News : AROnline Rover SD1 for sale / Updated

Keith Adams

This Rover 3500 is for sale through AROnline. (Picture: Richard Gunn)
This Rover 3500 is for sale through AROnline. (Picture: Richard Gunn)

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 2012 and taxed until the end of the year. Mechanically it’s top notch with no real issues that we can think of, having been thoroughly recommissioned following its full body restoration. Jobs that have been done in the past year include new brakes front and rear, fluid and filter changes, electrical overhaul, new tyres all-round), and countless other jobs which you will find documented via the Polish Rover SD1 section of AROnline.

As well as that, the body has been subjected to a full body restoration carried out in Poland. It was been stripped back to bare metal and was treated to a top quality respray, which is near-flawless. Any rust or corrosion was comprehensively dealt with, either through the fitment of brand new Rimmer Bros panels, the creation of new panels, or cutting out and replacing with lead. Again, it’s all documented on-site through the restoration story on this website.

The only jobs that need doing are the relining of the interior C-posts and headlining.

The price is £4750 or near offer, which is top-book for an SD1, but a near unique opportunity to own one of these early ‘single strap’ models in such excellent condition. Interesting trade-ins are positively encouraged, too!

For more information, or a trial, drop us a line on kadams@aronline.co.uk or by using the Feedback form below.

Keith Adams

40 Comments

  1. It is sad to see this example up for sale Keith, after the long and adventurous journey both man and machine have been on over the past six years. Apart from a similar condition SD1 Vitesse twin-plenum finished in black and sporting an E’ registration, I can’t think of another example that is so desirable.

    What will fill the enormous hole it will leave in your life when it is sold, Keith? Any thoughts yet?

  2. Hi David

    Strange thing is, I am going to get another SD1, and I have a lovely one in mind. But I also want something new and different to really get my teeth into 🙂

    /K

  3. Could be intetested in this as a second car for the family. Will think about it and discuss with the wife.

    Out of curiosity what is classic car insurance on this and how scary is economy.

    This must be one of the best, if not the best, early SD1s out there. You will miss it.

  4. Sad to see you are selling it, but intrigued to see what you replace it with. Hope it’s a metallic green V8-S on a ‘V’ reg plate with gold alloys and brown leather trim???!!!!

  5. Sorry to see your selling the SD1 Keith.
    I wish i could afford to buy it myself.
    Oh well, I hope she goes to a good home.

  6. Such a shame mate, but I’m pleased you have made up your mind in the end.

    Look forward to the “farewell” drive at the weekend?

  7. You can get much better than 25 on a run out of a well tuned SD1! I can only assume that is a symptom of your right foot Keith…. :-))

  8. What a shock! I really thought that you’d keep this car a long time. The replacement is going to have to be something really special.

    Mind you, I’m getting the wanderlust. I’ve had my current 75 nearly 6 years and I’ve run out of things to do to it. I really fancy a ZT before all the good ones disappear.

  9. Tim Burgess – “Run out of things to do with it [your Rover 75]”? How about enjoy driving what is a very stylish, well built and thoroughly agreeable car? A car that, unlike the MG ZT, has a real sense of occasion and majesty about it. A sense of luxurious wellbeing about the cabin ambience and a ride quality that is cossetting.

    In ten years’ time good condition Rover 75s that have not been mollested or given a good thrashing will become much harder to find. Above all, enjoy driving it.

  10. Keith, that photo of your SD1/3500 looks great! A shame you are going to sell after all the extensive and time consuming restoration. I hope it goes to a caring home.

    Incidentally I’ve just sold my under 4 year old Focus for less than £5,000 p/x. So to my mind £5,500 for your Rover is an investment.

  11. A beautiful example I wish that I could afford. Hope it goes to a good home and you find a suitably intriguing replacement

  12. Lot of car for the money. Surprised it’s not worth more to be honest. A Capri Injection that’s been thrashed throughout the Eighties would fetch that.

  13. Oh how could you Keith, I think we should all dip into our pockets and raise the £5,500 for Keith to keep the ol’ SD1….then he can keep the car and be £5,500 up ! Hoorah

  14. Quote: David3500: Tim Burgess – “Run out of things to do with it [your Rover 75]“? How about enjoy driving what is a very stylish, well built and thoroughly agreeable car? A car that, unlike the MG ZT, has a real sense of occasion and majesty about it. A sense of luxurious wellbeing about the cabin ambience and a ride quality that is cossetting.

    In ten years’ time good condition Rover 75s that have not been mollested or given a good thrashing will become much harder to find. Above all, enjoy driving it

    Perhaps an unfortunate choice of words – Having upgraded it and removed all traces of Project Drive what i shoud have said is that I’ve run out of things to do TO it. I do think of changing but every time I drive it those thoughts just evaporate.

  15. People are asking how Keith can bring himself to sell it? I reckon it’s because he’s nearly finished it and he’s itching to get started on something else. Dangerously addictive, this car restoration bug!

  16. Simon Hodgetts – “Hope it’s a metallic green V8-S on a ‘V’ reg plate with gold alloys and brown leather trim???!!!!”

    Why? Do you know where there is one!????!

  17. Missus says no – the second car has to be sensible!

    Shame!!!!!

    Good luck selling it. Maybe you should advertise in a classic car magazine – I understand that Octane is very good!*

    I should know – I am a subscriber!

  18. Andrew,

    Thank you for paying my wages. I’ll buy you a beer sometime.

    I’ll sling it in Octane soon, but I wanted to put it out via my website first… for obvious reasons 🙂

    /K

  19. Keith, I is well sad to hear dis news. Your 3500 is a legend, and will always be part of the aronline folklore. Respec!

  20. Keith, was your SD1 in Olney today, outside the working mans club?

    If so it’s as stunning in real life as in the pictures, I just wish I had a spare £5k and a garage to take it off your hands

  21. Hi Milly,

    Yes it was… amazing that someone around here spotted it. What did you think of it?

    When I was walking back to the car, I saw some girls passing it, giving it a good old look, but assumed they were not amused by the old beast 🙂

    /K

  22. Keith,

    Years ago there was a television programme called Butterflies staring Wendy Craig

    When she enquired of her son in the series (by then an alleged some 21yrs old) Why he wasn’t married? he replied

    “No chance! I might walk down the aisle and one with longer legs and bigger boobs might walk by!”

    Alas poor Keith, I think you are suffering from this same interminable syndrome!

    I have lost count of every single car that I invested my heart and soul,never mind wallet! into that has been sold with a view to the next one that I’ve “just got to have”!

    Your Rover is superb!, indeed a credit to you.

    Relax, enjoy it and soak up the investment that you have made in it. Enjoy the adulation, the admiration and the solace on the lonely winding A1 out of London upto Peterborough or wherever. Just enjoy what you have.

    Take it from me- the grass isn’t always greener.

  23. DEAR SIR I HAVE GOT FEW SNAPS AND FEATURES OF DOLPHIN CAR (PUBLISHED IN OUR LOCAL DAILIES)PRODUCED HERE IN BANGALORE DECADES BACK BY THE SIPANI AUTO.I WANT TO SEND THE SAME TO YOUR END. CAN I ? BEING AN ARDENT FAN OF THE SD1 AND THIS I FEEL SORRY FOR THEIR FATE IN INDIA. ATLEAST THEY CAN BE CHERISHED FOR A WHILE THROUGH U PEOPLE.

  24. Hi there,

    No problem, please send your images. We have a page for the Sipani Dolphin, Montego and Standard 2000 – but it’s always good to get more images.

    Regards
    Keith

  25. Hi Taffy,
    I did the headlining on mine. I got a new one in fibre glass already trimmed from Aldridge trimmers and with additional material for the sliding roof . I was dreading it and the part sat in my garage for months till I picked up the courage. It turned out to be relatively easy and what a great job it did. I see Rimmers are doing a new headlining too. Regards John

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