RE: PH Carpool: Rover SD1 Vitesse
Discussion
This is the in-car footage of Tony Pond's terminal 'off' on Stage 1 of the 1984 Lombard RAC Rally, driving the works' Group A Rover Vitesse. Poor Tony had a tough job living it down for a while but came good one year later when he took the MG Metro 6R4 to 3rd place on the 1985 RAC Rally behind the two factory Lancia Delta S4's of Henri Toivonen and Markku Alen.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kr4DbRJT2R8
Rarely an outright rally winner, the Vitesse was always spectacular to watch on the stages and never more so than in Pond's hands. Epic driver - sadly missed.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kr4DbRJT2R8
Rarely an outright rally winner, the Vitesse was always spectacular to watch on the stages and never more so than in Pond's hands. Epic driver - sadly missed.
Bargenosenti said:
What's going on with the yellow one! Dad used to have a 3500 vdp I think. Would love this...
It's a 4.6 conversionhttp://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C306372
s m said:
Housey said:
I'm not sure any police forces rand the Vitesse, I know they ran Vanden Plas, but don't think the Vitesse went into police service.
http://www.roversd1.co.uk/police_cars.htmEdited by s m on Tuesday 16th October 12:44
Love the bit they had to look like they were winding down the electric windows to the public!
Just realised that the YouTube 'poster' has (unforgivably!) added music to the World of Sport footage of Pond's accident!
So PH'ers (some of whom may be unacquainted with the memorable sound of a 'proper' works-prepared V8 Rover Vitesse), for your appreciation and enjoyment, I've found Part 2 of the 1983 BBC Rallysprint which pitched racing drivers against rally drivers. Tony Pond is the last to go in this one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9NbG3RynL2k&fea...
As well as the sound, check out how well a properly-sorted Vitesse handles!
Murray Walker seems appreciative too!
So PH'ers (some of whom may be unacquainted with the memorable sound of a 'proper' works-prepared V8 Rover Vitesse), for your appreciation and enjoyment, I've found Part 2 of the 1983 BBC Rallysprint which pitched racing drivers against rally drivers. Tony Pond is the last to go in this one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9NbG3RynL2k&fea...
As well as the sound, check out how well a properly-sorted Vitesse handles!
Murray Walker seems appreciative too!
That youtube video brought back great memories!! Tony Pond was excellent with the SD1 and made such a large car seem to do the impossible on the rally stages. He is a sorely missed talent.
My dad had an SD1 too. A Monza Red 2300S. It had a black rubber rear spoiler on it that was more subtle than the Vittesse version, it was more akin to the spoiler found on the 2.8 Capri but Rover sized. Yes it wasn't a V8 but to me at the time it was the dogs b
ks. It looked good and it was my job to clean it every Sunday which was never a chore. The Monza Red colour suited it and once cleaned it looked lovely gleaming in the sun. Happy days!!
I would like to own a Vittesse at some stage as they are great looking motors, especially to us blokes that grew up with them.
OP has done a great job with this one and long may it prowl the roads.
My dad had an SD1 too. A Monza Red 2300S. It had a black rubber rear spoiler on it that was more subtle than the Vittesse version, it was more akin to the spoiler found on the 2.8 Capri but Rover sized. Yes it wasn't a V8 but to me at the time it was the dogs b
ks. It looked good and it was my job to clean it every Sunday which was never a chore. The Monza Red colour suited it and once cleaned it looked lovely gleaming in the sun. Happy days!!I would like to own a Vittesse at some stage as they are great looking motors, especially to us blokes that grew up with them.
OP has done a great job with this one and long may it prowl the roads.
broadside said:
That youtube video brought back great memories!! Tony Pond was excellent with the SD1 and made such a large car seem to do the impossible on the rally stages. He is a sorely missed talent.
My dad had an SD1 too. A Monza Red 2300S. It had a black rubber rear spoiler on it that was more subtle than the Vittesse version, it was more akin to the spoiler found on the 2.8 Capri but Rover sized. Yes it wasn't a V8 but to me at the time it was the dogs bks. It looked good and it was my job to clean it every Sunday which was never a chore. The Monza Red colour suited it and once cleaned it looked lovely gleaming in the sun. Happy days!!
I would like to own a Vittesse at some stage as they are great looking motors, especially to us blokes that grew up with them.
OP has done a great job with this one and long may it prowl the roads.
Reminds me of the RAC Rally....My dad had an SD1 too. A Monza Red 2300S. It had a black rubber rear spoiler on it that was more subtle than the Vittesse version, it was more akin to the spoiler found on the 2.8 Capri but Rover sized. Yes it wasn't a V8 but to me at the time it was the dogs b
ks. It looked good and it was my job to clean it every Sunday which was never a chore. The Monza Red colour suited it and once cleaned it looked lovely gleaming in the sun. Happy days!!I would like to own a Vittesse at some stage as they are great looking motors, especially to us blokes that grew up with them.
OP has done a great job with this one and long may it prowl the roads.
My dad had a couple of 2.6 SE's. Nice cars, but the door cards did not like staying attached, and neither did the back of the front seats.
I remember being towed out of Chatsworth after watching the RAC rally. Muddy wet grass, 2.6 auto. going nowhere.
Always had a soft spot for the Vitesse.
Reminds me of the film of the Police driving a Donor Liver in a box
from Stanstead to central London.
They only had 30 minutes to get it there or it was useless.
Fantastic driving by the Police driver!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTN5X4JZFjU
Reminds me of the film of the Police driving a Donor Liver in a box
from Stanstead to central London.
They only had 30 minutes to get it there or it was useless.
Fantastic driving by the Police driver!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTN5X4JZFjU
There once was a young man from the West Country whose Dad had a lovingly restored SD1 Vitesse. His Dad had owned the car for 26 years and 10 years ago had spent upwards of 200hrs eliminating all of the rot and making it look fantastic. The engine had a bit of a tweak and the suspension had been dropped 40mm. All bushes were made of polymer and there was a nice Rimmer exhaust with 4 branch manifolds.
The young man remembers his youth trips from the West Country to Brands Hatch to watch truck racing and alike, 165 miles in around 2.5hrs… Naughty Dad!
Fast forward 20 (or so) years and the young man uses the Vitesse as and when he pleases. He polishes it and takes it to his pals wedding where the car joins the ranks of other big V8’s in the pre-wedding show and shine. His pal who is in the car industry has lots of other car folk at the wedding. They all admired his Dads handiwork and enjoyed reminiscing about how they had one of these as a staff car whilst sniffing in the classic BL smell.
A few years later after a few more tweaks to keep the car road worthy the not so young man (33 now) decides to drive the Vitesse to work in Bath to show his admiring colleagues. First mistake… Brand new tyres on the front! Second mistake… Not replacing the 15 year old tyres on the rear! Third mistake… Deciding it will be ok to drive to work in the wet…!
Result =
That telephone call was the toughest, the not so young man, had ever had to make. His Dad didn’t believe him especially as the car had been running better than it ever had before. Thankfully the SD1 was one of the first cars with crumple zones so there were no injuries, other than pride.
The young man remembers his youth trips from the West Country to Brands Hatch to watch truck racing and alike, 165 miles in around 2.5hrs… Naughty Dad!
Fast forward 20 (or so) years and the young man uses the Vitesse as and when he pleases. He polishes it and takes it to his pals wedding where the car joins the ranks of other big V8’s in the pre-wedding show and shine. His pal who is in the car industry has lots of other car folk at the wedding. They all admired his Dads handiwork and enjoyed reminiscing about how they had one of these as a staff car whilst sniffing in the classic BL smell.
A few years later after a few more tweaks to keep the car road worthy the not so young man (33 now) decides to drive the Vitesse to work in Bath to show his admiring colleagues. First mistake… Brand new tyres on the front! Second mistake… Not replacing the 15 year old tyres on the rear! Third mistake… Deciding it will be ok to drive to work in the wet…!
Result =
That telephone call was the toughest, the not so young man, had ever had to make. His Dad didn’t believe him especially as the car had been running better than it ever had before. Thankfully the SD1 was one of the first cars with crumple zones so there were no injuries, other than pride.
storminnorman said:
I NEED that car in my life
curse you bank account for being so empty - curse you
joemaxi said:
Always had a soft spot for the Vitesse.
Reminds me of the film of the Police driving a Donor Liver in a box
from Stanstead to central London.
They only had 30 minutes to get it there or it was useless.
Fantastic driving by the Police driver!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTN5X4JZFjU
I think they'd struggle to do that these days, even when the sound track said it was busy it looked pretty quiet by current standards!Reminds me of the film of the Police driving a Donor Liver in a box
from Stanstead to central London.
They only had 30 minutes to get it there or it was useless.
Fantastic driving by the Police driver!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTN5X4JZFjU
All these great stories about the SD1, well here's mine,a family friend had one as a company car and as it was 2years and 10 months old he wanted to buy it from the company for peanuts at 3 years old.
He drained the oil from the V8 drove it hard for 30 miles put the oil back in and within the week took it the local main deler as it was a noisy and smokey!! they replaced with a brand new engine under warranty and he bought the car and had it for years.
He drained the oil from the V8 drove it hard for 30 miles put the oil back in and within the week took it the local main deler as it was a noisy and smokey!! they replaced with a brand new engine under warranty and he bought the car and had it for years.
I have had a few of these in various guises.2000,2300,2400,2600 and a V8 non efi (this engine ended up in my MGB). I always wanted a vitesse but never got around to getting one. Shamefully I went the Japanese turbo route with a Silvia and then the SD1 seemed old hat. The V8 was mechanically good but bodily frail. The 2400 had no power (early diesel VM engine) and the straight sixes liked to chew rocker boxes but back in the day I could swap one out in 1/2 hour.
I would buy one today though...a moonraker blue twin plenum ..please
My friend built a twin turbo RAC log booked, seam welded and caged beastie, If I remember right it was a new shelled S plate. Now that was epic !
I think there is still one parked in Chesterfield that was converted to a pick up with a 3.9.
The police ran them in Sheffield but they had another Rover badge on the right hand side. Those in the know could tell by the front brakes though.
I am not really a Rover fan... more an SD1 fan really.....
I would buy one today though...a moonraker blue twin plenum ..please
My friend built a twin turbo RAC log booked, seam welded and caged beastie, If I remember right it was a new shelled S plate. Now that was epic !
I think there is still one parked in Chesterfield that was converted to a pick up with a 3.9.
The police ran them in Sheffield but they had another Rover badge on the right hand side. Those in the know could tell by the front brakes though.
I am not really a Rover fan... more an SD1 fan really.....
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