1986 Rover SD1 Police Car
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- Опубликовано: 9 сен 2020
- The Rover SD1 was a Police favourite with its powerful V8 and great handling. This restored example served with Lancashire Police from 1986 to 89. Police signs were removed, covered or taped over when on the road.
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Thanks for the video. Nostalgic for me as I was one of those Police drivers of the 3500 Rover SE and Vitesse at 23 years old, South Yorkshire Police (I am 58 now). If you want to jump to that Rover 3500 experience go to paragraph 6. Since I am here I will write up a little experience providing some insight, which might dispel some cop driving myths.
Police driving was tiered back in the day - beat car at grade 3 to 5, basic traffic at grade 2 and then advanced traffic at grade 1 which typically included the armed response car, diplomat protection and some further defensive and tactical driving. I had passed my civilian test in a RWD Vauxhall Cavalier at 17 and was already a rally fan as I joined the job at 20. I did the beat car immediately after passing my probation (2 years in) gaining a grade 3 (highest) which qualified me for traffic training.
Normally, it was expected to beat drive for 3 years before progressing - the cars were generally stock and between 1.3 and 1.6 litre 90 BHP (back in the '80s) - mine was a Vauxhall Chevette 1.3 but rear wheel drive and you could entice it to overdrive, especially in the wet. Beat drivers were essentially restricted to normal traffic law and speed limits although there were exceptions - for example, if you were in a pursuit concerning a serious incident like a bank robbery, you could ask control over the RT for permission to exceed. Generally they would call in a traffic car though to take over... the beat cars were stock as I said and half decent opposition could leave you in the dust.
Due to a combination of circumstances including the miners strike (shortage of PSU team van drivers - had to be traffic qualified) and a secondment to the serious crime team as a TDC which required a traffic qualification to drive the high performance sleepers (plain cars with discrete lights and horns in the grill and rear bumpers), I pitched for Traffic training as I hit my 23rd birthday. I was surprised to be accepted TBH, but when they put that faith in me I gave it my all for the 3 month course - I had no kids and few responsibilities and so even in my own down time, I was out practicing in my own Ford Escort (within speed limits). I passed class one, the youngest in the force at the time (I was told).
The Traffic course was all plain white cars - no Police badging at all - we had RT but no operational capability, off the grid largely. It began with a step up to a 2.0 lt Vauxhall Cavalier and within a few weeks a 3.0 lt Vauxhall Carlton which was actually rather sedate, like an arm chair. The focus was ultra smooth car control (including double de-clutch), balance, braking with no discernible jerkiness (try that, it's hard), forward planning and road craft. The training was similar to VIP chauffeur driving. However, the tactical and planning aspects were much more developed - there was a process which involved looking far ahead for clues to road changes in direction (tree lines for example indicating a left turn a mile ahead) and vehicle type indications (anticipating their speed / performance before you reached them), then rolling back to the immediate foreground - road surface changes, pedestrian activity and weather. For example, if we were following a bus on urban roads, we would look for a passenger reaching up to ring the bell - then anticipating that the bus would begin to stop (and become an obstruction) we would already be in gear and out towards the centre line. In the countryside we would be on the max speed up to 60 mph and looking for activity, cyclists, horses - if we spotted a farm we would anticipate a change of surface, mud / manure on the road ahead, or possible sheep, cattle crossing the road.
At normal road speeds during the first 3 weeks, this all seemed a little OTT and we would do an hour on and an hour off - two trainees per car with the instructor. We might get as far as the Lake District from Sheffield on a run, or Scarboro on the East Coast (for a lunch stop). We had to be back at Snig Hill for 4.00 PM to wash and clean the car (daily), check the fluids, brakes, steering for leaks etc.
After an interval driving test (pass required for progress) at 4 weeks, un-announced we turned up one morning to a fleet of white, un-badged Rover 3500 SEs :) despite being on the course, I was still surprised that they would let me into one of these cars being young as I was and with a domestic 1.3 Escort at home. Frankly, in civie life, no one would have insured me for a 180 BHP V8 SDi. I was excited but not in the pilot seat yet.
The first morning was a demonstration of the 3500 Rover capability as the principle Traffic and special ops car in the force with the instructor driving... easy enough right? Within minutes, we went off the speedo on the M1 out of Sheffield... 140MPH - things just got real and the first 4 weeks training dropped into place - at that speed, an incident a mile in front is on you within 25 seconds, you have to think and react far in advance. In the afternoon we got a turn to drive, 30 mins acclimatising to the new car and power in an urban setting, then out onto the lanes for a sprint before returning to Sheffield on the M1 at top speed. Absolutely thrilling - I was buzzing, kept pinching myself - is this actually happening. However, the student in the car with me bottled it and was shaking so badly on the final sprint that the instructor stopped the session. By the end of the week, we had lost 30% of the trainees... the reality is, it can be terrifying, and you either mastered it or you were sent back to your station.
Week 6 we ramped up again, with an active pursuit mode... at any point in your session driving, the instructor would wrap the dashboard, 'response call - max effort' and give you a way point to reach, say Clumber Park 20 miles away. You then had to reach that location as fast as the car would go whilst remaining safe and in complete control at all times. Imagine that in a V8 rear wheel drive Rover... now add in public roads, civilian traffic, rain, country lanes with changing surface quality and leaves / mud and changing light conditions... my course was in the Autumn and so I got pursuit mode in the dark some afternoons.
I had a couple of moments I can still remember - on the way to Scarboro in pursuit mode at + 100MPH down a back country lane I hit a large pheasant which flew into the road, demolished the front bonnet / bumper although I didn't twitch or over react with steering and braking and was commended for remaining calm and not losing control. The one time I almost bottled it, I was on a 4 lane, open (no barrier) two way carriageway, with busy traffic in both directions and light drizzle when the instructor hit the dashboard - pursuit! This entailed me moving into the opposing traffic lane against the flow at high speed... no lights, horns or badging remember. I was doing + 100 MPH when a car pulled out in the lane a quarter mile ahead coming directly towards me... I lifted off the throttle a touch considering my options and the instructor calmly touched my wrist - 'don't do that please... keep your foot down.' I was shaking after that one and we had a 10 minute tea stop at a road side cafe, talked it through - it dawned on me how much bottle the traffic instructor had in that situation, sat in the passenger seat with no dual controls.
This went on daily for several weeks including developing road craft skills, forward vision, skid pan training and more. Pretty intense. Two months in we got the final treat.. a step up to the fleets new Rover V8 Vitesse Police Specials... Lucas fuel injection, big bore exhaust taking the BHP to 220+ (although it felt like more), lowered suspension, bigger wheels, lightened overall and a full aero pack which included a deep front chin that didn't like speed bumps at all (we lost a few). I don't know what the stock civilian Vitesse ran at, but I do know that the Police had a BTO (build to order) thing going on... the fuel injection mod was in part a result of wide scale UK Police demand on Austin Rover to step the 3500 up again..
So I drove and experienced both cars at speed back to back, the 3500 NASP V8 SE (more or less showroom spec) and the 3500 EFi V8 Vitesse Police BTO and they were quite different. the SE had a trailing lazy throttle which made smooth gear changes easy.. take your foot of the throttle pedal and the revs came down slowly - the EFi did not and although the throttle response was sharper, you had to trail the throttle with your foot to get an ultra smooth change. Brakes were much better on the EFi, the steering sharper, less roll in the turns.. the whole thing was more planted on the road with huge amounts of grip, even in the rain... in fact that is what gave you the confidence to push it hard even in bad conditions which included sleet and snow - it was rear wheel drive so tail happy but eminently controllable in power slide or a brake lock up (no ABS but we did use the hand brake at times for braking without rear brake lights).
The biggest difference though between the SE and the Police Special was the jump in pace and torque... no joke, on a sprint we would hold it in second to 70mph on the motorway slip road to build up flank speed for the outside lane... then drop into third to hit a 100+ and you were away. Our calibrated speedos went to 160 mph marked analogue as I remember and a loosened up Special with 10+K miles under its belt would go off the right side of the clock.
To give you a practical application of this... I was in Leeds one day on the ring road, near Pudsey, dropping off gear at the TA barracks (we sometimes joint trained firearms with army instructors) and got a priority response call for Sheffield city centre which was approximately 34 miles away. I was double crewed and one of two armed response units on patrol. I went down the Leeds inner ring road through Armley, caught the M1 at it's root (Hunslet) out of Leeds and was at the incident near Hillsboro in just over 12 minutes topping out above 160 mph at its peak on the M1. I can remember planning for the exit ramp, 3 miles ahead and dropping the Rover into 4th at 120 mph to decelerate and not cook the brakes as I came off.
I can genuinely say, it was the best car, most thrilling and re-assured that I have ever driven and that includes (later) a BMW M3, an Audi Quattro, a compact (size) V6 MG ZS with a CAF and cat back running 200BHP and an Escort RS Turbo on Cadwell Park race circuit. All these cars have their thrill points but nothing ever inspired me as a driver, in all weathers and conditions like the Rover 3500 Vitesse EFi. Possibly the greatest, mainstream British car design of my life.
Romeo Alpha Three - signing off.
Wow! Thanks for sharing.
It is the longest comment ever I saw on RUclips
@@kamrankhan-lj1ng But most importantly..... the Best.
@@booradley1510 Well said Sir!
Back when Rovers were genuinely cool.
The liver run!! That’s the UK federalies equivalent of the Gumball 3000. Epic!
I use to work at a Rover dealership in the 70s and 80s and loved these cars i had 3 V8s myself great cars.The Mk1 were rot boxes but the Mk2 were perfect.Good old velour seats they were the Best.
I live the brown velour! Can be a bitch when it fades, but incredibly hard wearing. Better than the stuff that was in BMW’s at the time where the fabric would all tear up
I had a mk1 v8 , rotten but I loved it. Would never've passed an mot today
Old enough to remember these. That is in such amazing condition.
Nee Naw Nee Naw Pull Over... It's like being in the bill... Love a SD1 way ahead of its time and still looks amazing today.
I keep expecting Detective Inspector Roy Galloway to appear! 😁
Complete with bacon coloured interior 😂
@@stepheng8779 A well known person called it Plum coloured vulgarlour.
To punish and enslave.
hope it made Friday lunch break enjoyable!
Oh what a beast, takes me back to a kid when these were everywhere back then.
Oi crikey, it's the rozzers!!
Damn! You beat me to it! :)
I don't think I actually used the word "crikey" it wasn't even close but meant the same lol.
Jam sandwich! Not heard that for years, great video.
i have a T shirt from the James May collection , with that phrase on it
Permission to say 'cock'
I absolutely LOVE that video of one of these beautiful SD1s belting along, full pelt with the blues n twos going to deliver a liver for transplant . That incredible SD1 is roaring down the motorway cruising at 120+mph and then roaring through London streets at 90mph! Best of all it successfully delivers the Liver for transplant on time. Such a great video that Police Stop dedicated an entire episode to the staggeringly rapid run (especially quick considering the year that all occured!) It is the perfect demonstration to show why police forces all over the UK stockpiled SD1s when Rover announced the end of production.
Loved these police cars. The pinnacle!! There are videos here on RUclips called 'The Liver Run' where a SD1 V8 was used to transport a liver from Stansted to Kensington in 30mins. An awesome watch!!!!
This car has the most beautiful dashboard I have ever seen.
An SD1 is a beautiful thing, an SD1 in police livery is something else, love it.
Talk about road presence!
Awesome car. I owned an ex police SD1 in the 90s. Followed the build of this he’s done a fantastic job with the restro
Its an amazing job hes done
I was a PC in the Met from the late 70s. The SD1 replaced our beloved 3.5 P6 Rovers. Being the Met, we got the utterly gutless 2.6 automatics, just as all the yobs discovered the Ford XR3. It was, frankly, embarrassing! Traffic Patrol later got the V8s, but us mere plods kept the 2.6 until the end, with repainted stripped out Vanden Plas leftovers, with the sunroof sealed up, and the VP badges removed. This was because the Met didn't want the public to know they were buying anything but the budget versions. You couldn't make it up!
Agreed. Useless brakes, weird square steering wheel on early models, acceleration of a snail.
Lovely story. I missed out on these iconic cars. 30 years last week.
Have no fear, in a few years time, you will be looking back all dewy-eyed at the cars you worked with in your career with just the same degree of nostalgia that we did with the P6s and SD1s. If it is any consolation, the 2600 SD1 was actually fairly crap, but, boy, did it look the part, or what?!!@@hawk194
Absolutely right, but we, at a traffic garage, started with V8s, then dropped to 2.6s , they couldn’t take the long high speed runs and went to stations, where some poor crews actually had the 2.3s, another Leyland disaster, and yes the Met did buy up all the Vanden plas cars at the end of the run as the public didn’t want them, ripped out the air conditioning and sealed the standard sunshine roof, which rumour has the guy who actually ordered them didn’t know about.
The P6's were lovely
the best British police car ever! love the SD1!
They might not have the best quality, but they were cracking looking cars. The Buick V8 was always iconic.
I used to night rally my sd1 , recaro seats ,cam change with up rated carbs, LSD with lower ratio,full cage tuned exhaust etc fantastic car ,being able to put your crash helmet on the dash board was a bonus! Last event was in Holland .very happy memories.
Love the sound of those Rover V8's. My friends Grandma had the 3500 vitesse. Very nice!!!!!
Still eye catching after all these years.
I'm 56 years old, both my older brothers owned SD1's and they loved them to bits, a fabulous car.
I remember seeing these on the motorway as a kid in the 80s and I loved them back then. A true icon of a car, especially the V8s!
Very modern car. If you imagine, the instrument cluster is almost like the today's digital ones. Very beatifull car. Side by side with the Mercedes S W126, BMW 7 E23, Audi D11 or Saab 9000.
I had a Corgi Rover SD1 Police car (toy car) when I was a little boy 40 years ago and I've been SD1-fan ever since!
Back in the late eighties my landlord drove the 3500. Occasionally he would let me drive it. I had a Renault 21 at the time. My goodness , the difference in power , for a young lad was tremendous. Fortunately I had been taught advance driving techniques by the FIFE traffic police, so I was confident and competent in handling it. Jock Mackenzie of Ayton Smithy Nr. Cupar in Fife, I thank you and rest in peace sir.
Inspector Rennie Richards of Fife traffic police I thank you for the skills you taught me. Happy days.
Big part of my memories as a police officer in the 80s 😊
Such an iconic part of 1980s Britain. As a kid these cars looked intimidating and a serious bit of kit
Love these SD1's!
Even though I got pulled over by one for my first speeding ticket near Port Talbot back in about 1988. One of my dream cars.
I've owned the 2300 version of this car, and I absolutely adored it, so comfortable even if my arm was at full stretch to change gear :)
A great video! What a car, beautiful sound! Just saw the liver run on youtube, gave me goosebumps! What an incredible feat of driving by those officers, and 120 mph in an auto - even if it was a 3.5 v8 - in an 1986 car - to save lives, beyond words.
THIS IS GORGEOUS!!! I have always loved the Rover SD1 /3500, and have only seen one in the metal...in Canada. I'm in the USA and even new when these were sold in 1980, an extremely rare sight. I was aware of the car because of the fantastic Corgi models in both standard and Juniors sizes. A 'civie' version is definitely on my wanted list for a dream garage.
Very nice to have the exterior shots showing the car driving past! Great upgrade. Much appreciated.
Im normally on my own so cant do them, good to do when I can
@@furiousdriving going a bit J Leno there son.
Brings back many memories of my 1984 3500SE Auto. Like you say in your road test Matt, it can get a shift on. Trying to stop mine on standard brakes led to some scary moments! On a motorway those things could cruise at slightly illegal speeds all day long with no effort, you can't beat a V8.
RIMMER brothers supply 4 piston vented disc upgrade.
This was English policing in the 80s. A proper size police cruiser there.
Great looking front profile with those elongated indicator lenses extending back along the guards.
They were equally in their element letting the neighbours know you were successful.
What an absolutely stunning, glorious vehicle! Imported for one or two years, this was so radical here in the US. Because of atrocious build quality, they practically had to be given away.
This design still feels so fresh and modern even today, and nothing is like that Buick V8 that Rover improved, and the sound!
Rover tried to crack American a few times but never managed it, shame as they were good cars let down by build quality
@@furiousdriving I remember Jaguar wasn't reliable as well.
Something about the Rover 3500 that is absolutely timeless. Hatchbacks were a trend starting in the mid-70's here on the US, but the Rover was somehow unique in its class.
And it still looks timeless to this day!
That engine received so much modification frpom the original, calling it a Buick engine is rather silly.
One of my all time favourites, must confess to sitting in the back of a few in my youth.
On mine when you opened the drivers side glove box it would dispense two pints of water over your feet !
Very clever design re the pod.
You just moved it to the left and the steering column would fit through the air vent for the left hand drive market.
These car reviews are getting better and better the more I watch
Thanks Matt, my dream car , I love everything about the SD1 , especially the interior on the Vanden Plas.
Very sumptuous!
Many thanks to the enthusiast who rescued this one for our enjoyment.
My heart is melt watching your video about this lovely car: bellissima!
Absolutely amazing car, thanks for making it, great job
Always loved the Rover SD1 3.5 (the best one being the Vitesse) and that example is in amazing original condition. Proper Police siren as well.
My dad owned two of these from the late 80’s / 90’s. Loved them. Such a great car. The belt screech in the morning when my dad started them up was like my second alarm clock
My mate's brother had a late 70s 3500S in the early 90s...I had several lifts in that beast and both his brother and dad were demon drivers which was awesome given that all our lifts were given in either the Rover or at the time their brand new Mk5 RS2000... Great times!
This brings back memories of the 1983 ex Avon & Somerset traffic division SD1 that I owned from 1986 to 1989. It was identical to this with the V8 engine and 5 speed gearbox, it had stiffened suspension and larger brakes than a standard SD1. It also had an aluminium bonnet and front wings to improve the weight distribution. It handled superbly and would really hustle when pushed.
Drove my Mangers Black 3.5 se Manual back from Guildford down the a3 to Tolworth as a 19 year old. Always remember that drive.
I've always loved the SD1 , it's nice to know that when driving my 1991 Defender , I'll be experiencing the SD1 gear change.
Loved these cars as a kid in the 80's. I remember a neighbour bought a red SD1 Vitesse from new in the mid 80's.
Great review of a gorgeous car. We did get them here, but man, they were rare! I have always wanted one. The Rover V8 is such a honey of an engine.
Wow, thanks for this.
Nitro Silvia is one of my fave channels, James is a Rover wizard.
I’ve seen this car in his garage on loads of his vids and always wondered about it, thought it was another of his projects in mid resto as it’s usually covered in dirt and tools, didn’t know it was THIS good !. It has cleaned up beautifully and is a credit to him, as all of his cars are.
Thanks again, Matt, for showing this off, it’s stunning.
I actually keep this one at a special garage locked away with loads of cctv. The other white one that looks scruffy In that beat up garage is my old drift car. Rough as a badger but lots of fun.
I have had one of these up my butt on more than one occasion in the 80's 90's when I was a boy racer, well close to a boy, and it wasn't a pleasant feeling . Lovely car.
Oi crikey, it's the rozzers!!
Shame the speedo never failed when they were behind me in my Opel Manta.
@Bercilak de hautdesert You do know what Mk1 Mexico's are worth now ? I could have bought Mexico's several times, wish I had one now.
Fantastic video and images of an amazing car. James Wade (nitrosilva) has done an amazing job, miss my SD1s HUGELY, they have a real presence to them . 👍👍thanks for featuring the car.
I'm glad you mentioned James channel, he deserves more views
An amazing restoration of a brilliant car! Great video!
And I do love the sound of the accelerating V8!
I owned a bronze SD1 reg no: JAG180Y but my abiding memory of this Police Rover is being on the M6 in the eighties in my lorry doing approx 56 mph when the Police SD1 on the opposite carriageway hard shoulder overtook me in reverse !
I remember driving my Dad’s 2600 SD1 from South Wales to Gatwick airport doing well over 100mph all the way on the M4. I’d forgotten that my folks flight back from Italy was due in in less than 2 hours ! (Got distracted with my new girlfriend 😉) Gatwick is a long journey from Cardiff and I did it in less than 2 hrs. I had that SD1 nearly flat out all the way and it handled it beautifully; a true motorway rocket 👍 I’d probably have got a prison sentence these days. And the irony, their flight was delayed by 45 mins ; so I just sat there waiting as the SD1 (and me) cooled off. A freer world then ? Yes indeed.
@LIVERPOOLSCOTTISH ; I remember it being a great engine; however, they did suffer with crankshaft seizure if the oil was not serviced regularly. My Dad bought a second one, on a B reg (84) I think and this seized whilst he was towing a caravan. Yes, by today’s standards the V8 doesn’t deliver big horsepower but it’s such a delight to drive; my cousin has two P5bs both with the V8 and that burble is just delightful 👍
I’m glad you mentioned the ‘Liver Run’ that was an epic piece of driving through London. I’m sure they hit 130 down the M11!
One of my first cars was a Series 2 SD1 3.5SE with the manual box. I would tool it down the A40 from High Wycombe to London for work and loved it. As unsophisticated as it was (by today's standards) it was stable, fast and predictable in all conditions. If BL had invested real time and money into these car they would have been world beaters.
it needed the worked over P7 B reversed P6B de Dion tube- it cost 50 quid or so more than awful sow's ear basic rear and Bosch electrics/electronics instead of useless Lucas.
This is an extremely cool video about a very cool car! Being an old policecar makes the story even better. Good work!! :-)
I dont think a thumb nail has ever excited me that much before. What an awesome car.
You and me both!
Loving this and great to see nitrosilvia getting the credit he deserves for all his hard work on his cars at last, hope you get to give dotty a test before she goes to her new owner when completed.
this channel just gets better and better...
What a legendary machine!
Velour seats for the win! The most comfortable and hard-wearing seating material there is, also does a lot less creaking than leather. But what an interesting police car! Must've been quite hard to outrun this with the average car of the day. I've always been fascinated by the SD1, probably because of its' resemblance of the Ferrari Daytona. Never actually had the pleasure of seeing one in person, apparently they didn't sell too well in Finland. While the SD1 is very different mechanically, it is somewhat similar in shape to the Police Saab 900s we had up here from the 80s up until early 00s. Fun fact: There was actually one 80s Saab 900 still in police service up here in 2011, who knows if it still is!
Choice also dictated by ease of cleaning given the high likelihood of a "body fluid event"
Very cool!
I really enjoyed this one.
Thanks Matt, keep up the good work. 👍
Brilliant review. These were a very scary sight in your rear view mirror. My dad's colleagues gave up on them after so many electrical gremlins.
Terrific video once again Matt! The only. police cars that came close in looks IMO were Strathclyde Police's Mk1 and Mk 2 Granadas but the SD1 was tops.
The Liver Run was a " Police, Camera, Action ! " broadcast and was absolutely breathtaking - not only in the driving but in the brilliant police co-ordination as the Essex cars tracked into London. Remember the drivers were off their beats and did not know the route at all. If poss look for the later posting of the prog - the original was heavily edited.
If you haven't seen it, find it! I'm going to search it out again.
Great video!!! Brought back old memories of my 3500.
Remember seeing these around when I was a kid, beast of a car
I was happy it was Friday, but now I'm ecstatic! Thanks Matt you've really excelled this time! I always thought this was the ultimate British police car. Back in the mid 90's I guy I new had one tucked away in his garage under a sheet! what a great combo this would make with a classic Range Rover and BMW R80!
My pleasure!
i had an ex police BMW R80RT Mono, had double front discs and heavy duty alternator. great bike, gearbox seized up in Scotland on our honeymoon (did not go down well......)
I wondered if it was James's car.
He has done a great job on this car.
Love his channel.
One of my favorite cars of all time. So futuristic and so fast thanks to the V8.
You lucky duck, 🦆getting to drive that. Loved it. What a lovely thing now kept for prosperity.
Amazing car and you're so lucky you know James, you'll be getting to drive his other wonderful Rovers.
Use to have these chase me nearly every night when I was on my kwack 250 in 1979.. They hated me, the cops , not the car ...... Love the car, it looks good !
Did you ever have a Kawasaki GPZ550?
@@Pmjs No, did you ?
My pal had a Red GPZ.
At last. I have been waiting to see an SD1 on this channel
Great video Furious. I love the information about this car and others that you have reviewed. Well done 👍. Pete 🇬🇧
Thanks 👍
I think your videos are great in general. But man that microphone noise. !!
Its the wireless transmitter breaking, a new one is on the way but they arnt cheap and have been out of stock (so a big thanks to the Channel Members and Patreons for making it possible to replace!)
Cool. Again, I love your videos and you have a very unique presenting style. I feel bad now for saying anything negative about your channel. Keep up the good work
That is wireless technology for you. Less reliable than a 1980s Rover.
Or "noice" as he calls it 😆
Had a 1986 SE 11. With Fuel Injection. Another car I have regretted selling. Beautiful looking car.
Love this.i can remmeber these driving around madly in the late 80s.nothing else like them at the time .
Wow l was just over half way through the SD1 development story on ARonline when this popped up on my phone. I travelled from school a few days in a 1978 2300 in dark. Metallic green with a cream interior and I thought it was ultra modern with the dash pod and the steering wheel. Then amazingly a neighbouring farmer drove me and my Dad along a sticky, muddy lane across a field in a brown 3500. The Rover's suspension and grip seemed to make this feel quite normal for such a luxurious car. Absolutely love these no matter what they say. British Leyland had so many cars with waiting lists for them. Maybe they should simply have caved in to all union demands just so the factories could keep churning out these gems to meet demand. Nothing like that exhaust Matt.
Saw this at the BMC and Leyland show it was stunning
What a wonderful car! Made it's name even more after the infamous 'Liver Run' video from back in the mid 80s.
Rumour has it, when the end of production came around that the met in London travelled the country buying up the entire stock of SD1s, regardless of engine and trim.
Nice vlog. My dad had a 1986 2600cc version and he loved it. I do remember it well.
Remember these on the M55 and M6 near Preston and Blackpool where this one probably served. GEC is a is Preston Number. We had a 316 E30 ending GEC at the time and a Polo E558SEC.
Blackpool and Preston are good hunting grounds for Rovers as British Aerospace registered hundreds of cars a year which were then sold through local dealers.
Many have survived despite being near the sea due to the large number of retired owners in Lytham St Annes and Knott-End on Sea.
Great vid as always.
Yes this car was based at Ormskirk. It also covered a short spell at Skem.
Drove these cars in 1980s as PC on M6 Staffs Police great car, lovely sound, no power steering or A/C option on ours happy days
Lovely car and such fond memories ❤️
Lovely car, great vid and info 👍
Great video. Thank you.
Excellent.....what a great car! Just seen one in Okahandja, Namibia..........Badged a Rover SDS 3500 in Renyard Gold with a half tarten interior. Made my day!
You are fairly becoming my favourite car RUclipsr 👍🏼
Love the light up sign on the boot lid. Matchbox had a range of cars and vans in the 80s which had light up signs that came on when you pushed them.
I remember a two week driving holiday round Scotland in one back in 1989. Including getting there and back we must have covered 1500 miles, probably the most comfortable 1500 miles I have ever spent in a car. I still remember the registration number of that car, it made such an impression on me. I loved that car and wish we had it today- I think we sold it for a pittance, it can't have been more than a few hundred pounds- now one of the rarest modern classics on the roads, and prices for good ones are eye watering, if you can find one.
Fantastic video of a fantastic motor car! Bet you enjoyed yourself driving the SD1! Some slick gear changes.
best day at work ever
My dad worked on the production of these, from the early days. The car generated a lot of excitement. Can"t remember the last one I saw on the road.
Looks very purposeful. I kept thinking I was watching The Bill! Cheers
Used to work in a Police Workshop....road tests were great fun ! , owned a Vitesse at the time and its one that I definitely should have kept . If only Rover had a better paint process at the time there would be more of these Superb Beast's around now !
Amazing car, and it's like the one that Philip Glenister and Ant Anstead restored on S02 Ep02 of their show "For the love of cars". The Rover SD1 was one of a kind.
Fabulous video. Great content as usual
Thanks!
Very nice. Been following the resto on retrorides forum.
Loving the 3rd party video angles. Ace.