Project Creatively Titled Rover 400 Thread

[Ghosty]

For those of you that were wondering about torque converters, I looked back to the thread for my old 216.

 

Apparently lockup is around 45mph (talk about short gearing!), so we've probably not clocked it working.

 

That extreme lack of high end probably also explains why at launch, the automatic 416GTi with the same gearbox only got 120bhp from it's twincam D-Series, where the manual got 130bhp.

 

Considering the pre-cat 416GSi has 115bhp, and further to that, the only benefits of the GTi over the GSi as standard are alloy wheels (which can be replicated with later SLi wheeltrims), electric rear windows (who needs those?), and leather seats (which apparently are less comfortable than velour), then the GTi is a false economy, really - especially now when GTis are uncommon cars, especially in less-than-concourse condition, and price wise are also into four figures. Meanwhile, GSis (and facelift SLis, which are only vaguely different spec wise) can be had for peanuts. They're the ones to go for, as long as you can find one that doesn't have cloth seats etc.

[Guest Hooli]

Alloys should improve the ride too, due to lower unsprung weight. All depending on them being the same size of course.

[Ghosty]

Yeah they're 14"s like the steels, and were an option on the GSI. I'd like a set but they're rare and expensive, and I quite like the trims.

 

Aerial has been lobbed behind the centre console for now, I'm surprised to find it actually works.

I took the guts out of the original aerial leaving the plastic moulding and gasket, stuck a blob of silicone in the hole and left it be.

A big box came from Rimmer's with a bootlid and some mats in it, so the mats are now in the car, and don't look too bad actually.

Upholstery cleaner worked a treat on the velour too.

Alternator belt replaced with the right one now (thanks ECP) and we're ready for Shitefest.

Now just to see if my radio wiring adapter comes in the post before I leave...

[Ghosty]

Bodyshop next month...

[cpjitservices]

Gahhhh! Why cant I see the pi-tch-ers? 

 

They dont appear and when I click on them I get the spinning white thing!

 

 

Gash!

[Ghosty]

Not sure, I'm having issues with images displaying at the moment too.

[Ghosty]

Over a thousand miles into ownership now, and the Rover hasn't missed a beat. It even put out 39mpg going to Shitefest. Best running D Series me or my dad have had fo'sho.

While I was away my radio ISO plugs came to reattach to the wiring loom, so I did, and my standard Sony GTX-CD24 has been plonked in (a budget-friendly good sounding and subtle radio/CD/3.5mm aux in unit from 2009), and as expected there's been a massive increase in radio reception (the Kenwood tape unit barely picked up BBC stations), and sound quality. On top of that, the previously non-functional speakers have sprung back into life - however this has revealed that both fronts are knackered and buzzy, as if the cones are tired. I'll have to replace them at some point. For now my main focus is keeping the car clean for the bodyshop on the 2nd, in anticipation for FOTU (did someone sneeze?). 

The oil light came on when I went out yesterday, but only stayed on when the car was idling. Hmm.

As I was still carrying oil in the car that I'd not bothered to take out after the 800 mile Shitefest run, I gave it a little top up, and the light went out. Changing the filter ASAP - though the access is a PITA on the D-Series (the filter is on the rear of the transverse block, slap bang in the middle - under the inlet manifold and partially obscured from below by one of the crossmembers), and I've had to buy a special tool for the job. I think the scaffold pole Old Man liberated from the scaffolders out of spite of their poor timekeeping (showing up at 7:30am on a Saturday and waking all our neighbours up, as well as being some time late) might be handy.

Speaking of my neighbours, a few days ago a regular visitor of my next door neighbours caught me working on the car - he dailies a 2003 45 saloon, and said he had a 414 that hadn't run for a while that I was welcome to parts from if I needed. That's handy, innit? 

I noticed in one of dollywobbler's photos on Facebook that the windows seem to have different coloured tints (between brown and blue/crystal) where they've been replaced at some point due to break-ins etc (still occasionally finding glass shards in the car), and the driver's window has some weird ripples to it too. Oh well, can't be helped. Especially as I'm having a door replaced (that I need to have the tint film stripped from at some point).

The car was never meant to be concours anyway, just a clean daily, and the bodyshop work I'm having will make it that. I want it to be clean, but not so clean I'm scared to use it and knock it about a bit.

So, from here, I'm going to try and realign the rear bumper, get the original numberplates replicated (as the rear is still present), hopefully get a machine polish done, and a steam clean under the bonnet.

Then onwards to FOTU, hopefully I don't kill too many flies on the way to the field of dreams...

[Ghosty]

Crosland oil filter?

 

Yep, that'll be the problem.

 

Bosch filter installed.

 

I also had Old Man investigate the rear bumper (it's a job I've done multiple times so don't mind farming out, besides he's bored) and it turns out one of the mounts is badly bent out of shape (the bumper was about 1/2" too far forward on the driver's side, so I've ordered a NOS one, and a new passenger mirror too.

 

Car's starting to come together!

[cpjitservices]

This looks great, Years ago I had a drive in my father in laws 414SLi without PAS - first car ever that I drove without PAS lol

 

If any one is ever up this way in an R8 please let me have a go!!

 

Ghosty that looks mighty fine!!

[cpjitservices]

Also Ghosty there is something about putting a modern radio in an old car!! 

 

Its great - my car isn't as old as yours but even though i'm using a Pioneer modern headunit it still has that old vintage sound about it. 

[Ghosty]

The Rover soldiers on, without a care. It's ace.

 

Another little cosmetic update today:

 

IMG_20180621_154334140 by max_burton, on Flickr

 

a new passenger mirror. The external flexi piece on the old one was broken and covered in duck tape, some broken bit was floating about inside, and the spring that allows the mirror to fold back if it hits something was missing (the mirrors don't fold but are spring loaded). That spring is also what holds the mirror to the car for the most part aside a couple of plastic joints.

I should be able to make a spare mirror out of two broken ones I have lying about too.

[vulgalour]

Where on earth did you find NOS rear bumper mounts for a saloon?  I couldn't find any for mine and was told they're NLA.  They're a bit of a rubbish design and just sort of dissolve so it's just as likely the old one is bent because of the weight of the bumper as it is that someone bumped it out of shape.

[Ghosty]

Rimmer's!

[Ghosty]

All packed up and ready for the body shop, at 8:30am.

 

IMG_20180701_214136474 by max_burton, on Flickr

 

IMG_20180701_214150772 by max_burton, on Flickr

[Ghosty]

IMG_20180704_112818160_HDR by max_burton, on Flickr

 

 

[oldcars]

This will look spot on when you get it back.

[Lord Sterling]

Looking good already!

[oldcars]

Looking good already!

I apologize, it think its done as that was the side with the bumped doors.

[Ghosty]

It is

[oldcars]

It is

Its back quick, mine was in months.

[vulgalour]

Looking forward to fancier pictures of this, it already looks a nice job in just that shot.

[Ghosty]

I need to take some when I remember to charge my camera! 

 

This car just gets better, it seems to be happy it's being used  - the more I use the sunroof, the more the mechanism frees up, and now that the thermostat has been replaced, the car runs up to temperature smoothly and promptly, and doesn't seem to be overfuelling as much either. As an added bonus, the heater is furnace hot.

Since coming back from the bodyshop, the central locking (which previously only unlocked on the key and had to be manually set from inside by opening a different door then locking the driver's by pushing down the pin) has also started locking the car on the key, which is a massive bonus.

For a little more paintwork, some better wheeltrims when I can find them, and a headlining, it'll be as good as perfect.

[Ghosty]

Another unevenful month of motoring. As seen elsewhere, we're up to 66666.6 miles. 

 

The car has celebrated this auspicious* occasion by shitting its coil, so a NOS one is on the way. It's either blown a speaker or my radio wiring bodge has failed, as sometimes one speaker just buzzes and the radio reads FAILURE.

 

I also need to get a new driveshaft, and the front tyres are going on the inside edges too.

The headlining is absolutely buggered, still need to do something about that.

[davehedgehog31]

For those of you that were wondering about torque converters, I looked back to the thread for my old 216.

 

Apparently lockup is around 45mph (talk about short gearing!), so we've probably not clocked it working.

 

That extreme lack of high end probably also explains why at launch, the automatic 416GTi with the same gearbox only got 120bhp from it's twincam D-Series, where the manual got 130bhp.

 

Considering the pre-cat 416GSi has 115bhp, and further to that, the only benefits of the GTi over the GSi as standard are alloy wheels (which can be replicated with later SLi wheeltrims), electric rear windows (who needs those?), and leather seats (which apparently are less comfortable than velour), then the GTi is a false economy, really - especially now when GTis are uncommon cars, especially in less-than-concourse condition, and price wise are also into four figures. Meanwhile, GSis (and facelift SLis, which are only vaguely different spec wise) can be had for peanuts. They're the ones to go for, as long as you can find one that doesn't have cloth seats etc.

 

The lock up in mine seems to be extremely sensitive to the fluid level, I had it maybe just very, very slightly overfilled, maybe even just on the very maximum of the dipstick marks and it would not lock up and wasn't very happy at all. That was going by the HBOL fill levels, it states 2.4L to refill it, but I only actually drain 2 litres from full. 

 

With the level set at the middle of the dipstick marks, it seems to lock up just fine and changes perfectly.