Who doesn't love a great british Barn find? This 40,000 mile Rover SD1 Vitesse V8 turned out to be an incredible survivor - possibly the best preserved SD1 Jonny has seen. It has sat in the garage since 1999, gradually getting buried under blankets and boxes.

Ironically, Jonny discovered this big old '80s Rover luxury muscle car up on the Wirral in Merseyside (near Liverpool) via the Renault Zoe electric car owners club - https://www.rzoc.club/. The owner, Oliver Dawson, is a member and was persuaded by the other folks in the group to trust Jonny for a visit to his house.

Thanks for stopping by The Late Brake Show.

In 1985 Oliver bought the two year old Rover SD1 Vitesse manual and treasured it hugely. In 1999, however, he took it off the road for a handbrake cable adjustment and basically never got around to bringing it back out of the garage. So there it has sat, through his kids turning into adults, job changes, life changes, and gradually the old Rover muscle car got buried beneath clutter.

The thing about 'barn finds' that Jonny loves the most is when the car ends up being even better condition that we thought. The Rover falls into this category.

Oliver had maintained it fastidiously up until this point, and even made a point of covering the car in blankets. In the video you will see how remarkably well preserved this rare car is. Unfortunately as hard as he tried Jonny didn't get the car running on the day, but a few days later Oliver persisted and got the SD1 to fire up briefly. We have put that right at the end of the vid - so don't miss the V8 sound.

The Barnfind playlist episodes are proudly supported by Adrian Flux insurance, who Jonny has used to insure his own classic, modern and modified vehicles with for many years. Adrian Flux have their own Youtube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/user/AdrianFluxInsurance

Adrian Flux can be found on social media:
https://twitter.com/adrianflux
https://www.instagram.com/adrianfluxinsurance/
https://www.facebook.com/adrianfluxinsurance

DO YOU KNOW OF A CAR THAT MIGHT BE WORTHY OF JONNY HELPING TO UNEARTH ON VIDEO? DO YOU OWN A CAR IN A BARN/HEDGE/GARAGE THAT MIGHT JUST RUN OR NEED A NEW HOME? Email the Late Brake Show via contact@thelatebrakeshow.com

Thanks to Rimmer Brothers https://rimmerbros.com/ for supplying engine service parts.
Thanks to Craig & friends at the Renault Zoe owners club for helping make this feature happen.

Rover SD1s were well respected on the British touring car tracks, and loved by the Police. They have unfairly taken decades to gain proper classic car status, and although this is not one of the twin plenum chamber homologation models, it is a completely unrestored Vitesse 5-speed manual car. It might be one of the best preserved SD1 V8s out there.
The best bit? Oliver has decided that he is too old now to appreciate the car, so is willing to part with it once this film goes live. If anyone is serious about owning a really wonderful never-welded (and doesn't need it - trust Jonny, he's crawled all under it) Moonraker Blue SD1, then please contact TLBS via the late brake show website (contact@thelatebrakeshow.com).

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Filmed and edited by: Phil Vaughan - https://www.philvfilms.com/
Insta: @philvfilms
Thumbnail by: Matt Tarrant - https://www.matttarantdesign.com

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Jonny Smith
Creative content maker, car presenter & car pervert for hire since '98
Website: http://www.carpervert.com
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/jonnycarpervert
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/carpervert


CHAPTERS
0:00 Intro
0:10 Unlikely EV connection
0:55 Supported by Adrian FLux
1:25 Bought it when it was 2yrs old
2:26 BURIED Rover Vitesse
2:54 Garage door declutter
3:39 First glimpse inside Rover
4:50 Broken garage door!
5:20 Reveal
5:50 Uncovering the Rover
6:12 Inside the tailgate
7:12 Damp in garage?
7:55 Off axle stands
8:45 Look at the dash
9:06 Kawasaki Zephyr 1100
9:25 Engine bay first look
9:41 Original tech spec
10:15 Steering wheel story
10:50 Different radio and cruise control story
11:38 tyre pumping
13:23 Pushing it out
13:50 Not sat inside for 22 years
15:04 Engine bay wax protection?
15:30 Spares from Rimmer Brothers
16:20 20,000 miles since mid 80s
16:40 Fuel system purge
18:23 No rust underneath
20:25 Tying to start it
21:40 Turning over engine
23:40 First clean in 22 years
25:05 Service history
27:01 Rot free
28:10 Thanks for watching
28:39 WAIT!! IT STARTED UP!

#barnfind #survivorroversd1v8 #willitrun? #thelatebrakeshow