Hi there! If you’re watching this and noted I said V6 when I meant 6 (I got it right in my voiceover section) and I said exported instead of imported, yes, it’s a mistake. I do these videos entirely unscripted and occasionally you make a mistake whilst remembering a million facts and driving a completely new car. Thank you for understanding!
Another interesting point is that it was only the V8 version that won Wheels Car of the Year. Also, the cup holders are more 'cup places', where you would place the cup on the glovebox lid whilst picnicking inside the car. You'll notice the glovebox opens to flat. It was common in Australian cars at the time (and potentially elsewhere, I don't know)
I worked for Leyland assembling the P76 when I was a teenager. I used to fit the horrible chrome trim around the windscreen. We had endless problems. NZ farmers loved them as they could get two bales of hay in the boot along with the dog.
An Aussie team in a P76 have just completed The 2024 Peking to Paris Rally and finished 1st in classic class and top of the time sheets overall after 37 days and 14 500 kilometres. A grand feat of achievement from a true Aussie Grand Tourer.
@@saneman8147 no it's not , do your research. There are photos from Leyland R+D demonstrating this It was also featured on Torque with the late Peter Wherrett It was to pitch to Cockies that a sedan can be used on the selection to haul supplies as well as be used for the families requirements
Being a New Zealander, I'm familiar with this car. I was in my teens in the 1970s. So I remember them being assembled and sold here in NZ. I saw one being raced in 1975 at the Benson & Hedges 500 race event. It was an endurance race for NZ assembled cars. It didn't win , but gave the Australian Fords and Holdens , plus some Chrysler Valiants a run for their money.
OMG, I've never seen one of these in such great condition! It's better than when it left the factory. Even the taillights look brand new. Never expected to see a P76 on Idriveaclassic and couldn't hit play fast enough!
Where I grew up, there was a local business owner who had an absolutely mint Targa Florio version which he even drove everyday to and from his workshop. I reckon Steph would love to have a go in the one Force 7V that is in the UK!
@@ayrproductionsthe Force 7 that was in the UK was sold to a collector in New Zealand about five years or so back , last I heard it was getting a respray job last year.
Leyland Australia was up against it from the start with the P76. It was a totally fresh design at a time when labour troubles and financial restrictions very much worked against them. The P76 was more advanced than the Ford, Holden, Valiant competitors at the time. It deserved much better.
It just won the 2024 Peking to Paris Rally. 1st in classic class and top of the time sheets overall after 37 days and 14 500 km . Such an amazing achievement for a 50 year old Aussie Grand Tourer.
I had a 6 cylinder Super, and apart from a notable lack of low end torque, everything about the car was better than the big 3 offerings. Very much a drivers car in every aspect. Handling was one of its better points, compared with the other 3. 10:30 it was actually a V8 or inline 6 E engine, a 1725 with 2 added cylinders making 2.6 litres. That particular air conditioner is an aftermarket unit. The factory unit was integrated, with central vents matching those shown at the ends of the dash.
G'day Steph. Great to see you got to drive such a polarising local classic, and so beautifully restored. For all that they had their knockers back in the day, I have a friend in his eighties who fondly remembers his P76 as the best car he's ever owned. I reckon he wouldn't be alone!
Leyland had P76's ready for delivery but no seatbelts available due to union strikes at small part suppliers. The car didn't get a fair go from the beginning.
Being from Australia,that is one nice example A friend of mine actually developed these cars and has a great example in his shed When you coming over to Australia,next year we have the morry nationals in WA
In his book "When We Were Young and Foolish", the Australian journalist Greg Sheridan relates an anecdote about going on a long car trip in 1977 with his friend Tony Abbott, who would later become Prime Minister. Abbott picked up the young Greg in a purple, eight-cylinder Leyland P76 and proceeded to play Glen Campbell’s “Galveston”, “Wichita Lineman” and Abbott’s favourite tune, “Dreams of the Everyday Housewife”, all the way from Sydney to Melbourne, a distance of 550 miles.
My plumbing boss had one of the first of these in NZ, a bright yellow Super. The 4.4 (269) was a good engine as was the rest of the running gear with the most noticeable negative issues being the fit and finish. From memory the trim around the windscreen seemed reluctant to stay in place, on several occasions as did other exterior fittings and trim to a lesser degree. Drove well though and was something a little different from the usual fare of the day. Thanks Steph.
Agree with what you say. I had a friend in Sydney who had a 6 cyl P76 and lost about 4 of the chrome trims on the top of the front windscreen. He went back to the dealer who told him to go direct to the Leyland/Jaguar Spare Parts Warehouse near Liverpool. Mate went in and spoke to Spare Parts Depot Manager, who asked how many he had lost. Mate Colin said about 4. Manager disappears for 5 minutes and come back out with (I think) 6 new trims, and says to Colin, "There you go, that should see you for a while". And all free of charge. But the P76 was so woefully assembled. You would be driving along and the glovebox door would fall off, or the centre console would come loose.. At one stage Colin came around to my house to do some repairs, as the entire left hand side of the dashboard had come loose. I,m surprised they stayed bolted together as long as they did. It was a shame really, as the car itself was a very good handling and riding car, and generally out performed it's Ford, Holden and Chrysler rivals. Cheers. David form Tasmania
I always enjoyed riding in a P76 because they were very comfortable. Here's a fun fact: One proud owner of a Targa Florio, a sports version, always tells the story that nobody ever died in a P76 according to official records. Another wonderful episode Steph and hope you make it out here when the AOMC Florence Thomson Tour is on in February. A wonderful women's event that you could be a part of.
They were comfortable until you got onto winding or rough roads. A terrible handling car. A mate had one while I had a Peugeot 504. Just couldn't compete with the Peugeot.
What a fine example of a classic Aussie car. My Dad used to work for Leyland Australia and I still remember being a ten year old and Dad taking to the Zetland (Sydney) factory and showing me a brand new Force 7 car that was suppose to supersede the P76, however never went into mass production.
Thanks for uploading this video so much nostalgia I was born Qld Australia 1973 my dad had a Red p76 it was manual column shift he drove it for around 16 years he was very fond of his P76 despite the distractors they did have a bad rep - my grandfather had a green automatic P76 it uaed used to fly he ended up going through road works on a country road getting airborn by hitting a pile of crusher dust And landed hard on top of another pile my grandmother who front passenger got quite serious break to get sternum chest bone which she suffered with for years after but they were tough back then - just seeing some of the dash components brought back so many memories I remember as kid it was as soon roomy inside 4 kids and my brother parents would do long road trips out west my spot was in middle front bench seat sitting on the armrest that used to fold down cream vinyl a seats
Coming from New Zealand, we had them here, but they never really took off. I don't know about build quality, but one thing against them was they came out at the time of the oil crisis and they hadn't had time to establish themselves before big gas guzzlers lost popularity. They were marketed as an executive car, but I think I remember them more as taxis.
An excellent review Steph. I appreciate you reviewing our Aussie history with Leyland Australia. My first car was a lowlight Morris Minor in the 60's. Later a mark 2 Cooper S. I felt sorry for BMC/Leyland in the latter years.
As an Aussie always thought these were under appreciated. Speaking of v8s, living in rural Queensland you’d be lucky to walk through town for 5 minutes without hearing a hotty v8 go by still to this day.
Sadly it seems that 90% of the time when you hear a v8 going by its just a 70 series cruiser. Its really disappointing when you hear a v8 and you think it'll be something cool, and then its just an overpriced shitbox land cruiser.
@@moth3rfck3r-s4n old Land Cruisers are well liked in Seattle area -- and some 1980s models are private imported JDM versions now, from while still slab-sided + 2 solid ('beam') axles ...
Hi from Australia, Steph. Great video, I’ve sent the link to my old friend who was Leyland Australia’s purchasing manager at the time of the P76, right up until the end of production. I’m sure he’ll like to see you enjoying it so much. Cheers.
My father worked for a company in Melbourne called Zenford. They designed and built the body poduction line for these cars, including the Force 7. The line was transported to Zetland in Sydney.. For about two years I didn't see much of my father. The V8 engine was designed and built by Leyland Australia, not a Brithish V8. The boot was origially a bit longer from the design studio. It caused many problems for my father. there was a sporty model called the Targa Florio named after the race it won in Sisily with a well known journalist Even Green driving.
Actually the engine was based on the 3.5litre Rover V8. Further, Evan Green had the fastest time on the Targa Florio stage of a much longer event, the UDT World Rally (which he did not win)
Just a week or so ago P76 won the Peking to Paris rally Classic class for the third time. To quote : In the fight for the win in the Classic Category it was the familiar Leyland P76 of Matt Bryson that finished first, and top of the time sheets overall, and this is Matt’s fourth Peking to Paris victory, and no doubt an emotional one after the previous three triumphs were shared with the late, great Gerry Crown. It did this beating a Porsche 911S and 912 to second and third. Even further back were Escorts of Mk 1 and 2, Mercedes Benz 450SLC and quite a long list highly regarded cars. Some Lemon to do this over the vast distance of Peking to Paris and for the third time. Good driving team, but they would not choose a bad car for the task. Searching will reward with more vids recently posted.
in its day it won the East Africa Safari (Evan Green) and the Targa Floria, prompting Leyland to introduce the Targa Floria model which was a v8 super with go fast stripes and other minor trim changes.
And it was Matt's father John who partnered Evan Green on the 1974 London Sahara Munich World Cup Rally in a P76. John was one of the best rally navigators of his generation.
Kids I went to school with and his parents had a white with blue decals Targa florio edition with four on the floor back in the day.Loved the look and sound of that car.
Looks like a pretty cool car. I've never seen one of these before! Now I feel like I have had a ride in one, thanks to your informative narration and good driving (as always). Also great to meet you at the Great British Car Journey museum event last weekend. Thanks for organising it all. Very enjoyable.
Hi Steph, I had the pleasure of owning a 6 cylinder p76 in the late 70s. After doing a pile of work for a roadworthy when I acquired it, I found it a very reliable comfortable car that was also fun to drive. It was a manual and a very throw aroundable car. I guess it was a car ahead of its time. It was a great experience. 🐸
That's different. Us UK car nuts don't always understand the differences of the car market in other countires. It's very interesting to see models developd for particular countires. That looks like a really nice example of an interesting car. Thanks so much.
My Dad had a V8 4 speed, went like fury but reliability was a real issue. That one is a nice colour, don't remember it here, but looks good, especially matching rocker covers. There is a guy in Sydney who owns a Force 7 Coupe AND what is believed to be the only station wagon in existence, that would have been a great car. I hope when you come here you get to drive some uniquely Australian versions of BMC cars such as Austin Freeway and its cousin the Wolseley 24/80, Kimberley, 6 Cyl Marina and Morris Marshall. A great video, keep them coming
Steph, a Leyland P 76 recently won the Peking to Paris rally. I was 19 when these cars hit the Australian market. At the time Leyland was not only loosing ground to GMH, Ford and Chrysler but particularly the very well presented Japanese imports, new to Australia.
Thanks Steph, an excellent review - never easy reviewing cars from a distant time and market. My father purchased a new 1974 Executive V8 from Kellow-Falkiner in Melbourne. A really nice car, plenty of room and power, good ride and handling. But it did have a few quality issues, and the engine after 5 or so years had problems, he was concerned about parts, so the car was sold. A shame as he liked the car and had analyzed the purchase against the competing Ford/GM products, which also had their assembly issues. It was traditional to return an Australian made car with a defects list on the first service in the '70's. The reasons for the demise of the P76 are many, including rushed development and an under resourced manufacturing plant. Competitor and supplier behavior together with an indifferent Whitlam government all part of the mix. The car you are reviewing is a wonderful sympathetic restoration, not easy getting all those panel and dashboard panels aligned.
Awesome car, a very true review. My Boss had one here in New Zealand it was such fun to drive he had a very good run out of it. Certainly a BIG step up from a falcon or kingwood,
Wow Steph what an amazing car , a true credit to the owner / owners I love everything about it from the colour to the wheels the modifications really suit it
Steph, the six was a 2.6 litre version of the Austin Kimberley 2.2 litre ohc straight six, I had an Austin Kimberley which was a great car ruined by a HORRIBLE engine. The P76 was re designed by a Leyland employee ruining the original Micchelotti design, it was the 2.6 litre six which gave it the reputation of unreliability. I once bought a spare transfer gear for my Kimberley and it had a runout of 75 thousandths of an inch, or 1.9 mm.
It was the bmc e series 6 that had enlarged capacity courtesy of using the increased stroke on the 4 cylinder engines to make the 1.5 into the 1.75. The 6 was first used in Australia 2 years before the uk and once leyland australia closed the engine tooling was moved to south africa
My understanding is that the original design was penned by Romand Rodbergh at Leyland Australia, he was not happy with the subsequent revisions by Michelotti and if you look at the original models I would concur that on this occasion the Italians got it wrong. Ultimately it was poor quality control that damaged the P76’s reputation and the perilous state of the Leyland Australia’s finances.
I understand that part of quality problems stem from British Leyland staff coming over and having a hand in production. It had teething problems but was a wonderful design.
Strikes and poor management +++ was the main problem for the P76. I heard stories of rejected castings being used because strikes prevented new ones from being made. Also worked with a guy who worked on the line and saw the Force 7 line put into reverse so they could be crushed.
I agree. But the fake contact wood grain shrinks and lifts around the gauges on the P76. Sad but I can understand why it has been changed on this car. Mine looks quite tatty now.
The P76 was almost my first car! I immediately fell in love with the design but as an 18 year old still at school I just couldn’t afford it at the time. Months later I managed to find a 1970 Valiant 245 Pacer which I bought for only $350! 🚗💨
Born Melbourne 1970. We knew it as p76 “slops” but loved loved the sound of the v8! Easy for ford, Chrysler and Holden to sledge other options given there were 2 newspapers, 3 tv channels mid 70s. My science teacher had a lime green v8 and he loved it. Full disclosure we had a 69 valiant slant 6 wagon and my dad bought a 1974 Australian assembled Leyland triumph 2500 pi. Guess which one struggled a little with the long drives on a hot day. Loved this vid Steph.
The tacho on the test car was standard OE fitment for the Super and the Executive. The supplier was VDO in Heidelberg, a suburb of Melbourne. The only P76 model that didn't come with a tacho was the Deluxe range. The Deluxe came with two Lucas 7" round headlights, whereas the rest had four of the Lucas 5.75" round headlights.
I recall Ian test drove one of these...wonders...in Tasmania a number years ago. Without all the grease, oil and scratches on poor Hubnut's machine, the INTENT of Leyland's designers shines through. This example you've driven looks to be in stunning nick. There are fewer...distractions...on this car. This one HAD to be a unicorn for you, and I'm glad you were able to drive it and show us what it's all about. Lovely.
What surprise to see this P76 being road tested 50 years after being built, and in the U.K. no less. Greetings from Australia. At last you've driven a really notable car. What great condition this P76 is, and it has been lovingly maintained and improved over the years. These vehicles were a very good car for the time, although they suffered from quality control problems and the usual Australian knockers who can't deal with anything different from the Ford and G.M. examples. Back in 1977 I had the pleasure of driving the V8 version with 4 speed manual transmission and it handled beautifully. I will never forget driving it as I had it for the day. Boy, it went like stink. Yes it had problems with the fit and finish of the internal plastic trim, but it was great fun to drive when powering through the corners and it always braked straight and true. Loved that car and didn't want to give it back. One thing that I really notice is the way in which you use the steering wheel when driving the car. The way your hands are holding the wheel through the corners worries me, as you turn the wheel hand to hand. I was never taught to use the steering like that. Regards Mark
Best way to use a steering wheel in a modern car... crossed arms being blown into your face by the airbag going off in the steering wheel hub hurts...... shuffle shuffle shuffle....in every car... then you don't make a mistake in a modern air bag equipped car.....
I remember a mate buying a second hand Leyland P76 in the Melbourne Trading Post. He only wanted to buy it for the Motor and Transmission. From memory ??, the Engine was an all Alloy 260 cubic inch V8 ?? He finished up putting the motor in a Ford Escort. Unfortunately it didn't last long after a another mate pretty much destroyed the car after using another set of keys to get the car started and took it out for a drive and ran it through someone's front yard after losing control of it at a roundabout ??? Most of the damage was on the front of the car including the Engine Block ???
I was about 7 when these came out. I remember a very prominent ad on the TV, where some guy was standing in a parking lot full of the things, singing their praises! I never knew anyone who owned one until about 10 years ago, there was a vineyard (and "cellar door") here in Cobbitty, owned by some old guy, and there was always one parked out the front. I assume it was his. It was the same green colour as your example! He seemed to drive it daily, it wasn't on club rego or anything.
What an interesting car. My Frist Impression was FORD LTD & Ford Fairlane & 1971 Ford Cortina 1600 GXL then I kept looking at the walk around & decided it had elements of the Chevrolet Caprice Classic. its got a lot of classic attributes of cars from that period such as upholster styles, dashboards etc very sharp car. The one thing that really got to me was the interior. The longer I looked at it the more I realized I didn't expect this type of interior It fits right in with the late 1970's $ 80's as you stated, but there is something else about it that stands our from the other V8 cars of that time. You stated MEAN as a personality & I agree with that it has an attitude of A MATTER OF FACT I compare that to a light smack in the face feeling to it. I've never seen one of these cars before but from the sound of you driving over the speed bumps, this car is a work horse. I really get that vibe just from the sound of the suspension & hitting the speed bump. The simplicity of the dashboard reminds me of the early 70's Chevy Nova & Mid 70's Pontiac but these are due to tiny nuances many overlook like that threaded or stitching pattern on the end edge of the dashboard. That was some driving at time index 14:11 / 21:34 I wash absorbed by the ever increasing speed & how the car floated side to side up & down & it kind of spaced me out watching it but it really held the turns well. LOL what an absolutely beautiful car. It literally has everything in basic terms & sounds as good as it drives from a viewer point of view. I can imagine the drive :D
Well Steph you've educated me! I'm 53 years old & spent quite a while in the motor trade & this is the first time I've ever seen one! Looks very America inspired like most classic Aussie cars! I really like it. Thank you for sharing 😊
That was good. I'm Australian and I'm in Australia. I'm old enough to remember these cars when they were first released and I thought the concept was really promising but, yes unfortunately they did not live up to expectations. At the time Leyland had a poor reputation in Australia and the fact that it was poorly made and unreliable just doomed it. Nice to see a good example and I agree with you, It's impressive. Thanks.
Wow. At 4:00 you’re talking about suspension, and the way it rolls off your tongue is like poetry! A lady who knows her McPherson struts, Panhard rods and I-beams. You speak authoratively with elegance! Keep up the great vids!
@@idriveaclassic Well your struggles have paid off Steph! 👍I have fond memories of one of my primary school teacher’s and her husband’s Targa Florio with honeycomb wheels and V8. Also another which sat in the driveway of a house unused for decades! I was mid teens and doing the morning paper round in the mid 80’s when I first noticed it. It finally disappeared about 5 years ago. 😢 Also, a farmhouse that I drive by every other weekend has three sitting in their open machinery shed. I always wonder whether to ask the question of them!? 🤔😁👍
The haters called them a P38 , on account that they were half the car they should have been . Dad had a Brown coloured V8 here in NZ that took us on many trips and in style .
@@JohnSmith-pl2bk No - It was a relatively new P76 - but then again I drove a Peugeot 504 so maybe I was a little Biassed. We were both school teachers and we had to drive through the hills to get to the school. He couldn't stay with me on the corners but on the straights he went straight past me.
My wife and I came to Australia in 1980 and I was going to buy one of these but the people I worked with talked me out of it. I remember them telling me that they were a load of crap and that it would break down frequently. I believed them and didn't buy one and went for another car that we didn't get in the UK at the time, a Mk4 Cortina Ghia with the straight 6 cylinder engine. It lasted for years and was a damned good car.
I remember the Ministry of Transport Traffic Department had undercover mufti cars here in New Zealand and the officer's liked the car and a family friend made the black paint that went behind the instrument panel.The Executive model that I owned handled well
You will always find the people that rubbish them have never actually owned one, Mum and dad got one and towed a 22' van around Australia with no problems at all, It was a great car and i wish i still had it now.
I had a leyland terrior truck in Australia with a v8.. They had lots of p76 engines after production stopped so the put them in the terriors. Great engine ,did me well. Much quicker than my tk bedford
I owned one in the early 80's. That sound brings back some memories. Yes it had some niggles but anyone who says they don't handle either has never driven one or can't drive. BTW The 6 was a straight six - actually 2.6 litre stroked version of the 2.2 in the Kimberley/Tasman.
As an Aussie I have to say they should have gotten more love when they were released as their design was top notch. For instance the engine is designed to go under the car rather than towards the occupants in a bad accident. That's the sort of thing you would expect in a modern car not something from the 1970s! Then there are lots of little things. For instance I love working on cars but one of the jobs I hate is removing fuel tanks. The P76 makes this a bit easier as they have a bung/bolt on the bottom of the fuel tank that allows you to remove all the fuel before you take the tank out. So a great car that is definitely under appreciated.
hi steph , amazing videos , love this old layland , its a bit before my time , i came to australia 2006 , most cars then were commodor ford falcan , and dear a compliment on your skin colour tights , a nice different from the black opaque , very beautiful dress :)
Im in New Zealand and yes farmers loved them but because they were great towing vehicles on our steep roads. Big horse floats and boot full of Polo kit no drama. But the V8 motor was also a fantastic donor to repower Triumph Stags that had died... mates had those, rocket ships. I really liked the ride in the P76
I had one as my first car when i turned 18 in AUS. I fell in love with its comfort & good power range. Of course, being a young idiot driver, i wrote it off saying hello to a tree. I now have my eye on a very nice one in regional Victoria. Fingers crossed the gentlemen wants to sell it soon. Great Video. I really enjoyed it.
Thankyou Steph for reviewing this car , I was an apprentice in 1973 in a factory down the road from the Leyland Australia Zetland factory in Sydney at the time, saw the P76 Force 10 sports coupe,s Auctioned off in the Auction house across the road , thought that it was silly that they could never registered at the time , there was a sports radio show at the time called" the could of been champions" or effectionately known as the could of beens , there early mascot was the P76 , ( what it could of been) , when they did live shows would arrive in the boot of a P76 and all jump out , old blokes attend car shows with a 44 gallon drum in the boot were a great car.
I believe the six cylinder was a straight 6 not v6, also I got to drive one of these (manual column shift v8) from Antwerp to Amsterdam about 20 odd years ago, I think it was one of maybe 3 examples of this car in Europe at the time and owned by a member of Rover owners club in Belgium.
The good old flying wedge. The Force 7 was the sports model, there's only a handful left, I'd have one now, but at the time we thought they were rubbish.
I once was a passenger in a P76 very comfortable and spacious , it's selling point was always that you could fit a 44-gallon drum in the boot, so it was popular with farmers.
Hi Steph. Great vid as usual. Pretty sure your walk around was film up in Adel just over the hill from me. Nice the sun came out for once. No I was wrong you were in Cookridge just up from my local rail station. I use that route & great to open up my Rover 600 after those speed bumps.
Wow ive not seen a P76 in years, looks to be in great condition and a true credit to the owner. Indeed they were sadly unloved here in oz. Thanks for another informative and awesome review Steph...best channel on youtube by far. Btw i was very jealous at your "hot" sunny weather as its currently a chilly 2 degrees in rural NSW atm although that said it is also midnight lol.
The only one I've seen in England was back in 1978 . Creamy Yellow ( Country Cream ) . I thought it was Yank until spotting the badge . I thought it was better looking than big British designs . Having been in Oz for 40 years now , I reminded how few I've seen here . Even back in the eighties , it was all Falcon 500 and Kingswood .
Thankyou apart from being well presented and very informative, I would recognise the p76 I didn’t know much about them. The real pleasure was the drive down the A660 it’s a beautiful road never been there for a long time and it looks like you got nice day for it 👍
The repeaters for the sidelights, taillights and indicators were the most stylish feature of any car ever to my 6 year old eyes. The Ford LTD was rubbish in comparison.
The V8 was derived from the Rover 3500. Stroked square 3.5”x3.5” with a taller block and 4.4 litres. My mate put one into his series 1 P6B. He fitted a P76 4-speed before getting a Toyota 5-speed box.
Great video, thank you. My recollection of these is that they were more infamous for being a flop, rather than innately bad cars. The front and rear styling lacked cohesion with the profile I think.
Bit of a Mercury Cougar vibe going on in the side profile. Brilliant video showing all the styling details and under bonnet etc. and interesting dialogue too. Thank you 👍
Nice review. I owned 2 P76 a 2.6 and manual V8 and also drove the V8 with 4 speed toploader. All of them drove well and handling was excellent especially if you fitted a heavier front sway bar. The 4 speed V8 was faster than the equivalent Ford and Holden V8 GTs. The bodies were light with extensive use of alloy front and rear. Seats were comfortable and durable. With tuning they were very fast and the Executive very plush . The car to buy of course is the Targa Florio version and fit the 4 speed. Negatives. There were silly design flaws in the trim clips, window winders, wiper motor gear and a few other minor issues. As a classic they make a great viable classic that is robust and relatively cheap to run. Much under rated. But be careful of those front indcator lenses. The car is wider than most.
Two videos in one weekend! You are treating us Steph :) This car is simply stunning! It's a shame we didn't get this in the UK as a rival to the Granada.
Had to smile about your comment about the Speedo being in KM. I moved to Ireland in the 1980s bringing my UK registered car with me. For some weeks I couldn't understand how I was travelling from place to place so quickly. A 40 mile journey was only taking me 20 minutes. It only dawned on me after about two weeks that road signs were in km not miles 😂
My father bought one after an HQ Holden. Yes, it was greedy around town, and there were quality issues, but I remember driving it and the power and handling were so far ahead of the HQ it was unreal. Power sliding around roundabouts was pretty awesome with my limited skills at 16! Sorry Dad.
@@nickabbott62781300kg was notably lighter than Holden/Falcon, especially compared to iron V8's. But original Laser-mazda 323 was under 900kg. no comparison
I thought of buying the p76 but when I saw how many paint runs the brand new car had I quickly changed my mind and went with the Datsun 180b instead. Never looked back 😊
I knew a guy back in the 80's who had the even rarer Targa Florio version, but at 61 years old I don't think I've ever seen more than three or four of them. By all accounts a good car, but to my eyes horrendously looking, just a clunky looking lump.
Hi there!
If you’re watching this and noted I said V6 when I meant 6 (I got it right in my voiceover section) and I said exported instead of imported, yes, it’s a mistake. I do these videos entirely unscripted and occasionally you make a mistake whilst remembering a million facts and driving a completely new car.
Thank you for understanding!
Another interesting point is that it was only the V8 version that won Wheels Car of the Year. Also, the cup holders are more 'cup places', where you would place the cup on the glovebox lid whilst picnicking inside the car. You'll notice the glovebox opens to flat. It was common in Australian cars at the time (and potentially elsewhere, I don't know)
(and I think that's a dashboard light dimmer next to the headlight switch)
@@idriveaclassic I like your reviews. Casual, informative and interesting. Keep up the good work!
I think the registration is a wiltshire uk reg. WV the last 2 letters.
It’s a v8 and and as good as an example I’ve seen in 20 years. Beautiful
I worked for Leyland assembling the P76 when I was a teenager. I used to fit the horrible chrome trim around the windscreen. We had endless problems.
NZ farmers loved them as they could get two bales of hay in the boot along with the dog.
Or a 44 gallon drum!
union's greed killed Leyland Now look at Leyland today Chinese owned.
I knew you would say that!!
@@keithad6485
@@keithad6485I wanted to add that!
@@billeves4627 I worked in the Sydney assembly plant before switching to General Motors Holden.
An Aussie team in a P76 have just completed The 2024 Peking to Paris Rally and finished 1st in classic class and top of the time sheets overall after 37 days and 14 500 kilometres. A grand feat of achievement from a true Aussie Grand Tourer.
It completed the whole journey,-on the back of of "Car-Carrier"-(H.K.news)
Lovely car, thanks Steph. When they designed it, one of the requirements was that the boot could accomodate a 44 gallon drum!
It does , and if you like the sedan look up the Force 7 and the Targa Florio
A complete urban myth.
It was never a lovely car, it looked it was designed by a committee.
@@saneman8147 no it's not , do your research. There are photos from Leyland R+D demonstrating this It was also featured on Torque with the late Peter Wherrett
It was to pitch to Cockies that a sedan can be used on the selection to haul supplies as well as be used for the families requirements
@@Neil-Aspinall I mean, this is a lovely example of the car.
Being a New Zealander, I'm familiar with this car. I was in my teens in the 1970s. So I remember them being assembled and sold here in NZ. I saw one being raced in 1975 at the Benson & Hedges 500 race event. It was an endurance race for NZ assembled cars. It didn't win , but gave the Australian Fords and Holdens , plus some Chrysler Valiants a run for their money.
C00L
OMG, I've never seen one of these in such great condition! It's better than when it left the factory. Even the taillights look brand new.
Never expected to see a P76 on Idriveaclassic and couldn't hit play fast enough!
Where I grew up, there was a local business owner who had an absolutely mint Targa Florio version which he even drove everyday to and from his workshop. I reckon Steph would love to have a go in the one Force 7V that is in the UK!
@@ayrproductionsthe Force 7 that was in the UK was sold to a collector in New Zealand about five years or so back , last I heard it was getting a respray job last year.
Leyland Australia was up against it from the start with the P76. It was a totally fresh design at a time when labour troubles and financial restrictions very much worked against them. The P76 was more advanced than the Ford, Holden, Valiant competitors at the time. It deserved much better.
Better looking too. Far more advanced wedge shape compared to the others! 👍
It won the prestigious Wheels magazine Car of the Year in 1973.
It just won the 2024 Peking to Paris Rally. 1st in classic class and top of the time sheets overall after 37 days and 14 500 km . Such an amazing achievement for a 50 year old Aussie Grand Tourer.
@@saneman8147 the V8 version only
@@davidhynd4435 Trouble was, there were insufficient 44 gallon drums to go in every boot! : )
I had a 6 cylinder Super, and apart from a notable lack of low end torque, everything about the car was better than the big 3 offerings. Very much a drivers car in every aspect. Handling was one of its better points, compared with the other 3.
10:30 it was actually a V8 or inline 6 E engine, a 1725 with 2 added cylinders making 2.6 litres.
That particular air conditioner is an aftermarket unit. The factory unit was integrated, with central vents matching those shown at the ends of the dash.
G'day Steph. Great to see you got to drive such a polarising local classic, and so beautifully restored. For all that they had their knockers back in the day, I have a friend in his eighties who fondly remembers his P76 as the best car he's ever owned. I reckon he wouldn't be alone!
I had 5 , 4 V8s and one 6 cyl 2 manual and 3 automatics they were one of the nicest cars I've ever owned
Leyland had P76's ready for delivery but no seatbelts available due to union strikes at small part suppliers. The car didn't get a fair go from the beginning.
I've owned 2 of these. Enjoyed every second with them.
I love seeing Aussie cars overseas. That's a beauty!. Love the colour.. Thanks Craig, Great video Steph. 😅
Being from Australia,that is one nice example
A friend of mine actually developed these cars and has a great example in his shed
When you coming over to Australia,next year we have the morry nationals in WA
In his book "When We Were Young and Foolish", the Australian journalist Greg Sheridan relates an anecdote about going on a long car trip in 1977 with his friend Tony Abbott, who would later become Prime Minister. Abbott picked up the young Greg in a purple, eight-cylinder Leyland P76 and proceeded to play Glen Campbell’s “Galveston”, “Wichita Lineman” and Abbott’s favourite tune, “Dreams of the Everyday Housewife”, all the way from Sydney to Melbourne, a distance of 550 miles.
My plumbing boss had one of the first of these in NZ, a bright yellow Super. The 4.4 (269) was a good engine as was the rest of the running gear with the most noticeable negative issues being the fit and finish. From memory the trim around the windscreen seemed reluctant to stay in place, on several occasions as did other exterior fittings and trim to a lesser degree. Drove well though and was something a little different from the usual fare of the day. Thanks Steph.
Agree with what you say. I had a friend in Sydney who had a 6 cyl P76 and lost about 4 of the chrome trims on the top of the front windscreen. He went back to the dealer who told him to go direct to the Leyland/Jaguar Spare Parts Warehouse near Liverpool. Mate went in and spoke to Spare Parts Depot Manager, who asked how many he had lost. Mate Colin said about 4. Manager disappears for 5 minutes and come back out with (I think) 6 new trims, and says to Colin, "There you go, that should see you for a while". And all free of charge. But the P76 was so woefully assembled. You would be driving along and the glovebox door would fall off, or the centre console would come loose.. At one stage Colin came around to my house to do some repairs, as the entire left hand side of the dashboard had come loose. I,m surprised they stayed bolted together as long as they did. It was a shame really, as the car itself was a very good handling and riding car, and generally out performed it's Ford, Holden and Chrysler rivals. Cheers. David form Tasmania
@@impgt67Good handling cars don’t roll as easy as these piles of pommy garbage.
@@impgt67 YiKeS
I always enjoyed riding in a P76 because they were very comfortable. Here's a fun fact: One proud owner of a Targa Florio, a sports version, always tells the story that nobody ever died in a P76 according to official records. Another wonderful episode Steph and hope you make it out here when the AOMC Florence Thomson Tour is on in February. A wonderful women's event that you could be a part of.
They were comfortable until you got onto winding or rough roads. A terrible handling car. A mate had one while I had a Peugeot 504. Just couldn't compete with the Peugeot.
@@allanbriggs9007 French cars on bad roads are simply in another class to the rest of the automotive world !!
@@markrossow6303 They certainly were in the 50's 60's & 70's.
What a fine example of a classic Aussie car. My Dad used to work for Leyland Australia and I still remember being a ten year old and Dad taking to the Zetland (Sydney) factory and showing me a brand new Force 7 car that was suppose to supersede the P76, however never went into mass production.
@@IanRobertson-iu1ev Not supersede but run alongside.
Hi Ian. Nice to see another Robertson with the same car application
Thanks for uploading this video so much nostalgia I was born Qld Australia 1973 my dad had a Red p76 it was manual column shift he drove it for around 16 years he was very fond of his P76 despite the distractors they did have a bad rep - my grandfather had a green automatic P76 it uaed used to fly he ended up going through road works on a country road getting airborn by hitting a pile of crusher dust
And landed hard on top of another pile my grandmother who front passenger got quite serious break to get sternum chest bone which she suffered with for years after but they were tough back then - just seeing some of the dash components brought back so many memories I remember as kid it was as soon roomy inside 4 kids and my brother parents would do long road trips out west my spot was in middle front bench seat sitting on the armrest that used to fold down cream vinyl a seats
That is one very sorted P76. Great video. Even had the weather for it. Great stuff!
Coming from New Zealand, we had them here, but they never really took off. I don't know about build quality, but one thing against them was they came out at the time of the oil crisis and they hadn't had time to establish themselves before big gas guzzlers lost popularity. They were marketed as an executive car, but I think I remember them more as taxis.
An excellent review Steph. I appreciate you reviewing our Aussie history with Leyland Australia. My first car was a lowlight Morris Minor in the 60's. Later a mark 2 Cooper S. I felt sorry for BMC/Leyland in the latter years.
As an Aussie always thought these were under appreciated. Speaking of v8s, living in rural Queensland you’d be lucky to walk through town for 5 minutes without hearing a hotty v8 go by still to this day.
Sadly it seems that 90% of the time when you hear a v8 going by its just a 70 series cruiser. Its really disappointing when you hear a v8 and you think it'll be something cool, and then its just an overpriced shitbox land cruiser.
@@moth3rfck3r-s4n old Land Cruisers are well liked in Seattle area -- and some 1980s models are private imported JDM versions now, from while still slab-sided + 2 solid ('beam') axles ...
Hi from Australia, Steph. Great video, I’ve sent the link to my old friend who was Leyland Australia’s purchasing manager at the time of the P76, right up until the end of production. I’m sure he’ll like to see you enjoying it so much. Cheers.
Tell him if he finds a good one, he knows where I am (waiting in England to ship it over 😂)
@@idriveaclassic Will do!
Our family had a white V8, and I loved it. This video brought back so many memories. Thank you for making a video on an underrated Australian vehicle.
My father worked for a company in Melbourne called Zenford. They designed and built the body poduction line for these cars, including the Force 7. The line was transported to Zetland in Sydney.. For about two years I didn't see much of my father. The V8 engine was designed and built by Leyland Australia, not a Brithish V8. The boot was origially a bit longer from the design studio. It caused many problems for my father. there was a sporty model called the Targa Florio named after the race it won in Sisily with a well known journalist Even Green driving.
Actually the engine was based on the 3.5litre Rover V8. Further, Evan Green had the fastest time on the Targa Florio stage of a much longer event, the UDT World Rally (which he did not win)
Your enthusiasm for this wonderful piece of Aussie automotive history is infectious. Well done Steph!
Just a week or so ago P76 won the Peking to Paris rally Classic class for the third time. To quote :
In the fight for the win in the Classic Category it was the familiar Leyland P76 of Matt Bryson that finished first, and top of the time sheets overall, and this is Matt’s fourth Peking to Paris victory, and no doubt an emotional one after the previous three triumphs were shared with the late, great Gerry Crown.
It did this beating a Porsche 911S and 912 to second and third. Even further back were Escorts of Mk 1 and 2, Mercedes Benz 450SLC and quite a long list highly regarded cars.
Some Lemon to do this over the vast distance of Peking to Paris and for the third time.
Good driving team, but they would not choose a bad car for the task.
Searching will reward with more vids recently posted.
in its day it won the East Africa Safari (Evan Green) and the Targa Floria, prompting Leyland to introduce the Targa Floria model which was a v8 super with go fast stripes and other minor trim changes.
@@barryhood7659 It came 13th, and the event was 1974 London-Sahara-Munich World Cup Rally. Yet another P76 fable.
And it was Matt's father John who partnered Evan Green on the 1974 London Sahara Munich World Cup Rally in a P76. John was one of the best rally navigators of his generation.
Knew they were doing well, so great they won. Targa Florio was the model, only seen two.
@@barryhood7659Nice.
This is a lovely car. I filmed it at the Royalty RoadShow last month. These should have been sold in England.
Kids I went to school with and his parents had a white with blue decals Targa florio edition with four on the floor back in the day.Loved the look and sound of that car.
Looks like a pretty cool car. I've never seen one of these before! Now I feel like I have had a ride in one, thanks to your informative narration and good driving (as always). Also great to meet you at the Great British Car Journey museum event last weekend. Thanks for organising it all. Very enjoyable.
Hi Steph, I had the pleasure of owning a 6 cylinder p76 in the late 70s. After doing a pile of work for a roadworthy when I acquired it, I found it a very reliable comfortable car that was also fun to drive. It was a manual and a very throw aroundable car. I guess it was a car ahead of its time. It was a great experience. 🐸
That's different. Us UK car nuts don't always understand the differences of the car market in other countires. It's very interesting to see models developd for particular countires. That looks like a really nice example of an interesting car. Thanks so much.
"Interesting" is being kind: it was an absolute Dog, and proved BL didn't know what they doing... 😳
Ahhhh, the "Executive", my dream car. I've still got the tail lights but never got the rest of the car.
Ah, the P76... fond memories of summers/autumns spent endlessly driving around Australia looking for fruit-picking work back in the 1970s.
My Dad had a V8 4 speed, went like fury but reliability was a real issue. That one is a nice colour, don't remember it here, but looks good, especially matching rocker covers. There is a guy in Sydney who owns a Force 7 Coupe AND what is believed to be the only station wagon in existence, that would have been a great car. I hope when you come here you get to drive some uniquely Australian versions of BMC cars such as Austin Freeway and its cousin the Wolseley 24/80, Kimberley, 6 Cyl Marina and Morris Marshall. A great video, keep them coming
C00L
Steph, a Leyland P 76 recently won the Peking to Paris rally. I was 19 when these cars hit the Australian market. At the time Leyland was not only loosing ground to GMH, Ford and Chrysler but particularly the very well presented Japanese imports, new to Australia.
Thanks Steph, an excellent review - never easy reviewing cars from a distant time and market. My father purchased a new 1974 Executive V8 from Kellow-Falkiner in Melbourne. A really nice car, plenty of room and power, good ride and handling. But it did have a few quality issues, and the engine after 5 or so years had problems, he was concerned about parts, so the car was sold. A shame as he liked the car and had analyzed the purchase against the competing Ford/GM products, which also had their assembly issues. It was traditional to return an Australian made car with a defects list on the first service in the '70's. The reasons for the demise of the P76 are many, including rushed development and an under resourced manufacturing plant. Competitor and supplier behavior together with an indifferent Whitlam government all part of the mix. The car you are reviewing is a wonderful sympathetic restoration, not easy getting all those panel and dashboard panels aligned.
Awesome car, a very true review.
My Boss had one here in New Zealand it was such fun to drive he had a very good run out of it. Certainly a BIG step up from a falcon or kingwood,
Wow Steph what an amazing car , a true credit to the owner / owners I love everything about it from the colour to the wheels the modifications really suit it
Steph, the six was a 2.6 litre version of the Austin Kimberley 2.2 litre ohc straight six, I had an Austin Kimberley which was a great car ruined by a HORRIBLE engine. The P76 was re designed by a Leyland employee ruining the original Micchelotti design, it was the 2.6 litre six which gave it the reputation of unreliability. I once bought a spare transfer gear for my Kimberley and it had a runout of 75 thousandths of an inch, or 1.9 mm.
The V8 also played a part too. There was still sand in the bores of some of the V8s from casting which led to overheating issues.
It was the bmc e series 6 that had enlarged capacity courtesy of using the increased stroke on the 4 cylinder engines to make the 1.5 into the 1.75. The 6 was first used in Australia 2 years before the uk and once leyland australia closed the engine tooling was moved to south africa
My understanding is that the original design was penned by Romand Rodbergh at Leyland Australia, he was not happy with the subsequent revisions by Michelotti and if you look at the original models I would concur that on this occasion the Italians got it wrong. Ultimately it was poor quality control that damaged the P76’s reputation and the perilous state of the Leyland Australia’s finances.
I understand that part of quality problems stem from British Leyland staff coming over and having a hand in production. It had teething problems but was a wonderful design.
Strikes and poor management +++ was the main problem for the P76. I heard stories of rejected castings being used because strikes prevented new ones from being made. Also worked with a guy who worked on the line and saw the Force 7 line put into reverse so they could be crushed.
Think I preferred the dash with the 'wood' trim. I do like a bit of wood even if is fake on a lot of cars.
I thought that too. The early 70s Japanese black plastic look is awful.
totally agree, i have always loved the wood grain look in cars.
I agree. But the fake contact wood grain shrinks and lifts around the gauges on the P76. Sad but I can understand why it has been changed on this car. Mine looks quite tatty now.
Great overview . It was a real shame that the timing didn't work out . With some more r & d before release it would have sold well !
The P76 was almost my first car! I immediately fell in love with the design but as an 18 year old still at school I just couldn’t afford it at the time. Months later I managed to find a 1970 Valiant 245 Pacer which I bought for only $350! 🚗💨
Born Melbourne 1970. We knew it as p76 “slops” but loved loved the sound of the v8! Easy for ford, Chrysler and Holden to sledge other options given there were 2 newspapers, 3 tv channels mid 70s. My science teacher had a lime green v8 and he loved it. Full disclosure we had a 69 valiant slant 6 wagon and my dad bought a 1974 Australian assembled Leyland triumph 2500 pi. Guess which one struggled a little with the long drives on a hot day. Loved this vid Steph.
Lovely looking motor, and credit to whoever restored it.
Brilliant, as an Australian this is a highlight. Thank you :)
The tacho on the test car was standard OE fitment for the Super and the Executive. The supplier was VDO in Heidelberg, a suburb of Melbourne. The only P76 model that didn't come with a tacho was the Deluxe range. The Deluxe came with two Lucas 7" round headlights, whereas the rest had four of the Lucas 5.75" round headlights.
Super and Exec had a clock, not a tacho. I think only Force 7s had a tacho??
In NZ none had a tacho as standard, just a clock.
@@chrisharkin3741 Dunno Chris, coz I can't remember; it's getting to be a long time ago! 🤣
I recall Ian test drove one of these...wonders...in Tasmania a number years ago. Without all the grease, oil and scratches on poor Hubnut's machine, the INTENT of Leyland's designers shines through.
This example you've driven looks to be in stunning nick. There are fewer...distractions...on this car.
This one HAD to be a unicorn for you, and I'm glad you were able to drive it and show us what it's all about. Lovely.
That car is proper sick! The styling of those rear lights is next level!
There was so much bad rap for the rear, I always thought it was great.
Such a great video with a very nice looking classic sedan and this lady's presentation is exceptionally wonderful.
What surprise to see this P76 being road tested 50 years after being built, and in the U.K. no less. Greetings from Australia. At last you've driven a really notable car. What great condition this P76 is, and it has been lovingly maintained and improved over the years. These vehicles were a very good car for the time, although they suffered from quality control problems and the usual Australian knockers who can't deal with anything different from the Ford and G.M. examples.
Back in 1977 I had the pleasure of driving the V8 version with 4 speed manual transmission and it handled beautifully. I will never forget driving it as I had it for the day. Boy, it went like stink. Yes it had problems with the fit and finish of the internal plastic trim, but it was great fun to drive when powering through the corners and it always braked straight and true. Loved that car and didn't want to give it back.
One thing that I really notice is the way in which you use the steering wheel when driving the car. The way your hands are holding the wheel through the corners worries me, as you turn the wheel hand to hand. I was never taught to use the steering like that. Regards Mark
Best way to use a steering wheel in a modern car...
crossed arms being blown into your face by the airbag going off in the steering wheel hub hurts......
shuffle shuffle shuffle....in every car...
then you don't make a mistake in a modern air bag equipped car.....
Another Defeat from the Jaws of Victory BL you gotta ❤️em !
Leyland Australia like BL's other subsidiary in South Africa, were pretty much autonomous in their operation
@@EVISEH
Right until BL home office stuck their oar in and trashed the prospects in Australia... by cutting off money.
I had an Austin Tasmin I think it was built in Adelaide, it was a brilliant car so smooth
I remember a mate buying a second hand Leyland P76 in the Melbourne Trading Post.
He only wanted to buy it for the Motor and Transmission.
From memory ??, the Engine was an all Alloy 260 cubic inch V8 ??
He finished up putting the motor in a Ford Escort.
Unfortunately it didn't last long after a another mate pretty much destroyed the car after using another set of keys to get the car started and took it out for a drive and ran it through someone's front yard after losing control of it at a roundabout ???
Most of the damage was on the front of the car including the Engine Block ???
I was about 7 when these came out. I remember a very prominent ad on the TV, where some guy was standing in a parking lot full of the things, singing their praises! I never knew anyone who owned one until about 10 years ago, there was a vineyard (and "cellar door") here in Cobbitty, owned by some old guy, and there was always one parked out the front. I assume it was his. It was the same green colour as your example! He seemed to drive it daily, it wasn't on club rego or anything.
What a lovely car. I'd never seen or heard of that model until your video came up on my Facebook. :)
What an interesting car.
My Frist Impression was FORD LTD & Ford Fairlane & 1971 Ford Cortina 1600 GXL then I kept looking at the walk around & decided it had elements of the Chevrolet Caprice Classic. its got a lot of classic attributes of cars from that period such as upholster styles, dashboards etc very sharp car.
The one thing that really got to me was the interior.
The longer I looked at it the more I realized I didn't expect this type of interior It fits right in with the late 1970's $ 80's as you stated, but there is something else about it that stands our from the other V8 cars of that time. You stated MEAN as a personality & I agree with that it has an attitude of A MATTER OF FACT I compare that to a light smack in the face feeling to it. I've never seen one of these cars before but from the sound of you driving over the speed bumps, this car is a work horse. I really get that vibe just from the sound of the suspension & hitting the speed bump.
The simplicity of the dashboard reminds me of the early 70's Chevy Nova & Mid 70's Pontiac but these are due to tiny nuances many overlook like that threaded or stitching pattern on the end edge of the dashboard.
That was some driving at time index 14:11 / 21:34 I wash absorbed by the ever increasing speed & how the car floated side to side up & down & it kind of spaced me out watching it but it really held the turns well. LOL
what an absolutely beautiful car. It literally has everything in basic terms & sounds as good as it drives from a viewer point of view. I can imagine the drive :D
Well Steph you've educated me! I'm 53 years old & spent quite a while in the motor trade & this is the first time I've ever seen one! Looks very America inspired like most classic Aussie cars! I really like it. Thank you for sharing 😊
Saw my first one last month at a show in Ripon.
yep, very American style !
That was good. I'm Australian and I'm in Australia. I'm old enough to remember these cars when they were first released and I thought the concept was really promising but, yes unfortunately they did not live up to expectations. At the time Leyland had a poor reputation in Australia and the fact that it was poorly made and unreliable just doomed it. Nice to see a good example and I agree with you, It's impressive. Thanks.
Wow. At 4:00 you’re talking about suspension, and the way it rolls off your tongue is like poetry! A lady who knows her McPherson struts, Panhard rods and I-beams. You speak authoratively with elegance! Keep up the great vids!
Thank you. I have grappled with suspension for years on various terrible cars so it is something I am familiar with
@@idriveaclassic Well your struggles have paid off Steph! 👍I have fond memories of one of my primary school teacher’s and her husband’s Targa Florio with honeycomb wheels and V8. Also another which sat in the driveway of a house unused for decades! I was mid teens and doing the morning paper round in the mid 80’s when I first noticed it. It finally disappeared about 5 years ago. 😢
Also, a farmhouse that I drive by every other weekend has three sitting in their open machinery shed. I always wonder whether to ask the question of them!? 🤔😁👍
The haters called them a P38 , on account that they were half the car they should have been . Dad had a Brown coloured V8 here in NZ that took us on many trips and in style .
@@IanK1962 That's an insult to the WWII fighter plane. At least the P38 got the job done.
That’s about right - take the P38 Range Rover for example!😂😂😂
P76 was my first V8, cruised all over NZ handled well and was pretty quick in the day
It was certainly quick however it didn't handle very well at all.
@@allanbriggs9007
Perhaps the one you had was ragged out in the suspension...
and Shane's wasn't?
@@JohnSmith-pl2bk No - It was a relatively new P76 - but then again I drove a Peugeot 504 so maybe I was a little Biassed. We were both school teachers and we had to drive through the hills to get to the school. He couldn't stay with me on the corners but on the straights he went straight past me.
My wife and I came to Australia in 1980 and I was going to buy one of these but the people I worked with talked me out of it. I remember them telling me that they were a load of crap and that it would break down frequently. I believed them and didn't buy one and went for another car that we didn't get in the UK at the time, a Mk4 Cortina Ghia with the straight 6 cylinder engine. It lasted for years and was a damned good car.
Some of those Cortinas got poorer fuel mileage than the bigger Falcon models whose engine they were fitted with!
I remember the Ministry of Transport Traffic Department had undercover mufti cars here in New Zealand and the officer's liked the car and a family friend made the black paint that went behind the instrument panel.The Executive model that I owned handled well
Steph, I did 250 miles to Sunderland for a gig and 250 miles back to Norwich. Managed it but got home at 3am and was completely exhausted!!
You will always find the people that rubbish them have never actually owned one, Mum and dad got one and towed a 22' van around Australia with no problems at all, It was a great car and i wish i still had it now.
Nice.
I had a leyland terrior truck in Australia with a v8..
They had lots of p76 engines after production stopped so the put them in the terriors.
Great engine ,did me well.
Much quicker than my tk bedford
As a Pom, this is new to me! And what a well proportioned design it is.I love it.
I owned one in the early 80's. That sound brings back some memories. Yes it had some niggles but anyone who says they don't handle either has never driven one or can't drive. BTW The 6 was a straight six - actually 2.6 litre stroked version of the 2.2 in the Kimberley/Tasman.
As an Aussie I have to say they should have gotten more love when they were released as their design was top notch. For instance the engine is designed to go under the car rather than towards the occupants in a bad accident. That's the sort of thing you would expect in a modern car not something from the 1970s! Then there are lots of little things. For instance I love working on cars but one of the jobs I hate is removing fuel tanks. The P76 makes this a bit easier as they have a bung/bolt on the bottom of the fuel tank that allows you to remove all the fuel before you take the tank out. So a great car that is definitely under appreciated.
hi steph , amazing videos , love this old layland , its a bit before my time , i came to australia 2006 , most cars then were commodor ford falcan , and dear a compliment on your skin colour tights , a nice different from the black opaque , very beautiful dress :)
I love your presentations Steph!!
Im in New Zealand and yes farmers loved them but because they were great towing vehicles on our steep roads. Big horse floats and boot full of Polo kit no drama. But the V8 motor was also a fantastic donor to repower Triumph Stags that had died... mates had those, rocket ships. I really liked the ride in the P76
I had one as my first car when i turned 18 in AUS. I fell in love with its comfort & good power range. Of course, being a young idiot driver, i wrote it off saying hello to a tree. I now have my eye on a very nice one in regional Victoria. Fingers crossed the gentlemen wants to sell it soon. Great Video. I really enjoyed it.
Thankyou Steph for reviewing this car , I was an apprentice in 1973 in a factory down the road from the Leyland Australia Zetland factory in Sydney at the time, saw the P76 Force 10 sports coupe,s Auctioned off in the Auction house across the road , thought that it was silly that they could never registered at the time , there was a sports radio show at the time called" the could of been champions" or effectionately known as the could of beens , there early mascot was the P76 , ( what it could of been) , when they did live shows would arrive in the boot of a P76 and all jump out , old blokes attend car shows with a 44 gallon drum in the boot were a great car.
Searching for P76 Force 7 will find rare surviving cars on RUclips.
Never heard of a force 10.
I believe the six cylinder was a straight 6 not v6, also I got to drive one of these (manual column shift v8) from Antwerp to Amsterdam about 20 odd years ago, I think it was one of maybe 3 examples of this car in Europe at the time and owned by a member of Rover owners club in Belgium.
2.6 litre OHC inline six.
The P-76 had so much potential, and the FORCE 7 Version was a great design. The unions had some responsibility for its demise.
What else have unions ruined
@@karibakid they fund the useless Government we have, which is ruining the country.
@@karibakid and poor management, they colluded to bring out the worst of both worlds in OZ and also it seems in the UK.
Don't forget the accents the reps all had - fully imported from the UK.
@@KerinCrowe hmm
The good old flying wedge. The Force 7 was the sports model, there's only a handful left, I'd have one now, but at the time we thought they were rubbish.
I once was a passenger in a P76 very comfortable and spacious , it's selling point was always that you could fit a 44-gallon drum in the boot, so it was popular with farmers.
Hi Steph. Great vid as usual. Pretty sure your walk around was film up in Adel just over the hill from me. Nice the sun came out for once.
No I was wrong you were in Cookridge just up from my local rail station. I use that route & great to open up my Rover 600 after those speed bumps.
Wow ive not seen a P76 in years, looks to be in great condition and a true credit to the owner. Indeed they were sadly unloved here in oz. Thanks for another informative and awesome review Steph...best channel on youtube by far. Btw i was very jealous at your "hot" sunny weather as its currently a chilly 2 degrees in rural NSW atm although that said it is also midnight lol.
The only one I've seen in England was back in 1978 . Creamy Yellow ( Country Cream ) . I thought it was Yank until spotting the badge . I thought it was better looking than big British designs . Having been in Oz for 40 years now , I reminded how few I've seen here . Even back in the eighties , it was all Falcon 500 and Kingswood .
Lovely review of an interesting car... Would look great with a set of period correct Wolfrace Slot Mags...
With the mentioning of chrysler the front has some of the design features from the dodge challenger one of my dream cars😊
Thankyou apart from being well presented and very informative, I would recognise the p76 I didn’t know much about them. The real pleasure was the drive down the A660 it’s a beautiful road never been there for a long time and it looks like you got nice day for it 👍
I really like the Styling of the P76
Me too!
Yep, me too. It's a car that deserved to do better than it did.
The repeaters for the sidelights, taillights and indicators were the most stylish feature of any car ever to my 6 year old eyes. The Ford LTD was rubbish in comparison.
The V8 was derived from the Rover 3500. Stroked square 3.5”x3.5” with a taller block and 4.4 litres.
My mate put one into his series 1 P6B. He fitted a P76 4-speed before getting a Toyota 5-speed box.
The 5-speed conversion, warm cam, mods as per Hardcastle’s Rover V8 guide took 2 years.
Also there was the “sports” version on the P76 called the Force 7!
Bloody nice.
when I first seen one in Oz with the L badge I ran for the hills & with looks only a mother could love but good review on a good example
Thanks for sharing, Steph. Hope the Morris Rally went well over the weekend. All the best for your car meet next weekend. 😊👍
Great video, thank you. My recollection of these is that they were more infamous for being a flop, rather than innately bad cars. The front and rear styling lacked cohesion with the profile I think.
Bit of a Mercury Cougar vibe going on in the side profile. Brilliant video showing all the styling details and under bonnet etc. and interesting dialogue too. Thank you 👍
My thought is that the front end resembles a larger version of what became the wedgie Austin and Vanden Plas Princess models in the UK.
Nice review. I owned 2 P76 a 2.6 and manual V8 and also drove the V8 with 4 speed toploader. All of them drove well and handling was excellent especially if you fitted a heavier front sway bar. The 4 speed V8 was faster than the equivalent Ford and Holden V8 GTs. The bodies were light with extensive use of alloy front and rear. Seats were comfortable and durable.
With tuning they were very fast and the Executive very plush . The car to buy of course is the Targa Florio version and fit the 4 speed.
Negatives. There were silly design flaws in the trim clips, window winders, wiper motor gear and a few other minor issues. As a classic they make a great viable classic that is robust and relatively cheap to run. Much under rated. But be careful of those front indcator lenses. The car is wider than most.
Two videos in one weekend! You are treating us Steph :) This car is simply stunning! It's a shame we didn't get this in the UK as a rival to the Granada.
Had to smile about your comment about the Speedo being in KM. I moved to Ireland in the 1980s bringing my UK registered car with me. For some weeks I couldn't understand how I was travelling from place to place so quickly. A 40 mile journey was only taking me 20 minutes.
It only dawned on me after about two weeks that road signs were in km not miles 😂
My father bought one after an HQ Holden. Yes, it was greedy around town, and there were quality issues, but I remember driving it and the power and handling were so far ahead of the HQ it was unreal. Power sliding around roundabouts was pretty awesome with my limited skills at 16! Sorry Dad.
They only weighed a tonne.
Greedier than a HQ?
@@jamesfrench7299 1400kg, the same as the original Ford Laser.
@@nickabbott6278 my March 89 Laser (Meteor) sedan weighs 1020kg and that's because it has the auto. Manual weighs just under.
@@nickabbott62781300kg was notably lighter than Holden/Falcon, especially compared to iron V8's. But original Laser-mazda 323 was under 900kg. no comparison
My friend had the V8 P76 which was so bloody quick and sounded awesome,I was driving another leyland car the mighty MINI MOKE !!
I thought of buying the p76 but when I saw how many paint runs the brand new car had I quickly changed my mind and went with the Datsun 180b instead. Never looked back 😊
I've been alive 50 years and have never seen one in person here in Australia. Super Rare!
I knew a guy back in the 80's who had the even rarer Targa Florio version, but at 61 years old I don't think I've ever seen more than three or four of them. By all accounts a good car, but to my eyes horrendously looking, just a clunky looking lump.
Really spiffy machine! Thanks for sharing.
Beautiful example and colour. Good analysis.