HMC- Return of the Cheeky 500

[Zelandeth]

Oh Christ...TrafficMaster.  Lost count of how many cars scared the crap out of me back at the garage by loudly announcing that the TrafficMaster license had expired when I went to move them...

[wuvvum]

Ooh, full-on Project Drive misery - nice.  Do the parking sensors work?  The ones on the one I bought off Bramz do - it's the only car I own with working sensors.

[Angrydicky]

I really like these old 45s, quite fancy one but that Project Drive interior looks pretty awful! When was the PJ era, 03 reg onwards?

I saw this one for sale actually! Ironically, it's too new for the crappage scheme as cars had to be 10 years old to be eligible in 2009 (so T-reg and older, weep!)

[Split_Pin]

I really do like 45 Saloons, they look decently executive like a scaled down 75.

Poor kids - bless them! Wonder what our kids will say about us to their friends when they grow up! 

[wuvvum]

1 hour ago, Angrydicky said:

I really like these old 45s, quite fancy one but that Project Drive interior looks pretty awful! When was the PJ era, 03 reg onwards?

Must have been about then - the silver 45 I had a couple of years ago (which I sold to HMC coincidentally) was on a 52 and that was far better inside.  My 75 is on an 03 and again that still has decent quality fixtures and fittings.

[BL Bloke]

My 45 is an 03 reg and has the Project Drive interior. I do prefer the older interior with moar and shinier wood though. It also has working parking sensors.

[HMC]

Back home now. Weirdly this 45 also has fully operational parking sensors. Interior feels nice and not too cheapened by project drive. The change to a sort of satin finish veneer seems a bit classier and low key. It drives as you would expect a 57k car to, everything nice and tight, the gearbox a revelation after the one in the modus that was falling to bits internally.

The spec on the 45 is “club” which I thought was low on the trim levels but it’s got heated seats, air con, sunroof and a set of headlamp washers I’ve just noticed. Snazzy

!

 

[HMC]

The pic above was taken at Beaulieu, I’d been to the autojumble in about 2008 (where I sort of bumped into lord Montagu Pottering about on his mobility scooter), I hadn’t realised he’d died in 2015. 
 

There’s a makeshift tent adjoining where quite a few of the cars and other vehicles used in top gear challenges are on display- hence the boys aboard the “TGV12”

[HMC]

On 2/17/2020 at 9:01 PM, Skut said:

Steering wheel radio controls & Pektron Traffic master clock. Pity they shut off the TM network in 2012 ish. Does the clock part of it still work? 

Yes. I must admit I have no idea what that was/used to be though!

[Skut]

1 hour ago, HMC said:

Yes. I must admit I have no idea what that was/used to be though!

Nokia style traffic display. Beeped at you as well i believe to warn of stuff. 

[HMC]

Remember that mondeo ? I never did get to the bottom of wether the starter motor probs were starter, solenoid, ring gear or swarf and crap from a dying DMF choking it up. An mot was upcoming in April as well. I need little reason to get all twitchy and plan a replacement at the best of times. Did I mention the airbag light and rumbly driveshaft?

I decided there was another way- be paid money in a deal and end up with another rover.....

Any guesses?

[bramz7]

That looks like an 800 grille but I'm probably wrong and it's more likely a 600. 

Edit I'm pretty sure it's a 75. 

See, just guess the entire range and you can't go wrong. 

[RobT]

Yeah, my guess is 800.

[RobT]

Aren't the later grilles for 25s etc more silvery on the slats?  Hence the 800 guess.

[holbeck]

R8

[bramz7]

If it's an 825D I call dibs 

[catsinthewelder]

Rover 100

[wuvvum]

17 minutes ago, bramz7 said:

If it's an 825D I call dibs 

And I call dibs once bramz gets bored of it.

[Ghosty]

It's an R8.  Most of the grille is solid as it doesn't serve a purpose except making the leading edge of the bonnet look different.

 

[HMC]

Got It in one!

@Ghosty not any r8 but a 216sli auto none the less.

It all began with a typical gumtree ad with a potatocam/ storm Dennis filter...

My eyes!!! Agreed those dreadful trims needed binning - but it was very cheap and had a long MOT.

When I got to the vendors he took a shining to my mk3 mondeo and seemed unphased by the list of issues I ran off to him. Yes we could do a deal if he so Fancied. Well some money my way thanks. OK I’m happy with that.... shook on it. Effectively I now have a car with a very long mot, with no mechanical issues and some cash.  What else? ITS A ROVER. It’s been a while (2014) but I feel at home in it. The Honda d plus auto box seem nicely matched and it’s a bit of a project too. My first action was to rid it of the dreadful wheel trims and source a set of those nice lattice ones with a full on proper rover badge in the middle. I need to shod it with a new set of covers as all are low/ cracked/ ancient. Check out the Goodyear NCT2- presumably dredged up from a local canal!

 

 

 

[Ghosty]

Um, a DOT code of 444 is week 44 of 1994. 

That tyre is probably from the factory... 

 

Looks and sounds like a goodun. Flippin' LOL at the key for the heater switch. 

[Marm Toastsmith]

That’s nice.

15 minutes ago, Ghosty said:

Um, a DOT code of 444 is week 44 of 1994. 

That tyre is probably from the factory... 

It’s like the opposite of Kiltox’s 75!

[gadgetgricey]

First dibs please , when you choose to get rid.

Always love an R8, but only had a CVT auto.

[holbeck]

Nice.

I've got an R8 steel wheel and brand new (but old) Michelin tyre in my shed.

You're very welcome to it for nothing if you find yourself in East Devon.

 

[montytom]

looking good love the r8 shape. 

[HMC]

This poor R8 has at some stage been given a set of truely dire Poundland wheel trims. That, awful tyres and an eXhaust blow added to the vibe of neglect and decay. (Plus danger as @Ghosty dated one at 26 years young. ) 

#wheeltrimnerd A ‘94 sli would have from the factory a set of lattice pattern trims with a full on rover badge in the centre. Not moulded as part of the body of the trim but a full on gell badge with Viking long boat detail. (Phwarrr)

 Long before project drive they seemed to want to chuck extra detail in with facelifts and not remove it. Anyway I found some of these locally and shod it with a new set of covers at each corner at the same time (kumho ecowings)......

Before

 

 

AWFUL.

After

YES.

[montytom]

Something so simple as wheel trims have made that look loads better. Great buy. I kept seeing it for sale

[Ghosty]

The right trims make a big difference to these, they're some of the best wheeltrims of ever. 

[BL Bloke]

It looks a lot better with the right trims.  

[HMC]

Quick fleet shot