sd1

Ugliest headlights ever.. entry #22

This is a(nother) 1980 Rover SD1 3500. For some reason, I keep ending up with them.. this is my third.

Don't my headlights look fantastic?

 

This one lived in Salem before I got my grubby mitts on it, and spent a while sitting in a field. Unlike the other SD1 I had a couple of years ago, this one is a NAS model and is totally stock.. hence the slightly cross-eyed front end and the correct wheels. It’s also been oddly resprayed in its original colour of Platinum (oh really, British Leyland?), but fortunately still has the original awesome two-tone brown velour interior.

It had the usual electrical gremlins, which required a bunch of relays, a Jaguar XJ6 fuel pump, and lots of swearing. It now drives and stops when it’s supposed to, and doesn’t seem over-inclined to catching fire.  So far, it’s only moved around the driveway and back, but as it’s got a bizarre custom exhaust system it sounds a bit.. well.. frisky.

It also doesn’t seem to overheat. For now.

Look at that velour porn.

 

By admin, ago

Why does no-one like the SD1?

I mean.. look at it.

Yes, it does look a bit like a cross between a Ferrari Daytona kit car and an Austin Maxi.. but it’s *soooo* comfortable.. and people really don’t expect a rusting British car to have a proper v8 in it. They also don’t expect the fact that it’s actually pretty reliable.

They were only sold in the US for one year – and depending on who you believe, there were somewhere between 500 and 700 imported in total.. most of which were automatics. Almost all of the “remaining” SD1s in the US were cannibalised for their engine and injection system, mainly because it fits perfectly in various MGs and Triumphs. I estimate there are maybe 40-50 left, and who knows how many of those are actually in running order.

Mine is a “late” 1980 – it was one of the very last imported – and is Richelieu Red, and came with a 5-speed manual ‘box, air conditioning, and a fitted sunroof. It’s in dire need of a paint job.. which is why it’s my winter project for 2009!

By tedlit, ago