Look, I have curious tastes when it comes to cars. I have owned hundreds, of all different makes and models, but it has to be said that the brand that seems to constantly tickle my pickle is Rover. Maybe I like an underdog, maybe I like punishing myself, maybe I like having cars that seldom work? Who knows? All I know is that I like them. I have a 1999 800 Vitesse that I have pretty much completely restored, I have a 1989 827Si that's a work in progress (19k on the clock - one hell of a find) and I also have this, my 2003 Rover Streetwise 1.4S.
I've always liked the R3 generation Rover 200, and I have always been fascinated by the Streetwise. It was the epitome of 'money for old rope' but was also a ground-breaking car to my mind, one that was simply too ahead of its time. It was widely mocked at launch, but in 2022, the Dunes, the Actives, the Allroads and the myriad other 'soft roaders' go to show Rover was in fact onto something. But alas, it was too soon and nobody bought them.
This 2003 one came up locally and was a mere £500. It had no MOT due to the fact the track rods were goosed, the outer CV boots were shredded and the lower arms and bushes were borked. It was also hanging. Filthy outside, caked in mud underneath, the headlining had gone, the sunroof was held shut with gaffer tape, the interior was more swamp than car, it was vile. So naturally, I bought it.
There was logic, though. The car, while about as visually appealing as a bowl of cold vomit, was in fact a mechanical gem. One family from new, full service history, a new clutch, timing belt and water pump 3k ago and in 2016 it had the head gasket replaced with the multi-layer job. It is the sweetest sounding K Series I have ever heard, and I've had a few. Oh, ant just 61k on the clock. It was worth saving.
I set about work in a curious order. By which I mean I cleaned the engine first. No, I don't know why, either? I like clean engines, I guess. Anyway, did that, and then set about making the interior less rancid. Removed the seats, thoroughly cleaned everything, wet-vacuumed the seats, new mats and even fitted a new headlining. Not something I have ever done before, but it's a hatch, so how hard could it be? Dead easy, actually. Fabric off ebay, new glue, job's a good'un. Did a load of other sundry bits, too. New door pulls, new clips and fixings where needed, fixed the fan relay so it works on all four speeds, new window reg on the passenger side. Just made it a functional place again.
Then the mechanical stuff. Normally I service everything to death first, but this didn't need it. So instead, focused on what was needed and threw in some new arms, new track rod ends and some new CV boots. Messy job, because moly grease is the devil, but all done now.
Nearly MOT time, but before I did that, it needed fresh rubber. I got a set of new Falken tyres fitted to the original alloys, but the tyre place pointed out that two were more egg-shaped than round. They balanced them out, but only with about nine tonnes of sticky weights, which fell off as soon as they got near the calliper. Bums.
In the end, I went on Oponeo and bought a set of 16 x 6.5 ET40 steel wheels for £126 delivered. I needed spigots, but no big deal. I think they were worth the gamble, and they look ace on the car. I have since fitted MINI One centre caps, but with monochrome Union Jacks instead of the MINI emblem.
Then it went in for an MOT. It then failed on two bulbs - je suis moron. New bulbs, and it passed with no advisories. Result. So pleased was I, I treated it to the £12 wash at the local hand wash place and even fitted a new badge to brighten it up.
And that's about it. I've since fitted a period Kenwood head unit, rigged to have Bluetooth, so that's nice. Now the Streetwise is in use as the local car, what with it being exempt from Bristol's upcoming clean air zone. I threw some polish at it to get some scratches off, and dressed the plastics and have to say yeah, it looks pretty snazzy now. Another one saved, if nothing else.
Chris
I've always liked the R3 generation Rover 200, and I have always been fascinated by the Streetwise. It was the epitome of 'money for old rope' but was also a ground-breaking car to my mind, one that was simply too ahead of its time. It was widely mocked at launch, but in 2022, the Dunes, the Actives, the Allroads and the myriad other 'soft roaders' go to show Rover was in fact onto something. But alas, it was too soon and nobody bought them.
This 2003 one came up locally and was a mere £500. It had no MOT due to the fact the track rods were goosed, the outer CV boots were shredded and the lower arms and bushes were borked. It was also hanging. Filthy outside, caked in mud underneath, the headlining had gone, the sunroof was held shut with gaffer tape, the interior was more swamp than car, it was vile. So naturally, I bought it.
There was logic, though. The car, while about as visually appealing as a bowl of cold vomit, was in fact a mechanical gem. One family from new, full service history, a new clutch, timing belt and water pump 3k ago and in 2016 it had the head gasket replaced with the multi-layer job. It is the sweetest sounding K Series I have ever heard, and I've had a few. Oh, ant just 61k on the clock. It was worth saving.
I set about work in a curious order. By which I mean I cleaned the engine first. No, I don't know why, either? I like clean engines, I guess. Anyway, did that, and then set about making the interior less rancid. Removed the seats, thoroughly cleaned everything, wet-vacuumed the seats, new mats and even fitted a new headlining. Not something I have ever done before, but it's a hatch, so how hard could it be? Dead easy, actually. Fabric off ebay, new glue, job's a good'un. Did a load of other sundry bits, too. New door pulls, new clips and fixings where needed, fixed the fan relay so it works on all four speeds, new window reg on the passenger side. Just made it a functional place again.
Then the mechanical stuff. Normally I service everything to death first, but this didn't need it. So instead, focused on what was needed and threw in some new arms, new track rod ends and some new CV boots. Messy job, because moly grease is the devil, but all done now.
Nearly MOT time, but before I did that, it needed fresh rubber. I got a set of new Falken tyres fitted to the original alloys, but the tyre place pointed out that two were more egg-shaped than round. They balanced them out, but only with about nine tonnes of sticky weights, which fell off as soon as they got near the calliper. Bums.
In the end, I went on Oponeo and bought a set of 16 x 6.5 ET40 steel wheels for £126 delivered. I needed spigots, but no big deal. I think they were worth the gamble, and they look ace on the car. I have since fitted MINI One centre caps, but with monochrome Union Jacks instead of the MINI emblem.
Then it went in for an MOT. It then failed on two bulbs - je suis moron. New bulbs, and it passed with no advisories. Result. So pleased was I, I treated it to the £12 wash at the local hand wash place and even fitted a new badge to brighten it up.
And that's about it. I've since fitted a period Kenwood head unit, rigged to have Bluetooth, so that's nice. Now the Streetwise is in use as the local car, what with it being exempt from Bristol's upcoming clean air zone. I threw some polish at it to get some scratches off, and dressed the plastics and have to say yeah, it looks pretty snazzy now. Another one saved, if nothing else.
Chris
