RE: SOTW Rover SD1 3500

[SaintsPaul]

I had a few of these.
My 2600 decided to warp its head so my mate suggested to fit a V8 into it.
What with the suspension being stiffer in the 2600 it handled like a dream.
I even managed to snap a crank in one of my V8's!
Happy days

[Waynester]

Special Development No 1

Love em, owned 2, my 1st I bought in '91, a rather ratty 2300SE auto in red, beige interior.
Huge car inside, I remember trying to hold my (then) girlfriends hand & it being quite a stretch. Comfy though.

My 2nd, an ex Police 3500 manual. Gearbox was a bit agricultural, but I became familiar with it again in later years with a succession of TVR Wedges!

Did you know the passenger vent directly in front was also used for the LHD steering column?

A true retro cool car!

Always wanted a Vitesse 3.9 Twin Plenum... Deep front spoiler, big rear rubber spoiler, lowered suspension.. amazing looking beast!

[IanMorewood]

I had one, white with lights on the top, it never could catch the Porsche 911 bandit car, now where is my old Scalextrics?

[Morningside]

Fantastic! I have owned about 8 of these cars. Worse was the 2600 that seized at Dartford Tunnel on tickover. Best I had was a LHD with aircon. re-imported but fitted with sprint cams and to add to the fun it also had a 'scaffold' exhaust finished off with a cherry bomb.

Forgot the 2000 I had a well. What a load of st! It was so gutless it could not even climb a curb.

I really do miss the SD1 and would have another tomorrow IF I could find one cheap (and money situation changes). Last one I saw the chap wanted £7000 for it.

Back in the 80s what else for that price would give you such luxury? Size, hatchback, electric windows, electric sunroof etc. etc.

I also went for the later 827 but although it was a nice car (tinny) it just lacked that something.


Did anyone own a 2400 diesel one?

Edited by Morningside on Friday 29th April 21:10

[YesItsARover]

Teggers said:

Agreed. Puts things in perspective and gives a great laugh to drive as well

My first car was registered 1 month after I was born I still miss it...

The one I like is this one: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&am...



I will have one. Not bored enough of my car yet though.

[welshpete]

I used to own THE definitive SD1 V8! I was young, fresh out of the forces with no sense and too much time and money. Purchased for 2 grand from a Rover enthusiast, (you know the type, friendly man with beard pipe and anorak, and his wife, also with beard!). Anyway, nine weeks in the Oscelli tuning works and almost 17 grand lighter of bank balance, I was the proud owner of a twin turbo'd 3.9 V8, fully lightened and balanced, full race cams, six speed box, and 555bhp on the rear wheels. Santa Pod in 1998 saw the quarter mile in 11.98 seconds. Sadly, due to (largely) unwaranted attention from aged William, (or plod) to the yougers amongst us, and a wife who despised the 8 mpg fuel consumption, (much less if driven anywhere above 3000 rpm), the car was sold to a friend, who promptly attempted to break the land speed record whilst spinning as many times as possible along the M4! Predictably, he failed, the laws of physics triumphed, mass overcame inertia and the car disintegrated on impact with the Armco barrier!A sad end to a truly remarkable feat of engineering, based on the humble but graceful SOTW featured above! Forgot to mention the car was painted luminescent lime green with a Porsche whale tail spoiler, Carlos Fandango extra wide wheels and looked bloody awful. Mind you, at that age, It was only truly visible when I was parked! Ahem........

[nigelpugh7]

I had one back in the 80's, it was British Racing Green, and a 5 speed manual, god how we loved that car.

The times we had races from the Midlands to Torquay and places like that on the M5 Motorway at silly three figure speeds will live forever in my memories!!

It was also a great car to entertain (ahem!!) the ladies in if you know what I mean, although the gear shifter some times got in the way (intentionally!!)

Mine was surprisingly reliable, despite doing big miles, I think it had done 150K when I finally sold it, all I actually did as work was a new set of hydraulic lifters to stop the rattle, other wise it was flawless!!

Who says BL made bad cars, mine was fantastic!!

I remember my girlfriend of the time, crying in floods of tears when I sold it, and the new owner drove it away!!

Happy Happy days and memories!!

[jerrytlr]

nigelpugh7 said:

It was also a great car to entertain (ahem!!) the ladies in if you know what I mean, although the gear shifter some times got in the way (intentionally!!)

Talking of which, what was that excellent film that IIRC featured an SD1 - an old(er) bloke 'entertaining' two teenage girls?

Going mad trying to remember the name of it....

[School boy]

Zad said:

I've always got a soft spot for the big SD1s. Possibly the only Rover/Leyland car I'd ever consider owning. The definitive Met Police motor.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTN5X4JZFjU

I'd say the P6 was more successful with the Met but I suppose the image of an
SD1 comes to mind instead. The only
knowledge of this statement is that my
dad drove both in the Met as an Area car.
He swears by the P6 but says with the
SD1 they had to change the wheels as
the brakes cought fire (this might have
been on the smaller engine rather than V8) but this
was more of a Met cock-up than rover. Also I think it was the first model where they were all White? Rather than some being plain dark blue.

Edited by School boy on Friday 29th April 23:42

[speedtwelve]

jerrytlr said:

Talking of which, what was that excellent film that IIRC featured an SD1 - an old(er) bloke 'entertaining' two teenage girls?

Going mad trying to remember the name of it....

Rita, Sue and Bob too...

[Waynester]

speedtwelve said:

Rita, Sue and Bob too...

Classic film.... 'Oi, it's my turn' as he chucks his used splatter catcher out the window!

[Waynester]

welshpete said:

I used to own THE definitive SD1 V8! I was young, fresh out of the forces with no sense and too much time and money. Purchased for 2 grand from a Rover enthusiast, (you know the type, friendly man with beard pipe and anorak, and his wife, also with beard!). Anyway, nine weeks in the Oscelli tuning works and almost 17 grand lighter of bank balance, I was the proud owner of a twin turbo'd 3.9 V8, fully lightened and balanced, full race cams, six speed box, and 555bhp on the rear wheels. Santa Pod in 1998 saw the quarter mile in 11.98 seconds. Sadly, due to (largely) unwaranted attention from aged William, (or plod) to the yougers amongst us, and a wife who despised the 8 mpg fuel consumption, (much less if driven anywhere above 3000 rpm), the car was sold to a friend, who promptly attempted to break the land speed record whilst spinning as many times as possible along the M4! Predictably, he failed, the laws of physics triumphed, mass overcame inertia and the car disintegrated on impact with the Armco barrier!A sad end to a truly remarkable feat of engineering, based on the humble but graceful SOTW featured
above! Forgot to mention the car was painted luminescent lime green with a Porsche whale tail spoiler, Carlos Fandango extra wide wheels and looked bloody awful. Mind you, at that age, It was only truly visible when I was
parked! Ahem........

Any pictures??

I fitted a Cossie whale tail to my old 2300SE!! 20 years old, and no bloody idea!
I remember trying to cut out little cut outs for the bolts to go in & so can then be done up on the boot lid sides.
Looked ridiculous on 185 tyres & steel rims!

Ah the simplicity of youth...

[grosserbaby]

Mine is a 1985 Vitesse ish. Sounds great, drinks more tha Ollie Reid on a bender but she is a good old bus.

Whats not to like about an old doggy Rover.

[GilbertGutbucket]

speedtwelve said:

Rita, Sue and Bob too...

Lol.......Rita's legs spread accomodatingly akimbo either side of the front n/s headrest, one hanging out of the window IIIRC.

[PlayersNo6]

The thing I remember reading about the SD1 is that BL built a state of the art factory (for the time) to build them in but the unions, un-surprisingly, screwed it up with the staffing arrangements.

Didn't the paint used to peel off in large sheets or something.

[dapprman]

HAB said:

These are rubbish. A P6 is a much better car in almost every way.

Take it you've never driven either ?

My old man had a P6 (I was too young at the time to remember) and two SD1s - all three with the 3.5 litre V8 and he preferred the latter. His first SD1 was an early SE that was a wonderful car and prompted him to get a vitesse later on which I seem to remember started to rust after just a year or so. I do remember I used to get car sick in them and my folks thought it was me, however he replaced the second one with an Audi 100 - the aerodynamic one (0.28 td ?) and I was never car sick again. Now that was just as far, just as comfortable, but more economical and a lot more reliable.

[FM]

Nice article & excellent stories..

There is an affinity with the SD1 in the UK, launched the V8 aspirations of many who were figuring out how to enjoy V8 ownership without going for yank tanks or the big german barge route or perhaps lacked the affluence in youth to head for TVR`s or similar exotically equipped V8 sports cars.

Ergonomically, I love em, great to look at in my opinion, makes a striking car of it`s era if presented well. The classic spares stockpile for running these cars is still good for the wry classic car owner who can enjoy good parts availabilty.

Aquired a few over the years, have fostered 4 examples of the marque over the last decade, fond memories in all, sporting remarkably shiny & durable bodywork layed up at this time such as they are. Passion for the marque is needed if running everyday which is par for the course in any early 80`s classic. A series 2 with dough invested in sporting brakes & suspension & some investment under the hood makes a nice recipe in my book..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ozm2whDhELc

[Birkers89]

Still have one sitting on the driveway but the later Vanden Plas edition. If you can iron out the fault's that BL so helpfully provided then you are on to a winner. I have fond memories of telling my mum before I could even reach the pedals that she had to keep the rev's up otherwise the car would start to judder when driving me to primary school in one of my dad's many SD1's.

[mcford]

I remember when we had to supply four black Vanden Plas EFi models for when the Queen visited a local RAF base in 1984. It was quite exciting as an 18 year old taking the day off college to go and collect three of them with a couple of colleagues and driving them in convoy back through London, three identical cars on nearly consecutive registration numbers.

One of them had a slight accident on the way back, where it got reversed into the corner of a wall ending in a crumpled bumper and a big V in the tailgate and a bit of grey primer showing.

[car crazy]

I had a rover sd1 2600 in 1983 lovely car, at nineteen it was my first powerful car