The Curse of PROJECT DRIVE Lives On!
 

I keep on finding evidence of the dreaded PD in my Rover 75 SVP Version built 16/3/05. Whilst the SVP model had everything "thrown on it" in those last few days of production, there still are sneaky little cost savings I keep discovering. The most recent finding is the all-rubber door surrounds with a grained finish. Gone is the nice faux-velvet trim as on my previous Cowley V6. Also there is the moulded in air-vent icons rather than the earlier coloured insets. When I think about those very first versions, the R75 Design Team really did give an awful lot of thought to all those luxury touches they added. A low mileage Cowley V6 (especially with the coordinated coloured leather interior - was it called "Custom Line"?) will soon become really very collectable. ED

Whats the SVP model?

See http://www.the75andztclub.co.uk/foru...d.php?t=230341

TC

My late project drive only had half the floor undersealed. The front upto the fuel tank. The rear of floor and inner arches might aswell of had shaving foam on them. I recently had to weld a section in the sill and around the o/s/r jacking point due to this. Wish I'd noticed that when I bought it.

Hi.
I used to read the reports on here that the Cowley versions had more rust troubles than the Longbridge models.
I have to say that as these are the oldest of the 75's as we know I dispute this, the majority I see though look far fresher than even 2003 Longbridge cars.
My car is far from mint, its had a busy life but it still looks good (so long as you don't look too close) so many later cars are getting tired, rust on sills and generally worn. The PPD cars just have that extra, better carpets, touches that last etc.
Just my view.

It was 'Personal Line' Ed. :D And it wasn't only leather; there were cloth versions too, but these are extremely rare.

Simon

Mine is '02 Longbridge. She's spotless underneath & l think has the earlier carpet too (though l need to compare with a pre-PD car to confirm). She did have the little PD deletions which l replaced.

SVP = Special Value Product. This was a version of the Rover 75 that was planned to be promoted via the Dealer Network in April/May 2005. They were still building stock for it when MG Rover closed down on 5/4/2005. It had just about everything on it you could think, of but never reached a point where it could be promoted. I don't know how many were actually finished. Maybe some were hand finished by a skeleton team after April 5th - maybe around 200? Extremely rare. I count myself lucky to have one - and it was buit on my 64th Birthday. ED

Thread moved to a more appropriate forum. Re-direct left in old.;)

I have a ZT-T +, a 1.8 X-Power Grey model that was built in wk 09/05; Commission #31647 from new (well - bought in March 2006 from Dealer, with no previous owners).
Whilst it is faily well fitted out with the + option I am pleased to report that it has shown no sign of body deterioration. It spent its first 3 years on Scottish roads, exposed to 3 winters however we took it to Central Portugal in mid 2009 when we moved and has not suffered the road conditions that we knew in Scotland.
I see quite a few 75/ZTs here, of all ages, and none appear to have bodywork problems.:}