CRAZY ROVER SD1s - The Forgotten Supercar Destroying and Futuristic Rovers

[@bobuilt10]

This has triggered a few memories. In the late 80's, I bought a light metallic green 1978 SD1 that was reputedly a factory development vehicle. It was fitted with a rather large single rayjay turbo with a single SU bolted on the side that it sucked through. The turbo sat on top of the nearside exhaust manifold and the two manifolds were connected with a link pipe between the standard outlets. Boost was adjustable via a knob on the dash but it suffered horrendously from fuel vaporisation at the slightest provocation. These were the days before intercoolers or injection and it came to me with a melted piston. Apparently a common theme and the reason it was up for sale. I fitted a low compression Range Rover engine which were plentiful back then and altered the setup to blow through a twin choke webber in a pressurised chamber. It ran quite well with this setup so I had Tony Law exhausts make up a system for it. It sounded awesome and was quick but the suspension and brakes were somewhat lacking. I eventually did a deal with a guy from Pontefract (I was in Leeds) who was pestering me as he wanted to put the engine in a mark 2 Escort he was building. I'm not sure if he ever did or what happened to the Rover as these were obviously pre internet or even mobile phone days. One interesting thing about an SD1, it's the only car I've had that can fit a complete V8 engine in the boot with the hatch closed. Take the spare wheel out and in she pops. Great to see someone showing the SD1 some love, I still have a soft spot for them all these years later.

[@pan6593]

Great memories!

[@RUfromthe40s]

it was a very looking car also fast and luxurious as all other Rovers in the past

[@WhiteDieselShed]

Had several myself, bonkers that in the last 80's and early 90's these were sub £300 money and every warned you to avoid them like the plague. Talking about the boot, I kept a large toolkit under that floor including a large bench vice... Also fitted 12ft scaffolding poles in the car and still managed to close the boot. Sadly all sold when a Rover 825i was offered at a good price that was fast and reliable and used a fair bit less fuel, although a V6 2.5L still used enough fuel but fuel was cheaper back then. I fancy buying another now but not seen one for £300.. :) Y reg. May have been ( DLA 316Y ) ? 2.6L SE Auto converted to V8 when the engine lost oil pressure. Luckily the SE had most of the V8 bits ready, just add engine/box and propshaft.

[@RUfromthe40s]

@@WhiteDieselShed this car had been well taken care off mechanically ,only the body rust faster than engine problems started to appear, i think mine was a 3,.6 or 4 V6 not sure if it was a V8 but i have to see it ,i kept all cars that i liked along my life but that i sold it ,only have the first model with 2600 engine now but only a bit of rust on regular spots as in other cars like mercedes also from late 70´s, thank you for the info. the 2600 wich is older it´s still working and never droped the oil preassure ,regards

[@stumagoo2395]

That DPR prototype looks absolutely stunning and more modern looking than cars being launched 20 years later. The SD1 is the best ever looking Rover imo, I loved them as a kid and still love how they look today.

[@tomdrives]

They’re amazing cars, one of the best looking cars ever made in my opinion

[@RUfromthe40s]

@@tomdrives it´s really a great car from that years, i had a mercedes w114 240D and a porshe 928 GTS and a bmw coupé 2800CS when the Rover was released i bought it ,first the 2600(who was stoped a few years because a part wasn´tavailable but with internet i oerdered the part needed from england) a few years later a english young man sold his this living in Portugal with a more recent dash with 3.6 or 4 ,V engine, it was fast safe and confortable at high-speeds had one earlier in time with the substitution tire with a leather cover on top of the trunk in the back and was already a fine car, the reason i bought this when new

[@jackparker365]

I always loved the SD1. I owned one when i was 17, a light blue SE 3500. Absolutely brilliant car. Great to drive. Very refined for such a simple suspension design. I was into land rovers too, and I ended up acquiring a twin turbo rover V8 engine complete with exhausts and intercoolers that had come out of an SD1. The story went that a guy had bought the running turbo SD1, loved the power and decided to put the engine in a ford Capri. He pulled the motor and turbo parts, scrapped the SD1 shell and started trying to fit the V8 into the ford, only to find it was too wide to fit between the shock towers. He then sold the engine to the guy I bought it off. It was built by Turbo Technics, had 2 Garret T3 turbos on really nice cast manifolds, blowing through a front mount intercooler then modified Stromberg CD carbs. Exhaust manifolds and head bolts were studded and it had composite head gaskets rather than the stock rover tin ones. I was building a mid engined S1 coil sprung LandRover and the engine filled the bed of the landrover and looked amazing, but I sold it as an unfinished project. Would love to know if it got finished

[@davidroberts4367]

Well done Tom and thank you for showcasing the old BL range. It’s good so see a new generation banging the drum

[@tomdrives]

Thanks David, just appreciating the past rather then forgetting it, it’s important to keep the torch going

[@martycrush6412]

Sd1’s were my dads dream car, he died on the14th September 1985 and never got to own one. Had a princess when he passed at 36, RMR777S. Love any SD1, miss my old man🥺😍

[@tomdrives]

Sorry to hear that Marty, thanks for your comment.

[@davarosmith1334]

I am still driving my Rover 75, cheers to you!.I watched your video you made about your £500 75. I had been without a 75 for about 5 years. So I found a 2.5 v6 75 conasier, I paid £1300 for it. I had it 6 months, then I bought my 3rd and current Rover 75 2.0 CDT. I got that for £398 , but it ended up costing me nearly £1500 a month later ! I had to get a new clutch, 4 new tyres , 2 new front springs . It did pass its m.o.t no bother! It has 116,000 miles on the clock . I did have the synergy 2 in it for a few months, but I was worried that it might bugger up my engine so I got it took out. I would definitely have a sd1 but my pockets aren't deep enough!

[@martycrush6412]

💪🏼💪🏼👌🏼

[@michaelmcqueen4305]

Still to this day, a stricking design and miss my SD1 vdp more than ever- now irreplaceable.

[@tomdrives]

I’ve got a 2600, it’s the best looking car I own joint with my Coupe

[@Nick-Emery]

VDP and vitesse were stunning… I had an 827 fastback vitesse and an 820 turbo fastback vitesse… my uncle had a 3500 sd1 when I was a kid and it was just mega in my eyes

[@HandleyR]

Owned second hand 1982 2600se. That was 30 years ago and I still miss it.😕

[@e28forever30]

I would even say, it’s a striKing design .

[@michaelmcqueen4305]

From distant memory, did the tooling for the SD1 not land up in India ?

[@andrewellis5092]

The Vitesse was the best one, especially with the twin plenum fuel injection system. I believe Tom Walkinshaw Racing did a lot of development on the SD1 and Tom himself raced them in the European Touring Car Championship.

[@chiefrocka8604]

More like around the world , one of my clients sponsored Toms Watsons SD1 who were the largest pharmacy in Asia

[@Gizepi]

Great video Tom. I had six SD1's in total starting with YME356T a bog-standart 3500 in gold like the oe NOF that anto rogers is driving in the video, and ending with OSF598Y a non injection 3500 VDP which must have been built during the troubles. I say this because driving it in 1990/91 down the M90 to the forth road bridge, probably it's first ever motorway run because it had resided in north east Scotland, it overheated and refused to start on the bridge Toll. After towing it off to the car-park adjacent, I got out the tools and started diagnosis. Milky oil in the cap and presuurising the coolant system was a dead givaway. A cylinder head gasket. Hell, I had some blue hylomar in the tool box so I started to strip the heads off, only to find that the left head had never been torqued to spec. It had been tightened, but not torqued and the original gasket was pretty burned out. Two head gaskets later and I ran the car until it was written off in a accident with a large bolder hidden by overgrowth in a ditch into which it slid avoiding another car on a single track road. I was absolutely gutted because I loved the VDP and had recently manualled and gas shocked it. I still miss it to this day.

[@chrisblay]

I’ve always liked the Rover SD1. I recon the most desirable back in the day was the Vitesse 3.5 although I never knew these rare examples you mention even existed.

[@tomdrives]

A lot of people don’t, you have to go down a bit of a rabbit hole to find out any information

[@matthewc.419]

A rover V8 motor resides still in my uncles kit cobra car

[@TheDodgeFactor]

Had a 3500 and then bought an SD1 to keep it company. And I found out how many there are hidden away, after I was continuously being told about various cars stashed away and only used on sunny days. And that's in Tasmania. Eventually sold the both of them to a mad Rover enthusiast who already had 3 SD1s, one of them in full body kit and some of the Rover race teams tricks and secrets. That one he got straight off the track in the UK, brought it to Australia, and road registered it. And I've stuffed more 4.4 Leyland P76 motors in a wide variety of cars than I can remember. The P76 was BLs Aussie effort and still the only car made that you can put a 44 gallon drum in the boot of and close it! You should have a look at them.

[@Lot76CARS]

Interesting and well researched Tom.. I’d no idea that (other than the Vitesse) there were some tasty earlier alternatives!

[@tomdrives]

Thank you!

[@RobsonRoverRepair]

66k views, Tom's channel and content just keeps growing and growing. You deserve it mate, you put in the work. Can't wait to catch up at POL.

[@tomdrives]

Thanks Colin, it’s all thanks to legends like you keeping me motivated. See you at pol, I’ll actually book a hotel this time!

[@CB1000FP1]

Had one in the early 80s 3.5 litres thirsty as hell and rusted as you watched but a lovely ride. It was the car that converted me to auto boxes as well, never bought a manual again

[@BITTYBOY121]

Well done Tom. This was a great video, well put together and very fascinating ! That white KAT Rover SD1 turbo was a steal at that auction back in 2018 and such good value for money for such an extremely rare car ! Wow !

[@TipTopMotors.]

Some interesting information Tom and i have never seen a convertible version before. well done and well researched.

[@tomdrives]

Thank you!

[@RobertWilliams-nv8si]

In the late 80s I owned a vdp with the janspeed twin turbo kit, it was delivered new to janspeed. things I remember are , it used to burn ht leads untill they would arc onto the turbo, changing spark plugs was a weekends work ( turbos had to be removed ), after a long run on boost the 'suck through ' SU carbs would ice up an stick, which was exiting. Other than that, it was one of the quickest cars on the road, even the new sierra Cosworths didn't trouble it too much. Koni springs and dampers and a Vitesse boot spoiler to try to stop the rear from becoming light at speed. But no silly sticker, it was a vanden plas after all

[@Markcain268]

My dad had a 3500 auto sd1, one day, he managed to drive it several miles home on only one bank of cylinders when one of the carbs suffered a blockage! It was, for a short while a rover 1750!

[@benlambley7171]

Really good Tom never knew about the turbo versions have a real soft spot for the sd1 had one as a family car late eighties was so ahead of its time especially after the princess and landcrab we had before. It also started my love of BL/rover to.

[@gleng6812]

Great content, really enjoyed this a lot! 👍🔥

[@benjones1917]

Maaaan, that DPR SD1 looks incredible. I had no idea it even existed!

[@tabyomper4745]

I bought a 2300 model that was four years old.After the engine blew i took it to a V8 specialist who created a beast.He put on a Holley carb,Offenhauser manifold,uprated cam,Spax suspension,Jag XJ brakes.One day i burnt of a Jag XJS V12.I kept the old 2300 badge on the back which confused people.I kept that car for ten years and was lovely to drive.I was a part time dj and it easily fitted all my gear in.

[@monaro383]

thanks for the spotlight on the special editions!

[@212MPH]

I've owned 3 SD1s during the 80s, I wish I still had them.

[@Sly_Wolf_1]

Fell in love with the vitesse, those were the days.

[@ololiver92]

Excellent review as always Tom 👏

[@SabotsLibres]

Actually often considered something of a failure, the SD1 was probably the most popular car owned by the British police forces (certainly up to the arrival in the late 80s, early 90s of the Sierra Cosworths and Subaru Imprezzas) - so much so that when they got wind of the impending production end, they stockpiled them.

[@Mk1Male]

The reputation of BL made it a failure not the car itself. Built in a time when idiots on a production line believed they were entitled to more worth than they actually were. Destroyed the UK car industry and ended up with no jobs. I bet they were proud.

[@1312Johnny]

Don’t forget the Carltons and Senators, they were rife in the 90s Had many a chase off them😉

[@6643bear]

Hi Tom , great interesting video, the Vitesse version spec was derived from the Met police MRD Northolt dept, after the dept done mods to sd1 to beef up brakes performance etc. The Met bought all existing stock even the Vanden Plas 3500 , the public complained of this abs the Vanden Plas badge was removed. I used to work for Radio branch and maintained the Radio equipment in those cars . Regards mark

[@tomdrives]

I heard they changed the pistons for the rear drums as well on the police SD1s

[@6643bear]

@@tomdrives hi Tom , that’s right and ford transit brake unit too . Regards mark

[@davechambers4605]

I had, as i was told an Ex Essex car that had found it way to a scrap yard where it had been picked up by the roof pillars so it wasn't saveable that had wind up windows and a manual steering instead of power assist. It also had the extra speedo for the passenger still in it and all the extra wiring that was used was still in place. The LSD and the four pot front brakes were still in it but the yard hadn't spotted that so at £25 it was a good deal.

[@TheBaron481]

I saw a test SD1 in 1975 at Appleyards in Linlithgow (I was on my Gilera 50 moped!). It looked like a spaceship back then. The badging had been covered up with gaffa tape.

[@MichaelMyers5678]

I had two; a 1976(P) V8 and a 1979(T) VDP V8. Loved them both.👍🏻

[@nigelbond4056]

I learned to drive in a 3500 SD1 and would dearly love to own one today 😁

[@Brad8261]

A true classic, thanks Tom!

[@Axesent77]

Nicely done!. Refreshing to see Interesting and well researched vids on BL.

[@matthewc.419]

Thanks @Tom Drives , so so interesting, well researched man Fascinating stuff 😊

[@resemblesanacorn6561]

Fantastic vid. Well done, love it. 👍

[@paulie-Gualtieri.]

Rear drum brakes and a lower tech suspension than the P6, but the styling was fantastic.

[@DDDquick]

Exactly, the P6 was a better car mechanically but the SD1 had more modern and practical packaging.

[@nicwestley8309]

I had 2 x SD1s , 3,500 manual + a 2,600 auto , I remember bombing down the m4 in the pre-speed camera era watching 1 of fule tanks gauges going down like a rev counter in reverse 🔥

[@cheyennedogsoldiers]

This is a car I've always had a love hate relationship with. Back in the early 80's I worked for an auto electrician, our building was next to a BL dealership, actually it belonged to them. Anyway sadly a lot of our work was repairing and just troubleshooting new SD1 electrics. Mostly it wasn't that there was anything inherently wrong with the cars, it was hands down shoddy workmanship. Missing screws under and around the dash, cables just left hanging and not hooked into place. Connectors just lose etc. Such a shame, they were great cars. That said, it's still on my list of cars from that period that I would like to own now.

[@declanbrady5172]

Always loved the SD1. I remember seeing them flying past our Morris Marina shitbox on the motorway. If I ever won the lottery, I would build the ultimate SD1 sleeper and a Volvo 240 Estate sleeper and enjoy embarrassing boy racers at the traffic light Grand Prix😊

[@KarelBeelaertsvanBlokland]

Lv your Rover SD1 video! I had ad a Rover 2600 which was a money pit. But in baby blue metallic God she looked gorgeous! I still miss her.......

[@MrBritts]

My father bought a SD1 in the late 80's, it had been a staff car in the Falklands, when it was originally registered as a S Reg, but when it returned from the Falklands, in the late 80's, it was re-registered a W Reg the reg was ODD 239W, it was just badged a 3500. I recall when my grandmother died, we all got in it, and we went from Stroud to Brislington, in 17 minutes, it went right off the clock. I always recall looking out the back window watching a v12 XjS trying to keep up, geez that bloke looked pissed. Not clever I know, but funny what grief can do. My father had been a chauffer in the late 70's and early 80's for the Royal Family, he had done his advanced school of motoring, and always recall the stories he would tell about hand breaking turning the big old Daimlers. Anyway, what ever had been done to that particular SD1 he had, god only knows.

[@trainmanbob]

Memories, memories. I no longer drive but I have owned 11 x 2600S and SE in the past. Never wanted a V8, I just wanted one of the best touring cars ever made. When they became rare and parts expensive I switched to a Volvo V70R. Still miss the old Rover.

[@garyspicer7475]

Very good video! I own a 1980 Rover SD1 V8 standard that came out of 30 years in dry storage . No rust,and I'm selling it! But its in Ontario Canada across the pond! 20:22 20:22 20:22 Cheers Gary

[@nospoon4799]

I remember one on the cover of Street Machine chopped down to a three door with two dustbin size turbos. It was bright pink. This was probably the fate of most rovers. The engines would end up in land rovers and range rovers as well.

[@1968spikey]

I LOVED that car, if I recall correctly it was supercharged and had blacked out glass, which was rare then. Gorgeous design, so much potential.

[@nospoon4799]

@@1968spikey I think it might have been the first car I saw with twin turbos and a supercharger to combat lag. I may be wrong it was a while ago.

[@1968spikey]

@@nospoon4799 yes you are right. I have that edition of Street Machine it was reminiscent of the B&M Camaro during that same period. Converted to a 2 door if memory serves me right.

[@Thatguy-fc3tx]

I had a V8-S and an auto Vanden Plas, my favourite cars ever despite the rust and unreliability. The Vitesse twin plenum was an amazing car for the time.

[@garymorris801]

Really interesting well done mate

[@davekennedy6315]

The police forces loved the SD1 so much that several stockpiled SD1s when Rover declared they would stop making them.

[@dezzadiggler3693]

They were great cars; shame about the quality control issues. Police forces also loved the Vauxhall Omega enough for GM to keep it in production until 2004; when they were originally going to end them in 2002.

[@malcolmcowan9554]

The David price sd1 turned up on the classic car market magazine in 1998 forsale . someone on the club as that information .someone on the sd1 club said it's up in Aberdeen somewhere ...you should talk to ken Clark he has that turbo technics sd1 ..he runs the sd1 club

[@garyspicer7475]

I own a 1980 Rover SD1 V8 standard classic car been stored for 30 years!! Came out 3 years ago,all original even tires all plastics outside are old and cracking, nothing modified 123 km car is in Toronto Ontario Canada!! Across the pond and for sale!! Cheers

[@The_BenboBaggins]

The SD1 Vitesse in Moonraker blue is my dream car! (sad, but true) Also love the estate prototypes.

[@MarathonGsar]

My Moonraker blue Vitesse, what a car back then. The rear foldout armrest was a masterpeace of design, it folded out in a unique way, so as not to require upholstery all the way round. Good design and cost effective. Wasn't fussy on the dash, obviously designed for cost effective, lhd and rhd, the little 'coin box' where the lhd steering column would sit. That irritated me! But a good friendly big thing to drive.

[@shortbuslife3440]

Good video, another interesting car you may want to look into was it's predecessor the Rover P6 which also had an interesting variant with the Lucas Injection v8 Rover P6 featuring wide arches and spoilers either rally or touring car, can't remember which as it was mentioned in a magazine I owned around 30 years ago but could be interesting for people to see.

[@Dan89er]

When you look at it back then to now roger sd1 set a trend , Audi a5 sport back , bmw 4 series and Mercedes and Porsche making this classic design, shame rover didn’t get a chance to survive !

[@thatroverguy1937]

In circa 1988-1989 there was a janspeed twin turbo in black at a garage in market Drayton, apparently they just couldn’t sell it, it was in the showroom for 18 months to two years, I’ve tried all I can to find out what happened to the car but every avenue I’ve been down hasn’t really got me any closer to her, other than allegedly it was at some point in the mid 90’s owned by a well known businessman in north Shropshire and then sold it to someone else fairly local, being as I haven’t seen a black Janspeed come up for sale, I’ve always wondered what happened to it, I know it was most definitely real as the dealership ironically has pictures to this day of the Rover in the office space

[@darren2514fv]

The DPR Rover wide wheel arches were designed to homologate the SD1 into Group 2 (In 1979-80 the European Touring Car Championship was run to Group 2 regulations) to run the Rover in the 1980 European Touring Car Championship with the standard car in the Gr 1 British Touring Car Championship so the first 1000 would have had had these arches

[@Flat-White]

We had one of these when I was a kid. It was out of use for a while because the ECU under the front passenger footwell was faulty.

[@Mk1Male]

....

[@dazchild]

My dad gave me a V reg 2.6 auto in around 1988 I was 19, great car to drive.

[@stuartcampbell8010]

Mid 80s in NE Scotland, a guy living along the road from us had a DPR, remember the sound of that V8 and thinking it was the most brutal looking/sounding thing I had ever seen on the road.

[@tomdrives]

I believe that’s where the snow photo is from

[@markfiddy395]

Re the KAT SD1; one was a feature car in Street Machine magazine back in the 80s - complete car with twin turbo, sadly the magazine later updated that the car was sold and the new owners put the engine into a drag racing VW Beetle.

[@InterceptorUK]

I remember the KAT one at the Coventry Transport Museum, I was told it was a twin turbo.

[@raychambers3646]

My first and last drive in one of these was when driven by my brother in the light snow , it decided to go straight instead round a bend finishing up on the pavement !

[@tomdrives]

They do that sometimes

[@stevenmoran4060]

Capri 3.0 litre autos had the same habit in the 70’s

[@Rovercoupe.]

I was an apprentice at southern counties ifield road,before i joined the turbos were fitted there, sd1 was a brilliant design shame what happened to our industries.

[@djrichylaurence8991]

I had a 3500 and it was a beautiful car. Manual box too!

[@chocolatecake722]

Great video. There's a rover sd1 estate in a museum down somerset

[@FullBoostJ4]

I'm all over this!!!

[@tomdrives]

They are amazing

[@FullBoostJ4]

@tomdrives cracking video, absolutely love SD1s I'm. Sure I've seen the orange one at an industrial estate on my travels, may not be that one though. It was a rolling shell with a bit of tarpaulin on it but definitely that colour and wide arched.

[@Rapscallion2009]

One of those cars they just got "right". The look, they drove nicely, very comfy and pleasant to drive. They weren't stupid money to buy for the most part. Workmanship wasn't great and by the time I started driving circa 91 they were already becoming rare and good ones rarer still. At 18 i couldn't afford the insurance, let alone 18-20mpg economy but i did get to drive one once. Lovely V8 burble and a very "grown up" car.

[@joejoejoejoejoejoe4391]

Wouldn't it have been great to be filthy rich in the 1980s, and to be able to afford these. Turbo kit (and decals) fancy interior, alloys, body kit, and a phone in the centre console. Cool.

[@MyJon64]

SD1 was just the cars code name back in the day (Special Development One) The car was known then as The new Rover 3500.

[@tomdrives]

That’s correct but it is commonly known as the SD1

[@MyJon64]

@@tomdrives Yes it has been for many years now. The same can be said for a few BL cars, ADO16's for example.

[@REDRAWVISIONS]

I am loving this! Can you explain what the "face like" smdge is immediately above the l.h.s. bonnet and in line with the house piller at14.09 minutes in? Perhaps it is a face!!!??

[@thatguyfromcetialphaV]

Janspeed built the Nissan Primera for the BTCC in the early 90s. Kieth O'Dor won at Silverstone, and his cousin is a certain Jason Plato. The SD1 Group1 car was built by Tom Walkinshaw in 1982. Steve Soper won the BTCC in 1983, but Frank Sytner of BMW protested the car, saying it was illegal. The only thing that was wrong was the tappets on the engine which didn't comply and Soper was stripped of his championship. The SD1 won ever single race in 1983. Andy Rouse won the BTCC outright in an SD1 in 1984 and Tim Harvey won his class in 1987.

[@tomdrives]

I’ll be making more on the SD1s racing legacy soon.

[@midge225]

1986 , my boss had a v8 sd1 , i used to wash it on friday mornings and take it for a spin to dry it off , it smelled of cigars but boy did it shift

[@johngibson3837]

Hey up mate bought one as a stock car 6 or 7 years ago have some cool pictures ov it sort ov looks like early 80s audi rally car their sport coupe, i think you'd be interested to see them, its not a special car as in history but still interesting

[@simonwoodward438]

A few years ago I saw a shortened SD1 two door convertible, it was a bit of a lash up.

[@mikewa2]

I saw it for sale in Canterbury mid 1990’s and they wanted £3500. It eventually sold for just over £1000 as it was in need of complete restoration. My info on it was that it was converted as promotion car painted in pink for some reason. I doubt it’s still around, it was in need of a lot of work.

[@Mind-your-own-beeswax]

Where I worked when I left school the 2 gaffers owned special editions. Heron 500 editions I think they were. Black with gold striping etc. lovely cars.

[@alantaylor353]

Subbed & liked & best wishes from Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 🙏 ❤️

[@bunnymaid]

My dad had a no frills V8 SD1, with LPG (that the factory really bodged) and ziebarted too, so it didn't rust ^^! I think he sold it after 130000 miles when he retired. They all had problems with the radiator clogging and I think he got through 4 or 5 radiators.

[@michaeltb1358]

The SD1 design was sold to an Indian company. They produced the Standard 2000 based on the crudest suspension and used an engine which was a disaster, with terrible fuel consumption.

[@MrStevecrasher]

I know where one of those KAT versions, that was a twin turbo, is resting on a farm.

[@jeffhildreth9244]

I owned a 1980. Bought in California. One of the best cars I have owned. Wish I still had it.

[@tomdrives]

There aren’t a lot of US rovers left

[@jeffhildreth9244]

@@tomdrives Difficult to find and usually trashed.

[@barukkazhad8998]

My dream car to own would be a vitesse..such a good looking car ...i loved mine

[@gatecrasher1970]

sorry fell asleep half way

[@keithshepherd7245]

Hi wot do you know about the Diesel ones I remember replacing the head gaskets I think they were inline 4 cylinder with 4 gaskets !!

[@ianscorey5293]

An excellent video of a brilliant car!!! Leyland Australia in the 1970’s had the habit of dropping 4.4 litre V8 into their vehicles!!!! The Leyland P76 is one example…… but a number of two door Range Rovers also received the 4.4 V8….. so there is a possibility that the Rover SDI also got the 4.4 litre V8!!! Ford Australia were putting V6 motors into the Mark 3 cortina!!! Regards Ian👨‍🎤🇳🇿👍😂

[@philipmcdonald168]

👍Yep... I sourced a 4.4, put the 3.5 heads on, a 3.5inch exhaust and straight LPG gas research throttle body in my SD1. That thing was a jet and I embarrassed a lot of Commodore and Falcon owners.

[@ianscorey5293]

In the mid eighties I would watch the Rover SD1 fly around the Wellington NZ water front in what was called the Nissan 500 race!!!! There were the Volvo flying brick 🧱!!!! Falcons & Holdens plus BMW, plus skylines!!!! But the SD1 was my preferred car!!! Regards Ian👨‍🎤🇳🇿👍😂

[@Own-ItUKApparel]

I was a car dealer, In 1992 I had a SD1(I Think it was a 79) with a 4.5 v8 which I got told was owned, built and used for engine development by TVR. It would be nice to know if it was true or a tall story!!

[@1312Johnny]

Wow! Just WOW! That Wood&Pickett demo car with all those extras!😃 ACTUAL PROOF you CAN polish a turd! 💩

[@roberthill2219]

Where did they go? Banger racing.

[@Own-ItUKApparel]

My last SD1 I had was fitted with a Perkins Diesel Engine in 1999

[@assistantto007]

Have you ever considered doing a video about the Geoff Uren conversations of cortinas and capris?

[@tomdrives]

The Savage cars?

[@Rapscallion2009]

I wonder why they chose not to produce the estate variant. It looked good! - I think it might have done well.

[@Toby_the_Glen]

Can't help but feel £900 would get a lot of standard tuning power from that V8?

[@phillipsharpe6459]

You won't find any about nowadays because they all rusted like crazy, meny years ago i was on the hunt for one, and the best piece of advice i was given was go and look at one after a rain storm , then open the gloveboxs there where two one either side if there was water in them run a mile , you wont believe how many i saw like that , 😁👍

[@simonhodgetts6530]

Still think that ARG should have done Rita, Sue and Bob special editions……..🤔

[@tomdrives]

That would’ve been pretty funny

[@MrKittykat111]

Someone local to me had one when I was younger. In black with a wide body kit and HUGE staggered rims.... It looked the dogs bollox.

[@charlesdenholm338]

The SDI Rover reg GHO 55OS, I used to own this car in the 80s

[@danh6079]

Once was in a sd1 that did 94MPH in third gear, was mentally tuned!!!!

[@Harry-kw1fy]

Janspeed conversions were simple bolt on .. the turbo kit was crude, single turbo initially then a twin turbo The type of person who could afford a new SD1 was not the type of person who was in to what might be seen as a boy racer gimmick. As the cars fell into the hands of second and third gen owners they attracted the boy racer element - he took the kit and literally bolted it on to a tired engine - often with no regard to replacing worn components, beefing up internals or lowing the compression ratio, for instance. They blew up! Realising that this was affecting his rep - later kits were 'factory installed' - the price went up accordingly and the market for this work was now limited anyway - the Rover V8 SD1 had limited appeal for a variety of reasons including its price, fuel economy and shoddy build quality. Even those that were looked after were dreadful rot boxes - so no wonder there are few Janspeed cars today. Back in the day I recall driving up the big hill (A90) coming out of Dundee in my 3.5 range rover and I wasn't hanging around - i was passed by another range rover towing a large power boat. I later saw this car for sale - it had the Janspeed single turbo conversion plus a complete engine rebuild following another attempt at the same hill..! 😁

[@foundnotlost]

I wonder how many old Rover V8 engine's are still turning wheels, was a great motor.

[@peterjones596]

My dad had two diesel turbo SD1's.. Powered by a 2.4l Italian boat engine, I kid you not! And it was quick(ish).. 0-60 about 8 secoonds.

[@nickt5005]

very interesting,thanks.

[@Harry-kw1fy]

..Some of these body kit/ interior and electronics conversions were total cheese.. 🤑