Rover gR8 220SLi - CONGRATS CATSINTHEWELDER - donation now made

[catsinthewelder]

Don't tell him that! Would make for a great read.

 

 

[D Spares & Tyres]

Loose battery is no longer an MoT fail

[omegod]

There were a few R8's in my local yard and, as a former custodian of this fine machine, I'd happily grab any bit's needed, may not be this week though 

[dollywobbler]

I think the indicator/sidelight shape is wrong on the Concerto, unless you can get an entire front end and make some sort of horrid hybrid.

[catsinthewelder]

There were a few R8's in my local yard and, as a former custodian of this fine machine, I'd happily grab any bit's needed, may not be this week though 

 

Thats very kind of you but the bits this car really needs would need a grinder to remove and scrapyard owners didn't like that idea 15 years ago.

 

Current issues

 

Exhaust

Windscreen

screen surround

both front wings

both rear arches

both sills

possibly all the doors

n/s mirror cracked

battery loose

dented bonnet

loose spoiler

a couple of missing bits of trim (clock surround and o/s mirror fixing cover on inside of drivers door)

clock is broken

 

The first priority is the exhaust before the neighbours punch me,  I will try and get her on the ramps tomorrow for a look then patch it up at the weekend.

 

Next is either the rusty bits or the screen,  I used to use Jenolite as rust killer but the local factors don't stock it anymore as it's doubled in price.  Is Bilt Hamber the way to go or should I see if brick acid or vinegar can do the job before spraying?  The O/S/F wing is bent and rust holed so could do with replacement if anyone is hoarding one in long indicator flavour.  A fresh 'power bulge' bonnet would be good, an early one without the grille even better.

 

Does anyone know how the screen cracked this time?  I think that rust behind it didn't help but if something hard hit it then I'm happier to put another in.  Plan B involves short wipers and a huge chavvy sunstrip to sneak a pass.

[Scruffy Bodger]

Dunno if it helps but I bought Jenolite from Midway about 2 months ago.

[vulgalour]

You can put Concerto wings on an R8.  Unfortunately, you then need to replace pretty much everything else because the Rover bumper doesn't line up with the Concerto wing, nor does the door rubbing strips.  Once you replace the bumper, you'll find the Rover headlights won't line up with it properly and if you replace those with Concerto ones, the leading edge of the Rover bonnet won't match the shape of the Concerto headlights.  The grille won't fit any of the Rover bits either.  So by the time you're done you will, as DW guesses, need to fit a whole Concerto nose.  You may need to change the bonnet latch too.  This is fine if you have a donor Concerto.  The doors, however, are interchangable, as is all of the interior, and the rear lights, and the tailgate (some wiring required for the Concerto lights, slightly different arrangement and plugs).

[beko1987]

You can put Concerto wings on an R8. Unfortunately, you then need to replace pretty much everything else because the Rover bumper doesn't line up with the Concerto wing, nor does the door rubbing strips. Once you replace the bumper, you'll find the Rover headlights won't line up with it properly and if you replace those with Concerto ones, the leading edge of the Rover bonnet won't match the shape of the Concerto headlights. The grille won't fit any of the Rover bits either. So by the time you're done you will, as DW guesses, need to fit a whole Concerto nose. You may need to change the bonnet latch too. This is fine if you have a donor Concerto. The doors, however, are interchangable, as is all of the interior, and the rear lights, and the tailgate (some wiring required for the Concerto lights, slightly different arrangement and plugs).

There speaks a man who has tried this before...

[catsinthewelder]

I'd best stick with Rover bits then

 

It also reminds me that the bonnet safety catch is broken

 

 

Dunno if it helps but I bought Jenolite from Midway about 2 months ago.

 

I think you got the last bottle as I tried to get some for the 214 about 6 weeks ago.

[vulgalour]

I considered it, did some research, decided against it.  The other thing I forgot to mention is that the indicators are in the bumper on the Concerto, not the wing, so that's a bit of a faff too.  If you *really* wanted to, you can probably fit a Concerto wing and not-indicator (I think they're sidelights on the Concerto in the Rover's indicator location) and sort of bodge about the bumper bit to make it fit well enough.  I know you can't put the Rover indicator pod into the hole on the Concerto as it's smaller (both versions on the Rover are).

 

It's all academic anyway, finding Concerto panels is pretty difficult. I'm still on the lookout for a Concerto saloon boot and in the last three years I've seen the grand total of one Concerto saloon for sale in the UK.  Buying a whole car for one panel seemed somewhat excessive.

[Ghosty]

 

Exhaust  

Windscreen

screen surround

both front wings

both rear arches

both sills

possibly all the doors

n/s mirror cracked

battery loose

dented bonnet

loose spoiler

a couple of missing bits of trim (clock surround and o/s mirror fixing cover on inside of drivers door)

clock is broken

 

 

 

I have a clean rear driver's door, it's even white. No trim or central locking motor, and it doesn't have the Tempest Grey lower section, but it's a good door. 

Loose spoiler is TADTS, the outer 'skin' clips on to a baseplate that is fixed to the car. Best bet is to silicone/mastic it on.

Broken clock is also TADTS for a facelift car. The earlier ones seem to last better, so try and get one from an early breaker. No real way to fix them (have tried). The sprung panel that covers the buttons is part of the clock unit so you'll need another clock for that anyway. Clock is easy to replace though, it's screwed into some brackets on the back of the wood strip on the dash, which just levers out from the passenger side (use a screwdriver wrapped in a towel to remove it). 

Also, welding is welding. Wings aren't too hard to get hold of, I got a rot free pair, with trim, for £50 delivered.

Mirrors are also very easy to get hold of complete under £25, and can be changed in minutes. Don't bother trying to get a glass, just replace the whole mirror.

[DodgyBastard]

The windscreen cracked when nisfan jacked it up to change a wheel...

 

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[Jim Bell]

The windscreen cracked when nisfan jacked it up to change a wheel...

 

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He jacked the windscreen up?! No wonder it cracked.

 

Ps that spoiler was deffo already loose before Eddiefest.

[dollywobbler]

Mat the cat has had good experience with Bilt Hamber's stuff. I only use the spray wax myself, so can't really comment.

[Guest Hooli]

The windscreen cracked when nisfan jacked it up to change a wheel...

 

Sent from my G3311 using Tapatalk

 

 

Ahh structural integrity.

[D Spares & Tyres]

Get your arse over to Cradley Heath. There is a chap who is fixated with Rovers and will talk about them all day. He has every spare you will ever need. His 'business' is called Tinworm.

 

He is a nice enough chap but I refuse to do any more work for him as he does not like parting with cash but he will welcome yours I'm sure. Just don't mention my name. Or Mo's!

[catsinthewelder]

Get your arse over to Cradley Heath. There is a chap who is fixated with Rovers and will talk about them all day. He has every spare you will ever need. His 'business' is called Tinworm.

 

He is a nice enough chap but I refuse to do any more work for him as he does not like parting with cash but he will welcome yours I'm sure. Just don't mention my name. Or Mo's!

 

Oh him   That sounds like a good place to start looking for parts

 

I have a clean rear driver's door, it's even white. No trim or central locking motor, and it doesn't have the Tempest Grey lower section, but it's a good door. 

Loose spoiler is TADTS, the outer 'skin' clips on to a baseplate that is fixed to the car. Best bet is to silicone/mastic it on.

Broken clock is also TADTS for a facelift car. The earlier ones seem to last better, so try and get one from an early breaker. No real way to fix them (have tried). The sprung panel that covers the buttons is part of the clock unit so you'll need another clock for that anyway. Clock is easy to replace though, it's screwed into some brackets on the back of the wood strip on the dash, which just levers out from the passenger side (use a screwdriver wrapped in a towel to remove it). 

Also, welding is welding. Wings aren't too hard to get hold of, I got a rot free pair, with trim, for £50 delivered.

Mirrors are also very easy to get hold of complete under £25, and can be changed in minutes. Don't bother trying to get a glass, just replace the whole mirror.

 

Thanks Ghosty that is the sort of thing I needed to hear,  I've been offered a set of doors already but an already white one would be ace.

 

Now stop reading this and get KFC girls number

 

The windscreen cracked when nisfan jacked it up to change a wheel...

 

Sent from my G3311 using Tapatalk

 

Fuck, that isn't good

 

It's enough to pause the parts hunt until I've investigated the rot further.  Hopefully it's just been caused by grot in the screen surround as I can't take on another full restoration.  I couldn't get it on the ramp today but will do so later in the week.

[omegod]

It had an MOT patch on the nearside sill courtesy of Mr-B while I had it but seemed pretty solid underneath from what I recall, it's been in Scotland since though 

[Isaac Hunt]

Sometimes events just never fit together quite at the right time.

 

A couple of years ago, there was a white 214 Sli in the 'holding area' at my yard. They wanted about £300 for it and it was mint, proper mint, about 75k miles, in white and grey, correct spec indicators etc etc. They threw me the jays and it burst into life, all I could see wrong was blowing exhaust. Oil and water was clean with no sign on mixing.

 

I had too many cars and too little time. I expected someone to take it on.

 

I went back about three weeks later for something for a Ford, as I wandered through the yard, there it was, been through the de-pollution stage, all fluids removed and a couple of bits gone.

 

I had a couple of bits off it now that it was beyond the point on no return. Last time I was in there, it had gone, they don't hang around for long.

 

Bit of glass fibre filler might make the apperature 'good to go'

[D Spares & Tyres]

The windscreen cracked when nisfan jacked it up to change a wheel...

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I asked my mechanic mate and he says this is because these are basically an Allegro underneath, Rover never changed the design. The screens often pop out when jacked up

[vulgalour]

Get your arse over to Cradley Heath. There is a chap who is fixated with Rovers and will talk about them all day. He has every spare you will ever need. His 'business' is called Tinworm.

 

He is a nice enough chap but I refuse to do any more work for him as he does not like parting with cash but he will welcome yours I'm sure. Just don't mention my name. Or Mo's!

 

Steve Tolkein?  That's where my Ledbury Maestro came from and why I called it Steve.

[cobblers]

I asked my mechanic mate and he says this is because these are basically an Allegro underneath, Rover never changed the design. The screens often pop out when jacked up

 

These were mostly designed in Japan at Honda with some Rover engineers just milling around sharpening pencils, eyeing the birds up and occasionally the Japanese guys would feel a bit sorry for the Rover blokes, so they'd ask for a suggestion like a bit of fake wood here and there etc

[D Spares & Tyres]

Steve Tolkein?  That's where my Ledbury Maestro came from and why I called it Steve.

That's the fucker.

[N Dentressangle]

Dunno if it helps but I bought Jenolite from Midway about 2 months ago.

 

Wow - you just reminded me of my youth, buying bits from Midway to keep bangers on the road. Delighted it's still going:

 

https://www.midwaymotorparts.co.uk/

 

Doesn't look like Middleton scrap yard is still in business though. Say it isn't so!

[Ghosty]

 

 

Thanks Ghosty that is the sort of thing I needed to hear,  I've been offered a set of doors already but an already white one would be ace.

 

 

 

I can bring/shitely the door to Cannock if you want it.

I also have 4x lattice wheeltrims in decent/better condition if they're of interest.

[Scruffy Bodger]

Wow - you just reminded me of my youth, buying bits from Midway to keep bangers on the road. Delighted it's still going:

 

https://www.midwaymotorparts.co.uk/

 

Doesn't look like Middleton scrap yard is still in business though. Say it isn't so!

 

You'll get a rude awakening about your youth if you pop in there. The same bloke is working behind the counter from when I was going in while at college 25 + years ago. I actually asked him when buying the Jenolite how long he had been there. He's just clocked up 30 years in the same job!

[cms206]

It had an MOT patch on the nearside sill courtesy of Mr-B while I had it but seemed pretty solid underneath from what I recall, it's been in Scotland since though

I've had not a kick in the arse off of forty cars, the majority Scottish cars from new and of ten or so which were rotten only three had spent any time north of the border. Rot happens no matter where they come from.

 

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[The Moog]

I say this with trepidation, but if the worst does happen and this is off to become bean tins at some point, I would be interested in the engine to go in (NJGleeds) Rover 800 that is currently languishing on the farm. I hadn't realised the engine came from an 800 so hopefully wouldnt be too hard to swap in. 

[loserone]

POWERTRAIN BY BOLLOX will surely live on regardless.

[D Spares & Tyres]

I say this with trepidation, but if the worst does happen and this is off to become bean tins at some point, I would be interested in the engine to go in (NJGleeds) Rover 800 that is currently languishing on the farm. I hadn't realised the engine came from an 800 so hopefully wouldnt be too hard to swap in.

 

I'll have the drivers side mirror please