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Feb 12, 2014 10:54:46 GMT
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Further to the other thread I started, the same mate had a D reg Rover 216 Vitesse (Honda Ballade). When did you last see one of those ! Nothing but trouble despite only being a couple of years old. I had to weld up the rear floorpan which was final straw - car was less than 4 years old at the time. Seems somebody jacked up the car using the floorpan rather than the sill or suspension mounting area and it ripped the spot welds apart. Water then got in and rotted the area away. Another time I wasn't around so he got a neighbour to tow it as flat battery. Turned out water pump was leaking so he's been topping up with water that froze. Water pump was driven off the cam belt so gave the impression of flat battery. The towing simply stripped the teeth off the cam belt. I remember cursing lot when repairing Paul H
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Feb 12, 2014 11:09:15 GMT
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These might be best forgotten... Didn't the hen-pecked husband on Keeping Up Appearances have one of these?
My only memory of them was my cousin buying a bashed one seriously cheap at the auction and trying to get parts for it. The eventual replacement wing he got had no indicator hole but was the right colour so he just left the indicator inside but got an MOT fail for it. I was at their bit when he was cutting the hole and it ended up being slightly off position and the bloody cable had no extra length in it. About six months after cutting the hole and fitting the indicator, the hole we cut had rusted out to the point where the indicator kept falling out and disappearing inside the wing. He chopped it against a nearly new 600 diesel (which was yesterday's forgotten Rover) and ran it as a taxi for years.
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Garry
East Midlands
Posts: 1,722
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Feb 12, 2014 11:42:46 GMT
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Everything has potential. Ask Slater, this was his.
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ThePollitt
Posted a lot
Fix up, look... at that car on eBay!
Posts: 4,696
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Feb 12, 2014 12:39:03 GMT
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Funnily enough, I saw one yesterday while trying to find a new route from the office.
Personally, I like them. But only to look at. This is because they remind me of my youth when they were everywhere.
I would, however, break my to-only-look-at rule for Slater's take on this. I'd happily be seen rolling in that.
Chris
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ToolsnTrack
Posted a lot
Homebrew Raconteur
Posts: 4,121
Club RR Member Number: 134
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Another forgotten Rover !ToolsnTrack
@overdrive
Club Retro Rides Member 134
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Feb 12, 2014 12:43:59 GMT
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These might be best forgotten... Didn't the hen-pecked husband on Keeping Up Appearances have one of these? And a couple of priests...
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Midas
Part of things
Posts: 508
Club RR Member Number: 14
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Another forgotten Rover !Midas
@midas
Club Retro Rides Member 14
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Feb 12, 2014 13:23:15 GMT
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I had a 414 in BRG, it handled really well and went well for a 1.4 too. It got scrapped after the second engine twisted itself into a ball of scrap when the head gasket went.
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tenman
Part of things
m00000000000
Posts: 899
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Feb 12, 2014 13:51:22 GMT
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haha, that Father Ted was classic...
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RWD Fanatic...
2003 BMW 320d Wagon (getting old and boring) 1996 Mini Kensington (SWMBO's)
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Feb 12, 2014 17:13:42 GMT
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Moto-build did a pretty nice looking bodykit for these, very understated unlike what was popular at the time so only ever saw one driving about with it on. Just deeper smoother bumpers, small boot spoiler and side skirts. Best pic I had of my 213. Lowered, big exhaust, side skirts off a Renault 21 all the usual 90s mods. Except I couldn't afford big alloys so had 13s, so ahead of my time! In three years of abuse the only thing that broke was the remote boot release, took 20mins to fix. I've had brand new Japanese cars with worse reliability. The Honda engine I liked - 12v 1.3 revved really nicely and 75bhp wasn't so bad for back then. The Nova SRI was only 82bhp from memory.
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joe90
Yorkshire and The Humber
Posts: 1,027
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Feb 12, 2014 19:19:40 GMT
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I had a silver 1986 216 efi in 94 when i was 17, paid £100 for it and it was used to eat n/s/f tyres cos it wouldn't set off without spinning the wheel, sold it after a few weeks with a broken engine mounting.
Bryan
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Feb 12, 2014 19:39:19 GMT
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I've come close to buying one of these, on purpose, twice now. Each time something else appeared but I reckon it's only a matter of time before I'm on the lookout again. I really rate the styling on these, if you can stop their back end from rotting out they're a great little car by all accounts.
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Feb 12, 2014 22:20:06 GMT
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The Honda engine I liked - 12v 1.3 revved really nicely and 75bhp wasn't so bad for back then. Mine was indestructible. Serious. I had a G plate 213sx as my first car, it did 3 years and 35k miles of being caned to 8000 rpm in every gear from cold, and generally driven like i'd rented it. It never complained and I didn't even change the oil in that time.
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Seth
South East
MorrisOxford TriumphMirald HillmanMinx BorgwardIsabellaCombi
Posts: 15,537
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I see a Vitesse version everyday, as there's one slowly decaying on the drive of a house opposite ours. The second 'mum's' car I drove was a 213. I think I preferred it to the Mk3 Escort that came before.
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Follow your dreams or you might as well be a vegetable.
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A mate had one bitd he fitted gutters to it as sideskirts and painted them to match car. Looked awful but was epic. He went into Southport Maccy D's drive thru did a massive burnout on handbrake. Front tyre set on fire. We were waving at him to say your on fire! He just waved back thinking we were letting on to him. Next thing he's jumping out flapping about. Funniest thing I've seen.
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"To Big block or not to Big block?" Thats the question!
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Brian Damaged
West Midlands
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 9,555
Club RR Member Number: 33
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If you can get on top of the rot, the Honda-engined 213 was a fine car. One of my mates bought a one OAP owner 213 back in the 90s and ran it daily for 3 years without a single issue.
The Austin-Rover engined 216 was a dog.
Later 200/400 series was a completely different animal.
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Feb 13, 2014 11:07:16 GMT
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My first car after passing my test was a silver E reg 216se. Bought it from a local trade centre while looking over it lifted out the spare wheel to see the road underneath. Asked the guy if it came with a warranty? Yes he said 50/50
50 yards or 50 seconds what ever comes first, Had some fun in that car thrashed it to within an inch of its life as you so when you're 17 and refused to break down.
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Feb 13, 2014 13:16:49 GMT
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Ah, my mum had a G-reg BRG Vitesse for a bit when I was a kid. We used to go down to the south of France in it. Every few miles we'd have to stop and slam the boot shut again. Slowed progress somewhat.
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8tee8
Part of things
Posts: 288
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Feb 13, 2014 15:21:13 GMT
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I had an '87 213 as my first car about 8 years ago. One oap owner from new, never been on a motorway. This was reiterated the first time I took it on a motorway and it ground to a halt. Never missed a beat after that though, the honda engine is a peach
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Feb 13, 2014 16:24:41 GMT
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I had a 216 vandenplas came with leather electrics and RUST! Paid about 50 quid for it and probably sold it for the same.
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Midas
Part of things
Posts: 508
Club RR Member Number: 14
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Another forgotten Rover !Midas
@midas
Club Retro Rides Member 14
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Feb 13, 2014 21:35:44 GMT
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Later 200/400 series was a completely different animal. Doh, my mistake! In my defence it was quite some time ago
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