1986 Rover SD1 3500SE Police Car

Balls of steel award over here please!

Ooooh! You're a brave man, that's a fact!!! Best of British with this project!

Yeah this is going to be a big and long project. The chap i bought it off assured me that "just fit 4 doors and ill be halfway there". My mate and i curse word ourselves laughing at his optimism. On the way home I stopped at the services on the M25 to check the ratchet straps were still tight. I noticed that the trailer bed had turned orange/brown from all the rust that had fallen off the rover. Still, it weighed a bit less which helped my fuel economy.

I'm pretty good at MIG welding, but I'm going to invest in a spot welder, as i want this put back together looking as factory as possible.

I remember seeing this on ebay. You're in for some hero welding with that one I recon.
Have you just got rimmer bros to send you one of everything from their SD1 section?

Looking forward to seeing what its like when you get it stripped down.

bookmarked lets see the strip down pics soon balls of steel to take that on good luck fella

Also found this badge under the drivers seat which indicates this was a Lancashire Police car.



A bit about SD1 police cars.... what i know so far anyway.

Because the general public used to complain when they saw the Police driving round in luxury barges, they all appear to be low specification. They don't have sunroofs, they have manual window winders and mirrors. They don't have tinted glass. They have vinyl boot trim instead of carpet, and there is no carpet on the door cards or wood trim, and no wood trim on the dash.

Mechanically they have the carburettored V8 engine which is standard, but they have heavy duty clutches and bigger bearings in the gearbox.

The brake setup is the same as the Vitesse with 4 pot dual circuit front calipers, vented discs, and the rear drums have smaller diameter rear brake cylinders unique to police spec cars.

The dampers are standard, but the springs are 20% stiffer but original ride height.

They usually have manual steering racks, but mine is power steering. Some forces disabled the power steering as it gives better feel at high speed.

Some cars had Vitesse alloys, some had standard 14" alloys like mine. Most had non chrome trim bumpers, but a few came with chrome trims, over-riders, headlamp washers and front fog lights.

This is the info i have gleaned so far, as i go on I'm sure ill find out more.

Basically big engine, low weight, big brakes, stronger drivetrain. When police cars were cool.

Not sure where it was stationed. The number plate suggests it was registered in Kendal or Preston.

D---GEC IS aug 86 preston, so that would tie in with your lancs badge.

Yeah why is it we like them again

OP - 127884696429694 / 10 for the save

Double RR points for it getting finished (which I have no doubt you will do as others have said you've obviously taken the world stock of brave pills and have enough to last you the time it takes to complete the project)