Rover800.Info

a new project for me, something i have wanted to do for a while now, 20 years or so actually.. not everyone's cup of tea but hopefully will be really nice when done... will update here and there so you can make your own mind up, essentially at the moment, it will be a morris shell with jaguar engine, gearbox and suspension and possibly a morris/jag interior, the outside will be std but with jag (or upgraded jag) wheels... will get some pics up when i collect it after sunday.. regards ricky

well I have got it back here now and it didn't fall apart on the way "bonus" will unload tomorrow and see how bad it really is.. .. regards ricky

I have some pics for you all..

http://s798.photobucket.com/user/thames ... t=3&page=1

enjoy.. regards ricky

Crumbs

You've certainly got your work cut out for you there Ricky. It makes trying to source an expansion tank for an 800 seem like kids play !!!!!

Sorry didn't get more time to talk to you at the show.

You'll have to post piccies up as you go with your restoration, it would be lovely to see them.

Have fun

Kate

My word, you don't mind a challenge do you? Looks great, good luck

A man who can do KV6 headgaskets can do anything

i think i must be mad sometimes the idea sounded really good in my head but now i have the car, in the flesh so to speak, it has woodworm, metalworm, rubberworm, but the glass is ok except for the broken two.. one of which has now been replaced.. the interior is now mostly stripped out.. the 9 inch headlights have been repaired and painted, that just leaves the rest of the car... pmsl... regards ricky

thanks for the good words.. I was sorry as well kate but you were busy which judging by the good comments was a good thing it was a good display and you all deserve some credit for that.. well done..

i have most of the interior out now and can see the epicness of it all, woodworm was mostly on the door cards and flooring, rotten wood around the rear window, and the a pillar bottoms of doors, so not to bad .. the headlights are rebuilt tops of the doors and dash top varnished, wiper motor freed off and lubricated and missing parts sourced with wiper arms, a couple of hours work today (a friend refurbed the starter for me when at home in poland for xmas) and the engine is fired up.. and sounds absolutely as sweet as you like, with 30psi oil pressure on idle even with no exhaust it is not noisy.. the engine runs so smooth that you could probably stand a pound coin on it easily.. and to top it all the car is actually a 1935 car with only 1 previous keeper .. regards ricky

engine started with some persuasion, just had usual sticky sidevalves, is very sweet, so has now been removed and sold, cleaned the front chassis and it still has original paint so mostly very solid.. wings removed and stored in my rear garden, made the desiscion to replace some of the wood with metal, will make more rigid, and stable in the long run, will need to start stripping the jag soon, not looking forward to that part.. will get some more picks soon... regards ricky

jag engine and box now sitting in the morris engine bay, a big chunk of the chassis engine bay area has been painted, some wood removed and replaced with metal and some wood, rusty n/s a pillar semi repaired, just the bottom of it to do, currently making the wooden rear window surround, have started the roof, removed the rotten wood remade new bits ready to fit.. the bulkhead needs cutting out slightly for the engine/box to sit further back, hence the a pillar repair, was worried about the shell distorting if i had just cut it out, have had to trim the chassis slightly for the engine and box to fit, the jag is about a foot longer, some updated pics on photobucket, link in 3rd post... regards ricky

Blimey, Jewsons are gonna love you buying all that wood Ricky!

Nice looking car for one of that age (body shape), reminds me a bit of the Austin Goodwood on the tv series Heartbeat (the blue and "red lead" beastie driven by Aunty Peggy Armstrong) but i can't imagine they were "badge engineering" back in 1935 although the Goodwood also had a straight 6 1800cc ish engine.

Good luck with it, nice idea using the Jag lump, kind of a natural progression.

paul i don't know how to post the pics here but here is the link again

http://s798.photobucket.com/user/thames ... t=3&page=1

dave jewsons won't be any good, in theory the wood should be ash, but judging by what i am removing from the car, its probably pine !! i am putting a hard wood in but not sure what it is, possibly mahogony.. cutting the shapes is proving quite difficult due to the lack of shape of rotton wood, the woodworm parts are marginely easier.. regards ricky

the engine is now mounted in place, the mounts need supporting/strengthening, the front subframe is under the chassis roughly where it will sit, need to make the mounting points for it.. will need to buy all new mounts for the engine and subframe as the rubber is rotten, matches the car i suppose.. the a post has been strengthened.. jag pedal box is haveing a mounting point built into the bulkhead, so getting there slowly but surely... more pics uploaded.. regards ricky

It's amazing how quick it suddenly all comes together after what must seem like an eternity of three steps forward and four back kind of days.
Some really good work there Rick, definitely liking the Jag engine in it. What are your ultimate plans - a street/strip drag machine or just a seriously fast road car that looks like it would be more at home bumbling down a B road at 35 mph on a sunny Sunday?

mostly just a nice cruiser, will be quite nippy though i expect, must be comfortable though as i am getting older and do like some creature comforts.. most of the problems will be when the electrics start getting done.. regards ricky