Description
It's with a heavy heart that I write this ad.....
I've been after a Mk3 Invader for a while & I managed to find one which had been stood for around 15 yrs earlier this year. I got it back & embarked upon a fairly involved recommissioning....
First things first - The car is a 1973 Invader Mk3 in Electric Blue metallic with a light cream colour interior. It has the 3L Essex V6 with a 4 speed manual + Overdrive gearbox. Stainless exhausts (Mild steel manifolds). Being a '73 on an L plate it's tax exempt. Showing 68k miles which could well be genuine but cannot substantiate this.
Car is MOT'd & taxed (non transferable).
Work done under my ownership :
New AVO adjustable dampers all around with new springs at the rear (new front springs are included but not fitted).
New front brake discs, pads & calipers - converted to vented discs from a Capri 2. 8i which is a bolt on conversion. Calipers were brand new rather than recon.
New front wheel bearings.
Polybushed front ARB.
New steering rack with poly mounts.
New track rod ends.
New steering column coupling.
New flexy brake hoses - stainless braided including body to chassis hose.
Virtually all new solid brake pipes.
New rear wheel cylinders & brake shoes.
Engine -
Serviced (oil & filter change)
Contactless electronic ignition
New ign coil
New silicone HT leads
New dizzy cap & rotor arm
New NGK Spark Plugs
New old stock vac advance capsule
Rebuilt carb & fuel pump
K&N air filter
New ancillary coolant hoses (heater & choke), heater hoses done with black silicone reinforced hose.
New metal fuel filter
Cooling system flushed & new coolant.
Other -
New bespoke aluminium (10SWG/ 3mm) fuel tanks with aluminium cross tube & new hosing throughout (all the correct fuel resistant stuff & proper hose clamps).
New fuel level sender.
New hard & flexy fuel pipes throughout.
Wiring tidied up including removal of various "repairs" which had been applied in the past & proper repairs carried out. HRW not presently connected.
Electric windows work perfectly.
New Battery (Halfords with warranty)
New headlamp units (H4 Halogen).
New wiper blades (Bosch! the cheapy ones are rubbish!!)
New 6x15 JBW Minilite style wheels with new Uniroyal Rainsport 195/ 50 15 tyres with correct offset so no need for spacers. Anthracite centres with diamond turned rims - they make the car! Original steels to go with the car too.
NOS rear bumper centre blade.
Tacho fitted with RVI to pulse conversion kit.
Bits to go with the car but not fitted -
Full set of front poly bushes including subframe mounts, upper & lower wishbone bushes & front tie bar bushes.
Full set of ball joints (two upper, two lower)
Front road springs
Driving -
Starts on the button with auto choke & electronic ignition. Drives very well, oil pressure holds well over 50psi all of the time on the move, drivetrain is quiet (minor whine from the diff but I am being picky). Overdive drops in & out sweetly. Clutch is super light & brakes are good & sharp. Occasionally the servo does seem to "hang on" a bit but this is most likely due to lack of use. Holds 90deg C coolant temp. Clock works when it wants to!
Suspension is supple & the new dampers in conjunction with the wheels & tyres means it hangs on really well!
Minor blow from one of the front exhaust joints - could be a manifold gasket, haven't looked closely.
Body / Trim -
Body isn't great, has the usual glassfibre issues & has been painted historically to a fairly poor standard. It's usable & honest but not mega pretty up close!
Chrome is all there & not too bad, rear overriders aren't brilliant but again all polishes up ok.
Interior is good, all in one piece but aged as you would expect, very honest & unmolested.
Boot trim is tatty.
Chassis -
Chassis is scabby but solid in the main part. It's had the rear crossmember which the rear coilovers mount to replaced at some point in the past (extremely common on these). Not the tidiest job but looks to be very solid. Really needs a good clean down & refinishing.
A change in direction means that this one has to go sadly.... everything I have done on the car up to this point has been done "properly" as I fully intended to be keeping this one for the forseeable but needs must...
I've put a lot of time & money into the car in my short ownership & won't be giving the car away. Just tot up what a brand new set of wheels with quality tyres, AVO dampers & bespoke fuel tanks cost.... that's without all of the other bits I've been through!
I've tried to be as honest as possible with my description of the car - it's a 43 year old car so isn't new!
Any qu's please shout up. I will upload some pics shortly & link to here.
Have lots of documentation & virtually every copy of "Rarebit" magazine which will go with the car too.
Thanks Stew.
