RE: PH Carpool: Rover SD1 Vitesse

[dbanes]

It was only a few months back that I considered buying one again after realising I missed the 3500 Vandan Plas we had in Sydney, Australia up until a year or so back. It was our daily, and only car for a few years.

http://davidbanes.com/post/33714498284/i-do-miss-o...

This was the choice, I went with the Triumph Vitesse

http://davidbanes.com/search/rover

David.

[DouggyMc]

I really, really like the SD1. It is on my (very long) list of "must own" cars. That looks a really nice example plus the fact its been in your family for so long makes it extra special!

[blakeyc]

Love these ever since having a Triplex liveried one in my Scalextric as a kid and a trip in the back of a neighbours one - I remember being amazed at the idea of electric windows . I take my hat off to you Sir!

[nismo48]

+1

blakeyc said:

Love these ever since having a Triplex liveried one in my Scalextric as a kid and a trip in the back of a neighbours one - I remember being amazed at the idea of electric windows . I take my hat off to you Sir!

[hilly10]

My old bosses brother had a lime green vitesse I drove it a few times I was in my twenties I used think this is one cool car oh and that V8 made it all the better. Happy memories

[MH]

twosaabs said:

Brilliant car. There's a lime green one around here with gold wheels which looks fantastic (better than you'd expect from a lime/gold colour combo anyway).

Oh yes, the old days.

My dad took me and 8 mates to see Star Wars in his. Yes I said 8 - they have big boots.

Mike

[smilo996]

My father had 2. the first was the green one, TGP 747 R and then a blue one. It is called joy riding now and would result in an azbo but when he was away I used to take it for a spin in the countryside. Brilliant on a provisonal license, initially. Seemed to recall that it would do over 80mph in 2nd gear. Leant to drive in it.
Brilliant car, innovative, good to look at and in those days, fast and seemed to handle well as well.

[traffman]

I allways wanted my dad to buy one when they were new.

I remember the Human League video with the sd1 Rover in it .

Fantastic machine!

[Bezza1969]

Love this car!!

Also love the P6 3500 S....that was the epitomy of the cool cop car when I was a wee lad!! (anyone got a picture of one of those?)

[tubbystu]

Voila.

[Alfa Al]

Fantastic motor! I had a late T/P Vitesse for a couple of years. I had to sell her in 2010 to pay of the ex. Other wise she would definitely still be be with me. Good old Big Viv, I miss her to this day (the car that is, not the ex!).

[Garlick]

I must say, after all of our Carpool features I think this is my favourite so far.

I'm very jealous indeed

[Evo]

The Coppers drove them, hairy chested people raced them (Bastos) and I had the Dinky toy SD1

It's a very cool car.

[anonymous-user]

I had an SD1 3500 which was my Dad's. It was bought by my brother, then passed to me when I was 18. Bloody loved it, it was the same colour (Midas gold) and model as the car used in Human League's "Don't you want me?" video. Very cool, I still have fond memories even though it was built by useless, lazy fkwits.

[miniman]

tubbystu said:

Voila.

[RRG]

I'm a life-long SD1 fan, too. Great great cars.

My Dad worked for British Leyland in the 1970s and 1980s and had them as company cars. We had 8 (yes eight!) back to back, all V8s except one 2600S. Last one was a D-Reg Moonraker Blue Twin Plenum Vitesse. Happily, it still resides in the family garage as his retirement play-thing. Here are a couple of pics:






Paul, shall we get it in the Pistonheads studio some time for some snaps??!!

[grosserbaby]

RRG said:

I'm a life-long SD1 fan, too. Great great cars.

My Dad worked for British Leyland in the 1970s and 1980s and had them as company cars. We had 8 (yes eight!) back to back, all V8s except one 2600S. Last one was a D-Reg Moonraker Blue Twin Plenum Vitesse. Happily, it still resides in the family garage as his retirement play-thing. Here are a couple of pics:






Paul, shall we get it in the Pistonheads studio some time for some snaps??!!

I've already go one and I now want your dads too, I kid you not when I say if he ever needs rid I would have to be persuaded out of it.

Please note I am somewhat sick as I have had 4 of the things, it is an affliction.

[A M G]

RRG said:

Ooh, that's very nice!

Mine's an 1985 single plenum Vitesse in Silver leaf. It was also previously my dad's car, and the one he taught me to drive in, so a certain sentimental attachment!

It followed three others...

PPX 494S in Caribbean(?) Blue, 2600S manual
PYT 532R, also in Caribbean blue, 3500S auto
A271 MJT, Targa(?) Red, 3500 VDP manual

Wow, why do I remember all those registrations!

[RRG]

Ok, I've got to rise to that challenge:

Here we go, this is the list of our SD1s, all BL management cars:

1. SJO 881P, 3500 manual, turmeric yellow
2. PVC 824R, 3500 manual, midas gold
3. HRN 550S, 3500 manual, platinum silver
4. VHG 182V, 3500 manual, midas gold
5. BHG 318V, 3500 manual, triton green with unusual options of air con and headlamp wipers (but not a V8-S)
6. HFR 924W, 3500SE manual, barley yellow with air con, cruise control and headlamp wash, all big options in the day!
7. VHG 231Y, 2600S manual, cashmere gold
8. A616 WUK, 3500SE manual, moonraker blue
9. B959 EOP, 3500 Vanden Plas, oporto red
10. D61 NHS, 3500 Vitesse, moonraker blue (still owned)

strewth, so it was actually 10! but 1 and 2 were only kept very briefly which I was I thought we only had 8.

total mileage in all those came to around 400,000miles and not a SINGLE break down, I kid you not. Don't believe everything you hear on reliability, but I guess it helped that they were all new! They weren't perfect mind, I remember 5th gear breaking on one and needing to hunt around for a distributor cap for another whilst on holiday in southern Germany. Overall they were brilliant and very fondly remembered by may family. Happy days.

ps: I can remember all the names of the colours because I still have ALL the brochures and colour charts. Very sad :-)

[traffman]

Oh god , i'm going to spend the next hour trawling ebay and the like now.

I loved these cars in 1979 and i still admire them now!