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Oct 19, 2016 20:07:17 GMT
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This is all very exciting isn't it.  Is the engine going to be " standard " ?? Or you going to go for something sneaky ? I'm not sure about the engine. It was originally a twin carb but controlled by an ecu. Yes I know, sounds strange but for the last year or so the v8's got electric stepper motors that moved chokes to help with fine tuning the operating of the carbs. They will be retained, along with the original air box. I might fit a lumpiier cam and do some head work but it will stay a 3.5. At one point I was going to put the 3.9 in it from my drift car along with the lsd, but planning on staying more original. I think D825GEC still exists but it's now 4.6 litre! |
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Oct 19, 2016 20:25:11 GMT
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This is all very exciting isn't it. Is the engine going to be " standard " ?? Or you going to go for something sneaky ? I'm not sure about the engine. It was originally a twin carb but controlled by an ecu. Yes I know, sounds strange but for the last year or so the v8's got electric stepper motors that moved chokes to help with fine tuning the operating of the carbs. They will be retained, along with the original air box. I might fit a lumpiier cam and do some head work but it will stay a 3.5. At one point I was going to put the 3.9 in it from my drift car along with the lsd, but planning on staying more original. I think D825GEC still exists but it's now 4.6 litre! Its's entirely up to you of course, isnt a 4.6 block etc just the same externally ? ( obviously I'm a nightmare and I'd say your SD1 now needs about 300bhp after surviving its years of hard service and then rusty survival in its garage ) |
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Oct 19, 2016 20:37:55 GMT
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Yes all the v8 blocks are the same external dimensions. I'm limited by how much the original twin carbs will flow. If I want the original carbs to remain they only will run about 200 bhp. So no point going larger capacity. I can swap to the 2" jag carbs but then I would lose the electronic control. So going bigger will really knock the originality.
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They didn't always stay the right shape. This was one of the Y-reg Rovers that was replaced by the D-reg ones.  This is my new desktop wallpaper! |
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robbo86
Part of things
Current Ride: 2018 Volvo V90 D4 , 1983 Rover SD1 Vitesse
Posts: 168
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Oct 20, 2016 23:48:04 GMT
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Looking forward to reading through this all the way. I love an SD1
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Oct 23, 2016 20:33:52 GMT
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I have had a really productive weekend. I had a good few hours on the car on both Saturday and Sunday. The car is now off the rotisserie, but i have left the front and rear beams/brackets in place. This is because it will be soon headed off to a body shop, and i want a professional to go over the Gravitex with some rubberised stonechip and then black paint. So the axles are going on temporarily so that it can be transported, but will come off again so the underside can be stone chipped. Rear axle back in  The rear axle on wheel dollies, and the front on a wheelie trolley i made.   This car was fitted with the BOGE Nivomat self levelling rear dampers. They are big money to replace. They arnt leaking, and are very stiff to manipulate by hand, but other than that i have no idea what their condition is. Therefore i decided to paint them up and refit them, then if they are no good i will get better ones. Being cleaned up  Both gaiters were perished and split, so i tried to get replacements. Couldnt find any, so i have bought some motorcycle damper gaiters, which are quite a good fit.  Etch primer, then painted in an original shade of grey.  Then it was front suspension time. The only parts being re-used are the front springs, steering arms and a few of the bolts. Everything else is new. While cleaning up the springs i found the original identification markings. Red and orange stripe, which i think is standard for the non aircon cars. I thought Police suspension was upgraded, but perhaps not?  All of the parts laid out for re-assembly. Lots of degreasing and painting to get to this stage, so very good i had two days to paint and then refit before i forgot what everything was and where it goes.  The struts were a proper ball-ache to reassemble. The new dampers would extend but only with a fairly determined pull, and as soon as they were released they would retract. So holding the damper rod out, whilst fitting the bump stops, gaiters, spring insulator pad (which i greases with silicone grease), spring, shim, top cup, top mount, washer and nut was extremely difficult. All of the while i had my cheap spring compressors on full compression just waiting to jump off. I was quite relieved when they were all together. The impact gun was invaluable, not only to tighten and release the spring compressors, but also to do up the top nuts.  Fitted on the car. Again not easy to get the lower arms, anti roll bar and strut in; they were all fighting each other, pre-tensioned by the anti roll bar. I fitted the anti roll bar loose, then nearside lower arm and strut, but then had to unbolt the anti roll bar completely in order to fit the offside lower arm and strut.  The last thing i did before packing up was clean the steering rack, then fit new gaiters and rod ends and tehn bolt it into the car.   Next weekend i hope to refit the front hubs and connect the steering rack to the hubs. Then the front wheels can go in and it will be rolling for the first time in maybe 2 years! |
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Oct 30, 2016 21:32:23 GMT
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Exciting news ladies and gents..... ...The car is booked in to have a a bare metal respray at Strada Automotive! Yes Strada off this very forum. Its a bit of a trek from Kent, but it'll be worth it. retrorides.proboards.com/thread/193293/white-1989-mg-montego-faceliftI'm taking it up on the 14th November so i have been accelerating the work to get it rolling. Some more new old stock stuff turned up. A genuine fuel filler neck to tank hose. I then epoxied the filler neck so it wont rust out like the last one. Plus i got some new rear damper mount bushes and steel tubes.   Then i fitted the new gaiters to the Nivomats and refitted them to the car.   After that i refitted the calipers, steering arms and the hubs. They will all come off again and have new wheel bearings discs and calipers once its back from the bodyshop. And finally the car saw daylight (well the rear end of it) for the first time in ages. I had to borrow a pair of wheels off the drift car, as i can only find three original SE alloys?   New it was door hanging time. I have quite a selection so i picked the best and stuffed them on. Not gapped yet, as first i wanted the seals on. I had quite a few of theses too, very dusty though. So i picked the best 4 and cleaned them up. Drivers door seals are hard to find. Fortunately the drift car had one that was pretty good, so i robbed it for the Police car.  Door and bonnet on. Looks like an SD1 again.  I also cleaned up, de rusted and refitted the original bonnet stay. I think it might be the only non welded original panel!  Finally i experimented fitting the gutter rail trims. These are an absolute nightmare to get on and off without damaging, so i thought i would do a trial run with the old ones. Managed to get them on, and i think i have the technique worked out, but they are very fragile, and very easy to dent when tapping them on.  Next weekend hopefully ill have all the exterior panels on and gapped properly. |
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Oct 31, 2016 13:24:01 GMT
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Tyres back on the ground... What a very pleasing sight.
I don't remember if I've ever commented on this thread but I've been following it for ages.
Top job old son! Good to see it coming back together.
James
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Oct 31, 2016 14:02:19 GMT
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corker of a build hats off
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Nov 14, 2016 21:36:53 GMT
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Ive had a busy three days. I was running out of time, so rather than get the doors gapped properly which was what i had originally intended, i just chucked them on! Sounds easy, but it was a ball ache finding all the latches and striker plates, and then remembering which went where and making sure they weren't seized. I am not looking forward to building the doors back up. Such a fiddle.  After that i finished seam sealing the interior. Some was done using tiger seal, the rest was grey stripe brushable stuff, which is really satisfying to use and smells great.  When i repaired areas of the floor i had to chip off the old sound deadening pads. So i bought some new stuff to replace it. Unfortunately the large pads i ordered for the boot floor didnt turn up in time, so i was only able to do the front of the cabin.  I moved the drift car outside and took the obligatory photograph. Then got the Police car on the trailer using my rusty winch. Not easy when its dark and your doing it by yourself.   Up at 5am this morning in an attempt to miss the traffic round the M25. Unfortunately an accident at Junction 11 meant big traffic jams. Cue a detour through Esher and south west London. Not fun with a trailer. I took refuge at Beaconsfield services and rewarded myself with a McDonalds sausage and pancakes breakfast. Then on to Bridgnorth Shropshire. Heres a photo taken at the services. Looks like a heap of scrap. You wouldnt think it was the result of 4 1/2 years of hard graft!!!  And now safely delivered to Strada Automotive ready for Mike, Dave and team to work their magic.  A very long day. 400 miles and ten hours driving. Then after putting the trailer back in the field i still had to drive an hour 15 mins back round the M25 and home. Still, next time i see the car it should be shiny and white! |
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Nov 15, 2016 10:05:01 GMT
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sheeet on it ! this is a big step forward now !
does the daily mirror drift slag have any provenance to it or just replica decals? no reason for asking but been going through my old picture collection and that livery pops up in 84 or 85 RAC rally i think (astra spotting) always reminds me of you !
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Last Edit: Nov 15, 2016 10:05:13 GMT by darrenh
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Nov 15, 2016 10:13:23 GMT
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Yes a big step indeed. The garage feels very empty now!
No provenance what so ever. A chap on the sd1 forum built a replica of Tony Ponds 1980's Lombard rally SD1. He had the stickers made up specially, and bought proper plastic windows as well. Then he then lost interest and broke the car up. I only really wanted the windows, but I got the doors free, and paid £10 for the bonnet to complete the set. The doors are actually a bit rusty, but I quite like the retro 80's stickers, so I just fitted everything for a laugh, and they have stayed.
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Nov 15, 2016 11:04:44 GMT
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They didn't always stay the right shape. This was one of the Y-reg Rovers that was replaced by the D-reg ones. This is my new desktop wallpaper! That looks like a hard hit !!! Ouch. Any more details ? |
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Nov 15, 2016 11:14:47 GMT
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Yes a big step indeed. The garage feels very empty now! Is the drift SD1 in for " The treatment " Now, or are you all SD1'd out ??  Excellent work sir, I joyfully tip my cap to you. |
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Nov 15, 2016 11:18:43 GMT
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No more details on the shunt, but maybe Ken can fill us in?
The drift car has an uncertain future. I assembled it using some of the engine and transmission parts from the Police car. I'm going to need them back soon, but I don't really want to have to start pulling that apart, as its currently a running an MoT'd car!
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steptoeshaw
Yorkshire and The Humber
4 Rover SD1 V8's and an MG Midget. The rest of my cars aren't retro yet
Posts: 148 
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Nov 15, 2016 13:08:58 GMT
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Been following your thread on the sd1 club forum but don't post on there anymore (its will,jackrex). I have to say that this is one of the best restorations ive been itterested in and just love the work thats gone into it. Cant wait to see it painted. Keep up the excellent work.
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Nov 17, 2016 20:17:25 GMT
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Nov 17, 2016 22:47:41 GMT
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Beautiful
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Nov 17, 2016 22:53:44 GMT
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quality work
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fer4l
Posted a lot
Testing
Posts: 1,497
Club RR Member Number: 73
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Oh my!
Yes
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