Bertie the R75... Rovering onwards (towards the MOT)

[oldcars]

Good and bad news, hope it can be sorted for you.

[Roverageous]

Good and bad news, hope it can be sorted for you.

It's in good hands. Local T4 guru is going to the garage on Monday with a new ECU to code to the car

 

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[Roverageous]

Well Bertie is home. He's had:

 

• Cambelt Kit
• Waterpump
• Oil, filter & coolant service
• Breather hose (was borked)
• Aux Belt
• New ECU
• New Coil Packs
• Autobox fluid change (done once, but still not the right colour after a bit of mileage!)

 

My wallet is now considerably lighter, and I'm fully expecting a call from the bank manager on Monday morning. However, it's a much nicer car to drive now. First thing I've noticed is that it runs a lot quieter! Whether thats the belts or not I don't know - but could be something to do with the new coil packs too. Aircon used to whine after a bit, which I'd assumed was a partly cooked condenser or whatever,  but that whine has disappeared now so I'm assuming it was the aux belt.

 

Happy chap.

[Guest Hooli]

But how does it drive? You've not said

[Roverageous]

Had a smashing day out at Gaydon BMC Day again this year - it seems the only event I ever get to!

 

Some photos of the day:

 

 

Also here's a photo I took of Bob (the diesel 75) probably around 4 years ago, not long after buying him:

 

 

Well, after meaning to do it for ages, I've been out today and tried to do the same photo with Bertie (the V6). Not quite the same angle, and much more foliage as it's a summer vs winter shot!

 

 

[oldcars]

Great show, enjoyed it last year. Would love to go back.

[Roverageous]

Great show, enjoyed it last year. Would love to go back.

 

I love how eclectic it is. Weirdly there were a load of VW / Audi / Pineapplers there this year too, but they kept all of them away to the far side with their silly chavvy music blaring out punctuated by the sound of VW PD engines hitting the limiter.

 

But yes - loads of really really good stuff on show too

[Roverageous]

Little project on this morning while I've got some time off work. My dad bought a 75 tourer last year which came with a walnut / sandstone wheel that the previous owner had bought and then realised it was wrong (his car is smoke stone trim). He gave it to me last year and I had it fitted to my 75. However it was one of those Chinese imported ones from SAIC and it showed. The leather didn't match, the wood was plastic & the quality was abysmal.

 

Today I finally got round to fitting an early genuine Rover wheel (ashamedly stolen out of my diesel 75) to make everything match.

 

Before:

 

During:

 

Check the quality of the Chinese components:

 

 

And the difference in colour between the two wheels:

 

And finally, the finished article:

[oldcars]

Much better. I think the old wheel would look ok if the horn buttons were black.

[Roverageous]

Some bling arrived for me today. Wonderful!

 

[oldcars]

Nice, love the door finishers. How did you attach them?

[Roverageous]

Nice, love the door finishers. How did you attach them?

They came with some tape attached to the rear - it's almost like a continuous bead around the edge and is VERY sticky.

[Roverageous]

Blimey - haven’t updated this since last July.

 

Good news: No breakdowns despite having out 4K miles on it since Gaydon last year.

 

Bad news: 3 MOT failure items this year. To be honest it’s my own fault as I knew about all of them, but bunged it in for the test anyway. Windscreen washer pump had given up, a rear coil spring had cracked (I had heard it go BOING and assumed a spring had gone), and sill corrosion around the near side rear jacking point. All sorted as well as a full service and going over.

 

Total spend now north of £6000 (including purchase) but I *think* it’s pretty much perfect, at least mechanically.

[Roverageous]

Have a photo, because, well why not?!

 

[Roverageous]

Update, although there's not all that much to update. The car has seen me through a job change recently, which has meant racking up a few miles and a few day trips etc... We're now sitting at 115,550 miles and running beautifully.

I think I'm ready to turn my attention to the cosmetic issues that require sorting. It needs a new front and rear bumper due to previous (bodged?) repairs by (or on behalf of) the previous owner. However Damson red wasn't exactly the most common colour and finding bumpers with the correct holes for headlamp washers & rear parking sensors is proving difficult. I also need a couple of interior bits - namely the kick strips that are renowned for coming away as people enter and exit the vehicle. One day it'll be one of the best 75s still on the road.

On the whole, I don't think he's looking too shabby...

 

 

[Roverageous]

Bonus picture! Chalk & cheese...

[Skut]

Crown alloys? They are very nice as is the colour. 

[They_all_do_that_sir]

Stunning cars. And that colour really suits it

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[Split_Pin]

Love a 75, I miss not owning one, strange as that may sound to some ears.

[Roverageous]

Yes crown alloys

For me this is the perfect spec of 75. Pre project drive (although Longbridge built), Connie SE with all the toys and the 15" crown wheels. I've had 17" serpent wheels on a previous 75 but they really do affect the ride quality.



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[EssDeeWon]

That is a very nice 75, colour and spec.

Cannot beat an early connie V6 on crowns

[Roverageous]

Time for a bit of an update. Starting to feel like after 3 years I'm finally making significant headway with this car, and it's getting to the point of very much being a 'rolling resto'.

The car has needed a little bit of TLC this week in the form of gearbox solenoid thingies & upon investigation NSF lower wishbone / balljoint / associated bushes needed some immediate attention. - another relatively significant outlay on an old car.

Since buying the car it now stands me in at a grand total of £5809.45. A brief recap of the work carried out is as follows:

• Buying the sodding thing
• Track Rod Ends
• Front Top Mounts
• Full (custom / stainless) Exhaust (inc cat)
• OSF lower suspension arm + bushes
• Aircon investigation / regass
• Full timing belt kit / water pump / ancillaries
• Auxiliary belt
• Engine breather hoses / system
• Replacement ECU
• Gearbox fluid flush & change
• Thermostat replacement
• 2x Rear coil springs
• Wiper blades
• OSR jacking point sill repair
• Gearbox fluid flush & change
• NSF lower suspension arm + bushes
• Gearbox investigation / replacement of solenoid set
• General servicing x3

This works out at an average of £264.07 per visit to the garage - relatively happy with that, although as I'm a total mechanical ignoramus, I do have suck up the hourly rate of my local MGR specialist (he's very worth it though!).

My attention really must turn towards the car's cosmetics next. Both front and rear bumpers are grotty in places - it looks like they've both had previous fibreglass repairs. Also some idiot wheeled a trolley into the rear quarter which has left a small dent, and there are some slightly unsightly scratches (although no dents) on the NSR door from the previous owner. From 10 yards away the car looks lovely, but when you're up close there's definitely things that could be improved.

Onwards and upwards!

[Roverageous]

Update time...

MOT time has crept up again for Bertie and thankfully it's a straight, clean, pass! I did ask for some investigation into a knocking from the front, found to be from the exhaust hitting the floor due to excessive movement in an engine mount, so that was all done as part of a full service. I still haven't actually done anything cosmetically with the car, but that's hopefully something I can address this summer.

 

 

 

[Roverageous]

Bertie is now back to "classic car" duties, in that the Volvo has taken over my main mileage. Just covered 500 miles in lovely, wafts comfort. 

Who needs modern cars, seriously?!

[Roverageous]

Decided 2021 will be Bertie's year, and I'll be splashing out on some bodywork to get him looking his best, but first, the MOT! I'm certain he will need a new set of tyres, as the current set are now showing quite bad cracks - plenty of meat on them though. I think I'll go with Goodyear Efficient Grip Performance 2 tyres at about £67.00 per corner.

I've also spent this afternoon fitting replacement VIS motors as acceleration had become fairly flat - the VIS motors have sorted that out, and now picks up nicely for the 2.0.