RE: PH Carpool: Rover SD1 Vitesse

[MadDog1962]

BeirutTaxi said:

Nice cars.. but I wouldn't go there. I've met a few (bright) engineers who have owned them and all of them have said the quality stinks. The common element that's been mentioned is that all of the seals on the car are utter crap.

One of the very few desirable Rovers, mind.

The quality was really pretty awful. If they'd made it right it could have been great. I remember one guy I worked with bought the MD's car when it came up for tender. It was a disaster although it had been maintained almost regardless of cost. I reckon the older 3500S (V8-S ?) was much cooler car. Better made and with a more sophisticated de-dion rear end.

[Escort Si-130]

Certainly NOT a PH fav with me. Definately not what my dad drove and would be embaressed if he did. A real fat mans car this was; styling was an abomination.
About the only thing I liked about it was the toy police car version.

[Brummmie]

I had 13 of these during my car dealing days, the main dealers used to so undervalue them, so used to run ads in Autotrader to buy them, 4 of them twin plenums, and all vitesses, I liked them then and still have a soft spot today.

[Jaffers]

Couldn't get to sleep last night after reading this thread - lots of memories of my Rover churning around.
So mine was a 1983 Vitesse in Monza Red with the classic 80's "Vitesse" graphic in black down both sides. I was never quite sure about that graphic, but it really suited the car - like those Maestro and Montego turbos with the same style of decal. Owned by me for two or three years, it was my favourite car ever and I miss it something rotten.
I maxed it once on the M62 coming home from work, no problems at an indicated 140, steady and straight and easy. Wife and I went to a festival in Devon in it and forgot the tent, but with the back seat down we could both stretch out in the boot and look up at the stars through the big glass tailgate. It was great round the lanes in Devon too, when you could see far enough in the other direction. I never had any problems with the handling on mine, didn't roll, didn't squirm - maybe our carpooler needs to sort out his bushes.
The only thing I didn't like on mine was cleaning those multispoke alloys!
It only broke down once - fuel pump seized. It was a Bosch unit, so the British engineering could retain its dignity. I opened it up to find a washer jamming the motor shaft!
I discovered performance was down so took the heads off and gave it a good decoke - apparently they need frequent oil changes to stop the V8 from getting gummed up in the oilways - afterwards it was a beauty to drive and could coax 30mpg on a motorway run, once I'd blasted up to cruising speed.
The interior was so comfortable, all the gadgets worked, trip computer, gauges, lights, locks, windows, never ever gave me any trouble. And I loved the sliding manual sunroof - so quick and easy - just grab the handle and shove it back for instant sky.
Sadly it ended up being scrapped even though it was in excellent nick because it got vandalised and set on fire sitting on the driveway of a friends house in a sleepy Sussex village after surviving years in inner city Liverpool totally unscathed. Irony eh?

[s m]

Jaffers said:

Couldn't get to sleep last night after reading this thread - lots of memories of my Rover churning around.
So mine was a 1983 Vitesse in Monza Red with the classic 80's "Vitesse" graphic in black down both sides. I was never quite sure about that graphic, but it really suited the car - like those Maestro and Montego turbos with the same style of decal. Owned by me for two or three years, it was my favourite car ever and I miss it something rotten.
I maxed it once on the M62 coming home from work, no problems at an indicated 140, steady and straight and easy. Wife and I went to a festival in Devon in it and forgot the tent, but with the back seat down we could both stretch out in the boot and look up at the stars through the big glass tailgate. It was great round the lanes in Devon too, when you could see far enough in the other direction. I never had any problems with the handling on mine, didn't roll, didn't squirm - maybe our carpooler needs to sort out his bushes.
The only thing I didn't like on mine was cleaning those multispoke alloys!
It only broke down once - fuel pump seized. It was a Bosch unit, so the British engineering could retain its dignity. I opened it up to find a washer jamming the motor shaft!
I discovered performance was down so took the heads off and gave it a good decoke - apparently they need frequent oil changes to stop the V8 from getting gummed up in the oilways - afterwards it was a beauty to drive and could coax 30mpg on a motorway run, once I'd blasted up to cruising speed.
The interior was so comfortable, all the gadgets worked, trip computer, gauges, lights, locks, windows, never ever gave me any trouble. And I loved the sliding manual sunroof - so quick and easy - just grab the handle and shove it back for instant sky.
Sadly it ended up being scrapped even though it was in excellent nick because it got vandalised and set on fire sitting on the driveway of a friends house in a sleepy Sussex village after surviving years in inner city Liverpool totally unscathed. Irony eh?

Nice write-up.

I remember Autocar trying to run one of these as a sort of bargain-basement M5 a few years back but they gave up fairly quick

Edited by s m on Wednesday 17th October 08:43

[Duke Thrust]

I think they're a fantastic car, but I admit to being biased:

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

So much love

[appletonn]

Fantastic

I learnt to drive in my Dad's Moonraker Blue Vitesse and also have happy memories of holidays in France towing a trailer tent at an indicated 85mph down the autoroutes!

After one trip to the continent, it was showing rather low oil pressure and a noticeable drop in power - ended up having a top end rebuild with new 270 Piper cam and Janspeed exhaust and Jag airflow meter, which was nice!

Did have some corrosion issues that were sorted but eventually at around 140k miles from new, it was becoming too old/high mileage for my Dad to continue piling 20k miles ayear onto it.

Hindsight says that we should have kept it obviously, especially as it was replaced by a 6 month old 827 Vitesse complete with Honda V6 'power' and front wheel drive!

[LuS1fer]

Best thing about the SD1 was that it donated its rear lights to various Lotus cars and made their rear ends epic.

[excel monkey]

Escort Si-130 said:

A real fat mans car this was

You say that like it's a bad thing. Generally, PH loves "Fat Mans Cars"

[Nobby77]

When I was a wee lad and we lived in Malvern it chucked it down with snow and nobody could get out of the housing estate as there was quite a hill.

My dad chucked the lawnmower and loads of bricks in the back of the SD1 and we made it out ok. Great memories.

[Stewart-83]

I used to open my curtains in the morning and look at a red one. My neighbour had one from when I a nipper until we moved at age 16. He might still have it!!!!

I also had an SD1 scalectrix car which was AWESOME!

[sidaorb]

Had a few 3500 SD1s over the years, 3 or 4 SE models, 1 Vitesse and a pick up used to alternate between these and various 2.0/2.8/3.0 Capris. Proper old skool and great fun in the snow.

[Madmatt74]

s m said:

Jaffers said:

Couldn't get to sleep last night after reading this thread - lots of memories of my Rover churning around.
So mine was a 1983 Vitesse in Monza Red with the classic 80's "Vitesse" graphic in black down both sides. I was never quite sure about that graphic, but it really suited the car - like those Maestro and Montego turbos with the same style of decal. Owned by me for two or three years, it was my favourite car ever and I miss it something rotten.
I maxed it once on the M62 coming home from work, no problems at an indicated 140, steady and straight and easy. Wife and I went to a festival in Devon in it and forgot the tent, but with the back seat down we could both stretch out in the boot and look up at the stars through the big glass tailgate. It was great round the lanes in Devon too, when you could see far enough in the other direction. I never had any problems with the handling on mine, didn't roll, didn't squirm - maybe our carpooler needs to sort out his bushes.
The only thing I didn't like on mine was cleaning those multispoke alloys!
It only broke down once - fuel pump seized. It was a Bosch unit, so the British engineering could retain its dignity. I opened it up to find a washer jamming the motor shaft!
I discovered performance was down so took the heads off and gave it a good decoke - apparently they need frequent oil changes to stop the V8 from getting gummed up in the oilways - afterwards it was a beauty to drive and could coax 30mpg on a motorway run, once I'd blasted up to cruising speed.
The interior was so comfortable, all the gadgets worked, trip computer, gauges, lights, locks, windows, never ever gave me any trouble. And I loved the sliding manual sunroof - so quick and easy - just grab the handle and shove it back for instant sky.
Sadly it ended up being scrapped even though it was in excellent nick because it got vandalised and set on fire sitting on the driveway of a friends house in a sleepy Sussex village after surviving years in inner city Liverpool totally unscathed. Irony eh?

Nice write-up.

I remember Autocar trying to run one of these as a sort of bargain-basement M5 a few years back but they gave up fairly quick

Edited by s m on Wednesday 17th October 08:43

Didnt they give up due to the cost of spares and the brakes being hard to get hold of?

[s m]

Madmatt74 said:

s m said:

Jaffers said:

Couldn't get to sleep last night after reading this thread - lots of memories of my Rover churning around.
So mine was a 1983 Vitesse in Monza Red with the classic 80's "Vitesse" graphic in black down both sides. I was never quite sure about that graphic, but it really suited the car - like those Maestro and Montego turbos with the same style of decal. Owned by me for two or three years, it was my favourite car ever and I miss it something rotten.
I maxed it once on the M62 coming home from work, no problems at an indicated 140, steady and straight and easy. Wife and I went to a festival in Devon in it and forgot the tent, but with the back seat down we could both stretch out in the boot and look up at the stars through the big glass tailgate. It was great round the lanes in Devon too, when you could see far enough in the other direction. I never had any problems with the handling on mine, didn't roll, didn't squirm - maybe our carpooler needs to sort out his bushes.
The only thing I didn't like on mine was cleaning those multispoke alloys!
It only broke down once - fuel pump seized. It was a Bosch unit, so the British engineering could retain its dignity. I opened it up to find a washer jamming the motor shaft!
I discovered performance was down so took the heads off and gave it a good decoke - apparently they need frequent oil changes to stop the V8 from getting gummed up in the oilways - afterwards it was a beauty to drive and could coax 30mpg on a motorway run, once I'd blasted up to cruising speed.
The interior was so comfortable, all the gadgets worked, trip computer, gauges, lights, locks, windows, never ever gave me any trouble. And I loved the sliding manual sunroof - so quick and easy - just grab the handle and shove it back for instant sky.
Sadly it ended up being scrapped even though it was in excellent nick because it got vandalised and set on fire sitting on the driveway of a friends house in a sleepy Sussex village after surviving years in inner city Liverpool totally unscathed. Irony eh?

Nice write-up.

I remember Autocar trying to run one of these as a sort of bargain-basement M5 a few years back but they gave up fairly quick

Edited by s m on Wednesday 17th October 08:43

Didnt they give up due to the cost of spares and the brakes being hard to get hold of?

I'd have to go back and re-read the article to be honest. It was back in 2003 and I can't remember which parts they struggled to get....other than one of the owner forums took it off their hands.

[M3John]

M666 EVO said:

I like this car but what I really like is the passion and commitment to ownership by the owner. It isn't always the car but the owners that make PH great, showing anything (within reason) with 4 wheels can get the old juices flowing...

Nice one Carpool...

I couldn't agree more ^


Nice write up and a lovely story to hear.

[techguyone]

I remember back in the day one of the performance car mags (I forget which one) did a regular feature on a twin plenum one dubbed the 'Cosworth Killer' as at the time cossies were the kings of the hill, anyone else remember? was Performance Car or some such.

[LuS1fer]

Didn't Clarkson stick a 5.0 V8 in one and then try and put it round a track - try being the operative word.

[grosserbaby]

Yes Clarkson did, but it was a non vitesse possibly a series one and I believe otherwise unmodified car, same thing went for Mr Hammond many years later. I think the same problem would apply to any incorrectly modified (clarksoned!) car. It did however sound fab and went everywhere sideways if not very quickly.

[Duke Thrust]

Yes, no suspension changes, wasn't nearly as good as it could have been.

[Robscim]

I loved the SD1's. I remember the Motor road test car stopping at the garage I worked at as a kid during the launch. The driver was somewhat embarrassed to have driven into the back of a truck and dented the bonnet. He was taking it back at the time!!

I seem to remember the Vitesse having a much better gearbox change than the standard V8.

I even know where there's a Vitesse in silver that's been sitting in a barn for at least 10 years if anyone's interested??

Rob