RE: Rover SD1 | Spotted
Discussion
Zumbruk said:
What a pity that BL were totally unable to make the paint stick on these for any length of time.
I'm sure you're right for a lot of them, but the paint on mine - a gold one - was probably the only thing I didn't have some sort of trouble with. It was about 10 or 12 years old at the time, I think.monzaxjr said:
Digga said:
I'm not saying I had a deprived childhood, but whilst Digga snr had a V6 Granada, three of my mate's dads had V8 SD1s, some of them had several, a mix of both Vitesse and Vanden Plas.
One of the latter being a car that as an 8 or 9 year old, mid winter, me and a mate having begged his dad for the keys to go back and warm up in the car at a freezing cold MotoX meet, we jammed the windows down and sunroof open. Yes, reliability...
Nowt wrong with that. The Granada was a far better car. Still love them both though as my Dad had a succession of Granadas and V8 SD1's when I was a nipper. One of the latter being a car that as an 8 or 9 year old, mid winter, me and a mate having begged his dad for the keys to go back and warm up in the car at a freezing cold MotoX meet, we jammed the windows down and sunroof open. Yes, reliability...
(A fond childhood memory.)The V8 SD1 was also far more luxurious and, I'd say, a cut about in perceived class too, but yes the Granadas were superb cars. Very reliable and worked well. Dad had both Mk1 and Mk2, both from new, and neither missed a beat.
Digga said:
Rover was faster in a straight drag, like say, up the A38 North from the Abbey Hill roundabout at Derby. (A fond childhood memory.)
The V8 SD1 was also far more luxurious and, I'd say, a cut about in perceived class too, but yes the Granadas were superb cars. Very reliable and worked well. Dad had both Mk1 and Mk2, both from new, and neither missed a beat.
I remember the back end out antics of both in the wet, great memories. First car I drove was a 2.8i ghia x when my old man was teaching me to drive. Took a bit of getting used to hopping between that and the driving instructors Micra. (A fond childhood memory.)The V8 SD1 was also far more luxurious and, I'd say, a cut about in perceived class too, but yes the Granadas were superb cars. Very reliable and worked well. Dad had both Mk1 and Mk2, both from new, and neither missed a beat.
- puts SD1 geek hat on*
It is true that the original 2.6 was more powerful than the V8, so it was given the 2.3's camshaft to reduce its power.
The 4 cylinder Rover 2000 (O series with twin SU carbs) was introduced with the 1982 facelift, and a short while later the 2400SD (VM Motori diesel) joined the range.
All SD1s always had reach and rake adjustable steering columns. As the 80s progressed the cars got more and more standard equipment in a bid to shift them. By 1986 Even the 2000 had a sunroof, electric windows, electric heated mirrors and central locking.
monzaxjr said:
I remember the back end out antics of both in the wet, great memories. First car I drove was a 2.8i ghia x when my old man was teaching me to drive. Took a bit of getting used to hopping between that and the driving instructors Micra.
Funnily enough, one of the mates who's dad had SD1's, years later (IIRC his old man had the Sterling by then) learned to drive in his mum's car, which was a 2.8 Granada. And he span it, of course.Hard to remember these days, but above the Rover were Jags (very rare) or Mercedes 300 or BMW 5 or 7, which were even rarer still.
I am currently on my 4th which is a work in progress. The V8's are best, the 2000 much better than you would expect. The 2.6 is smooth - the 2.3 is the one I would avoid, underpowered and thirsty.
All the dogs have been weighed in now. Advice? If you are looking for one standard is best. Rot is a problem but I would avoid anything that has a rusty bulkhead or sunroof aperture.
Grab one before prices go up even more.
All the dogs have been weighed in now. Advice? If you are looking for one standard is best. Rot is a problem but I would avoid anything that has a rusty bulkhead or sunroof aperture.
Grab one before prices go up even more.
My dad had 2 in the 1980s, a phase one 2600S which was light blue metallic and went rusty very quickly. Reg started KND but can't remember the rest. After that he got A322 HDB which was only a 2600 so lost the alloys of the first car but was loaded with what seemed like a space age dashboard that went across to the passenger, well that's how it seemed to 7 year old me! It had 4 electric windows, elec mirrors, manual sliding sunroof and a trip timer.
Fond memories of those cars. The second car appears to have been scrapped in 1992 so it didn't even last 8 years!
We were a family of BL products, with Triumph Dolomite Sprints before them and MG Montego Turbos, various Rover 800s after it, including a Tickford Turbo, Vitesse 2.0T and a KV6 Sterling on a 1999V which must have been one of the last. My mum had a couple of 620ti too.
Some good cars amongst that list despite their faults. Shame there's hardly any left!
Fond memories of those cars. The second car appears to have been scrapped in 1992 so it didn't even last 8 years!
We were a family of BL products, with Triumph Dolomite Sprints before them and MG Montego Turbos, various Rover 800s after it, including a Tickford Turbo, Vitesse 2.0T and a KV6 Sterling on a 1999V which must have been one of the last. My mum had a couple of 620ti too.
Some good cars amongst that list despite their faults. Shame there's hardly any left!
mhurley said:
I recall early on the top model was the V8 S. I remember seeing them in a bright lime green. Looked cool in a Lambo sort of way
Yes. I think it also had aircon as standard - almost unheard of in its class at the time. And now I don't think it's possible to buy any new car without it!
Escort Si-130 said:
Damn, that shows you how much cars these days have grown. It looks so small now.
It was quite wide looking and long, just low. More 5 door sports coupe than exec car which is the direction Rover should have gone with in my opinion.
The Princess did all anybody could need for space and comfort so Rover could have been speed...
It was quite wide looking and long, just low. More 5 door sports coupe than exec car which is the direction Rover should have gone with in my opinion.
The Princess did all anybody could need for space and comfort so Rover could have been speed...
CDP said:
gazza285 said:
Lowtimer said:
Similarly, early 80s, I had a mate who bought a new Ford XR3, the carb model which was originally a four speed. He was a bit fed up when a month or two later they came out with the five speed. Until he accidentally found that his four speed model, with a four speed gear knob, had a fifth gear after all.
He must have known something was wrong before then, as reverse was next to first in the four speed box, and next to fourth in the five speed...5-speed XR3 box, reverse was bottom right with 5th top right as you looked at the gearknob
1976, aged 6, playing out at a friend's house, there is a rumble then this silver SD1 rolls up. An old man gets out. He's greeted by my friend. It's his grandfather who owned the local BL dealer. He let us climb all over it. It was as if a spaceshhip had landed.
Red lights in the front doors impressed me. They still do.
I always think the facelifted MK1 VDP is an overlooked gem. It wasn't in production long and looked great with the original body style, grey alloys and lots of kit.
My favourite has to be a Green V8-S with gold wheels black bumpers and headlamp wipers.
I was surprised to be told once that the Met SD1s were 2600s and not V8s. What was the reason for this? Were they tweaked? I know they had non-standard wheels fitted.
Red lights in the front doors impressed me. They still do.
I always think the facelifted MK1 VDP is an overlooked gem. It wasn't in production long and looked great with the original body style, grey alloys and lots of kit.
My favourite has to be a Green V8-S with gold wheels black bumpers and headlamp wipers.
I was surprised to be told once that the Met SD1s were 2600s and not V8s. What was the reason for this? Were they tweaked? I know they had non-standard wheels fitted.
Rich Boy Spanner said:
I love the look of these. If I had a time machine I'd have the Vitesse and a 2.8 Capri.
Going back just over 2 decades you could have bought runners of each for a bag of sand (£1000)Anyone remember ‘Monkey Business’ - where Autocar staffers had to buy as much speed as possible for a monkey (£500)
2.8 Capri vs V8 SD1
Only a decade prior, there was an article saying how you could get a nice Vitesse for 6k
......and then fast forward 15 years, the mag was looking to run one as an interesting long-termer
Yours for £750
Edited by s m on Wednesday 28th August 23:00
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