ebay got the better of me

[Steve Pyro]

Dave, I'd go along with Matt and Andy and agree that, if it looks as straight and rust free as the photos suggest, keep it semi stock.

You can easily mod the 1725 engine with the Holbay head and carbs etc for a bit more power.
Any other more modern 4 cylinder alternatives may prove too tall - overhead cam gear etc - although a nice carbed or injected Zetec would make it sing.

I agree any Mopar V8 is a lot of heavy iron, even the 'little' 318 is a big chunk of ballast, then you've got a 727 Torqueflite and the added power and torque requiring a rear end change.

If you really want a mild, light V8 swap, you can't go far wrong with an aluminium 3.5 Rover V8 from a P6 or SD1.  There are not many SD1s about nowadays as most have sacrificed their V8 and 5 speed box to the kit car fraternity.
Any bigger than the 3.5 (up to 5 litre) Rover and the stock 5 speed is not really strong enough and you would need a Tremec / Borg Warner T5 as fitted to older TVRs and Cosworth Sierras etc.

Bare in mind your engine bay / firewall / bonnet line is designed for an overhead valve / side cammed in line 4 engine - any changes will require a fair degree of tin bashing.

[Lorry]

Interesting comment.  As the valve seats are only supposed to burn out when you give it some welly, the Le Mans mixture sounds good.

Strangely I havent heard of any valve seat damage since 4 star was dropped, (scaremongering perhaps) but I used Millers additive for a few years, until an engine swap.  I now have an aluminium head which all have steel inserts, which should cope, although the Jaguar engine was the same and there was some concern here, but the Yanks hadn't reported any proplems using unleaded.

And don't forget a decent 4 cylinder engine for the Humber.  The words Duratec and Hyabusa come to mind, but please do something with the suspension.

[vqdave]

Quick update - The Humber has been MOT'd and taxed. I have insured the beast, and am getting the train down to Plymouth this Wednesday to pick her up.

She has been tuned and is apparently running beautifully. I cannot wait. I just hope it makes it back to the 'ham from Plymouth, if not the insurance has recovery with it so i will be bought home on a flatbed.

[Paddy_NL]

Congrats!

will the missus be happy too?

[Snoring Rhino]

Look forward to seeing you cruising the "Ham" in your pride and joy  .   

[Andy Zarse]

Quick update - The Humber has been MOT'd and taxed. I have insured the beast, and am getting the train down to Plymouth this Wednesday to pick her up.

She has been tuned and is apparently running beautifully. I cannot wait. I just hope it makes it back to the 'ham from Plymouth, if not the insurance has recovery with it so i will be bought home on a flatbed.

She will make it back Dave, no worries! My advice in this hot weather is to get her up to temperature THEN check the coolant level. That way you should get rid of any naughty airlocks in the system. Obviously be careful not to scald yourself when removing the lid.

Look forward to a full report on your triumphant arrival in Wokingham.

[vqdave]

Update - - - The Humber is in the 'Ham!!

Got the train to Plymouth yesterday morning and picked up the old girl, what a peach, i felt like a king behind the wheel of a Humber again.

Was getting a bit nervous on teh train and before i got there and saw it, but as soon as the garage door opened and the cover came off, i was in love. She fired up and was a bit lumpy from cold balancing the choke something i have not done for years, but when warm she purrs.

Was a bit nervous in Plymouth as i stopped for fuel, bunged in some unleaded + additive and straight onto teh big dual carraigeway motorway out of town going East and was soon in the flow and then i had to pull out to overtake, lordy i thought. I was dead nervous i would hate it when driving, too many years of a modern car, but it was lovely, a real experience, a car you learn, brilliant. Happily sat at 60 - 70 on the big roads, saw 80 at one point and soon backed down, first drive and 4 hours to go and all that.

Cruised along no probs, even through teh exeter rush hour in the heat of yesterday, fan kicked in, no overheating etc and when clear she just pulled.

Stopped before basingstoke for more fuel (fuel guage not working so being cautious) and noticed some coolant under the car so pulled to the side opened teh bonnet and just a bit coming through the expansion pipe nothing too bad. So let her cool off for 20 or so minutes and off we went again. Was a bit of hesitation to begin with, but dipped the clutch and coasted a couple of times and it cleared and was back to cruising speed again with the sun coming down. Pulled onto the driveway just before 9 so all in it took me 4 and a half hours in a 31 year old car bought on a whim from ebay and i hadn't even seen here before yesterday lunchtime.

What an experience, i am over the moon. Well happy and well worth doing and thanks to all for advice and chat on this. Photos of teh trip are here if you wanna butchers http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/davecollins1974/album?.dir=fc89re2&.src=ph&store=&prodid=&.done=http%3a//uk.photos.yahoo.com/ph//my_photos

 

[Stu]

Very Very nice Dave. Look forward to seeing it in 07.

[Andy Zarse]

Dave, she is a feckin' lovely lovely motor mate, you lucky SOB, though I trust the rear end ride is as incompetent and uncomfortaable as ever! Anyway, how did I know you were gonna have trouble with the old water works??

Love the pics of the run home too. I drove down the A303 this afternoon and I wondered if this was the route you'd taken yesterday. Coincidentally I too stopped at the same Esso services as where you overheated, it's the last one before the M3.

Enjoy!!

PS Was she originally registered in Scotland? Do you know her history?

[smokie]

I just saw her in the flesh - a gold coloured car waiting to pull out out of Dave's road, so I let it out and sure enough - there she was!

A stonker...

[vqdave]

I just saw her in the flesh - a gold coloured car waiting to pull out out of Dave's road, so I let it out and sure enough - there she was!

A stonker...

Cheers Smokie,

Clocked it was you after i had pulled out, many thanks for letting us out, was in the mood for an early friday evening cruise in the sun shine, and a lovely time was had.

[Lorry]

I'm starting to worry.  As I drive into work in the morning down the Bath Road, I keep seeing a Hillman.  The other day, i was a bit early and I saw a Humber Spectre. 

I've called in an exorcist as they must be ghosts

[Andy Zarse]

I saw a Hunter yesterday too, it was following the London-Brighton old crocks run. Green it was.