HMC's Giffered Rover (820) Vitesse

[HMC]

The real Heritage Motor Centre (aka British Car Museum) has ex The Queen Rover P5bs, but this being autoahite im afraid you'll have to put up with a mildly breathed on Rover 800, albeit still with an elderly former owner.

This old crate seems to have had a quiet life, I think it was off the road between around 2001 and 2011, although presumably outside as the UV and heat have attacked the dash and door cards a bit. Showing 46k and it certainly drives well, with a nice quiet gearbox although ominously for the PG1 gearbox internals there's a massive tow bar and matching caravan club sticker in the windscreen. Mind you, this is a 180 rather than 200bhp example which is probably plenty for the box to handle ( not renowned for their robustness in these)


It's giffer ownership seems to have been kind to it, although said giffer did a few rattle can 'touch ins'. They obviously were pleased with their efforts, as rather than think 'my god what a mess' they thought 'mmmm let's do a few more of those' they're not too obvious really. It has quite decent sport seats that I'd forgot these had...

I was going to take it to the pride of longbridge, but being Cowley built may take the metro instead....

[paulscavalier]

Looks pretty good. Another car I never see about now.

[Lord Sterling]

Looking good Brookjm. Certainly a contrast to the similarly aged Sterling you had a few years ago.

 

Got some mats and probably other assorted trim bits if you need some. No oily bits and certainly no 2.0 Turbo bits, never had one myself.

[trigger]

I do like these, is it the turbo then? The Recaro seats look great if slight out of place in these.

 

I'm probably off to look at a 620ti myself next week, mostly to do up and sell on for $$$ but i might use it for a month or two first for a bit of a laugh though.

[Insideimsmiling]

Love the 800 series in any form, had a couple of saloons and a coupe but they are finally moving up in value so out of my price range. Still if it means that these get saved now instead of scrapped at the slightest sign of trouble then it's all good.

[Split_Pin]

Lovely motor. Rover seemed to make a good effort at sporting models in the 1990s, this looks the part. Edinburgh Reg Mark too, I wonder it if originally came from Appleyard. My folks Neighbours bought Rovers right up until the youngest examples were too old for their needs and Appleyard was the garage they originally used.