Richard Kilpatrick The handful of people I know from car-related activities will probably have twigged that new things generally put me off. Heavier, cost-reduced, simplified or over-complex, if I like something in the first place, I don’t want it to be messed with. So it’s probably unsurprising that my first SD1 was something of a [...]

Keith Adams The Rover SD1 that’s featured so prominently in these pages since 2006 is now going up for sale. For those who have not been following the story, here are some highlights. It’s a 3500, five-speed manual model, registered in August 1976, and currently has 50,000 miles on the odometer. It’s MoT’d until April [...]

IT started out as an idle thought, and soon became a mad-cap plan… Back in 2005, we bought a £200 Rover SD1 as a project, in order to save it from a fate involving kit-car owners and the scrapyard… in the subsequent months, nothing happened, and the home restoration never happened. However an unusual plan [...]

IT started out as an idle thought, and soon became a mad-cap plan… Back in 2005, we bought a £200 Rover SD1 as a project, in order to save it from a fate involving kit-car owners and the scrapyard… in the subsequent months, nothing happened, and the home restoration never happened. However an unusual plan [...]

Keith Adams Enjoyed a nice catch-up with SD1-owning, AROnline reading, Nissan engineering man Chris Wood last night. We caught up at the Earls Barton Classic Car and Bike Meet, after briefly meeting at the AROnline 10th anniversary bash a couple of weeks ago. That time he brought a Nissan Leaf with him – but this [...]

Keith Adams When I brought my Rover SD1 back from Poland back in October 2009, I promised myself that I’d leave it a few months before I set about making the paintwork perfect, and really making it shine. Chucking on wax and keeping it clean is one thing, and fine while the paint hardens up [...]

Keith Adams Well it’s been a few weeks since I managed to prise the keys for my Rover SD1 from the hands of my mate Scott Brownlee, and all I can say is that it’s running like a train. Mike Humble has done a truly magnificent job turning this good looking but mechanically glitchy classic [...]

The Polish Rover SD1 attracted many admiring looks and comments at last weekend’s Pride of Longbridge 2011 event. At last, reliability and driver satisfaction are thankfully possible after a few long distance high speed runs. Words: Mike Humble Photographs: Keith Adams and Mike Humble Well, that’s it for another year, Pride of Longbridge 2011 was a total success [...]

More admiring glances and comments for the Polski-SD1 reinforces my thoughts about arguably British Leyland’s finest creation.  Words and Photographs: Mike Humble  Well, the Pride of Longbridge gathering is now just a fortnight away and, man, how time flies. It seems only five minutes ago I was in a panic re-spraying the rear doors to get [...]

The Polski-Rover is now being given the final touches. Work has re-commenced after four weeks of self-confessed neglect.  Words and Photographs: Mike Humble  Why do it today, when you can put it off until tomorrow? That’s not normally an idea I succumb to but, in the case of the Rover SD1, I’m as guilty as sin. You see, as a rule, [...]

Keith Adams  The ‘phone call from Mike Humble sounded grim. ‘Do you want the bad news or the good news?”  Being a glass-half-empty kinda guy, I decided to plump for the former. ‘Well, the MoT man has broken his leg and a new test won’t be possibel until next week at least,’ he said. Well, that’s [...]

Mike Humble is never tyred of working on a classic motoring icon, only a few more details and the mission is complete.  Well, the Poliski-Rover has come a long way since I first clapped eyes on her – seriously horrific electric maladies and some challenging issues with fueling, cooling and miscellaneous matters arising from a [...]

Mike Humble  Slowly, but surely, I’m getting through the list of jobs one by one. I’ve almost cracked the gearlever problems, there’s fresh oil in the sump, eight new NGK plugs in the creamy smooth engine and the Polski-Rover no longer sounds like a NASCAR racecar. I simply ADORE working on a proper motor because it’s such [...]

The Polski – Rover SD1 is once again dispatched down south  and it’s all quiet again on the Western (Sussex) front… Mike Humble Well, it’s been a hectic past few weeks. Firstly, my Project Drive Rover 25 needed its MOT, then someone made me a surprise job offer back in sales (Commercials and Coaches) and [...]

Keith Adams  Well, despite the gruesome damp, dank, disgusting Northamptonshire weather today, I decided I needed to give the Polski-Rover some much needed love and attention. It’s been a while since I used the old thing and, since its tax expired at the end of August, it’s been tucked up safe and sound in my [...]

Keith Adams  I must admit that I’m in a bit of a rut with my Rover SD1. It’s not that the old girl’s done anything wrong as such, just that I feel like I’m at a bit of a standstill with it – and am in desperate need of some real inspiration. I think it’s [...]

Kev Mills  As some of you will know, I was the lucky fellow who took Keith’s Rover SD1 down to Sussex a few weeks ago for the Vintage at Goodwood festival. It was an ace event; really something else. Once I’ve gone through my pictures, I’ll make sure some come on here.  Since Goodwood, I’ve [...]

Keith Adams  It’s been a long and tough 2010 so far. There never seem to be quite enough hours in the day to get everything done, what with the demands of Octane Magazine and AROnline but, here we are, still delivering great stories online. This week’s scoop about the Rover 55 is a case in point – [...]

It’s been a long battle with the Rover but the war is now won.  Mike Humble  Just moments before I sat down to write my final ramble on the progress of the SD1 belonging to Keith Adams, I learned of the sad death of Spen King, the ex-Director of British Leyland’s Engineering Division and creator [...]

Mike Gets To Grips With Some Truly Shocking Electrics…  I’ll never forget watching the film The Omen for the first time - I don’t know which was scarier, little Damien or the Nanny character played by the brilliant Billie Whitelaw. One thing I can confirm to be scarier than either has been some of the wiring [...]