2000 Rover 45 V6 Conni, finished and on the road!

[Anglevan]

With the engine done, next job, fix the door handles, both were broken (common issue) using them broken while working on it was only going to make things worse. Google did not bring any sensible fixes, all I could find was buy another handle (what's the point? will just break again) or drill a hole and put a bolt through. Nope, I didn't want to do that either. Previous attempts to glue the handle have failed, and judging by the glue residue and super glue on the door I don't think anything done was an attempt at a permanent fix. Started by cleaning the handles of the previous glue, followed by a dremel to give me a base to work to. Cleaned the brass rivnut up. I had a hot staple gun (used to repair a fairing on an 80s moped I'm doing up) had good success with it so gave it a go. Created a cage for the rivnut to sit in. The idea being it allows the glue something to hold onto. I've no idea if this will work but I've nowt to lose. 

I super glued the rivnut in position so that it wouldn't move and then used gorilla epoxy around the rivnut. Left it for a couple of days and it's set good and proper. 

Did this to both handles. I'll report back if this has in anyway worked! 

[Anglevan]

Not much to update but the let's see where we are up to. I've booked this in for Rustival so wish me luck. I'm probably doing this backwards to normal doing high ticket items without actually seeing if this thing will run properly but let's try. First job is the windscreen, I have bad luck with cars, pretty much every recent car I've bought has had a cracked or chipped screen. This was no different and had a chip right in the drivers view. I use Halifax windscreens as always been reliable and does a good job. Opted for the green tint band . Next job was wheels, 2 of the tyres would not keep air, the wheels needed a refurbishment. The original tyres while had good tread had bad cracks in em and  clearly old. Bought some yokohama as the cheapest branded tyres, wheels refurbished. Centre caps miss matched one MG , so bought a Rover one and new badges. Currently has my spare wheels from my 214sei to keep it rolling. Hoping the brakes just need a good strip and clean. Did spot a hole in the inner sill on the nsr so that wants welding.  Finally my door handle repair is holding up, for some reason the keys didn't match so retumbled the barrels so one key now for all locks. Weather has been terrible recently and as its outside I'm just waiting for a decent day to sort the brakes. 

 

[Imhotep]

Interested in this door handle fix if it works, like you I’ve been looking and nothing seems to have any definitive answers for a fix. I’m scared one of my kids is going to pull the door handle off my ZS one day!

[Anglevan]

44 minutes ago, Imhotep said:

Interested in this door handle fix if it works, like you I’ve been looking and nothing seems to have any definitive answers for a fix. I’m scared one of my kids is going to pull the door handle off my ZS one day!

I'll keep it updated, I tried on line but found now real solution. It had previously been glued, I'm hoping the anchor points will make a difference. The epoxy I used is like rock so I'm hopeful. Time will tell. 

[Mr Livered]

I wasn't aware there was a common broken door handle issue on these, which bit is it exactly?

[Angrydicky]

Some great work going on here. I think the 45 saloon is a lovely looking car and Wedgwood Blue is the best colour. I had a very similar car a few years ago but mine was saddled with the awful CVT gearbox that was nothing but trouble. I should have converted it to manual to save it but I probably never would have got around to it, shame as it was a tidy car.

[Lonestar]

I remember having to fix (and eventually replace) the door handle on my old 220 Coupe because it kept breaking off. Seems that particular aspect didn't improve over time.

[Anglevan]

1 hour ago, Mr Livered said:

I wasn't aware there was a common broken door handle issue on these, which bit is it exactly?

Yeah it's a known problem on the 45, these had been 'repaired' previously.  Getting second hand in the right colour that are usable is proving more difficult.  Basically it pulls the brass nut out of the plastic when you pull on the handle, made worse in winter on frozen door. 

[Mr Livered]

Okay thank you. I've been offered a "visit" to a parts car for my new 45 so I'll make sure I get some handles. I've never owned one of them before and it's okay at the moment so I'm sort of guessing which bits to grab!

[Imhotep]

35 minutes ago, Mr Livered said:

Okay thank you. I've been offered a "visit" to a parts car for my new 45 so I'll make sure I get some handles. I've never owned one of them before and it's okay at the moment so I'm sort of guessing which bits to grab!

If it’s a hatch you have, grab a seal for the boot too. They like to fail.

[Anglevan]

Latest update, things slowed down as I have to work outside, can only really work on it on a Saturday and as we know, until very recently it rained every single Saturday in Jan and Feb or at least it did in Yorkshire!! Oh well let's see what happened. 

Tackled the faulty heater motor, really easy to get to on these and yes it was seized solid, would not budge at first, but a little persistence and we had movement,  but still would not work, could see a brush was sticking so gave that a prod, and we have a motor, really sluggish at first, sprayed some oil into the bearing area best I could then bingo we have a motor!! 

As you can tell I was doing inside jobs due to the weather, while I was working on the motor I thought I'd do the pollen filter, ordered a new one, when it arrived it was a little bigger and the original was a bit jammed in, turns out the one that was originally in was wrong, new in and fitted lovely. While I did that I noticed carpet is wet so I defo have a water leak to fix! Then onto the door cards. 

All 4 needed retrimming. Was a real pain but so happy with em, not perfect by any means but much better. Headlining is still to do but will do that when I strip interior to sort the leak! I'm thinking maybe it's the sunroof drains as the boot is wet also. So with Headlining out it will be easier for me to check em. 

Had some decent weather recently so made a start on the brakes, front calipers were seized solid and discs knackered though not that old, rears were new just before it was laid up, new discs for the fronts, being a tight arse I shot blasted the rears (I will be fitting new pads) all the carriers were really bad so shot blasted and painted them at the same time in por15,  and that's me up to date,  just waiting on some new brake parts to arrive and we can start reassembly and for those interested the door handles are still holding up!! Till next time!! 

Oh and  a quick question for the knowledgeable ones, the nsr brake carrier had a cover bolted to it, osr missing. No part number on the part and not listed on any site, Google not providing any joy, should it have one on the osr? And if so anyone have one? You can see the nsr one shot blasted ready for paint in the pic. 

[Imhotep]

Wondering if Project Drive removed them as my ZS didn’t have them. The rear brakes are the same as a Honda S2000, not sure if the caliper carrier cover is? I know Honda and MGR had different part numbers. Here’s an S2000 part if it’s the same:

https://ebay.us/m/iScq32

[Anglevan]

1 hour ago, Imhotep said:

Wondering if Project Drive removed them as my ZS didn’t have them. The rear brakes are the same as a Honda S2000, not sure if the caliper carrier cover is? I know Honda and MGR had different part numbers. Here’s an S2000 part if it’s the same:

https://ebay.us/m/iScq32

Yeah I'm guessing it is project drive, my mate has a later ZS and the stuff that's missing compared to mine is loads. That s2000 part looks different but it's given me another angle to look for so thanks. I think this is probably one of the last before they started to strip stuff from em!! 

[Anglevan]

Had a lovely afternoon on the 45, all 4 brakes are back together, just need to bleed em, getting very close now, 2 bits of welding, reassemble the doors and a quick check for the MOT. I'll tidy it all up under the arches etc when it's back on the road. 

[Anglevan]

Well where do we start, been a while. I started to skip taking pictures so will cut to the chase and we now have an MOT. Missed the Rustival deadline, well I didn't but will explain. So after fixing most of the faults, I did a last minute light check and one fog at the front wasn't working, not an mot failure pre 2018 from what I read but it meant a bumper off, what a pain of a job, swapped the bulbs on both sides, made the mistake of putting it back together before checking and nope still does not work. Oh well leave that for another day. Mot day came, and sadly it failed on 2 brake pipes, because I was on the floor and these are behind the fuel tank I missed em. Bugger!! Was getting too tight for Rustival now, mate lent me his ramp and two pipes fitted, mot now day before Rustival which yeah it passed. I should have risked taking it but bottled it so went in my mates car instead. It needs one eck of a valet, gave it just a quick wash so it wasn't too disgusting for the mot. Will enjoy giving it a deep clean now. Drove it home for the first time yesterday after it's years sitting in the yard. Will update as we go along!! 

[Anglevan]

Such a nice evening, let's have a go with the polisher !! May take me some time. Clay bar and G3 so far. 

[2flags]

Very nice. I had a 75 with the V6 engine. Get that on full chat and the sound... Beautiful. Very addictive.

[Anglevan]

Well I will call this done for now, still jobs to do. But it's taxed, insured and being used. Really enjoy driving it, I also have an R8 214sei and that's great fun on the twistys, this is more your cruiser. So far the majority of stuff is working, air con, tick super cold (wasn't expecting that TBH) cruise control, tick. Heated seats, tick. Sunroof, tick. Parking sensors, tick. Radio and multi change, tick. I have machine polished the whole car, interior has been deep cleaned several times. Jobs to do, the clock works but it's not illuminated so I'm guessing a bulb, the drivers window needs a new seal and there is a few creaks and groans but it has just been woken up after a 6 year slumber so I'll forgive it that one. Id also like to detail under the bonnet a bit more. So what's it like to drive? Love it, such a chill place to be, in sport mode on full chat it's quite the sprightly motor, sound is different to what you expect of a 45 with the usual K series in it. My plan was to do it up and sell it  but I'll think I'll keep it a bit, wont be worth much anyway. Ive not costed it up yet but was keeping track. I even managed to find a nos V6 badge for the boot !!! The V6 connoisseur Must be a rare beast now. Quite a thing for Rover at the time at a guess. 

[Christine]

I need to steal those wheels...

[Peter C]

Bloody hell, that looks brand new!

Well done that man.

[Cheezey]

It looks great. I really liked driving my parents 416SLi, V6 auto would be amazing. 
I’m also keen to see your SEi going by the standard set by this! 

[IronStar]

I've always thought these are very handsome cars. Lovely seeing a V6 one!

[RoverFolkUs]

V6 45's are very thin on the ground now, nice save!

[Anglevan]

Thanks all, I'll use this thread to update on my fleet in general. I was told by a few that the wheels were wrong for this, however I researched it and they are correct, they changed em later to the cosmos style. Mine was built July 2000 and registered Oct 2000. Have some pics of my 214sei bought this around lockdown for not a lot due to HGF @worldofceri collected it from London for me, was a belter of a car so i fixed it and kept it, one previous owner, massive history file, specced with sunroof and air bag!!! Can't see me ever selling it. 

[R Lutz]

I have never driven a 45 V6. I think it'd be a terrifically relaxing motor. 

[IronStar]

Am I misremembering that 1.4 K series can be fairly easily turned into 1.8 as bore is the same on all of them?

Paging resident expert @RoverFolkUs

[RoverFolkUs]

8 minutes ago, IronStar said:

Am I misremembering that 1.4 K series can be fairly easily turned into 1.8 as bore is the same on all of them?

Paging resident expert @RoverFolkUs

There are differences. The block and heads are the same, but the liners, pistons and rods are different to accommodate the changes in cylinder capacity and compression ratios

The VVC heads have bigger valves and the MG 160 heads are ported, if I'm not mistaken 

But otherwise, you could, technically, convert a 1.4 to a 1.8. 

[Cheezey]

2 hours ago, Anglevan said:

Can't see me ever selling it. 

Boo! I can why though. It is lovely. For me a 214SEi is the ultimate every day car. 

[worldofceri]

3 hours ago, Anglevan said:

 @worldofceri collected it from London for me

I did indeed, although I wouldn’t have twigged had you not tagged me! It’s a ulez refugee having been owned by the same lady from new, who wouldn’t have bought a new car if she hadn’t had to. Think she’d bought a Jazz to replace it. I recall her address had no parking off street or nearby on-street, except for in the garages. Hence, I reckon, ‘one lady owner’ and ‘always garaged’ were, for once, 100% true! Here it is outside it’s former home on collection day:

[IronStar]

3 hours ago, RoverFolkUs said:

There are differences. The block and heads are the same, but the liners, pistons and rods are different to accommodate the changes in cylinder capacity and compression ratios

The VVC heads have bigger valves and the MG 160 heads are ported, if I'm not mistaken 

But otherwise, you could, technically, convert a 1.4 to a 1.8. 

Thanks!

I want to put 1.8(T) in 45 I technically own but I assume there are better ways to do it, like finding a complete 1.8(T) and shoving it in, rather than converting 1.4 to 1.8. 

Sorry for thread hijack