I started looking for the one car from our past which both me and my lass would love back in November 2011. Only one car fitted into that category - the Rover 'Tomcat' Coupe. I had one back in 2002/03, and we both really loved it. Seeing one these days (and there's not too many about) always reminded us of getting married in Gretna in Feb '03. A good time!
This one caught my eye on ebay in December. Low miles, the right colour (important), the preferred (for me) 1.6 Honda engine, and a low starting bid. Well, the auction was withdrawn with a couple of days to go, so I guessed it had been sold, and my search continued. I was surprised when, a week later, the same one popped up again. With a couple, of days of the auction to go, and still no bids, I sent the seller a message, offering him a cheeky offer to end the auction early. The reply came back 24hrs later stating that if I offered £300 (the minimum he'd accept), and it won the auction, I could have the car. There had been a couple of bids, so it seemed the auction was on! I placed a maximum of £330, hoping this would secure the deal. I woke up on the morning after the auction ended to find someone had snipered me with a last minute bid of £330.99!! curse word. Oh well, these things happen. The search continued, or so I thought!
A week or so later, the seller got back to me, to say that the winner of the auction had arranged to collect on five separate days, but failed to turn up on each occasion, so if I still wanted it, I could have it for £300! No-brainer for me, and the deal was agreed. He also agreed to keep the Tomcat with him for a few weeks. The reason for the delay in collecting was the next part of this story. ...
I decided to surprise Donna with the coupe, and booked a night away at Gretna Hall Hotel (where we got married) for a nice anniversary trip in February 2012. How romantic!
Back to that later. I had to collect it first. One way train ticket down to Liverpool Lime Street for me and my mate in a freezing cold, and I mean FREEZING COLD, train carriage (heaters were knackered and they were handing out foil blankets!) on the coldest weekend of the year!! A meet with the seller, and a flawless 200 mile journey back home, and the next stage in the plan was put into operation. I had to keep the motor hidden from Donna, so I arranged to hide it on the driveway of a neighbours sister on the other side of the same village where we live! Which is where she stayed for a week or so until I could get a couple of under the radar days with her. She was hidden again for a few days until I could get her up close to home. On went the wedding ribbons and bow, and the big 'reveal' was ON!!
Well, Donna's reaction was every bit as good as I'd hoped. She LOVED it. When I said we were heading over to Gretna for the night, in the Rover, well, what can I say. We had a bit of a hug! Lump in the throat time. Great reaction.
You still with me? haha
A bit about the car. 1995 Rover 216SE 'Tomcat' Coupe with only 75K on the clock, in lovely pearlescent Nightfire Red. November MOT. Mahoosive file of history with the car, with every MOT, every service receipt fully documented, original manual with main dealer stamps for first 5 years, original purchase receipt etc. A few things to sort, like replacing the drivers door power lock motor, drivers window off the runners, a bit a lacquer peel on a rear quarter and a leaky glass roof panel (common problem easily fixed). Things done so far - rear wiper arm & blade was missing so has been sourced and replaced and blingy chrome screenwash nozzles replaced with factory standard ones.
Time for some piccys I think
Liverpool Lime Street station when I collected her...
Hidden on our friends driveway...
Before a bit of tlc & polish...
Lacquer peel...
Faded roof panel..
Chavvy screenwash nozzles...
First bit of polish...
Better..
Day 2, another polish lol...
The roof panel was darkened with some 'product', and the screenwash nozzles replaced with the factory standard versions...
Engine bay when I got it. Not particularly loved...
On the day of the reveal to my lass...
Here's a pic of one of our wedding day pics....
And one of the Rover at the same spot 9 years later...
Comprehensive history...
Targa panels out for a clean/tightening of fixings etc..
Daft pink Ripspeed gearknob replaced...
A few weeks after getting this Tomcat, I managed to sort the jammed drivers door. Lock mechanism was stuck, Door card off..
And door open, hussah!!
Took the mechanism out, lubricated/oiled it, popped it back in....and the door works!!
Problem was, when the lock worked, it set the immobiliser away. Not a problem....unless the one remote fob I have for it is 30 miles away. Again not really a problem when my mate has a car to go get it....unless he runs out of fuel and neither of us have cards or cash. Now that wouldn't have really been too much of a problem, as his Dad offered to drive over and lend him some cash for fuel.....if the immobilised Rover wasn't parked across my mate's drive blocking his Dad's car in!!
When we eventually got back, all we needed was for the fob to work and unlock the doors thus disabling the immobiliser....and it didn't!!! . Opened it up to change the battery, and noticed that one of the contacts isn't great, so a bit of a squeeze, and...'plip'....door opened.....key in....Tomcat starts
After all that, the bad news is that the drivers window is buggered, as the wire has snapped, so we wedged it up in place with a length of timber before the door card went back on. It'll do for now. I'm just chuffed the door is sorted
Oh, and sunstrip fitted. Me likey....
After a claybar and polish..
Must admit, I do love that rear diffuser more than my kids.
Engine bay now looks a lot better...
Some new plates for my birthday in October..
Last week I finally got the annoying vibration/rattle sorted.
One of the welds on a small exhaust heatshield had gone, so I got underneath and got it off. I remember this little curse word had to come off on the Tomcat I had years ago...
And that sums up my first year with the Tomcat. Loving it. It's been to a few of the Retro Metro meets, and although I never see it getting any attention, or pics taken, I think it's a future classic.
What do you guys think?
This one caught my eye on ebay in December. Low miles, the right colour (important), the preferred (for me) 1.6 Honda engine, and a low starting bid. Well, the auction was withdrawn with a couple of days to go, so I guessed it had been sold, and my search continued. I was surprised when, a week later, the same one popped up again. With a couple, of days of the auction to go, and still no bids, I sent the seller a message, offering him a cheeky offer to end the auction early. The reply came back 24hrs later stating that if I offered £300 (the minimum he'd accept), and it won the auction, I could have the car. There had been a couple of bids, so it seemed the auction was on! I placed a maximum of £330, hoping this would secure the deal. I woke up on the morning after the auction ended to find someone had snipered me with a last minute bid of £330.99!! curse word. Oh well, these things happen. The search continued, or so I thought!
A week or so later, the seller got back to me, to say that the winner of the auction had arranged to collect on five separate days, but failed to turn up on each occasion, so if I still wanted it, I could have it for £300! No-brainer for me, and the deal was agreed. He also agreed to keep the Tomcat with him for a few weeks. The reason for the delay in collecting was the next part of this story. ...
I decided to surprise Donna with the coupe, and booked a night away at Gretna Hall Hotel (where we got married) for a nice anniversary trip in February 2012. How romantic!
Back to that later. I had to collect it first. One way train ticket down to Liverpool Lime Street for me and my mate in a freezing cold, and I mean FREEZING COLD, train carriage (heaters were knackered and they were handing out foil blankets!) on the coldest weekend of the year!! A meet with the seller, and a flawless 200 mile journey back home, and the next stage in the plan was put into operation. I had to keep the motor hidden from Donna, so I arranged to hide it on the driveway of a neighbours sister on the other side of the same village where we live! Which is where she stayed for a week or so until I could get a couple of under the radar days with her. She was hidden again for a few days until I could get her up close to home. On went the wedding ribbons and bow, and the big 'reveal' was ON!!
Well, Donna's reaction was every bit as good as I'd hoped. She LOVED it. When I said we were heading over to Gretna for the night, in the Rover, well, what can I say. We had a bit of a hug! Lump in the throat time. Great reaction.
You still with me? haha
A bit about the car. 1995 Rover 216SE 'Tomcat' Coupe with only 75K on the clock, in lovely pearlescent Nightfire Red. November MOT. Mahoosive file of history with the car, with every MOT, every service receipt fully documented, original manual with main dealer stamps for first 5 years, original purchase receipt etc. A few things to sort, like replacing the drivers door power lock motor, drivers window off the runners, a bit a lacquer peel on a rear quarter and a leaky glass roof panel (common problem easily fixed). Things done so far - rear wiper arm & blade was missing so has been sourced and replaced and blingy chrome screenwash nozzles replaced with factory standard ones.
Time for some piccys I think
Liverpool Lime Street station when I collected her...
Hidden on our friends driveway...
Before a bit of tlc & polish...
Lacquer peel...
Faded roof panel..
Chavvy screenwash nozzles...
First bit of polish...
Better..
Day 2, another polish lol...
The roof panel was darkened with some 'product', and the screenwash nozzles replaced with the factory standard versions...
Engine bay when I got it. Not particularly loved...
On the day of the reveal to my lass...
Here's a pic of one of our wedding day pics....
And one of the Rover at the same spot 9 years later...
Comprehensive history...
Targa panels out for a clean/tightening of fixings etc..
Daft pink Ripspeed gearknob replaced...
A few weeks after getting this Tomcat, I managed to sort the jammed drivers door. Lock mechanism was stuck, Door card off..
And door open, hussah!!
Took the mechanism out, lubricated/oiled it, popped it back in....and the door works!!
Problem was, when the lock worked, it set the immobiliser away. Not a problem....unless the one remote fob I have for it is 30 miles away. Again not really a problem when my mate has a car to go get it....unless he runs out of fuel and neither of us have cards or cash. Now that wouldn't have really been too much of a problem, as his Dad offered to drive over and lend him some cash for fuel.....if the immobilised Rover wasn't parked across my mate's drive blocking his Dad's car in!!
When we eventually got back, all we needed was for the fob to work and unlock the doors thus disabling the immobiliser....and it didn't!!! . Opened it up to change the battery, and noticed that one of the contacts isn't great, so a bit of a squeeze, and...'plip'....door opened.....key in....Tomcat starts
After all that, the bad news is that the drivers window is buggered, as the wire has snapped, so we wedged it up in place with a length of timber before the door card went back on. It'll do for now. I'm just chuffed the door is sorted
Oh, and sunstrip fitted. Me likey....
After a claybar and polish..
Must admit, I do love that rear diffuser more than my kids.
Engine bay now looks a lot better...
Some new plates for my birthday in October..
Last week I finally got the annoying vibration/rattle sorted.
One of the welds on a small exhaust heatshield had gone, so I got underneath and got it off. I remember this little curse word had to come off on the Tomcat I had years ago...
And that sums up my first year with the Tomcat. Loving it. It's been to a few of the Retro Metro meets, and although I never see it getting any attention, or pics taken, I think it's a future classic.
What do you guys think?
but I loved it, I was young free and single, so it didn't matter.
