ROVER SD1 V8.

[Gavin RS]

Well I thought I would post some updates as its been a while. I have only done 1 race this year and due to a neck injury sustained in a car accident 17 years ago I have not been able to race this year. After being to the doc, lots of x-rays and MRI scans and a visit to a Neuro Surgeon it looks as though I will have to have a neck op

Anyway It prompted me to do what I wanted to do when I first converted the Rover. I bought another complete running V8 manual Rover which will be a tow car. and I have started stripping the race car down. The 8 races it has done to date have been awesome with the car showing lots of potential especially handling and braking, power....well a std 3.5 with 250k km's is not really good for power . but then it has had a 2nd and a 3rd at Kyalami out cornering some Porsches and a few faster cars.

On the cards. a full respray in the colour of the Andy Rouse Group A car (in the signature picture), darker blue non metallic. a nice fresh engine with some decent upgrades and about 100hp more have brought in some nice goodies from the UK. a few minor tweaks to the suspension for more adjustment and I think this car will open some eyes when it is back on track. I want to go into full Historic Touring car class.

This weekend the motor , g/box and everything else will be out and the shell will be sent off to be prepped and painted.

Car must be competed by December so it can go for the new HTTP in Jan.

[colin davids]

Good luck with the build Gavin. You are very fortunate to have started with such a clean car. Looks very solid inside and out. Maybe now i will get my gat in rat and start fixing up the xr8 . Thanks for posting.

[Gavin RS]

Hi Colin

Thanks, I cant wait for it to get back so I can start assembling. have quite a lot of brand new parts still in the Leyland plastic to fit. Have some more items coming in from the UK soon as well. The car is solid which helped. the other car I bought is also a solid car so was a nice find. will post more pics soon.

You must get the XR8 up and running. too nice a car to leave lying around.

Gavin

[Gavin RS]

Well the Rover is progressing slowly due to all the rain as well as load shedding. It will be back with me in about 2 weeks so wont be ready for the Zwartkops Festival of speed unfortunately. I will be a spectator for now, March is Kyalami so I will make that the cars First event for 2015.

The bodywork has undergone serious preparation to make sure the panels are virtually perfect, the bit of rust and minor hail damage is completely gone. all the glass was removed and most of the interior.
Its not often you see someone that takes a complete car to bare metal and then fiddles small dents and files the metal perfectly before spraying on etch primer and then re sanding everything afterwards, The engine bay before it was painted looked like it had been chromed it was so clean and shiny.

The doors are done as is the bonnet, the body should be sprayed this weekend hopefully. 1 thing I also did was to spray the centre of the spokes on the wheels a pale gold

A few pics taken with my cell phone.

[Rod]

Looking good!!! Very good!!

[Gavin RS]

Thanks

Paintwork is now finished and its assembly time, lots of brand new parts to go onto the car. will post better pictures as soon as the car is back with me.

[paulusvrotius1]

Looking good Gavin, nice to see the Rover coming along again.

[Gavin RS]

Thanks, cant wait to get it finished

[Gavin RS]

My car is nearing completion, has t be run and tested before the Zwartkops meeting end of Jan 2016.

Pics from last weekend. motor should be in this weekend. rear glass and new rubbers now in, back hatch glass in with new rubbers. now for the big items roll cage mock up has been done, just the tubes and bends then welding, unfortunately this will have to be done early in the new year.

[Gavin RS]

Some more recent updates.

A lot has been done since December, Motor , gearbox, prop etc all in. Bumpers fitted, interior just about ready to go in, need to finish and tidy up wiring this weekend. Roll cage has been mocked up and now I need to go and get all tubing mandrel bent to fit then off to a friends workshop to have it all welded in, then I can finish interior and put the glass back.

I decided to fit a brand new imported steering rack and power steering pump.. I also decided to run the original stock motor for now l but fitted a new uprated cam and lifters as well as an all steel double roller timing chain vernier gear set up. my other motor is being fully blueprinted / balanced and will be assembled properly then I will fit it later in the year, should have a healthy 300hp.