220SLi: Roverdue Maintenance

[Mr_Bo11ox]

When I had that car the rear brakes always needed attention for the MOT but they were never siezed, just needed a bit of general faffing and cleaning-up and whatnot then they were fine.

 

I would say don't feel obliged to fix this car up.... it is ace but £600 is a lot to spend and at the end you'll have a pretty worthless car with a few patches on the metalwork and 140k on the clock.... if I had to choose between spending £600 on it or £400 on this:

 

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/221307295969

 

I thikn I'd struggle not to 'go green'

 

I'm not sure

[phil_lihp]

Hmm, you make a good point, although that one has no MOT either!  Probably in better shape though.

 

All somewhat academic now...I've just called the garage and given them my decision.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Rover lives.  Joe, you have PM.

[Mr Livered]

Yay! True dedication. Good man

[Tayne]

Legend!

[alf892]

Good decision...........Man Maths wins!

[rml2345]

Hurrah! A triumph of Rover love and man maths. Well done sir!

[saucedoctor]

Nice one! You cannot keep Class down.

[RobT]

Bravo!  If it were anything other than a 220 I'd say let it go, but that engine plus the comfort factor probably makes it worth it (easy to say of course as it's not my money).

[Lord Sterling]

Excellent news. I say that you may be able to buy a 'better car' for less than you'd spend on repairing the current one, but there is nowt to say that that car wont cost you just the same or even more in repairs/renewing consumables.

[KruJoe]

Phil I've got your pm, I'm off outside now to check the bits for you, I'll report back. Don't order new sill skins, I've got two new ones that I hope I'll never need, they came 'free inside' the 216 auto from Chompy_Snake. They're yours if you need them. How are we gonna get this haul to you from BD23? I can't get to a post office before Friday I think. Remind us where you are...

[phil_lihp]

Wow, thank you, I really appreciate it.  I'm in North Devon, I'd get a courier company to pick them up if possible, however if the distance/time factor really doesn't work then I'll find alternative options so please don't feel under pressure!  Thanks ref. the sill skins, I think he's just going to patch up the existing ones at the back if you'd prefer to keep yours.

[charlie2555]

That's great news you've decided to keep the old Rover! My Mum won a R3 Rover 200 in the late 90s, but sold it and bought an L reg R2 Rover 200, but a lower spec than yours.  Loved it! Sadly scrapped a few years ago though

[KruJoe]

 

The red one is my new breaker from Vulgalour's brother. Sad news: No disks on the rear of that one, it has drums like the blue 214.

 

But tonight, this happened:

 

 

That's the half-cut from the 214, I've kept it covered over in the top field. It's easy to handle with the tractor (and small enough for me to pretend the 214 doesn't exist any more!) The red one can still be rolled around.

 

 

I continue to be surprised by how easily these R8s come apart, don't think I've found anything seized on any of them, they're a joy to work on.

I drained the gearbox oil and had the driveshafts out while I had it there - I need them to build myself a non clacketty one for my daily, so it was useful for me too.

 

That bottom arm is about 14inches long and weighs 2.3kg-ish. If Mrs_KJ asks, I didn't* use her baking scales.

I know of no reason why the 220 arm would be any different from the 214. I had a good wiggle of the wheel before I took it off, no sign of play. Feels right to me

 

Replacing the whole sills is an unnecessarily big job if both you and the MOT man are happy with some quick patching action, so these panels can stay on my shed wall for now.

 

So this arm is all I have for you. I'm quite happy to pop in the post office for you on Friday if you can wait 'til Sat for it to arrive.

Tomorrow I'm out all day, I don't know if my old man will be in next door to meet a courier, but I could leave it wrapped on the doorstep if you like?

[phil_lihp]

Joe, I'm absolutely staggered by how fast you work!  Thank you, and with Mr B's reassuring info about the brake calipers I have a little bit more confidence in this not costing the earth.  The post office is fine by me for Saturday, the timing should be spot on, I've sent you a PM.

[Cheggers]

Well done guys, the spirit of Autoshite is alive and well 😃

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Jim Bergerac]

Great stuff. Delighted to hear that it is not all Rover for this R8.

[Jim Bell]

[HillmanImp]

Brilliant. Thats the way to do it. Spend several times as much as the car is worth on keeping it on the road.

 

U R MY HERO>

[Mr_Bo11ox]

Blimey this car clearly has 9 lives, by any normal measure it would have been made into a filing cabinet years ago, that’s at least twice it has escaped death against the odds. Splendid work Phli_hpil.

 

These are seriously rare now - there was one on eBay a fortnight ago, that’s the first one that’s been on there for 3 or 4 months I’d say.

[Shep Shepherd]

This thread is phenomenal

[RobT]

This thread is phenomenal

And it's giving me the horn for a T-series powered Rover! I'd love a 420GSi.

[phil_lihp]

It is a superb combination of engine and car, I highly recommend it.  An excellent Q-car, it goes like stink, it's comfortable, generally pretty reliable but worthless right now due to the image, the general reaction so far has been mostly "urgh, a manky old Rover".  Suits me fine!  

 

I will say that KruJoe's white 216 is a better looking car as it doesn't have the big chrome nose.  It's about the only thing I'd change about it really.  For now I'll just polish it up and pretend to be classy 

[RobT]

I've mentioned it before elsewhere, but the Honda engine in my 416GTi just doesn't do it for me. Too high revving at speed and clattery, although i've driven a SOHC 216 before which was much quieter so maybe mines just a duffer.

 

I'll join the queue of potential buyers behind Joe once you're done with it.

 

How many shiteists owned that Saab 900 a few years back? Let's see if we can beat that with this Rover!

[phil_lihp]

Done with it?  You'll have to prise the keys out of my cold dead fingers sir!  Although I think there's already a queue for that, too.

 

What was the story with the Saab then?  I missed that, might have been before my time.

[RobT]

That'll teach me for not buying it from mr six-cylinder. I had the pleasure of sitting in it at Pride of Longbridge this year and was Impressed at the time how tidy it was for a 100 quid motor, broken windscreen or not.

 

Dollywobbler or HillmanImp will know the answer to the Saab question as I think they both owned it at some point.

[HMC]

Just re read the whole thread. Its great to see this 220 being saved. It sums up what the spirit of the site is about for me, both in what you are doing and how its being done

[Jim Bergerac]

And it's giving me the horn for a T-series powered Rover! I'd love a 420GSi.

 

Aye. I'd happily trade a couple of organs for an unspoiled 420 Turbo. R8s R 4 WINNAHS.

[KruJoe]

Honda engine in my 416GTi just doesn't do it for me.

I think you were unlucky with that twin-cam Rob. The SOHC is super little mill all round.

I'll join the queue of potential buyers behind Joe once you're done with it.

I'm not itching for it to become available for me, I'm happy with the 216 for now; after you, Sir!

I just have the feeling I'll end up with it one day, and I can't bear the thought of it being fragged!

 

 

Joe, I'm absolutely staggered by how fast you work!

I hope you didn't think I stripped the 214, cut up the body, and dismantled the suspension in one short evening?

I'd already cut the car up before Shitefest. All I did last night was hoick it out of the field, unbolt a few bits, and plonk it back.

 

Anyway, your lump of iron is wrapped up ready for sending tomorrow, hopefully to be with you Saturday morning.

[phil_lihp]

You mean you didn't? Well I did wonder!  But had to conclude that no-one could possibly work that fast.  Still very efficient though and I am looking forward to receiving it, the pieces are coming together nicely.  The windscreen should be done today apparently, all being well.  They'd already got the old one out by 10:30AM yesterday morning so they're not hanging about.

[RobT]

I think you were unlucky with that twin-cam Rob. The SOHC is super little mill all round.

I'm not itching for it to become available for me, I'm happy with the 216 for now; after you, Sir!

I just have the feeling I'll end up with it one day, and I can't bear the thought of it being fragged!

 

 

 

Can't win 'em all eh.  I should have bought that mint 216GSi I saw last year, 19k on the clock and with a lovely beige interior.  The 416 is still a decent car though and I do like the way it handles and the build quality is good, is a smart little thing overall.  Maybe another oil change will sort it.

 

Now Phil's chucked a sizeable chunk of cash at the 220 I bet he doesn't want it to be fragged either!