Skizzer's SD1: Tomorrow's Car, Yesterday. Fixerations, with mixed results

[Guest Breadvan72]

MOAR FOATARZE PLIZ

[RobT]

Intermotor parts are indeed mostly shit, so I try and buy NOS where possible. I'll keep an eye out for pukka SD1 ignition parts for you Skizz when I'm next at an autojumble.

[Guest Breadvan72]

Did you buy that radiator the other week?

[Skizzer]

Thanks Rob, you are a true gent. (And for once I clicked this newfangled annoying Thanks button on purpose, to show how I Embrace Change.)

 

Did you buy that radiator the other week?

No, because I'm a muppet. Also there are various different sorts (auto, manual, with or without aircon); the seller didn't know which that one was and neither did I.

 

I'll probably get mine re-cored at Ricketts Radiators: it should take no more than a year and a half, judging by how long it took them to do Anonymous User's Bentley fuel tank. (Buying Local does tend to look this way when you live in Swansea.)

[Skizzer]

The timing is still a bit off following the distributor replacement.  It idles ok but is a bit hesitant when pulling or cruising at low revs; then it's fine (joyous, in fact) from about 3500rpm upwards.  Stale fuel won't be helping but first suspect is the timing.  My Timestrobe (which belonged to my father and so must be at least 30 years old, probably more like 40) isn't lighting up the barely-visible timing marks clearly enough so I need to attack the crank with some Tippex to show up TDC better.  

 

Also the vacuum thingy on the new dizzy fouls the radiator top hose mounting so it appears it won't rotate far enough round.  Are all Intermotor parts somehow wrong/broken/shit, or have I just been unlucky?

Fixed the timing on the Rover yesterday: it wasn't Intermotor's fault at all, it was of course my own - I was one tooth out in fitting the toothed gear that drives the rotor arm. An easy fix, and with Tippex duly applied to the crank I could use the strobe light. In fact it's just as easy to set the timing by ear really. I may invest in a more modern timing light with an rpm readout and advance setting for fine tuning.

 

Anyway, the old barge is running very happily now. Will give it a wash later and might take photos if the sun comes back out.

[tooSavvy]

If I were contemplating 'tinkering' with spark twizzle doobitoos, on ToMM©, then a strobe with rpm would be a deffo 'must have'...

 

As usual.... My tools are rotting in the box

 

*note to self* BuyBritish

 

 

TS

[EssDeeWon]

No need to wash it.  Did you know cars of this era are worth approximately 54764364% more when left dirty because barn find tax is applied.

 

Jus saying.

[Guest Breadvan72]

FOATARZE NOWS!!!!!!

[Guest Hooli]

 

 

Also the vacuum thingy on the new dizzy fouls the radiator top hose mounting so it appears it won't rotate far enough round.  Are all Intermotor parts somehow wrong/broken/shit, or have I just been unlucky?

 

Can you lift it out, turn the rotor one tooth away from the rad & refit it? if it's got lots of teeth & turns as you slide it in, it's dead easy to get it one tooth out.

[Skizzer]

Can you lift it out, turn the rotor one tooth away from the rad & refit it? if it's got lots of teeth & turns as you slide it in, it's dead easy to get it one tooth out.

Yup, exactly - that's what I did, innit

[Guest Hooli]

I do it every bloody time, no matter how carefully I mark things up.

[Guest Hooli]

No idea how I missed your post saying you'd fixed it either.

I must have Britpart eyes today.

[Skizzer]

FOATARZE NOWS!!!!!!

[danthecapriman]

Brilliant work Skizzer! The Rover looks superb, lovely colour too.

 

Good to see the Granny in good company in your barn too! No more winters sitting outside on my drive anyway!! Best place for it to live.

[Skizzer]

I’ve been using this quite a bit since I changed the distributor and sorted out the timing, it’s running nicely and really is a very pleasing thing to roll around in - super comfortable, relaxed, plenty of performance and a lovely V8 growl.

 

Random photo:

 

However, it shat on the carpet the other week when the boot catch failed - it won’t release at all.

 

Unfortunately it’s impossible to fold the back seat down without releasing the heavy duty catch inside the boot, and the (original, unreplaceable) parcel shelf is also pinned down by the tailgate.

 

Any suggestions before I get radical with an angle grinder?

[phil_lihp]

Lovely car, this.  Very pretty and surprisingly modern to drive, even if I forgot how to use the gearbox.  Sounds absolutely glorious.

 

As for the boot, does it have a ski hatch behind the armrest?  Failing that, any drain plugs in the boot floor that could be removed to allow you to use something to snag the boot or seat catch?

[Skizzer]

Sadly not - I think ski hatches were a Honda invention a couple of years later on the Triumph Acclaim. There isn’t a drain hole, but putting one in the spare wheel well isn’t a bad idea - though it’s a long way from the boot catch.

 

I’m fearing the best way in might be to cut into the rear panel, where it’ll be hidden by the number plate. Obviously any hole will need closing again, but it needn’t be particularly neat there.

 

Edit: Spare wheel well is of course full of spare wheel. Durrrr.

[barrett]

Could you remove the rear lamp unit from outside and poke something through the hole?

[Skizzer]

Could you remove the rear lamp unit from outside and poke something through the hole?

Now that’s an interesting idea - I might need to break the light unit but I think new ones are available, or it might be repairable (certainly more easily than bodywork, at least for me). There’s another inner plastic panel that goes behind the light unit, but happily I never got around to refitting that after I had brake light problems: sometimes being a bit chaotic has its advantages.

[coalnotdole]

What holds the tailgate glass in on these? can you take the glass out and get a replacement seal?

[cort16]

Is the parcel shelf stuck in?

There’s about a million nuts and bolts holding that rear light in

[dollywobbler]

Can you feel the latch operating? I'd get an assistant to do some heavy pressing down while you operate the latch if you can.

[Guest Hooli]

With most cars you can drill a hole behind the plate & operate the latch from there. The trick is finding out where to drill the hole.

[anonymous user]

Daft thought, can you remove rear seat base to get at the hinges for the seat back and remove it that way?

[cort16]

i Think you can take the seat base off and that lets you unbolt the rear seats .

[Skizzer]

What holds the tailgate glass in on these? can you take the glass out and get a replacement seal?

I wondered abou that but I don’t think it would help. Series 1 seals are extinct and series 2 are different.

 

Is the parcel shelf stuck in?

There’s about a million nuts and bolts holding that rear light in

Bugger. Thanks though. Yes, the parcel shelf is firmly in place - it’s a solid bit of kit too, with big metal hinges and everything, not some flimsy cardboard thing.

 

Can you feel the latch operating? I'd get an assistant to do some heavy pressing down while you operate the latch if you can.

Nope, squeezing the handle doesn’t seem to do anything at all with the latch, suggesting a rod has come adrift or something.

 

With most cars you can drill a hole behind the plate & operate the latch from there. The trick is finding out where to drill the hole.

I need to find some sort of diagram I think. I have a couple of manuals to consult (though they don’t tell you how to burgle the boot as such).

 

Daft thought, can you remove rear seat base to get at the hinges for the seat back and remove it that way?

i Think you can take the seat base off and that lets you unbolt the rear seats .

Not daft at all - I shall try this first.

 

It’ll be Saturday before I get to have another go at this. Thanks for all the help - will report back on progress or otherwise.

[RobT]

With most cars you can drill a hole behind the plate & operate the latch from there. The trick is finding out where to drill the hole.

I did that on my old X300 with the assistance of a diagram giving a rough location. Screwdriver then poked in, wiggled and I was in.

 

But that was a £500 shit heap. Not sure I'd fancy drilling a hole in your lovely SD1, but if needs must...

[cort16]

Have you pushed down hard on the lid while turning the key in the lock ? I seem to remember turn the key also pulls the latch. Could be wrong though it’s beem a wee while since I sold mine

[Guest Hooli]

Have you tried hammering a Rover200 over it?

[BorniteIdentity]

Now that’s an interesting idea - I might need to break the light unit but I think new ones are available, or it might be repairable (certainly more easily than bodywork, at least for me). There’s another inner plastic panel that goes behind the light unit, but happily I never got around to refitting that after I had brake light problems: sometimes being a bit chaotic has its advantages.

 

I had an annoyingly similar issue with a Volvo 240 I had earlier in the year.  It didn't come with a boot key - and the only thing that failed the MOT was a brake bulb!  In the end, they used a massive extension bar on a socket through the ski hatch to take out a lamp.  Then gave me the lock mechanism to get a key made.

 

This won't help you, but maybe sacrificing a lamp is better than cutting the trunk open like a can of beans? I dunno.

 

Good luck nonetheless.