterior I check the headlamp washers - 1988 and prior have flat jets flush with the bumper - 1989 cars and beyond have the protruding box dual washers. To tell a 1989 car from a 1990 I check the interior, there are 4 bulls eye vents on a 1990 and only 2 near the centre on a 1989. I'm sure there are more ways to tell as well - especially with engine bay shots. Series II cars have more plastic engine cover bits near the strut towers as well as different cooling hoses etc.
Now to that switch. It gives more power - by ensuring that those cheeky rear passengers don't wind down their windows creating unnecessary drag.
Have fun with it!
Jordan. said:
It's VIN SCBZR04A7KCH27529 so post 24502 so series II right?
To identify the year - from the exterior I check the headlamp washers - 1988 and prior have flat jets flush with the bumper - 1989 cars and beyond have the protruding box dual washers. To tell a 1989 car from a 1990 I check the interior, there are 4 bulls eye vents on a 1990 and only 2 near the centre on a 1989. I'm sure there are more ways to tell as well - especially with engine bay shots. Series II cars have more plastic engine cover bits near the strut towers as well as different cooling hoses etc.
Yes, we only have 2 vents inside and dual washers on the bumpers. There are some crude plastic panels attached to the struts but no great swathes of plastic covering the engine.To identify the year - from the exterior I check the headlamp washers - 1988 and prior have flat jets flush with the bumper - 1989 cars and beyond have the protruding box dual washers. To tell a 1989 car from a 1990 I check the interior, there are 4 bulls eye vents on a 1990 and only 2 near the centre on a 1989. I'm sure there are more ways to tell as well - especially with engine bay shots. Series II cars have more plastic engine cover bits near the strut towers as well as different cooling hoses etc.
It failed its MOT today on driveshaft gaiters (which I had spotted), rear wheel bearing, and rear brake assemblies. The gaiters are straight forward, they say that they can tweek up the bearing and they will strip and clean the rear assemblies while the wheels are off etc.
I've been researching tyres. She's running Avon 255/65VR15 tyres which seem difficult to find and are ar*e twitchingly expensive. Would I be able to fit the more common and much cheaper Avon 235/70VR15 ?
Had my first proper drive today on the way to the MOT. Everyone should have one, it is absolutely mind blowingly awesome and I have not grinned so much for a very long time!
d2t
235/70 is acceptable. Its the speed rating really - you need to have the original speed rating, which shrinks the available tyre pool to just Avon.
To consider the alternative, you need to think of a strategy to defend mowing down a bus-queue of school children because your incorrectly-specified tyre burst. Or something like that.
For what its worth, I have a Mulsanne turbo ( 1985 ) and a Turbo R ( 1991 )
To consider the alternative, you need to think of a strategy to defend mowing down a bus-queue of school children because your incorrectly-specified tyre burst. Or something like that.
For what its worth, I have a Mulsanne turbo ( 1985 ) and a Turbo R ( 1991 )
2woody said:
235/70 is acceptable. Its the speed rating really - you need to have the original speed rating, which shrinks the available tyre pool to just Avon.
I read somewhere that the Avon 235/70 with a V speed rating were correct and they were the ones I had been looking at. Happy to be corrected especially when bus queues are involved!d2t
PS Would these be ok?
http://www.camskill.co.uk/m53b0s1709p119751/Avon_T...
Edited by drive2tractors on Wednesday 7th May 00:05
Jordan. said:
It's VIN SCBZR04A7KCH27529 so post 24502 so series II right?
It's not a series II, it's a late series I with a funny dashboard and some other oddities.SCB - Bentley
ZR - Turbo R
04 - Engine
A - Restraint system
7 - Check digit
K - Model year (in this case 1989)
C - Crewe built
H - RHD
The badge on the boot lid should read Turbo R rather than just Turbo, replacement badge or boot lid at sometime?
There are a number of odd switches on the centre console, special order bits & bobs maybe?
It has the series I auto selector quadrant with P R D in the cowling on the column rather than on the dashboard DIP and all the other series I bits, it ain't a series II.
Who cares though, it's still brill!
On the subject of tyres, get a later set of 16/17/18" alloys then you have a full choice of all the brands where even the very best tyre test winning premium stuff is dirt cheap a corner.
Edited by Balmoral on Wednesday 7th May 19:42
The dash arrangement and "Turbo" badging is identical to my 1989 Turbo R numbered 25955. Badges on the boot and front guards all match on mine so I'm confident they're factory original.
The later dash changes seemed to come in with the addition of active ride and lcd display between the speedo and tacho in 1990 that my car does not have.
Rgds
Al
Ps. Jordan, I think I met you at Terribly British day in Canberra a while back, howdy!
The later dash changes seemed to come in with the addition of active ride and lcd display between the speedo and tacho in 1990 that my car does not have.
Rgds
Al
Ps. Jordan, I think I met you at Terribly British day in Canberra a while back, howdy!
V8 FOU said:
I will be stripping out my Turbo R for track prep soon, so will have heaps of spares. Alloy wheels with new tyres, all ecu's except engine, all interior, overmats, boot carpet, window lift motors etc, also active ride set up.
BTW, well done on your purchase - always love those black dashboards instead of wood....
"Those" black dashboards were sold at a premium however they were usually constructed from the scrap pieces that were rejected and would never be presentable with a clear finish.BTW, well done on your purchase - always love those black dashboards instead of wood....
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