1985 Rover 3500 Vitesse
Discussion
Fuel consumption seems pretty good! We’ve had a couple of Rover V8s with slush boxes and they were generally awful - thirsty and slow. Having a five speed manual transforms them, but not done any calculations for economy in the current P5B (carbs so probably thirstier for that).
I’m sure I did know the P6 had inboard disks but it had totally gone from my mind! As you say, no point with the BBSs.
It looks incredible. Definitely prefer it on the gold now, hope they come back soon!
I’m sure I did know the P6 had inboard disks but it had totally gone from my mind! As you say, no point with the BBSs.
It looks incredible. Definitely prefer it on the gold now, hope they come back soon!
B'stard Child said:
I’m hugely biased I know but RR events have a really good vibe and Goodwood is such a good venue
They really do. I think my favourite event of the year.MTW said:
So glad to find this thread, I saw your car at Bicester and loved it. Looks absolutely spot on with the BBS, such a cool looking car.
Thankyou, now going back to the standard wheels makes me realise how much I love the BBS's. bangerhoarder said:
Fuel consumption seems pretty good! We’ve had a couple of Rover V8s with slush boxes and they were generally awful - thirsty and slow. Having a five speed manual transforms them, but not done any calculations for economy in the current P5B (carbs so probably thirstier for that).
I’m sure I did know the P6 had inboard disks but it had totally gone from my mind! As you say, no point with the BBSs.
It looks incredible. Definitely prefer it on the gold now, hope they come back soon!
Cheers, yeah it's really pretty good considering. I'm the same, I don't think I realised how much i loved the BBS's until I put the standard wheels back on. I’m sure I did know the P6 had inboard disks but it had totally gone from my mind! As you say, no point with the BBSs.
It looks incredible. Definitely prefer it on the gold now, hope they come back soon!
So continuing with the improvements I'm coming back to a previous improvement I'm not happy with.
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53786432542_2ab402e363_b.jpg)
I'd previously replaced all the rotten fuel line brackets with some snazzy aluminum ones. I thought perfect, but because of the design pushes the fuel lines too far apart, and the bottom one below the chassis rail.
Which means last year I almost ripped one off entering an underground car park, and this year leaving my driveway!
That scuff mark does not make me happy.
I'd been looking for an alternative for a while, which wasn't so easy with the specific space constraints and I wanted them to hold both 8mm fuel lines, and 13mm rubber hoses. But I came across these plastic clips from a range rover. Which with a little modification should work nicely.
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53787605668_9042f9944a.jpg)
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53787689384_959228c486_b.jpg)
That brings the lines into exactly the same position as original, and above the chassis line, so much more protected now.
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53787825005_8c781ba201_b.jpg)
Does look really odd back on the original wheels.
But does break them loose easier!
So my diagnosis of why it had been hunting and generally randomly driving like crap was incorrect.
The drive down to Motofest was hateful!
I pulled into our meeting point with my idle going from 12:1 to 20:1 AFR.
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53787825000_c714765e34_b.jpg)
Luckily it's only 35mins away.
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53787824985_b8d5c63fcf_b.jpg)
But for that day it just needed to look pretty.
It was a good weekend, but christ are the general public disrespectful.
Don't get me wrong I had some lovely people asking about the car, but over the weekend I watched a man and his son walk up to a Lotus, try the door, and then try to get in! ( It was 100% not his car), a kid pulled the wing mirror off a stag, and another kid broke the door handle of a Micra trying it to get in.
Shame as the backdrop is brilliant. My car came off unscathed, just a lot of handprints over the sides and windows.
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53787368356_616112fc47_b.jpg)
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53787750884_945d5c0000_b.jpg)
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53787649103_c59821b11c_b.jpg)
(yes I know the stickers look silly on the original wheels)
It also decided it wanted to run brilliantly from the saturday afternoon, and the whole of the sunday!
So searching back through my memory, This isn't the first time I've had this weird hunting, and last time it was cured by swapped in the ECU from my other Vitesse. But I suspect that's now developed the same fault. They are known for their solder drying out and cracking giving intermittent rough running.
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53787584873_eec9812177_b.jpg)
I've already got it booked in with ATC for an ecu and AFM rebuild just to really belt and braces it. But in the mean time I knew I'd bought a spare ECU.
This one was supposedly rebuilt. Abet quite a while ago...
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53786430757_ff8114eb96_b.jpg)
![](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53787369001_de044acc3f_b.jpg)
But in she goes, and I've got a lovely stable AFR reading again.
Just in time for Players Classic!
Joe
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