MOAR Cook Pass Babridge shite incoming

[Partridge]

Thanks to those who responded to my call for help over my TRANSPORT CRISIS.

 

Semi C very kindly gave up his evening to let me see a Cavalier he wasn't even that keen on selling. Which turned out to be a very good Cavalier.

 

Insurance was not good though. Which annoyed me. Maybe becuase I work in media Aviva or whoever assume I'm going to go tearing around chasing Mercedes S-Classes down tunnels or something (I don't). And because I'm 22 they also probably think I drive everywhere like Ken Block, wearing silly sunglasses and messing around in car parks, smoking weed in one hand and recording it with my GoPro in the other, stuffed toy hanging off the towing hook while simultaneously shagging a girl I met while stealing fags in ASDA (I don't).

 

Anyway...

 

I got a call from a mate who said: "Rover 820 auto Sterling, green, fastback. £350." (Or something like that).

 

Cut a long story short he passed me other to the owner and I did the deal over the phone.

 

It has rusty front wings, but comes with two front wings in the correct colour. Apprently it "sounds like a Le Mans car" but comes with a replacement exhaust. It also has some kind of SLAMMED HANDLING VTEC KICKED IN, YO! suspension but isn'r really obvious in terms of ride height.

 

There is method in my madness. All I need to do is replace my 820 Sterling Auto with another 820 Sterling auto, only incurring an admin fee. XOG will be fixed after my next paycheck, and then I'll put them both on a multi car thing or put XOG on a limited miles policy. XOG can be kept for best.

 

I'll have my company car by then anway.

 

Happy days!

 

 

...Well that was stupid. I do have pics but they're not mine to share...

[Mr_Bo11ox]

SHARE 'EM

[Partridge]

https://scontent-lhr3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xap1/v/t1.0-9/p180x540/734744_10151451340625774_554266100_n.jpg?oh=77edec6e99e4888f6d8e26f7daa08751&oe=55FB59E7

 

https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xaf1/v/t1.0-9/p180x540/316522_10150414906710774_1209889511_n.jpg?oh=b0d0ad403222bb03fdb1ee0c93b40d54&oe=55C36877&__gda__=1442570694_31260a9657244b8f5959aea5adb75642

[Lord Sterling]

I have (unsurprisingly) seen that car before. Very nice but I hate the wheels. Soz.

 

Also, this is your 2nd 800. Keep it that and don't buy more else you'll end up like me

[Partridge]

I quite like the wheels and spoiler combo! (each to his own).

 

They have a way of getting under your skin, don't they?

[Ghosty]

Nice - looks good.

 

The PO likes Sherpa Coupés, then?

[Partridge]

^^MGBs? Not ever driven one.

[Noel Tidybeard]

that rovah is the colour for one of lifes winnars

[skattrd]

That green is not a common colour, I like it ... Nicely purchased.

[JohnK]

That looks a very smart motor.

[Semi-C]

Top drawer conveyance sir, that's the way to do it.

[Twiggy]

What a lovely bit of kit !

[Partridge]

Cheers all! I'm winning at shite

 

I'm not expecting it to be amazing for £350. I've not even seen it in the metal and bought it blind over the phone. The current owner is a known quanity though and I'm sure he can be trusted.

 

Plus the large load area will be GR9 4 SHITEFEST.

[HMC]

That does look fantastic. I can see evidence of the PO being tempted to plaster it with accessories and stickers but he managed to control his urges.

[cort16]

That looks nice, great colour. Do these handle a bit funny? I had one and the handling was bloody awful. It could have been down to the 180,000 miles and wan-king ditch finders fitted on the front but it was memorably shite.

[Partridge]

Mine handles funny as in handles like a boat when you're going anything over 5/10. The rest of the time it's quite pleasent really.

 

This new one should handle a bit better with the SLAMMED YO suspension. The last four owners are known to me, Brookjm. They've all been Rover people, but I know just what you mean! Going by the pics it's sitting in the middle ground between Hardcore MGR Licker spec and Max power spec.

 

I will find out just how good or bad it is when I collect it on Wednesday...

[RoadworkUK]

Mine handles funny as in handles like a boat when you're going anything over 5/10. The rest of the time it's quite pleasent really.

 

 

Correct. Sunny day with windows and sunroof open, accelerate, preferably uphill in a wooded area or with hedgerows for the KV6 sound to bounce off. The bow rises and the stern squats and you can pretend you're at the helm of a Riva Aquarama.

 

Roadholding: Pretty good. Handling: Not so much. Bothered? Not at all.

[Partridge]

^^Spot on. To give them their due, they do feel planted.

 

It's a chug round the countryside at 55mph type car.

[NorfolkNWeigh]

I drove a lot of 800s when they were new and they never handled brilliantly, lots of bottoming out and bounce ,but they always gripped well and could cover ground pretty well. The 2.0's were faster than Granada and Carlton 4 bangers and the 2.7 s especially in Manuel flavour were properly quick cars in period, easily keeping up with supposedly quicker 200 odd bhp things like 24v Senators,Scorpios, e34 525s etc .

We had a black 2.7 Vitesse auto from when they were basically fastback Sterlings ( ie just before mk2's came out) and I'd often choose to use it at weekends even when much posher and more expensive stuff was sitting in the carpark.

[Noel Tidybeard]

I drove a lot of 800s when they were new and they never handled brilliantly, lots of bottoming out and bounce ,but they always gripped well and could cover ground pretty well. The 2.0's were faster than Granada and Carlton 4 bangers and the 2.7 s especially in Manuel flavour were properly quick cars in period, easily keeping up with supposedly quicker 200 odd bhp things like 24v Senators,Scorpios, e34 525s etc .

We had a black 2.7 Vitesse auto from when they were basically fastback Sterlings ( ie just before mk2's came out) and I'd often choose to use it at weekends even when much posher and more expensive stuff was sitting in the carpark.

prolly why mr.plod had them then

[fred]

I had one for a short while, very nice barges, Mine had the added Velour love seats too. 350 quid pffft! BARGAIN!

[Lacquer Peel]

I often wondered how much better bigger Honda based Rovers would have rode and handled if Honda hadn't insisted on short travel double wishbone front suspension ill suited to Britain's bumpy B roads.

 

Rover 800s are still ace though.

[overrun]

You are only 22? 

 

I like the wheels. 

[Partridge]

^^Aye.

 

I like the wheels too. I'd not put them on my saloon, but they look nice on the fastback.

[Captain Slow]

Making you buy R-reg Rover 820 Sterling autos is a fun and surprisingly easy game, Sam... 

 

*starts browsing TEH INTERNETS again*

[Partridge]

It's also fun to buy them because they're so cheap for what they are it's hilarious.

To be fair I didn't need much talking into to get this one...

[Captain Slow]

I have found YOUR DREAM CAR.

[Partridge]

Yeah, an R reg Sterling 2.0, I collect those. But what I need* is a coupe to complete the set. What makes this even stupider is the fact I don't even like Rovers that much.

[Partridge]

Rover is here. Shenanigans ensured, the kind which involve you having to walk when you normally take a car. It involved the car being fixed in the back garden (not by me) by the light of a Volvo. But it works. And handles. Well. It's an evil XOG.

 

It's nearly midnight and I have a 4:30 am start I'm off now....Pics to follow a some stage.

[Aston Martin]

I was hoping to see a Mini Metro...