Rover commerce van

[Robson Rover Repair]

Right well I figured I might as well update this. Been pile of cars sold to help fund ivf bills, and it's ment a few things have changed.

So I sold my black zt 190, both my white 75 estates, my green 75 saloon, my zr doner car, my other rover 200 convertible that's now been written off (I've still the silver one), the diesel black 45 and my 99 414.

I've a few left, my zt-t in yellow, my lhd 75, my white saloon, my 6 door limo and my 216 Cabby that needs a bit of work.

Worst of all, this was because my shed was robbed in April 2022 when I was in England at the Pride of Longbridge rover show, and I lost several grands worth of rare and expensive Rover parts. Some I was keeping, some I was selling on my return.

However that week after it all happened and I got sorted with camera and lights again, I learned of a special and quite rare little Rover sitting down in Meath. A 1 owner sub 45k mile example. Parked up since before the pandemic........ Under a layer of bird dung, moss and grime.



Base spec. Manual windows. Nothing upon nothing extra. So I hit a full hard on and few down to buy it.

Now instantly at a glance you'd be thinking if you don't know your Rover's that's just a black Rover 25, and yes its the 80bhp version of the 1.4, so it's the slower than normal version, so what's so special.....

It's 100% rot free. Anyone who's owned a 25 or zr will know, they can turn. Bad. Good for years and then suddenly. Gone. But that wasn't the appeal......

But that's not what makes it special. I knew what it was, and I explained to them also and they where shocked, but still sold me it at the same bargain price and even made me toasties for lunch the day I collected it.

Well this was MG Rover's last attempt at platform engineering in 2003 to 2005, originally going by thr code "R25CDV" being car derived van and this is a Rover Commerce van.

There's a MG Express version also, and where sold in the UK and ROI only never in lhd, but had all the engines from the 1.4 80 brake, diesel to even the 1.8 160vvc engine. And with flip paint monogram options, full leather options, no spec was impossible with them and all at a super low flat insurance rating etc.

The vans also had a habit of rotting worse than the cars due to their usage and also some extra holes Drilled in them which I will show you later, along with bulkheads and reinforced floor frames, different rear shocks and springs and all had abs as standard regardless.

Now these where made in very small numbers.....

Total old shape Rover commerce >535
Total new shape Rover commerce> 30
Total old shape MG Express> 285
Total new shape MG Express> 49

This being the "new" shape, being one of 30 made, and from what we have tracked down the only factory pearl black mk2 commerce according to the build records.

So home it came and it needed a dam good cleaning having been used to transport huskies and gold clubs exclusively for its entire life, but was overall not bad at all.







So once it passed I had to get a towbar for it, as its going to be my daily (and is now), and when the rear end was off, stone chipped the back half of the car and wax oiled up behind the bumper etc, repainted the towbar and sorted all that good stuff as you should.



Now it wasn't without its fault, and it needed to be imported, registered and tested etc. Anyone else wouldn't have bothered but you lot know me and Rover's.

So to begin the BCU (body control unit) on these are famous for failing due to poor quality relays, and in the 04 onwards cars it controls EVERYTHING.

And of course its at the back of the dash, and it's a pain to get at, so it went for refurbishment, and when it was back Mark at MGR-NI tested it for me, did some configuration adjustments for me so it's setup to do every possible upgrade to the car ever in the future, and once the clocks where changed that was the awkward parts done.

Full brake overhaul and a new alternator and she went to mot, confusing the mot staff that it was a van not a car, and all the usual psv mot stuff, but regardless it was all sorted in the end, then it was 8 weeks of waiting on log book so I could register my plate on it.





Stuff like the heater had completely burned out, which was always a common issue, but with the new ceramic replacements it's a done for life job now. Head lights where also in a serious state, and took several passes with 3m kit to sort but got there in the end before the mot.

Then I went daft.























































At this stage things kinda went crazy, I spent a few more days valeting the car and paid for a basic paint overhaul with a local valetor which really helped with the paint oxidised over it.

The reason being I took a pile of photos for it to be featured in a classic commercial magazine soon as the end of Austin commercial vehicles / Freight Rover / LDV etc.

The car came out really well, and I must admit I take pride in it, having taken it to a few classic meets now the Rover folks do ask about it, and mostly ask how much would buy it lol.



Since I've changed the car to the 105bhp upgrades, and boy it really helps, and a very nice set of rims I'm about to sort for it shortly. After that it will be leather seats and lpg.

It's so cheap to run, road tax on it being a sub 1.5 private van is £11 a month and insurance is under £200 before I add my extras to it. And it's touching 40mpg all day long now, with all the comfort a nice 25 can bring.

[Robson Rover Repair]

Small update today







Mk2 Rover 45 connoisseur 16 rims, and painted gloss black. Really happy with how this has turned out as my new daily so I can keep my 75s and zt's preserved long term and save some money to get the work done on them they deserve.

[gnu]

Nice tidy little express. Our 25 is our daily run-around and does a great job. A couple of Q's: Looks like BRG in the boot - is that a repair, or has it had a respray at some-point? Also, was the BCU giving probs, or did you just do it as a preventative measure?

[Raven Black]

It's so cute, you have done very well to save it.

[Robson Rover Repair]

Originally Posted by gnu

Nice tidy little express. Our 25 is our daily run-around and does a great job. A couple of Q's: Looks like BRG in the boot - is that a repair, or has it had a respray at some-point? Also, was the BCU giving probs, or did you just do it as a preventative measure?

Yeah it had given up the ghost, so full refurb and coded for every option to future proof upgrades if I choose to do so.

[mileshawk56]

Really good,well done Chris.S.

[ceedy]

used as a general runabout in the place I worked at ( Ex MGR Dealer)

[Robson Rover Repair]

Originally Posted by ceedy

used as a general runabout in the place I worked at ( Ex MGR Dealer)

That would be one to own with its history as a dealer vehicle. I wonder how many head gaskets it delivered in its time!





Edit. Forgot to add the photos once it was properly polished and all coatings, wax and dressings.