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KwS's SD1 Obsession


kws

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I managed to kick the SD1 sickness. Mine was a 2600 manual and probably the worst car I've ever owned, even though it made perhaps the best noise of the lot.

I agree with you on wanting a series 2 - all of the styling changes were for the better. I just can't believe the build quality is also supposed to be an improvement over series 1. :shock:

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The series 1 build quality is pretty appalling, its amazing they even sold enough to make a series 2. I can understand the desire for the clean and pure S1 design, but the S2 is just a much nicer car inside and out (especially inside...).

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24 minutes ago, CUL8R said:

For the record I think the Chevette and viva indicators are the same, I agree have to be very very careful with the springs, plungers etc as they can fly out very easily!

Probably all Lucas stuff in them too i guess?

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I thought these things had a BW35 auto trans?

If so, its definitely been rebuilt. Even behind a rover engine its sure to have fucked out by now.

Another thoroughly enjoyable thread. Your build threads 100% make up for your taste in cars. Such satisfying read.

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1 hour ago, RUNAMUCK said:

The later ones were a massive improvement then!

They could do with a fourth gear/overdrive, but otherwise i've always found them quite pleasant to drive. They suit the cruising nature of the car quite well.

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When I was about 7 so this would Have been 1987ish, the panel beater in the next building would store cars in the back of my dads Workshop. For about 2 years a silver SD1 Vanden Plas series 2 (that was badly stoved in the front ) turned up.. his neighbour would store all different cars from time to time so was fun for a kid into cars. 
I thought that Rover  was the flashest car I’d  ever seen (even with a smashed windscreen and the front clip and engine completely missing) and would play in it. It would have bad been only a year or so old and still had the new car smell.

I remember the sunroof and the trip computer, also the dash that to me looked like an aircraft cockpit. I also remember one of the apprentice panel beaters came around one afternoon and swapped out the stereo in it with some shitty old radio lol. 

 I think from memory they were waiting for parts from the UK to repair it, who knows what happened but it sat there for probably 2 years before disappearing.


Then one day the panel beaters had another series 1 SD1 parked in dads workshop getting a panel resprayed, I remember sitting in the car and messing with the controls then the indicator stalk fell off and the horn went off and sparks flew out of the steering column lol… that’s when I knew all about English cars. 

recommend watching the SD1 Liver-run thats kinda fun. Have always liked these SD1’s but could never stomach the ensuing issues and build quality but they still are fine looking automobiles. 
 

 

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3 hours ago, kirk28 said:

When I was about 7 so this would Have been 1987ish, the panel beater in the next building would store cars in the back of my dads Workshop. For about 2 years a silver SD1 Vanden Plas series 2 (that was badly stoved in the front ) turned up.. his neighbour would store all different cars from time to time so was fun for a kid into cars. 
I thought that Rover  was the flashest car I’d  ever seen (even with a smashed windscreen and the front clip and engine completely missing) and would play in it. It would have bad been only a year or so old and still had the new car smell.

I remember the sunroof and the trip computer, also the dash that to me looked like an aircraft cockpit. I also remember one of the apprentice panel beaters came around one afternoon and swapped out the stereo in it with some shitty old radio lol. 

 I think from memory they were waiting for parts from the UK to repair it, who knows what happened but it sat there for probably 2 years before disappearing.


Then one day the panel beaters had another series 1 SD1 parked in dads workshop getting a panel resprayed, I remember sitting in the car and messing with the controls then the indicator stalk fell off and the horn went off and sparks flew out of the steering column lol… that’s when I knew all about English cars. 

recommend watching the SD1 Liver-run thats kinda fun. Have always liked these SD1’s but could never stomach the ensuing issues and build quality but they still are fine looking automobiles. 
 

 

Thats some great memories, especially with the falling to bits Series 1 :grin: Thanks for sharing.

The Liver run is a must watch. I've watched it a few times, and its wild seeing them just running these cars flat out through the city, weaving all over the road.

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5 hours ago, j.e.d. said:

Very informative as always & a pleasure to read.. adding reversing lights to the list of things to fix?

Thanks. Funny you say that, in a video I took tonight of the car (for other, less happy reason to be revealed later) the reverse lights decided to come to life. Probably just dirty contacts in the inhibitor switch, like usual.

1 hour ago, Indiana_Jones said:

Lush SD1, so keen to own one.

The Clarion radio, is that factory?

Im not sure, possibly not. My last one had an original Austin Rover Motorola radio. The clarion was fitted between 2015 and 2018 as the radio was missing from photos I have of the car in 2015, and is fitted in the 2018 photos.

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12 minutes ago, kws said:

Im not sure, possibly not. My last one had an original Austin Rover Motorola radio. The clarion was fitted between 2015 and 2018 as the radio was missing from photos I have of the car in 2015, and is fitted in the 2018 photos.

Interesting, only ask as it was factory fitted to the early XJ40s (got one in mine) and was curious to know if it was factory in other British cars.

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23 hours ago, kws said:

They could do with a fourth gear/overdrive, but otherwise i've always found them quite pleasant to drive. They suit the cruising nature of the car quite well.

Wonder how easy it would be fit a ZF 4HP22 from a V8 Disco using a BMW rwd tailshaft housing (seen it done in a build thread on FMM).

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