Rover P6 or SD1?

[danhay]

I'm looking to spend between £1-2k on a 4th car.

My shortlist currently consists of either a tax exempt P6 3500s or an SD1 Vitesse (single plenum probably).

Any reccommendations or advice from the YHPHers?

[miniman]

[redacted]

[danhay]

Ebay is where I'm looking at the moment.

I've driven a P6 3500 Auto and it didn't really light my fire. I've owned an SD1 2600S and that was great fun in the wet and very reliable - it had carbs. I recently looked at a very ropey twin plenum vitesse. It sounded great but was truly rotten and went for £1060. There's a nice blue single plenum Vitesse on Ebay at the moment which I think will go for £1500ish?

To my mind the P6 looks nicer but isn't as much fun to drive at the SD1. I'm also a bit worried about reliability of a Fuel Injected SD1 compared to good old twin SUs? But the Vitesse is a lot faster and I've got to enter something in the Brighton Speed Trials this year.

[coco h]

Humm tough one.

I owned a P6 3500 auto and thought the gearbox was crap - might just have been my driving but I do prefer a manual. It was a pretty cool car though - tons of space and so comfortable. It did real need it's own tow along fuel tanker though. I do love the SD1s but never owned one so not sure.

[miniman]

There's a heavily modified twin plenum SD1 on eBay at the moment (clicky)

Can't find the one you're referring to - what's the item number?

[danhay]

Yep, I've seen the modified one...it wouldn't make it onto my driveway it's so low!

There's also this original blue one. Item # 4635695914

[F.M]

SD1 but I`m biased...

www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?p=2&f=66&t=231540&h=0

Twin plenums ARE getting cheaper...tempting..

[F.M]

[the aston man]

has to be the p6.

[danhay]

Just for the sake of balance, here's a pic of a P6.


Love those Jensen Interceptor wheels!

[fat richie]

danhay said:

Just for the sake of balance, here's a pic of a P6. Love those Jensen Interceptor wheels!

That's nice, just needs a 4.9 EFI engine.......

[williamp]

SDi, but thena aginw aht do i know. My first car was a 1961 P4

[red_rover]

What an earth is the 'Rover SDi'?

There is the Rover SD1 (Rover Special Divison 1) but not SDi!

The P6 will be built like a vault, the SD1 less so. But the SD1 will be more fun to drive! Both wonderfully styled - so horses for courses

[zumbruk]

I loved my SD1, but it had been "cost engineered" down to 94p, then constructed out of chewing gum and spit by muppets.

[Marquis_Rex]

I'd ALWAYS go for the P6. I love the lines, it harks back to an era when Rover made classy gentlemens transport, and it has some serious engineering innovation for it's time. This car WILL turn heads. Nowadays it would be an individuals choice, even amongst other classics (MGBs ,Triumphs etc etc :yawn. It has a nice mean look to it also.
However I fear your budget may be a little low for a good one, I'd be delighted if you proved me wrong though!

[williamp]

red_rover said:

What an earth is the 'Rover SDi'? There is the Rover SD1 (Rover Special Divison 1) but not SDi! The P6 will be built like a vault, the SD1 less so. But the SD1 will be more fun to drive! Both wonderfully styled - so horses for courses

Its i for fuel infection..

You're right it is SD1.

[aeropilot]

red_rover said:

The P6 will be built like a vault, the SD1 less so. But the SD1 will be more fun to drive! Both wonderfully styled - so horses for courses

Yup, my late father was in the Met.Police from the mid 50's to the mid 80's and the P6 3500 Rovers were by far the best Police cars they had. The Met bought up a large quantity of P6's to see them through as long as possible before having to use SD1's. They had nothing but problems with them compared to the P6's and I don't know of 1 Police driver that preferred the SD1 over the P6.

Not saying a twin-plenium Vitesse wasn't a craker of a factory hot-rod in it's day, but I'd still rather have the P6.

[Chris_N]

I bought a twin plenum SD1 vitesse off eBay a year or two ago for a couple of grand. The bodywork had been sorted by the previous owner. It needed a bit of an overhaul of the suspension and brakes but once that was done it drove brilliantly, and with its Rimmer Brothers stainless exhaust system it sounded great! Certainly not as solidly built as a P6 but for me the touring car history of the SD1 wins hands down.

Unfortunately my other half wasn't so keen and I eventually succumbed to pressure to sell it, and now miss it quite badly - a fact I remind her of whenever I see an SD1 in a magazine, on TV, or on the road (sadly the last one is a less frequent occurence these days). I actually think I manage to make her feel just slightly sorry for me!

Anyway, sold mine on to someone who had always wanted one so hopefully he is getting lots of enjoyment from it.

Chris

[shadowfax]

If I never had Bluey to maintain too, I'd have BOTH

[danhay]

Am going to see this tomorrow...


It's a Vitesse with a TVR350i engine with Webber carbs and a Rimmer Bros stainless exhaust.

The Aesthete in me says go for a P6 but the Hooligan in me just accused the Aesthete of spilling his pint and suggested he step outside!