> Richard writes:
> > If you are looking at an early Shadow, you can't
> >expect a perfectly clean history - the key thing is to find out how we=
ll
> >the car was repaired.
=2E.and George Replies: =
> This is where it can get frightening, when considering a T-type/Shadow =
a
> few months ago, I looked at several; one, in excellent condition came =
with
> a fairly full history that included a London service receipt from about=
> eight years ago for just under 12,000 pounds sterling (11,900 to be
> precise)! Needless-to-say, this was just about a full-house of attenti=
on -
> brakes entirely overhauled with NEW pumps, flexible hoses, calipers etc=
=2E,
> similar treatment to the self-leveling suspension, complete exhaust sys=
tem,
> major attention to the transmission, minor engine work, and a lot of wo=
rk
> to the suspension bushes. Another with similar history, but done at a
> 'cheaper' garage (about half the cost) clearly needed a lot of the work=
> redone and a respray was bubbling away after barely two years.
I just bought an early T-series about a month ago, and I took the third =
alternative (the first two being an impeccably maintained car, and one
repaired by a reputable place). After a long search, I managed to find a=
very
early, very original RHD T with fair interior and paintwork, minimal rust=
and =
completely ruined brakes. I bought the car for a pittance from a chap =
desperate for the money, and proceeded to haul it to a first-rate RR gara=
ge =
here in the San Francisco Bay Area (Acme Car Service, good folks, active =
in =
the club) and had them rebuild the whole of the hydraulic system: chassis=
=
hoses, reservoir, spheres, switches, calipers, master cylinder (yes, earl=
y =
shadows have "real" master cylinders as a THIRD backup system). Pumps =
were carefully examined and declared fit, though the #2 is a tad noisy, =
and the distribution valves prove again to be all but bulletproof: they d=
o =
seep a bit of fluid but then they were designed to.
This cost me
(with a few additional things like servicing all fluids, a new battery bo=
x,
a new wiper motor, and RROC and BDC badges) about twice the purchase pric=
e. =
But even after spending all that, It's STILL under market price -- althou=
gh
the RHD is considered less desirable here. =
I've since put just over 1,000 miles on it and drive it nearly every day.=
=
What a great car!
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