S909XDA in Sweden

[Speedblock]

Hello! :}

This is my first thread here as a new member in this forum! I live in Sweden and owns a very nice and special Rover 75 since the end of januar 2013. Many of you surely remember this cars ex-owner - Dr. Alan Cranston in Sweden alias "Roverowner", who sadly passed away due to illness in april 2013. Alan was my friend in our local classic carclub here in Linkoping town. We meet in the that club first time 12 years ago. I had looked at several 75:s under a couple of years and almost bought a 2-litre from 2003, when Alan offered me to buy this beauty. He wanted the car to stay with people he knew and also give his wife and two small boys a chance to ride in the Rover in the future which they also have done and sure will do again sometime.
Alan was among other things a devoted Rover 75 man, and loved to do his research.
He handed over a full reasearch about this Seventyfive to me, and I have also read and followed the treads in this forum, specially about the Pre Production & Launch cars.

A short story here about my Seventyfive:

S909XDA with VIN M001149 was manufactured 12 november 1998, and refers to be a so called Pre Production Car. It was sent down to Seville in Spain for the International Press realese, and remained there to 2003 when the series 2 replaced the series 1. Back to England and the company Hartwells in West Brom for a full service. A english lady with a house in France then bought the car as it was a LHD and perfect for the french roads.
A swedish TVR-guy bought and imported the car to Sweden in 2007 and Roverowner then bought it in 2009. The 75 now has 57.500 miles on the clock. Its in a very, very good condition and has never been driven on the swedish salty roads wintertimes.
As Alan "Roverowner" pronounced - It has all the toys - nothing missing.
2.5 L aut, Arden Green with Deep Sea Green interior , sunroof, Harman Kardon etc. Sits on Crown wheels with 195/65/15 tires just now. Has all of the special Pre Production details like the black hazard surround, blank numberplatelight holder etc. Also has Crofts Door finishers.
I must say that I am very pleased with my very special and early Seventyfive. There is also more to read in Roverowners earlier threads in this forum. Looking forward to read more about the Pre Prod / Launch cars.

I would have loved to enter the coming Rover 75 & MG ZT jubilee this coming weekend in Gaydon & Longbridge with my S909XDA but unfortunately I have to work.
I wish you all visiting the jubilee a happy and sunny weekend!!

Enclose two newly taken photos of S909XDA here in Sweden.

http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l45/newfeather/S909XDAGraumlnnahamn_zps9e550d32.jpg~original (http://s93.photobucket.com/user/newfeather/media/S909XDAGraumlnnahamn_zps9e550d32.jpg.html)

http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l45/newfeather/S909XDAGylleneUttern_zpsc4d79104.jpg~original (http://s93.photobucket.com/user/newfeather/media/S909XDAGylleneUttern_zpsc4d79104.jpg.html)


Best Regards from Speedblock!

[suzublu]

Hi & welcome.So glad Alan's car is still owned by an enthusiast:bowdown: wasn't sure what Kirsti would do with it after Alan's sad passing, so, pleased to see it's still around.Had the pleasure of meeting Alan & family, plus the car on his last visit to the UK, hope you enjoy the car, & learning all about it's history, it's a very early Rover 75 ;) Regards, Ronnie

[Banjo]

It is certainly good to know that such a special, and loved, car is in good hands.

[trikey]

Hello & welcome, a beautiful car you have there, perfect for Swedish roads. :bowdown:

[Reebs]

Welcome to the Owners Club Christian, and it's great to see that Alan's car lives on with someone who will appreciate it.

Looking at the build records, yours appears to be the 15th Arden Green Rover 75 assembled, and the 145th 75 over all :cool:

[Gate Keeper]

A warm welcome to the club and congratulations on taking over and looking after Alan's lovely 75 :) now your car and a treasure to own.

[Speedblock]

Hello Ronnie and Thank you!

Yes Alan and Kirsti told me about the great U.K tour they did with the CDTI and the caravan in 2010 if I dont remember wrong. But they also went over to visit friends and relatives with S909XDA some year. Very nice couple. Kirsti and the boys are ok I think. Talked with her on phone around christmas.

Regards Christian

[Speedblock]

Hello to you all who replyed me to night!

Thanks for your welcoming here!

I will send more photos of S909XDA start tomorrow. Yes - its a lovely car and a very special one. I have owned different cars but the Rover 75 has it all - I really love to drive this one and just sit in it.

Regards Christian

[bl52krz]

Hi Christian. Glad you took over the 75 of such a well known personality on here. It is not only a rare model, it is also going to be one of the best kept and loved cars on this forum. Good luck to you.

[FrazzleTC]

Hello and welcome to the club! That's a gorgeous car in such a good colour scheme! Very interesting history too!

[Howey]

Hi Christian, welcome to the club. It's so nice to see such an early car in its original condition and just how it left the factory.
Just the way it should be with a 75 :}

[Speedblock]

Hello again! :}

Thanks for the nice welcoming here!

Enclosed here are some interior photos (today) of S909XDA.
The Deep Sea Green interior is very well kept - no damage at all - everything working.
The headlight consol is changed some time - I have the original black plastic one and will fit it back sometime.
Also two photos showing the chassienumber VIN M001149.

http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l45/newfeather/InteriorS909XDA_zpsf7c1c095.jpg (http://s93.photobucket.com/user/newfeather/media/InteriorS909XDA_zpsf7c1c095.jpg.html)

http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l45/newfeather/S909XXDAVIN_zps82597200.jpg (http://s93.photobucket.com/user/newfeather/media/S909XXDAVIN_zps82597200.jpg.html)

http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l45/newfeather/S909XDAchassie_zps9bf83185.jpg (http://s93.photobucket.com/user/newfeather/media/S909XDAchassie_zps9bf83185.jpg.html)

http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l45/newfeather/S909XDAHazardampLock_zpsa6a0fb7b.jpg (http://s93.photobucket.com/user/newfeather/media/S909XDAHazardampLock_zpsa6a0fb7b.jpg.html)

Regards Speedblock

[Bolin]

Very nice! Good to see it has a new home where it will be looked after.

Interestingly, it has a later dashboard (plastic not walnut) and a later steering wheel.

[Speedblock]

Hello Bolin!

Thank you!

I know that the airbag emblem on the passenger side is a late one, because the car had a small accident in France around 2003-2005. The rear bumper is a newer one (Longbridge edition). A small accident but the airbag went for sure. Alan "Roverowner" Cranston the cars ex-owner bought a new Deep Sea Green steeringwheel and changed the old one. Can you tell me the difference - I cant see what that is?

Regards Speedblock

[Wolds_lady_2006]

Welcome - I lurve your floor mats..

[Forestgreen]

Welcome - I lurve your floor mats..

I was about to say the same, they look like they are tailor made and, how can I put it without soundling like Rover 75 drivers are all tweed, slippers and pipe, they look so "right". Where are they from?

[Speedblock]

Hello!

The two floor mats are small persian carpets. I bought them at our IKEA store here in Linkoping. Paid 750 skr (roughly.71 pound) for the two. I agree - Fits a 75 nicely.

[grandy]

Christian it seems that car has found the perfect owner. good luck and welcome to the club .------GARY

[Anthony & Maricel]

Hi and welcome to the club, it is nice to see another S reg being well looked after. :D :cool:

[Bolin]

Hello Bolin!

Thank you!

I know that the airbag emblem on the passenger side is a late one, because the car had a small accident in France around 2003-2005. The rear bumper is a newer one (Longbridge edition). A small accident but the airbag went for sure. Alan "Roverowner" Cranston the cars ex-owner bought a new Deep Sea Green steeringwheel and changed the old one. Can you tell me the difference - I cant see what that is?

Regards Speedblock

The later wheel has four joins in the rim, with a little 'gap' at the edge, whereas the earlier wheel only has two joins on the bottom half and no 'gap':}

[Speedblock]

Hello again!

Thanks for the reply Bolin! I have some photos of the car in Uk.K just before the export to Sweden, and now I can see the difference betwen the early and later steeringwheels. The original one is lost but I have another NOS later one in stock.
Interesting about the dashboard change from walnut to plastic - when did that take place I wonder? I have looked up some existing early LHD 75:s here in Sweden. Many of them before VIN M100900. For example there are two early Arden Green cars at the scrappies (Vin M100470 & 484). I will look them up and see what is left - maybe a nice walnut dash waiting for me?

[Speedblock]

Hello!:}

For some unknown reason my LHD S-Reg Seventyfive has a later plastic walnut dash installed. Probebly a damage on the original one earlier in the cars life.

Picked up a real walnut dash replacement two weeks ago. It sat in a very nice scrapped 1999 Seventyfive (engine gone) here in Sweden.
No marks in it at all. But the clear varnish looked a little milky, but no problem I thought - just give it a little polish.

:shrug:I can now see that the varnish is ok on the surface after polishing but still milky in the bottom, and there are some small grey spots also here and there.
As I see it, there is only one way out here - to sand it carefully and put a new coat of clear varnish. I have seen a thread about that some where in this forum.

Need some good advice here, before I eventualy start sanding the pices!


Im wondering - is this a common ageproblem on the real walnut dashpices? A reason that made the manufactor to change from real wood to the plastic version, or was it just for the cost?

Regards // Christian

[Gate Keeper]

Good evening Christian. I have not had any issues you described on my early 75 walnut dash and I am not able to advise you about sanding it down. My apologies. We do have some master craftsmen on the forum and I hope one of them will be able to advise you, plus this sort of problem, would have come up before and written about. If I may suggest, please do a search of the forums archives for an answer. You could type in:

restoring a walnut dash,

or, rubbing down the real walnut dash...

Just a couple of ideas.

The thought of which, would fill me with trepidation lol

[Anthony & Maricel]

I haven't had any issues with my walnut dash in my S reg, the vehicle you must of retrieved it from must of been subjected to water or a lot of damp.

[Speedblock]

Hello again and thanks for your advises here!:}

I will check out the forum here - Im sure I have seen a thread about how to revarnish a panel.

Its the airbag and singel ventilationpiece that shows most sign of milkyness in the bottom of the varnish. The larger piece with the clock in it is much better. Damp could be the reason, but not water I think. The scrapped car was keeped outdoors but with closed doors and windows. The interior was very good. Before I do anything I will check up another set from a scrapped 99 a 30 min.drive from my hometown. That one has a scratch around the clock, but the other pieces are like new the owner says - if Im lucky the pieces match together (color & pattern).

Regards from Christian

[Speedblock]

:} Hello!

Recived a nice package yesterday from U.K. Inside - a lovely pair of NOS LHD Walnut dashes :drool4:. One of these will fit my "1149" perfect. Out goes the later plastic edition dated 2003 now sitting in the car.
A very nice box also. The seller says that the dashes came in pair in these boxes from the manufactor (Novem?) to the MG / Rover plant! He bought a couple of these boxes after the production stopped. I will save the box - perhaps put the plastic and the second "real" walnut edition inside.

Enclose a photo of the box with the NOS pair, and a photo showing one of the two NOS airbag pieces compared with a earlier bought used one that has some spots and cloudiness in it - you can tell the difference!!

Regards Christian

[Bolin]

I wonder if the cloudiness is due to the lacquer being affected by UV, heat etc?

Could be fixed by sanding down and re-lacquering, but that would be a fair bit of work.