After 3 years I sold my Xterra and have been on the hunt for a new 4x4 to build. I started sniffing around for older 4x4s and obviously Rovers were on my list. But to my surprise not too many around. Most times when I'd look I'd see 3-4 D2s and a couple D1s. Now almost nothing. I was surprised. Like a rehab'd addict I was also on the look out for a P38. Knowing full well I'd regret it immediately if I purchased it but unable to resist those good looks. Hot chick great in bed...but bat **** crazy. Aaaaand....

 

Welcome back love the P38

 

Well....not sure I'm entirely glad to be back. I have a real love hate for these things. What is it about P38s that are really good or really bad. I haven't found too many in the middle. This one's a high mileage example but lots of maintenance including a new engine. 4.6. I got it cheap because of the blown front diff. Came with a bunch of parts. I'll have a used diff swapped in today. If it becomes a nightmare I suppose I can sell it for a parts car.

 

I've been watching for one lately. I understand the draw

 

Neighbors love me I'm sure.

Oh yeah also bought this Trooper. Not sure how I feel about it yet. It's a 5spd. So that's cool.

 

probably just giving them flashbacks

 

Good to see you're back where you belong..... in Rover Hell again. Well good, I get to live my P38 fantasy vicariously through you Shift-On-The-Fly. What year? 99-02 are the only ones I'd get near, many improvements. Also they came with the best block grade of all the Rovers of that vintage, hopefully the replacement engine is up to the same tight specs. Is it still bagged or coiled? What poop'd on the front diff?

 

I dunno what happened exactly to the diff. All I know the pinion bearing was completely shot and wiggling all to hell. Luckily the previous owner had the sense not to drive it and it sat for months as a result. It's a 2000

​​​​​​I swapped it out for a known good used one today. Naturally the battery went dead since I got it day before yesterday. GRRR ..

The gremlins make me so nervous. Crap I can't get these unattached


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Welcome back, but hang onto your hat. A P38 makes a RRC/D1/D2 look as simple as a Model T. The HVAC control heads are famous for going out, blend motors, blower motors (resistors are built into them 1 per side), EAS is cool how it drops at highway speeds, but the valve block is famous for leaks or solenoids going out. BECM's can fail, and the under the hood fuse block is also known to go bad near the fuel pump relay if I remember correctly.

I had a 97 RR Vitesse 4.6L HSE in AA Yellow and it was 5 years old when I bought it. I replaced 2 HVAC control heads, 1 valve block, 1 pump, 4 air springs, 4 shocks, and I broke a front axle shaft. I had switched over to the 99-02 headlights and tail lights, had the Safety Devices Roof Rack and air dam. I also tricked the EAS into a 2.0inch lift so I could run larger tires. The 4.6L GEMS engine was excellent and I had nearly 190K on it before I sold it. It was a fantastic riding vehicle, and very rare/unique being AA Yellow, but I can say I had my P38 itch and I moved on.

I have several LR buddies with P38's (two of which have Rhino Editions), and all but 1 are selling their P38's and going with 06-09 Range Rover Sports or LR3's. I had found a flawless Holland & Holland P38 several years ago which was owned by an older gentleman. He was going to let me have it for a good price, but I just never pulled the trigger. The P38 did have plenty of unique models like Callaway/Vitesse/Holland & Holland/Rhino/30th Anniversary/Westminster just to name a few.

 

Cool, welcome back.