Is this an M series? PICS ADDED

[big_g]

Take the spark plugs out and stick a few drops of motor oil down each cylinder before you turn it over, if the rings have rusted to the bores then this will help free them without damage

[Din]

Stockport you say ?
Not far from me at all.
Are you a member of green flag ? If so, wash the car so it looks like it's being used and push it down the street, give them a call and ask them to recover it "home".

Ive thought of doing that once or twice... never had to yet mind you.

But then, it needs tax and whatnot to make it look believable.

[piggy22]

Nope, I arnt with the green flag or the AA. I will have to pay a garage to recover it I reckon.

[piggy22]

Well as im home now, i thought i'd whip up the pictures and how i came across this.

My mother lives with her boyfriend down in stockport and they were moving house so me and my brother went to go help. I had never been to the house before. I noticed a big photo of a Rover 800 Coupe on the wall in the cellar, all properly framed and it looked great. I asked her whose it was and she said it was her boyfriends......and it was in the garage!

My eyes lit up She went on to tell me that it was his old car and had been in the family from new! There were 3 previous owners on the logbook: her boyfriend and before that, his sister, and before that, his dad. She told me that the father had been given it by rover! The circumstances were thus: My mums boyfriends dad had invented the foam upholstery with the fabric that is already moulded to the foam that are used as the seats in cars....something that is still used in todays cars. He had allowed Rover to use this technique in their cars, and in return he must of been given this car.

Digging through the cellar we found the previous MOT's and Rover correspondence including an advert for his method of the moulding foam that had a Rover vehicle (not sure which one) on the cover. Anyway..

My mother had rung the scrap man and he was coming to pick it up because she needed it gone before the house sold....he had offered her £80!

I swiftly explained to her that she was to ring the scrap man and tell him to bugger off because she was keeping it and i was having it

Its been sat in the garage and forgot about for 5 years and as a result...is fair dusty, but the bodywork looks spot on bar the back arches and back bumper scuff!






After i give it a wash and a clean inside when its back home on my drive, i will take some more.

The back bumper is a little scuffed and the back arches are a little rusty.

I checked the sills today.....and there was nothing but a bit of surface rust

I am in 2 minds with what to do with it: Tart it up to its former and sell it on.....Or tart it up and stick it back in a garage wholey due to the number of these that someone has said are left

At any point has the tried to pursuade me to nick the pistons and rods out of it for my coupe.....

[Din]

That looks like it will be a really nice car with abit of tlc

Lol at the new coolant bottle, typical 800

[bjrespect]

fancy a swap for a 220 gti

[piggy22]

I think it will look really well after a wash and a wax!

When i have it home and cleaned up, i will then be deciding what i will be doing with it

[bjrespect]

come on buddy always wanted one

[piggy22]

come on buddy always wanted one

let me get it home first

[BlueRover]

Unusual colour. You should keep it for yourself when it's fixed. Do NOT let it go to a piston snaffler.
Glad the sills are better than you thought too. Make sure you really soak it before washing, preferably with a foam lance to float the grime off.

Just noticed it's missing the catalyst badge under the 16v one.

[BlueRover]

come on buddy always wanted one

Hopefully to keep in one piece

[BrackenFox]

That's a nice find!

Looks in fairly sound condition under all that dust - nice to see another BRG one, they don't seem to crop up that often, most seem to be either flame red (like my first one), nightfire red (like my second one - yes, I'm a glutton for punishment! ), caribbean blue or white.

Certainly worth tidying up a bit and seeing what it's like. If you have any M-series turbo questions, I'm sure between me, Sy and Scott we'll know the answer, as we've had them apart enough times.

Always preferred the M16 turbo to the T16 - It just seems to be a bit more aggressive, eager, and slightly more uncouth. I think the lack of MEMS does it a few favours in that regard. It'll never be as smooth or just generally 'nice' as a T16, but they have a lot more character. Sometimes in a good way, sometimes in a bad way. Classic insurance is nice too, most companies now accept the Mk1 800 in that category, particularly the turbos.

I don't really miss most of my T16 turbo Rovers, but I really do miss my Tickfords.

[piggy22]

Cheers for that, now I have a barrage of questions for you

Best place to get new discs and rear calipers? Anything I should check/change as it's been stood for 5 years?

Can't wait to get it home now

[bjrespect]

come on buddy always wanted one

Hopefully to keep in one piece

oh yes it would be parked in the garage andwrapped up for when all the rest are piston raided

[BrackenFox]

Best place to get new discs and rear calipers? Anything I should check/change as it's been stood for 5 years?

Discs and calipers are shared with the Mk2 Vitesse, so a good selection is available! If you wanted to upgrade it a little while still keeping it fairly standard, Vitesse Sport suspension and anti roll bars pop straight on and tighten things up a lot over standard. Torsen equipped PG1 also obviously bolts straight on too. Lots of bits are interchangeable with the later cars, 99% of the other bits are shared with other Mk1 800's or various Land Rovers - there are a few bits which are Tickford specific and an absolute nightmare to find, but they're pretty much all related to the turbo installation.

I'd change the oil and coolant as a matter of course with a little oil or diesel down the bores for a couple of days before starting it, then spin it on the starter with the king lead removed to free things off and get a little oil flowing.

Give the coolant hoses a damn good check, and you may find the breathers behind the block may be a little fragile. The rubber boot between the throttle body and the plenum is a very common place to find splits, I had an alloy replacement made up for my last one which did the trick rather well. There is also a tiny little coolant hose which sits on the block almost directly behind the turbo which is worth checking, as it gets pretty hot, and when it fails it results in quite an impressive explosion of steam when pressurised coolant fires out from a pinhole leak onto a hot turbo.

The MAF may need a bit of a clean, but if all else fails and it's stuffed, the part is still available new as it was shared with various V8 Land Rovers and TVRs, as was the Lucas management system. They're quite prone to cracked exhaust manifolds as well, which are very hard to track down (as it's a T3 flange rather than the T2 style of the T16 manifold).

Other than that, most things are shared with the T16 in terms of things to look for. Might be worth changing the timing belt as well.

[piggy22]

Thanks for the advice

I will check all of the above and no doubt just change things for new items for peice of mind. What's the 'MAF'?

I can this is going to be a bit of a task, but I like a good challenge!

What's the belt like to change? Easy as the T16?

[BrackenFox]

I will check all of the above and no doubt just change things for new items for peice of mind. What's the 'MAF'?

Mass Air Flow sensor. A careful dousing in a residue free contact cleaner normally helps out a lot, but as I mentioned above, it was nicked from the Rover V8, so is easily available if it needs replacing.

What's the belt like to change? Easy as the T16?

Pretty much exactly the same as far as I recall, so no problems there.

[syzsounds]

Best place to get new discs and rear calipers? Anything I should check/change as it's been stood for 5 years?

Discs and calipers are shared with the Mk2 Vitesse, so a good selection is available! If you wanted to upgrade it a little while still keeping it fairly standard, Vitesse Sport suspension and anti roll bars pop straight on and tighten things up a lot over standard. Torsen equipped PG1 also obviously bolts straight on too. Lots of bits are interchangeable with the later cars, 99% of the other bits are shared with other Mk1 800's or various Land Rovers - there are a few bits which are Tickford specific and an absolute nightmare to find, but they're pretty much all related to the turbo installation.

I'd change the oil and coolant as a matter of course with a little oil or diesel down the bores for a couple of days before starting it, then spin it on the starter with the king lead removed to free things off and get a little oil flowing.

Give the coolant hoses a damn good check, and you may find the breathers behind the block may be a little fragile. The rubber boot between the throttle body and the plenum is a very common place to find splits, I had an alloy replacement made up for my last one which did the trick rather well. There is also a tiny little coolant hose which sits on the block almost directly behind the turbo which is worth checking, as it gets pretty hot, and when it fails it results in quite an impressive explosion of steam when pressurised coolant fires out from a pinhole leak onto a hot turbo.

The MAF may need a bit of a clean, but if all else fails and it's stuffed, the part is still available new as it was shared with various V8 Land Rovers and TVRs, as was the Lucas management system. They're quite prone to cracked exhaust manifolds as well, which are very hard to track down (as it's a T3 flange rather than the T2 style of the T16 manifold).

Other than that, most things are shared with the T16 in terms of things to look for. Might be worth changing the timing belt as well.

Exactly as Dr fox said ... That little hose behind the turbo can be a sod !

I would definitely try and get it running and drop all fluids , I bet the coolant system is furred up to buggery.
Standard T-16 checks will be fine just to see if she will run and if you do have any problems then treat it as with any other car that been laid up for a while, The brakes WILL need a good clean up.

I really hope you get it running and enjoy it.

[Crome]

Great find! looks like its in so much better condition than mine was. Mine was stood outside for years on the scottish west coast tho lol.

crome

[james3990]

I love it when people find a rare car that has been stored for ages and been abandoned.

Good find!

Call me a grandad but I would have one of these anyday!

[tim61uk]

I no guy with recovery truck from keighley will give you details if you need tonight.

[piggy22]

I no guy with recovery truck from keighley will give you details if you need tonight.

that would be good tim. Text me

[tim61uk]

Let me no as soon as you get car to yours and can have good look plus if you need hand getting it up drive you no where i am .

Just thought you can hire A-frames to tow cars on from such places as HSS hire or SHC, so all you would need is a mate with nice big motor. Have hired car transporter before too they are great fun. Have a mate with a landy who might want to earn bit of cash on side as long as you pay for diesel

[piggy22]

It needs to go on a truck really, the back tyres are flat as an arse and im guessing the calipers are rusted shut with the handbrake on

[tim61uk]

Well have had words with my mate jim he going to see if any of his mate can recover it but would be on flat bed trailer. You can oump up the back tyres you no so you dont have to run them on flats. THink trailer will be lot cheaper than truck as they drink diesel for fun

[rovermadman4825]

My brother is jelious coz your body work is better lol

[piggy22]

Well have had words with my mate jim he going to see if any of his mate can recover it but would be on flat bed trailer. You can oump up the back tyres you no so you dont have to run them on flats. THink trailer will be lot cheaper than truck as they drink diesel for fun

But i dont know if it will start or not and cant see pushing it onto a flatbed would be much fun...especially with the handbrake stuck on it would need a winch to pull it up i reckon

[Din]

Take tools

I have now on two occaisons gone to pick up a dead car, took tools, fixed it, and drove home

Ok so in this case perhaps not, but take some tools and you can sort the handbrake, not hard to whip the rear wheels off and knock the pads out tbh... pump the tyres up (if they hold pressure, and your sorted

[BlueRover]

Even dragging it onto a trailer with the tyres flat wouldn't be that bad as you'll need new tyres anyway.
To free the handbrake just take the carriers off and hang the calipers from the suspension struts with a bit of wire.
If you're not moving it before weekend, let me know and I'll come down to Stockport and give you a hand with getting it rolling at least. I have a towbar fitted to mine so I could drag it a bit (you supply the rope).

[Din]

If you're not moving it before weekend, let me know and I'll come down to Stockport and give you a hand with getting it rolling at least. I have a towbar fitted to mine so I could drag it a bit (you supply the rope).

See, thats the Rovertech way, proper spirit there

[piggy22]

Even dragging it onto a trailer with the tyres flat wouldn't be that bad as you'll need new tyres anyway.
To free the handbrake just take the carriers off and hang the calipers from the suspension struts with a bit of wire.
If you're not moving it before weekend, let me know and I'll come down to Stockport and give you a hand with getting it rolling at least. I have a towbar fitted to mine so I could drag it a bit (you supply the rope).

Aye, much appreciated

My plan is to have it on my drive for thursday at the latest, but thanks anyway. I shall pump the tyres up and take the calipers off completely because i am going to fit brand new or reconditions ones anyway.

I might get lucky and it might fire up first time and just reverse out onto the trailer?!......But its a rover.....its not going to be that easy

[Crome]

Even dragging it onto a trailer with the tyres flat wouldn't be that bad as you'll need new tyres anyway.
To free the handbrake just take the carriers off and hang the calipers from the suspension struts with a bit of wire.
If you're not moving it before weekend, let me know and I'll come down to Stockport and give you a hand with getting it rolling at least. I have a towbar fitted to mine so I could drag it a bit (you supply the rope).

Aye, much appreciated
My plan is to have it on my drive for thursday at the latest, but thanks anyway. I shall pump the tyres up and take the calipers off completely because i am going to fit brand new or reconditions ones anyway.
I might get lucky and it might fire up first time and just reverse out onto the trailer?!......But its a rover.....its not going to be that easy

u might be lucky, mine started first time hadnt been ran in over a year lol

crome

[SubCat001]

Good to see you are going to attempt to preserve it.

Looks pretty straight and has quite an interesting back story too.

[piggy22]

I will stick some more pics up when I get it home and have give it a good clean inside and out

[JonWalters]

I love giving a car a full 'before/after' clean.

Fair play, I bet that will come up really nice and be worth a fair bit to an enthusiast, should you decide to sell it on.

On a similar note (if not a popular one) I have that inlet manifold on my car.

*Edit* ...and the rods and pistons too DONT SHOOT!