33grinder
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Post by 33grinder on Sept 20, 2009 19:48:50 GMT
Well, I thought I would show you my daily hack and (photopheckit willing) here are some picures. It was bought a couple of years ago off fleabay for the princely sum of £563, with a wad of service history (sadly no service book though) and just 60k on the clock. Not a minter but then again not the usual rust bucket either. The astute amongst you might notice that its not exactly packing a 2.6L engine nor is it an automatic and you would be correct. Not long after owning the car, the club was contacted by a member of joe public who had a manual 3.5 VdP in his garden that was rotting away and needed moving for free. Well, I was the lucky recipient of this other rot box and with the help of a landrover mechanic friend we filited the running gear and put it in mine. Well, it would be rude not to!! ;D It is running with a Holley 350cfm carb on an offenhouser manifold, has a stainless system with tubular manifolds and a mallory dizzy. It has been on a rolling road and is punting out around 165bhp at the flywheel. Not exactly a pocket rocket but for it's size and weight not too sad, plus it has lots of lovely low down torque. It'll do 5th gear at 20mph! It is polybushed all round as has gaz shocks and lowered vitesse springs. I have a good few things to do to her yet, but all that's on hold for my 33 right now. The Rover has given sterling service and one day I will start lavishing even more attention (aka cash) on her. Hope you enjoy the pictures. Cheers, Pete.
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Post by Richard DAF Webmeister on Sept 20, 2009 20:18:32 GMT
Very nice - always liked the SD1s. Still looks modern 30+ years on.
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stefan
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Post by stefan on Sept 20, 2009 21:18:16 GMT
Hav to say the sd1 is one of my fav cars of all time, ever since next door but 1 to my perants came home with a brandnew B plater 2.0 in black. He only got rid about 4 years ago. god i loved that car, everyone i have looked at has been a rot box and i have looked at alot.
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33grinder
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Post by 33grinder on Sept 20, 2009 22:02:33 GMT
Thanks RB and Stefan. Digital pictures are always flattering, its a good straight body. It was previously owned by an old boy who did absolutely anything (and I mean everything, like £700 to have the auto box reconditioned?) for the good health of the car. It is waxolyed underneath. Last MOT the only rot advisory was a small peice at the of one sill. Being an old boy though he used to scrape his arches getting onto his driveway, so these have all been blown over (not too badly) along with the bonnet (quite badly) between the headlights (although the line in the bonnet hides this to some extent). Theres a little rust starting in the bottom of the offside doors, but really minor. A small area of the roof paint (about 6") along the windscreen has faded. Moonraker blue was known for that. Hopefully within the next couple of years I'll get her re-sprayed properly but I'll be quite @nal about it and get new rubbers and chrome and the other detailed bits, which will probably set me back a few shekels!It's cost me a lot more to do the converstion than to buy a new one, but this one is so straight and honest. I'll add to the post when I actually get round to doing some stuff on her. TTFN, Pete.
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33grinder
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Post by 33grinder on Sept 20, 2009 22:06:25 GMT
Erm, by 'buying a new one' I meant buying an original 3.5. doh!
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Post by Patrick on Sept 20, 2009 22:38:22 GMT
The "sexiest" one of those I've seen belonged to a friend of ours in the mid eighties - It was a VDP - in black with gold coachlines and in what could only be described today as "bling" Gold painted alloy wheels with little round holes in (someone will know the type) Oh boy was that a car.
On the other hand, when I was car valeting around then (86) I remember having in a company C reg Rover (possibly 2.6) - and it was scruffy! Those sumptuous seats just ate up stains! and I couldn't for the life of me understand why they put deep pile carpet underneath where the spare wheel goes!!!! It took a good while out of my morning trying to get the oil stains out of that! I even had to put the industrial pressure washer on it at one point!!! Mad!
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stefan
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Post by stefan on Sept 21, 2009 6:13:24 GMT
John the SD1 did go to the states but did not sell very well they were all injection for emissions I saw one when out there in 1997
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33grinder
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Post by 33grinder on Sept 21, 2009 12:28:24 GMT
Stefan's right John, they definately went to the States. Sometimes we see them in the club with quad round headlights (which looks a bit odd at first sight and I don't think they suite the car particularly) but that is from the US model. The all had aircon too if I remember rightly. As Stefan said, they never sold in high numbers though, but oddly enough better than they faired in India. YES, they tried to sell them in India as knock down kits in a poverty 2ltr spec, trouble is they were thirsty and the average Indian person's monthly wage would be needed to fill the tank. ;D So ended Rover's attempt at a 'world' car, however the Indian consignment of parts has now returned to blighty and should help keep the SD1 going for a good few years now. Patrick, I think the model with the bling bling gold wheels was the V8S on the series one shape - very rare and desirable now!! The biggest gut wrencher though? Someone who lives around the corner from me had a 2600 like mine, but the paint was in far better condition as it was always garaged. In fact he had it laid up for a few years and then one day charged the battery, started her up, took her for an MOT (which it sailed through) then promptly went to the Jaguar dealers and px'd it under the scrappage scheme for a new Jag.
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stefan
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Post by stefan on Sept 21, 2009 19:01:05 GMT
The indian SD1 had the standard vangard 2ltr engine in 85bhp trim not very fast as well as thirsty. It was replaced in india by montego oil burners.
Yes i think all american sd1's did have aircon as i think all the NAS P6's did, the P6 for america was also injection.
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33grinder
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Post by 33grinder on Sept 21, 2009 20:15:53 GMT
Wow, you know your stuff Stefan. I can see a place for you in the SD1 owners club should you succumb to temptation! ;D
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stefan
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Post by stefan on Sept 21, 2009 21:05:34 GMT
If i found one cheep enough i would succumb very easily.
A friends dad had 2400D new as well with the VM engine in not seen one of those for years, it was milk float slow.
I have to say i would of expected about 175 to 180 bhp from the spec of your engine. My old s2 landrover had 180bhp on twin SU's with Vitesse heads and cam.
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33grinder
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Post by 33grinder on Sept 21, 2009 22:17:20 GMT
The 2400D is really quite rare now, only one or two in the club and one of those is in France!! I think there were a couple of reasons that the power was down Stefan. For one thing, I had the original alloys on (it now has Vitesse alloys) which had really brittle 20 year old Firestones on it (also known as 'ditchfinders') and they span on the rollers quite badly so I probably wasn't able to get the power down as much as I would have liked (in fact, I barely managed to get her off the rollers as the wheels span so much). Couple this to the Holley which I still think isn't running quite right and being really @nal I should comment that it could have done with a new air filter and oil/filter change. Also the engine has done over 100K (120K I think but not sure) so it's going to loose some horses over time, I was just happy to get it slightly higher than when it was new, seeing all the work that had gone into the conversion. Really I need to get it into a V8 specialist to get her set up properly, but limited funds etc means I'll run her as is for now! Besides, the brake pedal is getting a little long these days and I am tempted to invest in a four pot braking kit with vented disks and braided hoses etc, we'll see. I think the brakes couldn't handle too much more power at the moment!! They are always popping up on flea-bay and if you're handy with a welder there are plenty of cheap restos around. All the panels are available (for a price) from Rimmer Bros and there is a good second hand market through the club. Beware though, once you have the V8 lump, the tuning world is your oyster and it is sooo easy to imagine spending money you don't have making a fire breathing tarmac shredding monster!! ;D
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stefan
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Post by stefan on Sept 22, 2009 5:46:48 GMT
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33grinder
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Post by 33grinder on Sept 22, 2009 12:20:07 GMT
You might well be right there Stefan. Here's the kit I was going to fit (braided hoses are extra) and worth noting my car is not the Vitesse which has extra brake hoses: www.rimmerbros.co.uk/Item--i-GRID009016
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33grinder
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Post by 33grinder on Sept 22, 2009 13:09:01 GMT
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stefan
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Post by stefan on Sept 22, 2009 19:05:08 GMT
Kit looks good put not cheep I would still do the jag kit if my car.
That is local ish to me but about £2300 out of my price range as i have been byeing bits for a 66 that i have, i hope to uprate the brakes for alot less the the rimers kit.
Hard to belive only two oil burners left, I remember when belper a small to medium town had three in that i knew of, think alot had engines robed for range rovers as they also used the VM diesel before the 300tdi.
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33grinder
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Post by 33grinder on Sept 22, 2009 20:13:29 GMT
Yes, £2,300 is well off my radar too Stefan! At that price you've really got to want it badly as that is well into 3.5 money and going towards vitesses even. Still, there will be an SD1 officionado who'll buy it and be well chuffed. Two in the country and we just happen to be discussing one that is currently being sold. What's the chances of that, eh?
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stefan
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Post by stefan on Sept 22, 2009 22:01:42 GMT
i have seen a few twin plenum vitesse that need a little work go for that, still it is a very nice car.
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33grinder
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Post by 33grinder on Sept 22, 2009 22:21:27 GMT
Oh, for the money and the space!! I reckon there's a fair few range rovers and the like with twin plenums on them, from the days when nobody could be bothered with the SD1 By the way, if anyone knows anyone who wants a 2600 engine with rosdi cylinder head coupled to a GM autobox, only done 62K, send them my way, I know where there's one going and a deal to be done there!
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33grinder
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Post by 33grinder on Sept 25, 2009 23:32:53 GMT
Well, I am pleased to announce that the Rover has been permitted to spend the next twelve months on the public highway. It didn't fly through, but it wasn't a train smash either. Here's the advisories: 1 headlight bulb not working on main beam. 1 spotlight bulb not working. Handbreak weak (I found that I had, erm, forgotten to tighten the cable when I changed the back axle, this was recitified with the MOT examiner's spanner whilst he continued the test, so that by the time it went onto the rollers it passed) End sill corrosion, small area end of sill needs to be plated up and the rust sorted before it spreads. The exhaust was missing a rubber donut (for attaching to the chassis) which just happened to be in my pocket, as I was unable to fit it on the driveway at home. The MOT examiner very kindly fitted this for me! On the negative side though, the Rover dripped coulant on the examiner and alerted him to the leak, which he thinks is coming from the back of the engine, most likely a core plug. If that's the case, it'll be a gearbox out job to resolve. That'll please my mate Martin when it gets back from his holiday. I'll bet he was quite happy to get the ramp clear before he went on hols! Other than that the examiner was very happy with it. I should note though that the examiner is a personal friend and has assisted in the V8 conversion project. He does get excited every time the MOT comes round. I reminded him that he will hopefully be seeing my 33 on his ramps sometime soon, but then he turned a little reticent!! ;D Well, if anything exciting happens with the Rover, I shall post it here!! Cheers, Pete.
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spunkymonkey
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Post by spunkymonkey on Sept 26, 2009 0:43:00 GMT
Nice one, Pete - just don't shout too loud about an "advise" for a high beam out. That's the sort of sensible decision that testers used to be allowed to make - now it's supposed to be a fail and retest (chargeable one as well cos they need to stick it on a beam tester). Obviously, in your case, it failed as he drove it out of the bay after the test and he advised you of that I really miss the pre-computerised days when you could build a relationship with a testing station so they'd advise stuff knowing you'd put it right.....
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33grinder
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Post by 33grinder on Sept 26, 2009 9:39:05 GMT
Yep, I know exactly what you mean Joe. The advantage with knowing the tester so well is that I get treated as trade, and I think it is common knowledge that the trade is given an easier time. Having said that, when he first put the car on the gas analyser it was showing 1,400HFCs which is clearly wrong, so he tweaked the carb until everything came back right. Most testers these days wouldn't be interested and would do nothing to help you, unless you want to book it in to get the work done, at their rate! Incidentally, the wife's escort had a similar situation, one wishbone was totally fubar and my mate said he couldn't pass it as is, so he got on his mobile, ordered another wishbone in and that evening it was done and the car was legal to suit its new MOT!! The tester knew that I was not going to let the wife drive it (especially with own son in the back) until it was fixed. God, I miss those halcyon days when MOT testers could apply some common sense.
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33grinder
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Post by 33grinder on Sept 27, 2009 18:40:10 GMT
Well, my MOT examiner friend popped round this morning to have a tinker with the Holley as it didn't give Rover the sort of urgency he was expecting it to. Turned out that only half of the Holley's four barrells was working. The ones at the back weren't connected up properly and a quick bodge got everything back on line. The rear barrells do not supply more fuel, but more air, and the difference was quite startling. We also re-bodged the braket holding the throttle return spring which has given a firmer throttle peddle and means the throttle can return to its stop under its own accord - lovely. Now, I was quite happy to leave it there, but he still thought there was more power hidden away. He notice that the dizzy had no vacuum pipe attached. Here it is on the carb, I told him, as the tuning place removed and blanked it because it wasn't running right and they advanced the timing three degrees to get around it. Further examination found that the tuning company(?!!) had actually blanked a fuel overflow pipe, and the vacuum pipe from the carb was left unblocked. Doh!! So, the dizzy was connected up and the dwell angle set by ear. It has so much more pick-up and is easy to spin the wheels going into second gear, but....,he still thinks there is more to come and hopefully I'll take it to the MOT centre when he finishes on Saturday so he can get the strobe on it and hook it up to the gas annalyser. Happy days!! Now, if only I could just put that leaking core plug to the back of my mind! ;D
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stefan
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Post by stefan on Sept 28, 2009 0:27:32 GMT
Sounds like all good news to me
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33grinder
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Post by 33grinder on Sept 28, 2009 12:05:44 GMT
Absolutely Stefan! And to think, I had been driving her like this for the past year, quite happy with the performance and thinking all was fine. Now I realise quite how much more performance there was (and still is) to come, I am really chuffed.
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pauldaf44
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Post by pauldaf44 on Sept 28, 2009 12:27:23 GMT
When I got back from newark yesterday I cleaned up Gladys distributor cap with the WD40 I bought at Newark what a difference she starts easier not that she was a problem in the first and has a lot more get up and go why I can pull away on full throttle without stalling now. It really is amazing what a big difference the little things make
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stefan
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Post by stefan on Sept 28, 2009 16:57:08 GMT
Thought the power figure seemed a little low for the spec.
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33grinder
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Post by 33grinder on Sept 28, 2009 17:02:29 GMT
I'm tempted to put her back on the Dyno to see what she'll do now, but not at the ejits who tuned her last time. ;D Anyway, the money is better spent on my 33 right now.
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spunkymonkey
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Post by spunkymonkey on Sept 28, 2009 23:56:03 GMT
Sounds like a good result - and a tester who's an unusually good mechanic for modern times. It sounds like all fairly basic stuff but (clearly) someone got it wrong in the past and too many professionals now have a real problem diagnosing problems if there ain't a CAN bus involved
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33grinder
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Post by 33grinder on Sept 29, 2009 21:43:52 GMT
I am really lucky to have him as a friend. He is always happy to help out and for someone of his age his experience is amazing. He served his apprentice at a Jaguar dealership which also sold the odd prestige car (such as Astons) and was apparently (told to me by a mutual friend) offered a place travelling with a Jaguar racing team but turned it down for his missus as she didn't want him to leave. He now is quite happy doing MOTs and whilst most mechanics are more 'fitters' (myself included) he has the theory and ingenuity too. Top man!
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