Rover SD1.

[Blue Streak]

One for the older people on here I reckon. Did anyone ever own one of these back in the day? Growing up as a kid my Dad had two as company cars and they were real beauts - especially the second one a series two Vanden Plas model. Now I know they had huge build quality problems due to the problems associated with BL/Austin Rover but sad to read online that less than a thousand of these are left on British roads. That 3.5 litre V8 Engine was a classic and the straight six models were nice cars as well.

 

[Zubrman]

I had a Rover P6. Earlier model with same V8 engine but better build as was pre-British Leyland.

Went like shit off a shovel and just kept going. Loved every driving minute of ownership.

 

[Gaylord du Bois]

Weren't the engines the used in the early TVRs?

 

[Zubrman]

Weren't the engines the used in the early TVRs?

I do believe so. They were Buick engines, slightly less cc than the US gas guzzlers.

Also used in the best Triumph Stags.

 

[ColinBellsjockstrap]

My dad had a brand new SD1 around 1977, it was a green one with tan vinyl roof. It was a very nice car with a "long legged" feel on the motorway....I drove it quite often at the time.

His was a 2.6 straight 6 (off memory)....now these had a bad reputation for premature engine failure, but his was fine.

Of course you could also get it with the 3.5 Rover (ex Buick) engine, but I don't think the performance figures were THAT much better as the v8 was in a low state of tune, maybe 10mph faster at top end.

 

[Blue Streak]

Yeah the V8 was used in TVR's and also many kit cars. Probably the reason not many SD1's remain as they had the engines ripped out of them.

 

[Tuearts right boot]

Once drove a Morris Minor with a V8 buick. I was steering it from the back seat. The Minor had a huge engine bay considering the cars size and would take many different engine sizes but the Rover/Buick V8 had to be shoehorned in. Also drove around for a while in the 2200 TC rover. Smooth, comfortable car but always kept a Moggy for away matches.

 

[ColinBellsjockstrap]

Weren't the engines the used in the early TVRs?

Yes, later enlarged from 3.5 to 4 and even 5litre in the Chimaera.

The Rover V8 was even used in the Morgan plus 8.

Here's a picture of my old one:-

 

[Gaylord du Bois]

Weren't the engines the used in the early TVRs?

I do believe so. They were Buick engines, slightly less cc than the US gas guzzlers.

Also used in the best Triumph Stag.

Now that was a looker. Heard the were absolutely shite as a motor but fuck me they were good on the eye.

 

[Blue Streak]

My dad had a brand new SD1 around 1977, it was a green one with tan vinyl roof. It was a very nice car with a "long legged" feel on the motorway....I drove it quite often at the time.

His was a 2.6 straight 6 (off memory)....now these had a bad reputation for premature engine failure, but his was fine.

Of course you could also get it with the 3.5 Rover (ex Buick) engine, but I don't think the performance figures were THAT much better as the v8 was in a low state of tune, maybe 10mph faster at top end.

Interesting you should comment about the performance figures mate and totally spot on. My Dads was a brand new 3.5 in 1979 but when the time came to replace it in 1984 he eventually decided to go for the 2.6 Vanden Plas due to fuel economy etc at the time and he's told me on many occasions that he could hardly tell the difference in power.