possible new owner of 2500TC

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micha_1
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possible new owner of 2500TC

#1 Post by micha_1 » Mon Aug 14, 2017 6:19 pm

dear all,

i´m from outside UK and planing to purchase a LHD 2500TC, Auto.

but i´m still not sure if i should do so or not:

the car is 650km away, the picutres i got from the car where promising:
no rust at all, never welded, shiny (original!!!) paintwork, original ~45.000km

until i recognized that the pictures the seller was sending me are 3 years old......hmmmmm.

what also makes me concerned is: the car has no power-steering.
sure: the most important thing on those cars is the bodywork. but an automatic gearbox, without PAS does not really make sense.
or am I a bit too picky?

Charles H
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Re: possible new owner of 2500TC

#2 Post by Charles H » Mon Aug 14, 2017 6:40 pm

If the body is as good as it seems, then I would not worry too much. Just ask for up to date images perhaps. Power steering and manual gearbox can be retro fitted. The steering in manual form is not unduly heavy anyway. The auto box means a higher reving engine at speed. This depends on what sort of driving you are intending to do. Body condition is key!!
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Dave B
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Re: possible new owner of 2500TC

#3 Post by Dave B » Mon Aug 14, 2017 6:49 pm

Have to agree with Charles. Body condition is paramount, it's a lot easier and cheaper to replace/upgrade mechanical bits and pieces than welding and repainting bodywork to a good standard.
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micha_1
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Re: possible new owner of 2500TC

#4 Post by micha_1 » Tue Aug 15, 2017 6:42 pm

got some more recent pictures (recent means: they are "only" 15 months old :roll: ):

door bottoms, sills....everything spot-on, never painted, touched-up etc.
also piantwork shiny. body straight with very nice shut-lines. no dents in body or bent bumpers

cloth interior in very good condition-
no rev. counter :(

as i have several (brtisih) fibreglass sportscars, the car would be mainly used for longer trips where its unpractical using the little fibre-glass cars.

so maybe not the best idea with an automatic model?

fact is: if i buy it, i dont want to invest a lot of time for any conversions (like fitting power steering etc).
doing some maintenance work is a different matter (or rebushing the suspension with polybushes for getting a more crispier driving)

by the way: retrofit power sterring isnt so easy: parts needed:
steering rack, pump, hoses, pulleys, fixings, front uprights and front crossmember...did i forget something?

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Re: possible new owner of 2500TC

#5 Post by johnnydog » Tue Aug 15, 2017 11:37 pm

micha_1 wrote:
by the way: retrofit power sterring isnt so easy: parts needed:
steering rack, pump, hoses, pulleys, fixings, front uprights and front crossmember...did i forget something?
You would also need the steering arms (bolted to each front hub and locates the taper of the track rod end). Manual and PAS versions are angled differently, with PAS versions identifiable by a letter 'P' on them. You may also need the intermediate steering shaft (from the base of the steering column to the rack) if the existing one doesn't have the rubber doughnut coupling.
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Mike Stevens
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Re: possible new owner of 2500TC

#6 Post by Mike Stevens » Wed Aug 16, 2017 7:51 am

And probably the front engine plate to support the PAS pump. Although it can be done by modifying the existing non-PAS plate.

Adding PAS is not a difficult job - I have done it before - but it is a bit tedious, especially if you do change the front engine plate as the radiator has to come out (and transmission oil cooler if one is fitted) to get the timing cover and timing gears out. Also the engine is supported by the front engine plate so that has to be thought about too!

I agree with the other comments that body condition is everything, all the bolt-on bits are relatively easy compared to that.

Good luck with your search.

Cheers,
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tony
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Re: possible new owner of 2500TC

#7 Post by tony » Thu Aug 17, 2017 6:25 am

Probably best to do what I did. Found a cheap wreck with all the necessary bits on. As said the worst job is changing the front plate. Not too difficult though. new tie rod ends and bushes is advisable while you''re at it. :shock:
Tony.
1976 2500 TC. converted to S specs.

Lots of bits

1999 BMW Z3.
2006 BMW 325ti.
Hopefully not needing too many bits.




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johnnydog
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Re: possible new owner of 2500TC

#8 Post by johnnydog » Thu Aug 17, 2017 11:44 pm

Cheap wrecks in the UK are now no longer around.
There are 'scrapers' that appear on EBay and sell for strong(ish) money - ones that not too many years ago I would have scrapped, but I'd think twice now!
The point being, to buy a 'wreck' for the PAS is probably now not a cost effective course of action, unless there are a lot of other good parts to be salvaged. Probably cheaper to buy a known good used set up if anyone is willing to part with one!
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1967 Mk1 2000 in Gunmetal Grey
1969 Mk1 2000 in Royal Blue
1970 Mk2 2000 in Valencia Blue
1972 Mk2 2.5 PI in Triumph White
1973 Mk2 2.5 PI in Sienna Brown
1976 Mk2 2500S in Carmine Red

tony
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Re: possible new owner of 2500TC

#9 Post by tony » Sat Aug 19, 2017 4:14 am

Mind you, much the same here now, the ability to go to our nearest big city, buy a $100 (50 pound) unregistered, illegal on the road, wreck, put a battery in it and sneak it home 150 km away are long gone. :oops:
Tony.
1976 2500 TC. converted to S specs.

Lots of bits

1999 BMW Z3.
2006 BMW 325ti.
Hopefully not needing too many bits.




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