1982 Rover 3500 V8 Vanden Plas automatic.

[Lodein]

Thank you very much for this beautiful pictures of this beautiful English cars

Lodein

[Marc-827-Vitesse]

Thanks Lodein. Glad you liked them!

Did some jobs on the SD1.
I noticed the rear axle had some surface rust. Nothing weird but i like it to look as good as it can. I really like this stuff to make the underside look nicer:

Worst of the rust removed:


There was also some surface rust on the front subframe. I was busy anyway so tackled this as well:

Easy to apply and cures rust:




While the bottom of the car was drying i tackled a minor rust blister on the front left A-pillar:

[Marc-827-Vitesse]

Because we were planning a big trip in the old SD1 i tested it in the past time. I noticed a minor coolant leak/ussage that i just could not place. I went to my mechanic/friend to help find it. He told me that he thought the expansion tank cap is the reason here. It did not fully close so when the fluid rise it just went straight out the overflow. We installed a new cap and problem solved haha. Easy fix!

So, a big trip? Oh yes we like to use the cars for big trips. I always liked the idea of taking it back to Switzerland to show it to my friends there how it looks now.
Sunday the 14th we took of to our overnight halt in Sinsheim Germany:

Underway and taking a drink and a short rest:


As said, we overnighted in Germany Sinsheim:

Nice hotel but we were interested most in the awesome Technik Museum next to it. Just wow! Cars, war material, trains and planes. Very impressive:





Woke up early and continued the drive to Switzerland. Here, the SD1 wanted to taste the Swiss fuel:

Arrived well at the destination:

This is the owner of the garage were i bought the SD1 in 2016. Still a very good friend of us:

I also visited the previous owner who owned the Rover for over 20 years. This is the restaurant that the SD1 was used for to bring in the food. Nice to meet the people again. Lovely people who told me some stories on what they did with the car:



It is a lovely region:




Last sunday we headed home again. This time, we drove in one go. The Rover Vanden Plas did amazing. Such a comfy car:

What do you do after such a long drive? Rest? Unpack? Nooooo. You wash the Rover of course!:




I made a small film of the trip. Most of the footage was made by my wife who i thank for that. Clearly i am not a professional Youtuber but we did our best to make something nice. I hope you like it!:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=se0Gr1HibaA

[Lodein]

To make a long travel with your old car, is always pleasure, but on top of that to travel to show it at its last owner is greater pleasure

I don't like watching Youtube movies, I prefer photos * (Thanks for your beautiful photos by the way), but I'll watch yours, when I have more time

* perhaeps because it is not my generation

Lodein

[Marc-827-Vitesse]

Yeah if was a very special moment. Glad you liked the pictures. Thanks!

[Marc-827-Vitesse]

Finally a long awaited package arrived!

A 1:18 scale model of the Rover 3500 Vanden Plas in Oporto red. I just had to have one!

[scoobyh123]

Honey i shrunk the car!

Very nice Marc, need to get a 1:18 827 Vitesse now!

[Lodein]

Great, that's exactly yours.
Where did you find it?
If you ever have an address for a Rover 827 Sterling option pack, I'm interested...

Lodein

[Marc-827-Vitesse]

@ Dave: hahaha. Oh man I would love to find a 1:18 scale model of the 827 Vitesse!!

@ Lodein: yeah really cool! I ordered it at a model shop in England. Minimerc.
Noted, will keep a lookout for you.

[Marc-827-Vitesse]

Another thing that bothered me solved! A few years ago i had the springs and shocks replaced. I ordered at Rimmer brothers and everything fitted oke. But the front height never looked correct and it felt like it reached the end of the spring sometimes. When i was in Switzerland i had a look at the collection of SD1's owned by my friend. I noticed the spring that was fitted to my Vanden Plas had to many coils. When compressed it would be full faster than the orginal ones. When we got home i contacted a Rover parts supplier in the Netherlands who supplied Rover 3500 (non Vitesse) front springs.
The left one is an original Rover spring. Stronger and with less coils:

Everything fitted by my mate and heading home. A lot more comfort and it all felt more into place. Difficult to explain but i am sure you understand.

My wife in het loyal Mitsubishi Colt. Great little car:

Back home. Now i notice how much the low front annoyed me. This looks much better i think:



Another cosmetic job done.


On the sills there were some rust spots. It looked so tatty so i had to do something!
Left front B-pillar:

Left rear:

Right rear:

Right front:


At the front right i even found a hole. I made it bigger to make sure the rust was gone and to make sure i could clean the inner sill. Removed the rust and vacuumed out the rust/dust from the inside. On the inner sill there was only a bit surface rust and that was easily removed and threated:

I applied rust killing welding primer on the inner sill:

Everything protected and covered. Then is could start to weld:

Easily closed and grinded smooth:

Then i sanded every sill and prepped them for paint:




While i was sanding the Rover was covered but for painting i applied fresh plastic to prevent dust:


The stuff i chose to use. FLTR: rust preventive primer, normal primer, colour paint and the 2K clear:

On every bit of bare metal i applied rust preventive primer:


Then a coat of normal primer:


Colour coat:


And then i applied several coats of 2K clear coat on every sill:




Then i let the car sit and set for a few hours. In the evening we picked it up. It does look so much better with the correct springs! :

Continued the work at home when the paint cured properly. Sprayed some more cavity wax in the sills and applied body stickers to cover the factory holes in the sills, new screw catchers and then spray waxed it all:


I polished the stainless steel strips before i re-installed them:



Rust hole successfully fixed:

It looks the business!:

[scoobyh123]

Fantastic work Marc, love the attention to detail!

Also great news on the front springs, i wonder if the others you had were a "one size fits all" and were for a less well equipped car that was slightly lighter on the front?

Certainly looks better in every aspect - cosmetically and stance!

[Marc-827-Vitesse]

Fantastic work Marc, love the attention to detail!

Also great news on the front springs, i wonder if the others you had were a "one size fits all" and were for a less well equipped car that was slightly lighter on the front?

Certainly looks better in every aspect - cosmetically and stance!

Cheers again Dave!

Yes so happy it is all sorted now. Maybe, that could well be the case.

[Lodein]

As always, very good job, congratulations

Lodein

[Marc-827-Vitesse]

Thanks Lodein!

I also took the SD1 out for a drive this weekend. Just great weather. Did a lot on the SD1 and it looks and drives fresh again!

[scoobyh123]

More great pics and hard work in motion Marc, always a pleasure seeing your pics!