SD1 V8 EFi VDP renovation & Morris Minor Restomod

I love the subtle thinking on that car. The front bumper angled-down (albeit matching the drooping swage line), so as to reveal a larger air intake between bumper and bonnet, in turn feeding air to the oil cooler, is very neatly done. The whole car is a bit of an exercise in doing just enough to compete, and absolutely nothing more, with surprisingly few truly custom parts on it.

FWIW, if it were mine, I think body colour metal (or metal-like) could work, so long as it is rounded into the recesses (giving the inserts “heft” like the Minor’s dash) and not just appliqué - might have to re-make the inserts.

Anything else IMHO just looks stuck-on and out of place. The SD1 has a certain “technical” interior aesthetic, but of it’s time (which I love). Carbon or modern complex metal surfaces would, I believe, look rather odd by comparison - or, put another way, detract rather than add to the overall aesthetic.

The alternative is a variation on the mid-2000s Range Rover with its “pillars” - make the inserts appear to “reveal” some sorry of “structure” appearing to be “underneath” the dash. Such as a cross tube of some sort, the inserts becoming “viewing hatches” to that. Could be achieved with a half round at the base of a recess - paint the half round body colour, the rest simply black (say) metal.

My final suggestion is painted fine mesh or speaker cloth, and actually use the recesses for some sort of audio elements, or (on the left) to gently diffuse ventilation air (you’ve got the duct after all - would just a need a remotely-operated flap valve somewhere).

But it is ultimately your car and your taste - and the Minor suggest your taste is well-honed!

I’ve just read this from the start, brilliant read and great photos.
Love what you’re doing to the old girl.

Happy New Year all!

I've been a little busy over December so any spare time was spent addressing the remaining underbody repairs and I've never got around to updating this thread until now....

Repairing the rear sill to wheelarch corrosion on both sides was a job I'd been putting off as there's a lot of form to replicate, but easier to do whilst the axle is still out:









All the rot cut out, sanded back to metal and sprayed in zinc-rich weld-through primer:



Once the new metal was welded in, I could apply Hydrate 80 and paint the arches in more Jotun epoxy followed by seam-sealer to ensure fully waterproof. With a texture like gum it's a little tricky to handle but can be sanded once cured to smooth ready for a top coat of black stone-chip paint.





LHS repair a little easier

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In contrast, the front LHS arch had the most corrosion, so I addressed that once I'd stripped the front end to clean and paint. However, whilst removing the headlamps, one of the glass lenses fell off! I luckliy caught it, but probably explains how moisture had got in to erode the chrome finish. Now I've never tried renovating a headlamp before so fist step was to research the most recommeded brand of chrome paint as many are considered poor. I made my choice and prepared the lamp with the advised black undercoat durimg a particularly cold & miserable day that put me off working outside.









I turned out better than expected - repaired lamp on the left slightly brighter than the original!



All good, so back to the body:










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After cleaning the front arches, early stages of corrosion were visible. So I decided to remove the struts after all to deal with it once the front subframe was refitted to support the engine again.







Temporary protection until I respray the whole of the front wings



And the underside of the front valance:



Final part of engine bay refresh once I'd cleared the battery, electrics and yet more oily deposits:











It felt like I'd reached a rewarding point to finish the year - I've resolved all the deteriorating underbody of what has obviously been a car garaged in a dry environment for much of it's life. For a 38 year-old Rover it could have been so much worse!

Great work!

I have just read through this thread over the last few hours and really enjoyed it. Having owned a couple of SD1's in the past, it really strikes a chord with me !
It's a great read and great effort ! Keep plugging away.

Excellent and enjoyable read OP, I love the SD1.

Your Moggy is excellent too.

I'm gradually rebuilding the car, starting with the rear axle - and replacing its brake lines that had suffered far more that the others:



I'll probably go against the grain here and suggest that with additional care, good results can be achieved with many DIY-quality tools. If I bought the best tools I’d have no cash left to anything with them!



File the end flush with the face, then raise it level with the first lip and apply the flaring dies as required for male or female unions







Then strapped onto the axle along with the new slave cylinders



Then, onto the installation of the various new bushes I'd ordered - including the most obviously torn one locating the torque-tube:



And unlike the front links, to move them I had to resort to the heavy duty (yet still DIY-cheap Chinese import) tools I'd bought for much bigger bushes on my BMW





A simple paint mark allows alignment of new bush during insertion



All good, so onto the much easier to install trailing and Watts link items:







I'd painted the removed rear springs & mounts and fitted new bumpstops that were OEM rubber, unlike the curious remains of the previous celasto items that I've never before seen fitted to an SD1...



So once the fuel tank and guard were refitted, I was ready for the axle going back in

Before I refit the rear axle (as exhaust changes would be easier without); I've a little dilema:

Do I:

a) replace all the slowly rusting mild steel system with a stainless 2" system throughout with proper, clamp joints at appropriate intervals to aid future dis-assembly (this one was totally siezed, and a pain to remove)

OR

b) live with the system for a while to decide if I like the exhaust note (from inside; who honestly really cares what it sounds like to everybody else!)

I'm tending (against instinct to improve things) to go for b) to see how it sounds right now. Partly because it had no connection between banks until the exit - this is contrary to general views as to create a pleasing V8 note. Either a H or X joint is recommended to enhance the V8 sound. So much like the single rear outlet pipe, I'm literally going to suck it and see, and maybe experiment with those 2 options…

So I may as well refit the current system of unknown origin first....and drop the rear axle again to change if desired. I mean what are the chances of the current suspension really delivering my target behaviour?...Ha....

Glad it’s of use; and one I missed was the chrome headlight repair paint!



I imagine the most inspiring part is observing me braving this grim, damp weather! Definitely a downside of working outside through winter, but surely what this season is intended for, ready for Spring! I’ve certainly noticed it’s the damp rather than sub-zero temps that challenge me the most as it ‘gets into your bones’. Still, I tell myself there are benefits of more natural light than being shut away in a nice, warm double garage…

Anyway, enough dreaming; I did a little more to make better the current exhaust system and mate it to the new pipe exit courtesy of my added tunnel. When removed I noticed a few foul conditions to both propshaft and body to address:





So first task was to re-install the system and rotate each section for best possible clearances

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Then deal with the gap to the repositioned, tunnelled outlet - yes I made some work for myself here but it's to address what I consider a major failing by Rover not to accomodate the exhaust routing into the design of such a wonderfully styled car. In addition, with reference to the swan neck outlet, info suggests that the Vitesse rear spoiler cleans up the rear aero turbulence to a level that make exhaust position far less concerning...but time will tell!



This is when painting the underside in a lighter shade really becomes a reward!



1st connection cut to size - I find inserting rolled-up cardboard a good way of marking out the cutting angles at each face



Slightly embarrassing that I had to photoshop-out my address from the piece of (posted!) card I'd used as a template - doh.



Anyway, rear section removed and seam welded