| Author | Message | ||
     Cliff Biggs New User Username: cliffy Post Number: 2 Registered: 09-2021 |
Glad to be allowed in on this forum. I have experience with you folks by an association with the Australian Mooney Pilots Association for whom I have given maintenance seminars in the past. Great group over there. Now I have recently acquired a 1986 RR Silver Spirit with 28,000 miles on the clock and it seems in perfect shape mechanically and cosmetically. It a joy to drive Recent work (last 60 days before I took possession) I had the seller do was - Steering rack rebuild Engine oil pan reseal All 4 accumulators replaced All 4 tires replaced (2002 date codes) Cruise control repaired Interior lights operable Both front seat gear boxes replaced Everything now seems to operate as it should. Driven @175 miles in 2 weeks with no issues except mileage is about 9/gal stop and go city driving :-) Front brakes pads next week as they are down to 5mm. All in all a great car I hope to keep a long time. | ||
| Omar M. Shams Grand Master Username: omar Post Number: 2170 Registered: 04-2009 |
Welcome to the forum Cliff. We hope we can make your ownership of this car a good one. Any questions - please feel free to ask | ||
| David Gore Moderator Username: david_gore Post Number: 4012 Registered: 04-2003 |
Cliff, welcome to our forum and we look forward to your future contributions. Your experience with the Mooney Pilots Association will be a great help when our "quirky" sense of humour occurs! Is the 28,000 miles original or second time around on the odometer? R-R vehicles love to be driven and not become "garage queens". David's rule #1 for R-R/B vehicles "They love to be driven regularly and continuously for an hour or more at highway speeds". If you do this, you will be surprised with the change in the car's character for the better.  | ||
| Cliff Biggs New User Username: cliffy Post Number: 4 Registered: 09-2021 |
Mine will be far from a garage queen or a trailer queen only for car shows. I bought it to drive it. You folks do have some strange names for things but maybe its because you stand upside down and drive on the wrong side of the road compared to us. I did drive around Mt Beauty when I was last there. I kept saying out loud to myself - "left side left side" :-) Do you realize that our braking system is designed exactly like a modern jet airplane's braking system? Extra points for knowing who Ned Kelly was! | ||
| Cliff Biggs New User Username: cliffy Post Number: 11 Registered: 09-2021 |
David - I see I missed answering your question on total mileage Its only 28,000 miles (first trip around the clock) Hardly used but its early life was resplendent with servicing at Beverly Hills Rolls Royce (where it was purchased new) in Los Angeles CA. All the service coupons have been signed off up till 60,000 miles even though it only has 28,000. Each coupon has the cumulative mileage on it up to about 16,000 miles. Went to a car show just to look around and won Best of Show All Original Vehicle. Didn't even know I was being judged. Looked at the front brake pads real close and they are good to go another 10,000 miles at least. They weren't as bad as I was lead to believe. Now I have a full set of front pads on the shelf for when it happens | ||
| Larry Kavanagh Frequent User Username: shadow_11 Post Number: 787 Registered: 05-2016 |
Hi Cliff, Happy motoring in your pristine Silver Spirit. If it were me I would replace the brake pads now rather than waiting, reason being that new thicker pads will keep the caliper pistons back in their bores which helps to prevent the outer ends of the pistons from rusting. I coat the protruding ends of the pistons with silicon grease to protect them but the climate where I live is probably more moist than your location. | ||
| Patrick Lockyer. Grand Master Username: pat_lockyer Post Number: 2474 Registered: 09-2004 |
Disagree on that, best IMO to use the existing brake pads until the need to replace. If the car has not had the stainless steel type already fitted then carry out a brake overhaul when pads are due for fitting and fit the ready available stainless piston kit. Use the pads till worn by design. BTW I carried out stainless pistons years ago and have had no probs even when using Cortina pads and towing! | ||
| Larry Kavanagh Frequent User Username: shadow_11 Post Number: 788 Registered: 05-2016 |
Hi Patrick, I agree with your recommendation to fit stainless steel pistons. |
