CV8 MK111 - resto

[Mark1Stu]

This should test Mr John Staddon….or maybe you already know of the car’s history and details. No pressure!

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/265659027289 ... Sw4pliZHKK

[Richard Calver]

2421, if I'm not mistaken.

[VFK44]

Kenny will be very excited to see the blue tarpaulin!

[kenny38]

Waddia I tell yous. Here come the unspeakables crawling out from under the tarp as soon as the sun comes out. 10K and no bids?? Tell him he's dreamin! Off to the crusher with it. kenny38

[VFK44]

Bridge Classics (amongst others) seem to restore 541s as bad as this on a monthly basis.

chrome_image_25 Apr 2022 09_42_34 BST.png (509.71 KiB) Viewed 1878 times

Also, Reem Machine have restored the body of a complete 541S wreck.

[John Staddon]

It is 112/2421. I advertised this car on the forum on behalf of the owner back in June 2017. At the time I was told that the car had been off the road for almost 40 years (last MOT was 1983) and for the last 20 years it had sat outside under a tarp, so make that 25 years under a tarp today. The first owner of this car was Michael Craig Stoddart, 90 years old today and still a company director, I was able to talk to him a few years ago and he remembered the car though he owned it for barely a year.

John

[AH1951]

Let's throw in a couple of pics, for the record, as the eBay link won't work forever.
.

s-l400.jpg (47.37 KiB) Viewed 1854 times

.

s-l400-1.jpg (39.72 KiB) Viewed 1854 times

[AH1951]

A 4-minute video.
Just for Kenny.
.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=eHvIv01QNhA

[John Staddon]

I remember Bob Cherry at Cropredy Bridge Garage telling me that he believed a reason why so many C-V8s have survived, even when they were reduced to the condition of this one, was that you couldn't scrap them as easily as you could an all steel car, as you would have to spend time separating the glass fibre body first and that was uneconomical when compared to the ease and speed with which you could drop a steel car in to a car crusher. And as there was less steel in the car as well, which reduced the scrap value, it was easier to shove a C-V8 into a shed and forget about it, or leave it under a tarp, rather than try to scrap it.

John

[kenny38]

Thankyou,Steve. It makes my heart race to see this at work. Memories........Kenny38

[mojo]

The mods to the rear lights are slightly unusual - the standard round reflectors replaced with reversing lights, and rectangular reflectors added to keep it legal?

[dsimonds]

It seems to me that ‘off to the crusher’ is a sad and irreversible end to these splendid cars - particularly the early models of which so few were made. My 541S was potentially a candidate for the crusher and is now perfectly restored to something very close to its 1960 ex factory condition. It is a privilege and a pleasure to bring these pieces of motoring history back to what will hopefully be a long new life.

There is obviously a problem if people are buying cars at auction without understanding the pitfalls and underestimating the time and money that might be involved, but if you go into it with your eyes open it can be a rewarding undertaking. My restoration experience had its frustrations plus inevitable ‘unexpected’ problems and certainly took longer than the initial optimistic estimate, albeit still largely on budget. The total cost now compares favourably with the market price of other fully restored prestige marques of the period. Whether it is a good investment time alone can tell.

Attached a finished photo now hopefully a long way from the crusher!

[Mark1Stu]

What a lovely 541S. Congratulations. It’s a credit to you and those involved in resurrecting it to the condition it is today.

[interjen]

It is 112/2421. I advertised this car on the forum on behalf of the owner back in June 2017. At the time I was told that the car had been off the road for almost 40 years (last MOT was 1983) and for the last 20 years it had sat outside under a tarp, so make that 25 years under a tarp today. The first owner of this car was Michael Craig Stoddart, 90 years old today and still a company director, I was able to talk to him a few years ago and he remembered the car though he owned it for barely a year.

John

I bet at 34 years old he felt the bees knees driving her, what's the betting he traded her in for the all new Italian styled Interceptor?