The Next Project: My Rover SD1 2600 Vanden Plas

[brownnova]

  On 14/04/2021 at 20:47, Motown said:

Before anyone starts blubbering Oooh its not a V8... 

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This is Autoshite... it’s more likely someone will be blubbering it’s not the 2400D!! 
 

Cracking purchase though, I’d love an SD1 but think it’s likely I’ve been priced out now... 

[Bren]

  On 15/05/2021 at 20:13, brownnova said:

This is Autoshite... it’s more likely someone will be blubbering it’s not the 2400D!! 
 

Cracking purchase though, I’d love an SD1 but think it’s likely I’ve been priced out now... 

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A few reasonably priced projects seem to be coming available - the issue is if you have to pay somebody to do the work it gets expensive.

[Ian_Fearn]

  On 15/05/2021 at 20:13, brownnova said:

This is Autoshite... it’s more likely someone will be blubbering it’s not the 2400D!! 
 

Cracking purchase though, I’d love an SD1 but think it’s likely I’ve been priced out now... 

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Don’t get me wrong. I like a Rover V8 but having had one, the cash you need to spend on it to make the sort of power that warrants the fuel consumption, it ain’t worth it.

So I’ll take mine in this format please.

[Bren]

  On 16/05/2021 at 10:55, Ian_Fearn said:

Don’t get me wrong. I like a Rover V8 but having had one, the cash you need to spend on it to make the sort of power that warrants the fuel consumption, it ain’t worth it.

So I’ll take mine in this format please.

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I had a 2000 - I liked it.

[Noel Tidybeard]

  On 16/05/2021 at 10:55, Ian_Fearn said:

Don’t get me wrong. I like a Rover V8 but having had one, the cash you need to spend on it to make the sort of power that warrants the fuel consumption, it ain’t worth it.

So I’ll take mine in this format please.

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hmmm, i wonder how many wires it would need to make it EFi 🤔

[Skizzer]

  On 16/05/2021 at 10:55, Ian_Fearn said:

Don’t get me wrong. I like a Rover V8 but having had one, the cash you need to spend on it to make the sort of power that warrants the fuel consumption, it ain’t worth it.

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Eh?

155bhp and (more importantly) 200lb ft in return for upper 20s mpg was class leading by a good margin.

[Tadhg Tiogar]

  On 16/05/2021 at 15:09, Skizzer said:

Eh?

155bhp and (more importantly) 200lb ft in return for upper 20s mpg was class leading by a good margin.

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Dunno. BMW's M30 needed two fewer cylinders, but could produce 218hp and 229lb ft/in² for similar fuel consumption....

[NorfolkNWeigh]

  On 17/05/2021 at 11:32, Tadhg Tiogar said:

Dunno. BMW's M30 needed two fewer cylinders, but could produce 218hp and 229lb ft/in² for similar fuel consumption....

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Yes but the real competition was the Granada in MK1,2 and 3 guises , the Royale/ Senator and to a very limited extent the Tagora. The 3500 especially in manual form  was head and shoulders above the other ‘ Big 4’ fleet suppliers  as regards fuel consumption, remember it wasn’t until 82 that Grannies got 5 speeds, the 2.6 Tagora was notorious for its thirst even when first released and the old CIH straight six for all its smoothness was never good on fuel.

I remember when cars in this class first started getting OBCs, getting an average in the high teens was a result. I’ve never seen over 20 mpg on aV6 Granada or Senator, whereas  a manual SD1 V8 would quite,easily do 25+ mpg . Apart from a VdP efi auto I used a lot that pretty much always showed 14mpg which was strange because my Twin Plenum manual would do nearly 30- could be that I was paying for the fuel in that though!

[Skizzer]

  On 17/05/2021 at 11:32, Tadhg Tiogar said:

Dunno. BMW's M30 needed two fewer cylinders, but could produce 218hp and 229lb ft/in² for similar fuel consumption....

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That might perhaps be true by the last days of the SD1 in the mid 80s, but a 1979 BMW 730 was slower, thirstier and cost half as much again as a Rover 3500.

[Tadhg Tiogar]

  On 17/05/2021 at 13:31, Skizzer said:

That might perhaps be true by the last days of the SD1 in the mid 80s, but a 1979 BMW 730 was slower, thirstier and cost half as much again as a Rover 3500.

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The SD1 was occasionally placed in the same reviews as the 635CSi, hence the comparison. (3528cc, as opposed to 3453cc and later 3430cc)

The E23 730 was never an efficient car anyway. 

[Ian_Fearn]

I experienced anywhere between 16-18mpg in normal use on a carb manual. I would have seen more on a very gentle run but in reality that never happened if I wanted to experience any of that performance.

and I found it delivered fairly average performance.

edit: I was young then. Now I’m older and drive like a granny, I’d probably find it ludicrously fast 😂

[bezzabsa]

V8 RR on carbs 8Mpg round town....V8 Disco on carbs 19Mpg round town??????

FIL had a 2300 SD1 and that was smooooooth, kept eating plug leads as they were carbon IIRC

[Skizzer]

Yeah, whatever.

[Barry Cade]

I had a 2600. Green thing, bought at 18 out of the scrappies. Ended up with a fan shaped bonnet bulge after the viscous clutch let go. I can't remember the MPG, but it was more than £29.50 a week could manage! 

[Motown]

  On 15/05/2021 at 15:19, Crackers said:

I'll do it for 50 quid cash, with a tin of emulsion and a 6 inch brush, but I offer no warranty on the finish.

Seriously though, where are you in the country, there's a few good places (not necessarily cheap) down my way.

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Am in Sheffield, South Yorkshire. The two paint places ive approached in my area basically said... Silver is a hard colour to match mate and its a big car so you wont have much change left from 4k...

Granted the SD1 is a big car but i think 4k for a respray is a little excessive especially as i could get away with just getting the replacement bonnet front wings and drivers door painted.

[Bren]

Matching silver is a PITA. No painter will want to do individual panels knowing it could look odd.

[tooSavvy]

  On 17/05/2021 at 23:29, Bren said:

Matching silver is a PITA. No painter will want to do individual panels knowing it could look odd.

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Yes, this.....

Paint guy "I'll do it for £900 - you need to give me £3100 'for the guarantee' it won't look like a £900 blowover!"

[Motown]

  On 17/05/2021 at 23:29, Bren said:

Matching silver is a PITA. No painter will want to do individual panels knowing it could look odd.

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Looks like il be getting a divorce and paying near 4k for a respray then 😆

[Motown]

  On 18/05/2021 at 06:37, tooSavvy said:

Yes, this.....

Paint guy "I'll do it for £900 - you need to give me £3100 'for the guarantee' it won't look like a £900 blowover!"

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If my wife leaves me can i come and live with you? You seem to be sympathetic sort 😆 

[Motown]

Do i get a new door shell from RIMMERS at £276 or shall i just weld it.... Decisions decisions...

 

 

Had to amuse myself slighty because if you dont laugh you cry....

[Fumbler]

G'wan, have a go welding it. Be sure to put in a drain hole at the bottom so it doesn't happen again though.

[Ian_Fearn]

Definitely repairable.

[Motown]

  On 19/05/2021 at 20:31, Ian_Fearn said:

Definitely repairable.

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You fancy another trip up haha 😆

[Anglevan]

Are you able to do the prep and stripping? If you are you should be looking at nearer £1500 for the painting.. Loving the sd1 and one on my bucket list.. Regards the door, easy repair but feel along the whole lower flange (great word, flange) if any sweating I'd be going for the door (or skin) if it's available.. What's the the others like? 

[Motown]

  On 20/05/2021 at 06:15, Anglevan said:

Are you able to do the prep and stripping? If you are you should be looking at nearer £1500 for the painting.. Loving the sd1 and one on my bucket list.. Regards the door, easy repair but feel along the whole lower flange (great word, flange) if any sweating I'd be going for the door (or skin) if it's available.. What's the the others like? 

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That is literally the only rotten/rusty bit on the car believe me i have checked and checked again... Ive been incredibly lucky with it. 

I cant prep or strip but the black panels on the car so both front wings bonnet and doors are new primed but not painted parts from Rimmers.

In fact the rear passenger door boot and front valance are they only pieces of outer bodywork that are original it would seem... Everything else has been replaced.

 

[Bren]

I'd be tempted to let metal into that hole. The problem with cars of this vintage is if you start spending £££ it sucks the fun out of it and you start feeling a tad resentful. God knows I have.

[Motown]

  On 20/05/2021 at 14:12, Bren said:

I'd be tempted to let metal into that hole. The problem with cars of this vintage is if you start spending £££ it sucks the fun out of it and you start feeling a tad resentful. God knows I have.

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Are you saying weld it rather than replace the door?

Would appreciate your advice and expertise as i know you've owned a few 👍

[Bren]

Yes. Take the hole back to sound metal. Make a cardboard template the shape of the hole. Transfer the template to a piece of steel. Trim repair section. Weld it into the hole slightly lower than surrounding area so you can cover it with a skim of filler.

[Ian_Fearn]

  On 19/05/2021 at 22:34, Motown said:

You fancy another trip up haha 😆

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If I wasn’t in the midst of a house move I would.

[Motown]

  On 20/05/2021 at 21:07, Ian_Fearn said:

If I wasn’t in the midst of a house move I would.

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You want to be careful moving a house mate you'll do your back in 😆