16th Jun 2005, 07:25
I am currently restoring a Leyland P76 Executive that my dad owned before me. He did a lot to the drive-line, but nothing for its appearance, so now I'm giving it a full 'retro rebuild.'
I'm 20, and I think I’m one of the few people in my age group who knows what a Leyland P76 is.
I just love blowing new 'performance' cars away. People pull up next to me in their twenty/thirty thousand dollar cars with a smirk on their face - I’m sure you know the type. They sit there in their fancy imported cars giving me and my car a condescending look, you know - the 'I’m better than you' look, then the lights change and my tyres fry. Once they catch up, they don't bother to make eye contact.
I’m proud to own my P76. So far, with its power-to-weight ratio, and the car being unknown to younger drivers, it’s a 'menace' to them, something they’ll remember. And just so they know what has beaten them, my large custom Leyland P76 badge lets then know what it is.
So if you can ever own a V8 P76, jump at the chance, even if it's not an Executive. The only thing you won’t get is power steering, but you’ll still have 192 BHP of 'stock fun'.
If you want more info. on a Leyland P76, feel free to email me at orangep76@bigpond.com James.L.H.
18th Jan 2008, 10:57
It's a pity we never got the P76 in the uk, it sounds like a stormer. I don't suppose it would have sold with out petrol prices, closest we got was the Rover sd1 which used a smaller version of the same engine.
9th Mar 2009, 05:49
Hi all, I bought a P76 4.4 Executive in November 1979 for $699 in a car yard in Darwin.
Towed a tandem trailer to Melbourne, a trip of 3000 miles, and still got 22 MPG with the A/C on all the way. At the time air was a bit of a novelty.
The only thing that went wrong was the ignition key. I had to install a starter button.
Wish I had kept it
John.
1st Dec 2010, 02:14
Hi! My name is Lynette, I wish I had found your website earlier. I have a Leyland Front Grille Badge, which I tried to clean; not knowing anything about cars, I sprayed it with WD40, this was the worst thing I could have done - black paint flaked off - ruined, I thought of getting it restored, instead I put it on ebay, only one person is watching, if they don't buy it, can I get it restored?
Regards, Dumb Blonde Lynette.
9th Dec 2002, 00:48
I have owned many P76's over the years and can comfortably say that they are a superb car.
With a base model V8 4 speed weighing in at just 1200kg they have helped me bruise many an ego at the traffic light drags. The alloy engine responds well to even mild modifications and is virtually unbreakable.
Do yourself a favor and buy one of these great Aussie cars and join a P76 club for easy availability of spare parts.