Austin-Rover

The car could have been dormant for decades and would never prompt a SORN or Tax reminder, but once you've asked for that new V5c in your name, you've woken the record and you're now in the cycle of tax or SORN. This is a superb thread by the way. I love the car for 1) being something I've never heard of, and (related) 2) a wonderfully obscure model and the history that comes with it. Fascinating! (and a fascinating story for the actual car, too!)

For the most up to date giffer 'mod' scene you need only to attend a Rover 75 owner's meeting (when such things are allowed). Many Rover owners are not content with the understated sense of style and class many of their cars naturally posses and are like unable to resist stick-on chrome, extra Rover badges stuck in all manner of random places and generally carrying on until the whole thing looks like a dog's dinner. (see also some Jaguar S Type owners).

Agila update time; Mid January saw the arrival of five Vredestein Quadtrac tyres for the Agila, and they transformed the driving experience for the better! Since the new tyres, and the new water pump a week prior, it has performed admirably at 'pottering about' duties. The mayonnaise under the oil filler cap and the dip stick has eventually cleared, and it feels to have got a bit livelier with use. I might be imagining that part, though. The couple of warm days before Easter were nice enough to tidy up some bits of bodywork; a scuff on the front bumper, a nasty stone chip on the bonn

A good result on the MoT. 👍 It's such a great car for eating up the miles. Comfiest thing I've ever driven. I'm off to browse the web for Renault Koleos now! 😄

M62, Junction 17 at Prestwich. The photographer is looking east. The truck is on the J17 roundabout, A56 heading towards Manchester. In the background is the distinctive 'bridge over a bridge, over a motorway' which at the time carried the unique side-contact 3rd rail British Rail Manchester to Bury line. These days it carries the Metrolink.

The 960 survived its overheated gearbox unscathed... and quickly afterwards it disappeared into the restrictions of another lockdown, only appearing back at home again last week. I made the effort to collect it from its exile with a view to getting it MoT'd and ultimately up for sale (again). I couldn't have picked a worse time to sell such a car, at the start of the pandemic. Efforts to sell it went nowhere. Twelve months later, a different story. A chance Facebook tag last weekend saw it introduced to the enthusiastic new owner. A week later and this evening it set sail into the drizzle

My first time sourcing tyres online back in January as my usual independent tyre fitter was incommunicado. Blackcircles did me five Vredestein Quadtrac 165/60/14 for fifty quid each. I thought this was actually pretty good as they were less than a tenner each more than the basic value tyre listed on ASDAtyres where they won't even provide you a brand name to do a bit of research!

It is. It'll be a 93/94 model with the final dash revision of the four chunky buttons under the clock and rotary heater controls.

They are originals, but it now wears a set of reproductions from the much-missed DMB Graphics.

I am of a similar opinion. I think it is that the Mk1 and Mk2 are like chalk and cheese. The Mk1 being oh-so-80s, the blocky lettering suits it better, whereas the later font is more in keeping with the retro-styled Mk2.

Yes! (I'll sneak this reply in as I am conscious about stealing another person's thread!) They're not just any old Sercks though, they have a raised font effect and ghosted background lines. They are very special (if you like number plates!)

I have a friend in Hudds also with a Mk1 Fastback! 😄

I'd admired that one on eBay, too! It looks like a really good example. The Birmingham area numberplate is a good indication that it started off with Rover Group, Company Vehicles, PO Box 395, Longbridge on the first registration document. 😄 I look forward to hearing more about it! I have two 800s; a Mk2 saloon and this Mk1 Fastback, but with the earlier slimline bumpers.

To be fair, the glass on most cars gets smaller the further away from the windscreen you get. On the Maestro, they're all HUGE!

The MoT is imminent, so it had a once-over the other week, with a good poke round underneath. It might need a brake line, and it might need a CV boot, but other than that there's nothing to report. No rust and seems well put together. Not long after, the water pump gave up, so it was parked up for a week. On Monday I dropped it off at the garage to have a new water pump fitted and to do the MoT. I've not heard back from them yet. I'm impressed with it over all. From what I can find on the net, they are well-regarded by those in the know, and I can well believe them. As with most cars o