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Buyers Guide to the Scimitar GTC

So you've decided you want a Scimitar GTC ! This is my guide to checking out a car prior purchase.
I have tailored this to the GTC, but some items are also applicable to the SE6a/b

 
Bodywork, Hood & Hardtop:-

The bodywork is manufactured from GRP (Glass Reinforced Plastic) also known as fibreglass, as too are the bumpers and hard top. This makes for a body that does not rust and resists gentle knocks pretty well. However within the certain areas of the body are pieces of reinforcing steelwork which can corrode. The main locations are the "A" pillar hinge areas, and along the sills beneath the door seal rubber. The corrosion is usually evident by cracking of the GRP in these areas. As metalwork expands with rust the GRP gives way. Fixing these problems can be costly as it will involve removal of the GRP to repair the steel sections.

The bumpers consist of a GRP body with a rubber outer piece. The rubber is difficult to repair properly, though replacements are quite often available 2nd hand. The rear bumper is unique to the GTC, so it is wise to ensure that it is in good or repairable condition. It has threaded fixings on a steel plate that is "glassed" in to the upper part of the bumper. Once again corrosion in this area can cause the GRP to crack. Luckily this is quite an easy fix, but does mean that the rear bumper will have to be removed.
The front bumper is a large item and incorporates a chin spoiler designed to ensure a good flow of cooling air into the mesh grill. Quite often the lower part is damaged by speed humps and high kerbs. It can be repaired but removal is tricky, unless the bumper has been removed previously most of the bolts will be seized.

If the car you are interested in comes with a hardtop it is important to check that all the associated fixings are present. The hardtop has a heated rear window that is powered by two cables that plug-in behind the rear seats, check that the cables are present. Also check the headlining is secure. Typically a hard top is worth about £300-£450 depending on its' condition, so don't forget to factor this in to your negotiations. Later cars from chassis 342 onwards had a different latch mechanism, make sure your car matches the hardtop.

It is important that you check the operation and condition of the hood and frame. A poorly fitting hood will lead to water ingress and damage to your interior. Also check that the plastic windows are not damaged and check that all the poppers/studs are present. There are velcro strips around the B pillars, check that these are present.  A replacement hood is typically £450-£500 and it will cost about the same again to have it professionally fitted. You have been warned.
 
Interior Trim:-

The interior trim will typically be in one of three colours :- Black, Blue, Beige. The seat covers will either be crushed velvet or leather. The velvet tends to be more hard wearing than the leather. If you find the car has nylon seat coverings, it is likely these have been taken from an SE6/6a.
 
The plastics inside the car can be quite brittle, so check for damage. The dash top can crack, but can easily be recovered with leatherette stuck down with evo-stick. The trim panels from the B post back are unique to the GTC and virtually unobtainable new or 2nd hand, so it is wise to check them thoroughly.

Carpets wear out and can make the interior look worse than it actually is. New carpets are readily available but fitting them is a big job as the seats and centre console have to be removed to fit them. A carpet set is approx £200
 
Engine:-

Reliant fitted the GTC's with the Ford 2.8 V6 Cologne engine standard. It was fed by Pierburg/Solex 38 carburettor with automatic electric choke. Many owners have replaced the Pierburg with a Weber 38 DGAS or DGMS, the Pierburgs could be difficult to tune well and the Weber is a straight forward bolt on replacement that is easily tuned.
As the early cars are now 30yrs old you may find that the engine has been replaced with a new or reconditioned unit at some time. Just check that the engine number matches the one on the V5.

Do the usual checks when you start the car, check for blue smoke and any unusual noises. The oil pressure should be at around 25lb at idle and around 50lb when revved. The Cologne runs slightly hotter than the Essex (usually found in the SE5-6a) so don't be alarmed if the temp gauge settles 5mm above 90'c.
Check the underneath of the oil filler cap and the dipstick for water/oil emulsion. Check that the electric fan switches on and off automatically and does not continually run when the engine is hot. The cologne engine in the GTC will not overheat if properly maintained. The cooling system on these cars was a vast improvement over the one fitted to the SE6/a, so any tales of overheating Scimitars to do not apply to the GTC.

It is unlikely that any of the original cylinder heads on the engines fitted to the GTC's are suitable for unleaded fuel. Some owners have had the cylinder heads converted and others are happy to run with the risk of valve seat recession. One school of thought is to run without conversion until a problem arises, then have the heads converted.
  
Some cars are now running on an alternative replacement engine. Many owners have fitted the Ford 2.9i Cologne from the Ford Scorpio which is a highly desirable upgrade, some have even fitted V8's. My own car has an uprated cologne engine based on a 2.8 block with a displacement of 3.5lts, there's more information about this upgrade elsewhere on the website.
 
Gearbox:-

When new, owners had a choice of Automatic or Manual transmission.

The manual box was identical to those fitted to the SE6a Essex engine cars (Ford 4 speed with overdrive on 3rd and 4th), with the exception of the bell housing which was changed to fit the Cologne engine. The overdrive switch is located to the right of the steering wheel. It is wise to check the operation of the overdrive when taking a test drive. The driver should be able to feel the effect of the overdrive within a couple of seconds of flicking the switch, the revs will drop slightly and it will give the feel of moving up a gear. The overdrive should operate silently without any grinding or whining noises.
All gears should select easily, if they don't it is likely that the gear linkage bushes are worn and will need to be changed. Don't worry too much about this as it's easily rectified. Minor leaks from a manual gearbox are nothing to worry about, there aren't many about that don't leak a little oil.

The automatic box was a Ford product also. It will more than likely be the C3 or possibly a C4 box (some owners have upgraded). Ensure that all gears select conducive with road speed and acceleration, and make sure that the kick down works. Be wary of a car with a leaking automatic gearbox, as a rebuild will be in excess of £600. 

As with the original engines, many owners have changed their gearbox. There are many boxes available to fit the Cologne engine, with the most popular upgrade being a Type9 5 speed from a V6 Capri or Granada. If the car you are viewing has this box, make sure that the speedo works correctly. Also if this box has been fitted it won't have overdrive.

The final drive or differential on the GTC & SE6b differs from that on the earlier Essex engined SE6/a cars (3.54 to 1 instead of 3.31 to one). This was changed by Reliant to take account of the slightly lower torque figures for the Cologne engine. The differential should be silent in operation, but a slight whine is acceptable. Rear axles are expensive to rebuild so be sure that the one on the car you are buying is sound.
 
Chassis:-

You may have heard that all GTC's have a galvanised chassis. They don't, in fact there were only 70 odd cars from the 442 production that did. If the car you are viewing does have a galv' chassis then rust shouldn't be a problem. However stone chips and poor accident repairs may have penetrated the galvanised protection so do make sure you check the chassis thoroughly for rust.

A plain steel chassis is more likely to pick up corrosion. This will appear in the usual places around the out riggers. You can check this by prodding the steel at the bottom of each front wheel arch between the  wheels and the door. If you can, get underneath the car and have a good poke round with a screwdriver. Outriggers can be replaced without removing the body, but it can be an expensive job.
 
Suspension & Steering:-

It is widely believed that no GTC's left the factory without power steering, so if the car you are looking at doesn't have it, it is likely that a manual rack has been fitted by a previous owner. On a road test the steering should feel positive and nicely weighted, the steering column may have a tiny amount of play. With the engine running and the steering on full lock check that there are no leaks from the steering rack (look at the boots from under each wheel arch and do a visual check from the engine bay, you may have to remove the spare wheel to do this). Check that the power steering fluid is topped up and clean.

Many owners have uprated the shock absorbers on their cars to suit their own personal taste. On your road test ensure that the car does not roll excessively or that the suspension bottoms out too easily. Looking under each wheel arch check that there are no leaks from the shock absorbers.
The springs and shock absorbers are widely available and are manufactured by Gaz, Avo and Spax. As far as I'm aware all of these are only available as adjustable when bought new. Springs are around £20-£25 each and shock absorbers are £75-£100 each.
 
Electrics:-

Like many GRP bodied cars Scimitars can suffer from poorly earthed electrics. This can cause electrical equipment to fail or to behave unusually. When checking a car test every item to ensure it works. The worst effected areas are the rear lights, and quite often what appears to be a blown bulb turns out to be a poorly earthed bulb holder. Electrical problems can be difficult to trace, but cleaning all the connections in a circuit usually solves most.
 
Valuation:-

As with many classic cars condition is everything. A Scimitar can be very expensive to restore and the large price differences in the cars reflect this. I've seen cars that need major restoration work sell for as little as £1000 on eBay and some of the very best cars can fetch as much £8000.

Here is a approximate guide to prices :-

Rough without an MOT £800 - £1200
Rough with an MOT £1800 - £2500 (cars may need mechanical work and paint)
Good with an MOT £2500-£3500 (cars may need minor paint and minor mechanical work)
Excellent 1 £3500 - £4500 (cars will be in good mechanical condition with good paint)
Excellent 2 £4500 - £6500 (cars will be in excellent mechanical and cosmetic condition)
Excellent 3 - Concours £6500 + (These will be the very best and most desirable cars, unlikely to come on the market very often)

Other factors to consider :-

A hard top may add £300 to the price of a car.
A Galv' chassis car tends to be worth £500-£1000 more than one with a steel chassis
A 2.9i conversion is very desirable and may add £500-£1000 to the value
Other desirable engines are V8's, Cosworth 2.9i and 3.5lt colognes these may add £1000+ to the value
A type9 gearbox does not really add any value to the car
There's no price difference between autos and manuals
A respray will cost in excess of £2000

Please be aware that the information above is my personal opinion only. I do not accept any liability for any decisions you may make based on the information on this website. Buyers guides are available from the RSSOC see www.scimitarweb.com