RE: PH Heroes: Rover 3500 Vitesse
Discussion
clonmult said:
Triumph Man said:
vsonix said:
It's almost got a 4-door 'Gran Coupé' vibe going on, ha!
Ahead of its time 
I think Audi might have taken some inspiration for the A7. The rear end, in my opinion, looks like a slightly modernised SD1.
infradig said:
and the brakes would disappear within a couple enthusiastic miles.
Which is one of several reasons why the Met.Police drivers were less than impressed with the SDI when compared to the P6 (along with the lack of grunt from the 2600 engines)The brake issue was why the Met garages took to fitting the Minilites to their fleet, in an attempt to help with brake cooling.
No Morningside, that's incorrect
I and a colleague collected the very first pair of 825's delivered to pice forces and they were fine for the gear (saloons, not hatch) but to be fair they didn't last long, a bit like the Imprezas that came later; good cars but not up to police work.
In answer to another reply, I wasn't aware that the Vitesses came in gold (unless its been resprayed?).
I and a colleague collected the very first pair of 825's delivered to pice forces and they were fine for the gear (saloons, not hatch) but to be fair they didn't last long, a bit like the Imprezas that came later; good cars but not up to police work.
In answer to another reply, I wasn't aware that the Vitesses came in gold (unless its been resprayed?).
Some lovely comments there guys thank you:-)I covered my restoration on the rover sd1 club forum.Its available for you to have a mooch at at here,you will have to join the forum first though but were a freindly bunch! JJ's sp vitesse resto(under projects)
http://www.roversd1club.net/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_...
http://www.roversd1club.net/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_...
j_s14a said:
An old friend of mine had two of these, one Vitesse and one V8S. The V8S was immaculate, one owner and very low mileage. Both were gold.
Not sure if he still has them, I was expecting him to have posted on here.
My Dad had a V8-S. Pretty rare car these days I reckon. It was just before the Vitesse came out, but he never got one of those. I did though, some years later, YTV142Y. Probably long dead now! Not sure if he still has them, I was expecting him to have posted on here.
JRFJ said:
Some lovely comments there guys thank you:-)I covered my restoration on the rover sd1 club forum.Its available for you to have a mooch at at here,you will have to join the forum first though but were a freindly bunch! JJ's sp vitesse resto(under projects)
http://www.roversd1club.net/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_...
http://www.roversd1club.net/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_...
Great save! 
Same colour as my old one too! phil633 said:
Spent many a sleepless night working on this for the weekends racing.Great car.
Especially after it went backwards into the tyres at about 80mph! I still remember Murray Walker's "It says Demon Tweeks on the side and THAT's a Demon Tweek!"OllieC said:
What's not to like !
Dennis Leech's car from 1988, the last time these ran in the BTCC
I would love a mint twin plenum vitesse
Dennis Leech's car from 1988, the last time these ran in the BTCC
I would love a mint twin plenum vitesse
The SD1 Vitesse is one of those cars i would love to have 'sorted' like KWE do with the old Series III Jags...
I'm thinking......
Bodywork fully sorted and protected and painted in a really deep metalic Black.
The deep chin spoiler and large rear boot spoiler combo.
17" deep dish 2-piece 'lattice' type wheels
Modern tyres.
A really sorted chassis set up, thats firm and lowered (slighlty) but doesnt crash and bang over bumps.
The engine, Auto box, running gear and brakes from a 4.2litre supercharged Jaguar XJR
A set of period 80's 'fully electric' Recaro seats, and the interior re-trimmed in a dark tan/saddle coloured soft leather with all the walnut trims restored.
Modern Air conditioning and audio and a fridge behind the rear arm rest.
I'm thinking......
Bodywork fully sorted and protected and painted in a really deep metalic Black.
The deep chin spoiler and large rear boot spoiler combo.
17" deep dish 2-piece 'lattice' type wheels
Modern tyres.
A really sorted chassis set up, thats firm and lowered (slighlty) but doesnt crash and bang over bumps.
The engine, Auto box, running gear and brakes from a 4.2litre supercharged Jaguar XJR
A set of period 80's 'fully electric' Recaro seats, and the interior re-trimmed in a dark tan/saddle coloured soft leather with all the walnut trims restored.
Modern Air conditioning and audio and a fridge behind the rear arm rest.
richard300 said:
The SD1 Vitesse is one of those cars i would love to have 'sorted' like KWE do with the old Series III Jags...
I'm thinking......
Bodywork fully sorted and protected and painted in a really deep metalic Black.
The deep chin spoiler and large rear boot spoiler combo.
17" deep dish 2-piece 'lattice' type wheels
Modern tyres.
A really sorted chassis set up, thats firm and lowered (slighlty) but doesnt crash and bang over bumps.
The engine, Auto box, running gear and brakes from a 4.2litre supercharged Jaguar XJR
A set of period 80's 'fully electric' Recaro seats, and the interior re-trimmed in a dark tan/saddle coloured soft leather with all the walnut trims restored.
Modern Air conditioning and audio and a fridge behind the rear arm rest.
No to the auto! make sure you badge it as a VDP EFI then not a Vitesse.I'm thinking......
Bodywork fully sorted and protected and painted in a really deep metalic Black.
The deep chin spoiler and large rear boot spoiler combo.
17" deep dish 2-piece 'lattice' type wheels
Modern tyres.
A really sorted chassis set up, thats firm and lowered (slighlty) but doesnt crash and bang over bumps.
The engine, Auto box, running gear and brakes from a 4.2litre supercharged Jaguar XJR
A set of period 80's 'fully electric' Recaro seats, and the interior re-trimmed in a dark tan/saddle coloured soft leather with all the walnut trims restored.
Modern Air conditioning and audio and a fridge behind the rear arm rest.
I loved mine, a Vanden Plas V8 auto. Not the best colour in the world (gold), but that dash, that shape, the V8 noise and the thick leather seats were fantastic. Horrendous wind noise at speed and the boot resembled a pond but still loved it. BL built them badly but fair play to them for the concept.
It drifted beautifully thanks to that long wheelbase - shame I couldn't afford the fuel at the time. I also think that the 3 speed auto was too low geared in top - I'd like to have tried a manual.
It drifted beautifully thanks to that long wheelbase - shame I couldn't afford the fuel at the time. I also think that the 3 speed auto was too low geared in top - I'd like to have tried a manual.
Oddball RS said:
richard300 said:
The SD1 Vitesse is one of those cars i would love to have 'sorted' like KWE do with the old Series III Jags...
I'm thinking......
Bodywork fully sorted and protected and painted in a really deep metalic Black.
The deep chin spoiler and large rear boot spoiler combo.
17" deep dish 2-piece 'lattice' type wheels
Modern tyres.
A really sorted chassis set up, thats firm and lowered (slighlty) but doesnt crash and bang over bumps.
The engine, Auto box, running gear and brakes from a 4.2litre supercharged Jaguar XJR
A set of period 80's 'fully electric' Recaro seats, and the interior re-trimmed in a dark tan/saddle coloured soft leather with all the walnut trims restored.
Modern Air conditioning and audio and a fridge behind the rear arm rest.
No to the auto! make sure you badge it as a VDP EFI then not a Vitesse.I'm thinking......
Bodywork fully sorted and protected and painted in a really deep metalic Black.
The deep chin spoiler and large rear boot spoiler combo.
17" deep dish 2-piece 'lattice' type wheels
Modern tyres.
A really sorted chassis set up, thats firm and lowered (slighlty) but doesnt crash and bang over bumps.
The engine, Auto box, running gear and brakes from a 4.2litre supercharged Jaguar XJR
A set of period 80's 'fully electric' Recaro seats, and the interior re-trimmed in a dark tan/saddle coloured soft leather with all the walnut trims restored.
Modern Air conditioning and audio and a fridge behind the rear arm rest.
Now, if they built them today, to modern standards..............
tonys said:
Great cars; they did do auto. Vitesses for about 12 months, stopped them when the VDP Efi came out.
Now, if they built them today, to modern standards..............
I suppose the 75 V8 and the ZT 260 are the closest thing we'll ever get to a Vanden Plas EFi and Vitesse spiritual successor. Now, if they built them today, to modern standards..............
richard300 said:
The SD1 Vitesse is one of those cars i would love to have 'sorted' like KWE do with the old Series III Jags...
I'm thinking......
Bodywork fully sorted and protected and painted in a really deep metalic Black.
The deep chin spoiler and large rear boot spoiler combo.
17" deep dish 2-piece 'lattice' type wheels
Modern tyres.
A really sorted chassis set up, thats firm and lowered (slighlty) but doesnt crash and bang over bumps.
The engine, Auto box, running gear and brakes from a 4.2litre supercharged Jaguar XJR
A lot like mine then I'm thinking......
Bodywork fully sorted and protected and painted in a really deep metalic Black.
The deep chin spoiler and large rear boot spoiler combo.
17" deep dish 2-piece 'lattice' type wheels
Modern tyres.
A really sorted chassis set up, thats firm and lowered (slighlty) but doesnt crash and bang over bumps.
The engine, Auto box, running gear and brakes from a 4.2litre supercharged Jaguar XJR
but not auto and not the jag engine but very much the brakes, putting discs on the rear as well:http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
Triumph Man said:
vsonix said:
It's almost got a 4-door 'Gran Coupé' vibe going on, ha!
Ahead of its time I think Audi might have taken some inspiration for the A7. The rear end, in my opinion, looks like a slightly modernised SD1.
Neighbour has one & I'm always minded of the SD1 every time I walk past. Contemporaneous with the houses, the SD1 - which helps the nostalgia.
God, I love those cars. A neighbour had two V8's following various Triumph PI's. Remember him replacing bits on Sunday mornings, a big puddle of QXR on the road annoying the crap out of everyone but me.
I was about five and I blame me becoming a Mechanic on him.
Car's are mere 'White goods' now, compared to them.....
I was about five and I blame me becoming a Mechanic on him.
Car's are mere 'White goods' now, compared to them.....
infradig said:
Yes! I'd forgotten all about the mental cruise control,my wife's VdP carb would kick down when you pressed resume,it was as if you'd floored the thing.
So had I. A bit scary when you had it set for 70, pressed resume from a low speed and it kicked down and accelerated without feet on the pedals.infradig said:
and the brakes would disappear within a couple enthusiastic miles.
Oh God yes. I remember going through a set of mini roundabouts and almost rear ending the car in front of due to brake fade. Woefully small front discs. You could get a conversion using Jag discs.infradig said:
I think it's called character and I can't see today's 'executive' cars prompting such misty eyed nostalgia in 30 years time- ' my dads A4/320 produced 140kg of nitrous oxide per millimetre' or whatever b
ks makes people drive these things,doesn't sound quite so interesting.
Well it depends what we end up with in the future. Todays cars may seem like noisy, fume belching, character laden bad boys. It saddens me to think what the SD1 could have been with a bit more development and refinement, but steady evolution through the years like BMW wasn't BL's thing. It was all down to their shoddy management though because I don't remember the P5B and P6 being so badly built, although maybe I'm looking through rose tinted glasses.ks makes people drive these things,doesn't sound quite so interesting.
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