Longbridge Honda, with added Peugeot

[bent8rover]

Bought this in October last year - or should I say saved it from scrap man - as it was very likely going to get broken for the leather


One of 26 left on the road of the 'leather interior diesel 400' (model R8), a.k.a the Rover 418 GSD

When I owned one of these ten years back, when there were 4.1k on the road.  Just 26 left??



Highlights:

- Engineered by Honda
- Re-engineered by Rover
- Engine from Peugeot
- Diesel pump from Lucas
- Turbo from KKK Borg Warner
- Leather interior in beige
- Dashboard in matching beige
- Wider alloy wheels that do make a difference to the drive
- Electric sunroof and windows
- Electric door mirrors
- Airbag
- ABS
- Service history


Everything works!  It's covered 118k miles with four owners that all lived within the same housing estate radius, it seems.

It is rusty in places, and will require a torch for MOT. But, it's really comfy, in good mechanical order and was cheap.
 It will also run on a veg-derv mix if you don't stress the Lucas pump.

Wife not quite so keen: mutterings have been 'Too Grandad', 'Pedals too stiff' and 'That thing'.




------------------------------------------

Tried to insure it (as 21 years old) on the classic multicar policy but underwriter said 'we don't consider Rovers like that as classics".
Tried another, they refused too.
Odd, as there is an Owner's Club for these now and they both did list the club as part of their inventives/collaborations...
One said 'Rovers have to be 25 years old to be covered as classic'. So, they only insure this model from the first year of production?
Tried online quote from very same broker and found the workaround - inflate its value!  Then computer says yes with no other checks!
So moved over to that broker, the whole fleet.  Their loss.

------------------------------------------

Ran it up to NEC that weekend shortly after and didn't overheat in that blasted traffic, a bonus for an elderly intercooled diesel car of mixed parentage.
So, pushed it into proper use after that shakedown run...

In fact, been running this about so much over the past months that I've already covered 75% of the 'classic' insurance mileage allowance on it...!

------------------------------------------

Is 21 years old really considered modern?

21 years ago (1995), a 21-year-old car was something from 1974 and surely deemed a classic if it was a main brand...

What would be the 1974 equivalent.. Cortina GXL? Humber Sceptre?

------------------------------------------

Found it sitting there on Google Earth, a previous owner's house.



------------------------------------------

Oops! MOT finished on Friday.  Been using it so much, that caught me unawares.  

It's got rustier, the previous owner tried to tidy it, but made it worse and it's broken through since.
Someone clouted the wing mirror last week, breaking mechanism and glass.

Going to take it to garage at weekend to: 1) get laughed at, 2) ruin the upmarket clientel image they have created (Alfa Specialist), 3) prod it and see.

Well, I like it, even though other road users treat you like dirt.
I can't see how a GOLD one in this spec can be repeated?  Not now, not that so many have gone.
How long will we be able to keep indirect injected diesels?
What to do?

[bent8rover]

Forgot to mention

Had this up on ramp last weekend and the car overall is MOT passable with a pair of leading arm bushes

However...

The rust!

Nearside rear sill has been plated badly and it's blown around it. Nearer the front there is evidence of a foot of 'glass bodged home which was a surprise

Offside rear inner sill corner has holed and the leading arm bolts there. So all of that has to be removed and area rebuilt.

It's all do-able (with expense) and wouldn't be baulked at if it were another more collectable model.

Repeat: What to do? Does our resident Penguin like Rovers?

[penguin45]

When you get down to it, it's just metal. It can be chopped out and replaced. If we're talking about a few inches of rusty floor and flange, it can be done pretty sharpish. If the floor pan or sill's actually gone, it's a bit more involved....

Pics?

P45.

[bent8rover]

O/S/R

[penguin45]

I take it there's meant to be a solid side piece in there? Looking at the distortion on the two bottom flanges, I suspect that a run over with a wire wheel won't leave much metal there. Possibly quite nasty.....

P45.

[bent8rover]

Needed to get a tyre off for something else and as it's not in use and sitting in the driveway's 'corner of death', I jacked it up.

Got the wheel off ....then the sill collapsed inwards.

Looks like it's going to get scrapped, which is a shame as I really like it and don't think I'll ever find another in Gold with Beige dash interior

[genegenie]

 But you have to do what's right sometimes. Could it be offered to any Rover fans on Auto doo doos for spares??

[bent8rover]

Crazy thing is I'm quite fond of this car and prefer driving it over the Daimler! I doubt I'd say that to John Egan's face though...

If it comes to I'll be breaking it myself into a better donor car. And I've only just found one that would do, a petrol auto and in a dull colour.. but the leather can go straight in

Or.. I can stop faffing and get that Mig Mate tucked in the garage that I never learned how to use and learn to be a Penguin

[penguin45]

Poor old thing. At least some of it will live on.

Welding - practice, practice, practice. It "happens" in the end.

P45.

[bent8rover]

Found another donor. With the Honda petrol engine and not the banned-from-this-house K-series engine. Low mileage, old lady car; but with auto box. But then survivors tend to be just that. It is in a brighter blue though, so the tan/beige dash and interior will suit better. Not that I know much about colour-coordination, if you look at my shoes.

But it's up in Edinburgh...

Flights £48

[bent8rover]

Sourced a pair of sills and a pair of arches from same eBay shop. Currently negotiating a price on the lot

Both wheels of it now and as it's in the air I stabbed the sill and floor lengths hard with a screwdriver to see what's what...

Need a lie down now.


Floors good end to end
Chassis rails good end to end
Toe boards good
Door shuts good
Rear turrets good
Underneath the rear seat squab good

But:
Both outer sills now holed in number of areas along their length
Inner sill strengtheners look good apart from o/s that may need a new bottom inch for about a foot in length
Rear inner arch n/s flitch now open at bottom
Rear inner arch o/s flitch previous plating still ok
Rear suspension leading arm mount box section n/s good
Rear suspension leading arm mount box section o/s shot

Done photos will post up soon once sorted through and hosted


So much for BAe quality assurance

[bent8rover]

A change is on the horizon.

[bent8rover]

This car has since donated its interior and alloy wheels to the new upstart

[bent8rover]

Sold

Now lives at Kidderminster with a restorer

[zeebra]

Is the restorer specialising in Rover 200 and 400 models ?