| Author | Message | ||
     Dean |
I have been reading all your postings with interest, as I own a 1974 Corniche Fixed Top Coupe, Mulliner Park Ward coachwork. (67K miles on the clock) I bought it in Dec 1993 in London, drove it there and around Germany for a while and then had it parked in a garage in Holland ever since 1994. As the people who were meant to take care of it, never did actually take it for the small monthly rides they said they would, the brakes have managed to get 'locked' and stay that way for the past 3 years. The hand brake can be pulled up and released without any effect on the brakes. Due to the weight of the car, it is near on impossible now to move the car. (some annoying people try it by revving the engine and forcing the car to move.) The problem I have is now that I again live in Australia I would love to have the car here so I can drive it and enjoy it. (when it goes it runs beautifully), the interior is as new, exterior needs some minor work. The car has been garaged for probably 15 years or more of it's 29 year life. Questions: - 1. What is the likelyhood that the brakes are severely damaged and need major repair work. (or are they just stuck, need flushing, bit of a clean and away I go?) The chap in Holland where the car is garaged, wanted to kindly charge a fortune in Euros to fix the brake problem! That was without him actually taking a look at the brakes. - 2. How difficult is it to import the car into Australia, get it repaired, register it and drive it finally? I know that 30 year old cars have attract zero import duties. It is 18 months away from 30 years. - 3. Is there a possibility to allow it to be imported and repaired , then registered? i.e. what are the rules on that? What are the grace periods? - 4. Can anyone recommend someone who can assist with this whole process above, i.e. assist with the import of the car when it arrives in a container, assist with the repair of the brakes, perhaps respray (I do not really like the current brown colour and it may not be the original colour anyway). I now live in Sydney by the way. - 5. If the brakes do need a major major overhaul, what are the approximate costs? - 6. Are there specialist people who can get the car into the shipping container? - 7. How do I insure it along the way? To me it is a lovely car, worth keeping, as I have kept it for 10 years now, so it would be nice to finally enjoy driving it around. Any assistance that your members can offer, would be greatly appreciated. Dean | ||
| Bill Coburn |
Very unusual to have disc brakes seize. I suspect that the hand brake is the problem as that would be the only brake that could maintain pressure for that period of time. I suggest someone whips off the rear wheels releases the hand brake and using a very sharp chisel separates the handbrake linings from the rear discs. The hand brake mechanism should then be pulled back and away from the discs even backing off the adjustment considerably. The discs can then be turned and any residue of the brake shoes scaped away - this would be essential. Unless the brake system was in very poor condition when you laid the car up not too much damage should be done. The logistics thereafter are probably for others to advise but Customs would be a good start and there are plenty of people here who can get the car back to original condition. | ||
| Dean |
Thank you Bill. I suspect that you are probably correct. I never had time, nor was I in the right place, to ever go and look at the problem in person. The place where the car is garaged is actually with a RR Club Holland - member, Mr. Vaal. he restores cars, and works with the UK RR organisations. But he has never show the slightest interest in helping, despite promising to put the car on his bridge and taking a look. As the car is parked in the back of his large garaging space, I suspect he just could not be bothered to move it. I do have some friends in Holland where the car is, who may be able to go there and do as you suggest. (they are also more technical than I am) If I can manage to get the brakes released before shipping to Australia (i.e. so the car can actually be driven) then this would be a major plus, so it is worth me at least getting someone to try what you suggest. With regards to 'plenty of people here' do you have any names of such people you can recommend? I know of none as I have been anywhere but Australia for the past 10 years. thank you | ||
| Bill Coburn |
I wonder whether your storer is slightly hopeful of your despairing of the car and giving it to him. If that were the case I together with a platoon of other enthusiasts would grab the next plane to Holland and recover the vehicle there and then. In the meantime there must be an RR dealer near where the car is. Why not copy all this to them and ask them to collect the car and take it to their premises. You will then have access to it. If it is very inaccessable in its present location Mr Vaal could surely be prevailed on to let you use his trolley jack - lift the rear wheels off of the ground and push/tow the car to somewhere where the brakes can be freed. Actually with the aid of a sharp wood chisel it should only take minutes - any residue that is not immediately removable will be of little consequence as you will be overhauling the brakes anyway. Remember you will need a good battery in the car to get it out of 'park 'and effectively you will probably not have brakes either. Personally I would be loath to start the engine until it is thoroughly checked. As to repairers here, you would have difficulty finding a better group of craftsmen that at Bentley of Sydney 19-27 Regatta Road Five Dock 2046 phone 02 97445111. A drophead car is a special case particularly in the roof well where all sorts of nasties lurk. They are not cheap but then good work never is. | ||
| David Gore |
Hi All from WA, Suggest Dean should contact Kees Scherer at the Swammelstein website www.swammelstein.nl and go to the Rolls-Royce section and use the contact link and see if he can help as Kees is a true-blue Shadow enthusiast based in Holland and hw would probably be able to sort this out for you with a smile. Regarding importing cars, there is a fact sheet from [I think] the Customs Dept covering the whole process - I am certain cars over 15 years old are free of duty and registration is not a problem if they comply with Australian registration requirements in the year they were manufactured. | ||
| WG Taylor |
Shipping in a container should not be hard to arrange. When the car is in Sydney I can recommend (I am always very careful to recommend a tradesman because so many look at a Rolls-Royce and add a zero) Trevor Wilson at Brookvale Mechanical Repairs. He knows all about Rolls-Royces yet approaches their mechanicals without the hand-wringing puffery and plain overcharging of many mechanics. He overhauled my brakes for a thousand dollars. Additionally, Trevor is a gentleman and is always helpful with sound advice. Telephone number is 9938 1301. | ||
| Jeanne Eve |
Hello Dean, I have shipped our cars to various countries around the world, including return Sydney- Rotterdam, albeit on a carnet.Also imported a car into Australia from USA. So when you are down the track and know what documentation you need to import your Corniche, email me and I can help you with shipping agents etc. | ||
| David Gore |
Dean, When you bring your car to Australia, please contact me through this website and I will be happy to help you with getting your car mobile - also our Self-Help Group would be accessible if you join the Club. Kind regards David - 1973 Corniche DRH14434 | ||
| Kees Scherer |
Hi, this is kees Scherer from the Swammelstein website in Holland. Where is the car located? (Holland is small, but still this is important. The least I can do is to get you in contact with the right people, perhaps from the Dutch Rolls Royce club or the nearest thrustworthy RR garagepeople to get thing moving. | ||
| Dean Unregistered guest Posted From: 203.194.17.150 |
Dear all, thank you very much for the wonderful hints and tips, and the large amount of information. I was very busy with other things in my life for the past 2 months and have not been able to respond yet to your very kind and helpful messages. I am not far from Brookvale, so I will give Trevor Wilson a call to discuss. I will also contact Dave Gore when I get the car here. I think I may need some help. I will also let this board know when I do get the car into a container. I am now more in a position to start getting the 'wheels in motion' as it were to get my RR over here. My family has used 'van 't Net' shipping a few times, they are a very good shipping company in Holland. I am more worried about the receiving side here in Sydney, as I was not impressed with the company which did our household goods. Kees Sherer, Hartelijk bedankt voor uw bericht. (thank you for your response.) The car is in a big shed, close to Rotterdam. The man who owns the shed is apparently well known in dutch and UK RR circles. (according to what he told me when I met him). Vaal is his name. I got his name out of an advertisement in 'de Telegraaf' on a saturday edition. He has quite a few cars of his own in his special shed, on an old farm property. My car has been there for 3 years or so, and I pay a fee for him to look after it and polish it everynow and then. I have no real idea how the car is, although my father did visit on occassion and all looked fine. My father passed away last year, so it is not so easy for me to have someone look into the car anymore. I have the exact address somewhere, and can post later. before it was with Vaal, it was in Laren for 5 years or more with Mirach motors, Meneer Albers was the owners there I think from memory. They disappeared very suddenly, sold their luxury house with superb garaging basement, and my car had to find a new home in a big rush. They did not tell me they were moving, just that they were doing some renovations. They also did not tell me the brakes had locked up due to the car not having been moved for a long time... but I must say they did take care otherwise of the car. Anyway, Deheer Vaal offered me a long time a go to put the car on his bridge and look at the brakes and give me an opinion of what is required, but he has never spoken about it since. (his bridge was not built/finished when I put the car there, plus it is away from the shed so not so easy to get the car to the bridge.) Also he was quoting some very high amounts at the time for repairs. (ie he mentioned 20,000 guilders to re-do all the brake system, hydraulics, etc) I had other UK based quotes using reconditioned or nonRR parts which came out in the thousand pound regions. Bit of a difference, plus the car is not worth that amount of repairs. (the value at the time would have been 35,000 guilders) I have never really mentioned it again to Vaal as he was busy and did not appear keen to work on the car anyway. I would definitely appreciate someone jacking the car up, taking the wheels off and at least having a look at what is really wrong. Letting me know, and then please put the wheels back again.  . If the brakes can be freed with a minor repair so the car can be moved easily into a container I would be much happier to transport it. At the moment I just think it is fine to sit nicely sheltered where it is. I am hesitant to have the car moved again, especially if this involves driving it 'through' the brakes, as this could potentially wreck either the engine and or the gearbox. Vaal has done this already twice as far as I know. once to get it off the truck into the shed, the other time to move it into his shed. And the tow truck company had to do it as well to get the car on the truck to transport it to Rotterdam. The Engine has always been good, it started first time each time when it has not been used and the battery is reconnected. Never a problem to get the engine going. 66K Miles on the clock if that is to be believed, as there was no history when I bought it in London. I drove it for about 1500 miles during end '93. It has been garaged ever since. Beautiful car to drive, great interior, exterior could do with a nice respray. someone garaged it for a long time before I had the car as well, so all in all in it's lifetime it has not been on the road an awful lot. I am looking forward to be able to drive it here in Sydney in the not too distant future, after all I have kept it for 10 years it is about time I drove it again and enjoyed it. again, thank you one and all for your postings, much appreciated and my apologies for not responding for a while. I will be looking in here more often from now on, as the car has risen on my list of priorities. Dean | ||
| Jeanne Eve Moderator Username: jeve Post Number: 25 Registered: 10-2002 |
Dean, If you wish to email me directly, I can give you the name of the shipping agent which I use here in Sydney and whom I highly recommend. He has now set up his own company for shipping personal cars around the world as it's becoming increasingly popular. He can also advise/assist with relevant documentation into Australia. Cheers, Jeanne. | ||
| David Gore Moderator Username: david_gore Post Number: 61 Registered: 4-2003 |
Dean, Next time you have to move the car, do not start it but manually push it around. The brake pressurisation that is causing the rear brake lockup should have relieved itself whilst the car was dormant. If the brakes are still locked on, just undo the two bleedscrews on each caliper and see if pressurised fluid comes out; if so you should then be able to move the car [you might have to rock it backwards and forwards to free the pads from the disc if they have corroded on]. If there is no pressure and you cannot move the car then the pads have "frozen" onto the disc and you will need to forcibly move the car to break the bond; alternatively you can jack up the rear of the car, start the engine, put the transmission in gear and use engine power to free the pads. Once you use the brakes and they remain locked; just open the bleed screws to release the pressure and you should be able to move the car until you have to use the brakes again. The lockup problem will most likely be either be a displaced rubber seat from the pressure limiting valve blocking the brake line or collapsed flexible hoses between the body and the trailing arms [when you apply the brakes, the hoses expand to allow fluid to flow through but collapse and prevent the fluid returning to the reservoir when the brake pedal is released]. If the hand brake pads are at fault, these are small and manually rocking the car back and forwards should free these enough to allow the car to be moved. Look forward to hearing from you when you car finally arrives however why not consider joining the Club and coming to our meetings/Self Help Days in the meantime to learn more about your car. | ||
| Dean Unregistered guest Posted From: 203.194.7.67 |
Jeanne, I will email you soon to find out about a good shipping agent. That is one of my worries as ones we have used for our household goods into Australia have been useless. David, thanks for the very helpful and detailed information. I will print it out and try to get someone in Holland to look into it for me. I will call in a few favours from a dutch friend and ask him to go round to take a look. thanks again for all the info, much appreciated. Will keep you informed once I get the RR rolling towards Sydney. | ||
| Dean Unregistered guest Posted From: 203.194.7.67 |
PS, where does your Club meet and when? Not a bad idea for me to come and learn more. (and admire other people's cars) I am not a super technician but have been known to be able to learn new things. (not an old dog yet!) | ||
| Jeanne Eve Moderator Username: jeve Post Number: 27 Registered: 10-2002 |
Hi Dean, If you are a registered user with a password, you can contact me via email by clicking onto the left hand side of this page under Utilities then Contact. I will then discuss with you shipping agents in both Rotterdam and Sydney for whom I highly recommend and also to let you know about Club meetings. Being a public site right now, I am a little chary of releasing too much detail, suffice to say that all visitors are welcome to our monthly meetings and I think it is a great idea for you to come along. After all these emails it would be nice to meet you in Sydney! Also we have our annual Concours d'Elegance at Fox Studios on Sunday September 7th, which is another great way to meet the Club and its members with their motocars. Hope to see you there too! Cheers, Jeanne (President - NSW Branch) | ||
| Dean Unregistered guest Posted From: 203.194.16.226 |
Thank you Jeanne, I will contact you. My wife and I would love to come to the meeting on Sept 7th, sounds great. Thanks again for your offers of help. I am about to contact my friend in Holland to start the RR rolling, i.e. looking at how to release the brakes etc. Will keep you informed. regards Dean | ||
| Jeanne Eve New User Username: jeve Post Number: 29 Registered: 10-2002 |
Hi Dean, See you on the main arena of Fox Studios on Sep. 7th!Will be a great display of cars. We will have an information marquee and plan to anwer as many questions as possible from a range of people who come up to us. I will be the one wearing black jeans and a black hat! And be wearing my name badge.Look forward to meeting you and your wife. | ||
| dean Unregistered guest Posted From: 203.194.17.196 |
ok, we will definitely try to be there on the 7th Sep, sounds good. Jeanne, I emailed you on the weekend, but am not sure you received it. I had a few problems getting through using my usual email, so I used a hotmail one instead. I have some photos of my car on another PC, always tricky to transfer them across, but I will try to get one or two so I can post them here and you can take a look. |
