Have I missed the boat on Rover SD1's?

[Heidel_Kakao]

I have always had a hankering for an SD1, preferably a V8 manual & I keep thinking about scratching the itch but last time I remember looking prices seemed to have jumped a fair bit so I put it to the back of my mind. If I did buy one I can see it being a bit of a money pit though, I don't care about the fuel economy side of things just all the rust that I am bound to encounter

 

So any idea of how much I would have to pay to get one with a MOT? Also did they come with LSD's as I am an OMG RWD!!!!!NOTAE86 wannabe DRIFTER LOLZ!!!

[Bren]

For a presentable v8 you are looking at £1500 - 2000 as a starting price.

 

The days of getting a running 3.5 for bridge money are long gone. Even good six cylinder cars fetch reasonable money.

 

No lsd's fitted to production cars - drifting would only serve to kill off the somewhat spindly standard item would imagine.

[cort16]

I'm sure there's been a nice red 2000 for sale on eBay for ages. If you buy a cheap one you will spend ages welding it up.

 

2600s aren't that much slower than the carbs v8s although the can be a bit fragile .

[Heidel_Kakao]

Surely from an AS perspective I should be looking at getting the 2.4 VM diesel engine I wonder if any of them still exist?

 

I think I may start half heartedly saving up for one, it would have to be a V8 though I am afraid so I could indulge my 1980's touring car fantasy.

[EssDeeWon]

As Bren says really, but most V8 manuals are Vitesse's so you will need to pay OMG rare Vitesse prices, even more if its a twin plenum for about another 10 BHP!!

 

If I get another one I would like a 2600, better value for money and some nice well cared for examples still about.

 

Keep your eyes peeled on Ebay tat, I usually post SD1's as and when I see them pop up...

[TagoraSX]

I'm in the same boat. It would have to be a Series 1 for me though.

 

I want a manual but may have to settle for an auto as good Series 1's seem to be thin on the ground.

[Fat_Pirate]

I had a V8 manual when I was about 19, it was very keen on OMGDRIFTN but the superlight PAS and lack of feel made it purely guesswork on how many dabs of oppo were required.  With hilarious results.  But don't let that put you off, they're nice old things and feel 'right'.

[Junkman]

I think you did miss the boat if you want one that doesn't look, handle, and sound like a bin lorry.

Good V8s, especially with antediluvian gearboxes, do command high stacks of foldable these days.

There is an enormous price gap between tosh (up to 2k) and pearls (6k+) and strangely nothing in between.

The peculiar thing with these cars is that bad ones only disappoint and the novelty wears off quickly.

So either aim for the best, or just continue to dream of it.

 

The P6es are much more forgiving in that respect. They all drive the same, even when they are dogs.

[inconsistant]

What's a twin plenum? Sounds filthy.

[Junkman]

Something massively overhyped and scene-taxed:

 

 

as opposed to the single one:

 

y

 

 

But if you have a twin plenum and pop the bonnet at a classic car meet, everyone does oooh and aaah and has a wet spot on his fly, so yes, it's filthy.

[D-Dubya]

 

mmmmmmmmmmmm....... Rover porn

[inconsistant]

So the SD1 choice is a twin plenum or a single plenum and a bright blue rubber jonny?

[burraston2006]

Can't help out on the SD1 but I can help out with the blue rubber jonny!!

[cort16]

Because of bl half wittery they don't know exactly how many twin plenums were built , which bumps the price up. In the grand scene of things (fords ) a really nice twin plenum vitesse will top out around 7 grand which is a lot of car for the money although you'd want to keep it inside to stop it dissolving .

My one has uprated suspension and it handles really well for its size.

My sd1 of choice would be an s1 v8-s in triton green.

[Lukas]

 

So either aim for the best, or just continue to dream of it.

 

Wise words! Almost no matter what car you talk about.

[NorfolkNWeigh]

I must have owned 10 SD1's and driven loads more when they were new. The only models I haven't driven are a VM and a single plenum Vitesse.

So here's my twopennuth;

2000- surprisingly lively,bought one at auction for £100 sold it to my dad he had it for about 3 years- did 40mpg on a run.

2300- slower than 2000 thirstier than 2600 or V8.

 

2600- not much slower in real life than an auto carb V8, usually less abused- retired giffer director syndrome.

 

3500- from 77 ex-plod manual non pas to 86 VdP Auto- always fun ,not mind blowing but always felt unburstable.

Most of them would show 130 on the clock and when you are skint will do 25+ mpg

 

Vitesse TwinPlenum- acceleration hampered by traction,gearbox felt sorted,finally!, by this time. Saw 160 on the speedo,when giving demo to purchaser. Seems to have disappeared D511LWL where are you?

 

VdP Efi Auto - in my opinion the best Sd1 ever made - maybe because I only ever drove a brand new one, the Jag dealer my company used had one as a loan car- when the XJ40 first came out,you can imagine I spent a lot of time in loan cars. I used to come out of the house see the Daimler jacked up like a dragster because the self levelling had fucked up again and think 'great,I'll get to use the Rover!'

 

The rose tinted glasses mean I've forgotten about 2/3 year old ones with rust or new ones with water sloshing about in the glove boxes and boot. Having to climb out through the back doors when the handles broke etc.

This my offend his Lordship but the first time I drove a Sterling it might as well have been an Accord.

[EssDeeWon]

I agree with Junkman on the scene tax Twin Plenums, often ebay adverts for these state false facts like OMG only 200 were made etc etc which is bollox as I think there 201 still in existence.

 

I love the series 1 having ridden about in the back of one as a kid, the big hump in the back was more fun to ride along on instead of the back seat (long before seat felts were made compulsory) and that big 'beige block' steering wheel and big dashboard was just so different to anything else I had seen, plus all the fun of breaking down all the time added to the experience.

 

I probably should of found a way of holding onto my yellow 1979 3500 Auto but it is now in good hands with a collector, but would cost me a damn sight more to get it back again. Maybe a nice MD now giffer owned from new 2600 looms

[inconsistant]

 

So either aim for the best, or just continue to dream of it.

 

 

I find your attitude towards cars quite offensive. If I was a mod I'd ban you.

[warren t claim]

Something massively overhyped and scene-taxed:

 

 

as opposed to the single one:

 

y

 

 

But if you have a twin plenum and pop the bonnet at a classic car meet, everyone does oooh and aaah and has a wet spot on his fly, so yes, it's filthy.

See also Lotus Twin Cam "Big Valve".

[Junkman]

So the SD1 choice is a twin plenum or a single plenum and a bright blue rubber jonny?

 

The whole SD1 must be Moonraker Blue, twin-plenummed, and have this atrocious 5-speed T77 crashbox that was apparently lifted from a Ferguson tractor.

That gives the sophisticated SD1er the same reaction you and I have when we see whom we ultimately would need a bright blue rubber johnny for.

 

Edit: I think I come across as an anti-SD1er, however, the opposite is true.

I wouldn't mind one at all, but as I said initially, good ones are way above my income group and bad ones aren't fun at all.

My dream one is canary yellow, has a brown velour interior, a V8 on SUs, and a silky smooth BW65.

[cort16]

The best place to look for one is here as they're mostly owned by sd1 lovers.

 

http://www.roversd1club.net/carsforsale/current1.asp

[CortinaDave]

I bought a really tidy v8 vanden plas in moonraker blue in 2009 for under 500 quid. No test mind but it didn't need much. Sold it a year or so later for 800 or so IIRC.

 

(EDIT - it was actually 550 I paid - just found the thread - http://autoshite.com/topic/3774-new-rovershite-for-me/page-2 )

Fantastic car, horrific fuel cons stopped it being a long termer for me

 

[brickwall]

I think it all comes down to luck finding one that just by chance crosses your path. A couple of years ago I was looking and they were all dogs unless I was going to show much coin, which is something I don't do.

[Bren]

Something to bear in mind even if you spend a lot is that they need constant TLC if you use them regularly.

 

If it is going to live outside get to know a good body shop as they deteriorate for fun.

 

I would compare them now to an old xj6 in terms of running costs.

 

A cheap / ropey one means at some point you will be detained under S136 of the mental health act - they can really be that bad - I know from experience.

[CortinaDave]

Mine was on eBay and just attracted hardly any bids - probably cos it was advertised as needing a fuel tank - which actually just turned out to be a leaky pipe at the end of the tank.

 

The way I looked at it was of I could buy it, get it home and tested at a grand total I was onto a good enough deal

 

Was a total gamble though bought sight unseen and 250 miles away

[cort16]

You can get most of the bits from rim end brothers but it's expensive. I noticed there's a set of arch repair panels for sale on ebay just now for 70 quid, which are mega rare. I'm tempted to buy them even though I currently don't need them.

[Junkman]

I'm tempted to buy them even though I currently don't need them.

 

It's even more fun to go to an auto jumble and buy parts for cars you don't own.

[EssDeeWon]

I've sent so much stuff back to Rimmers. I bought an in line fuel filter for an SD1, it was like something from the Pound Shop, and fuggin dangerous considering it sits just above the block, plus a brake master cylinder that was seized solid, but im sure most of there stuff is ok.

[scruff]

^^ A lot of the Lucas branded stuff from Rimmers is total shit, autojumbles etc are going to be your friend for electrical stuff.

[cort16]

The only thing I've bought from them was washer jets. The rest of the stuff I've got old stock from ebay.