1980 Rover 3500 SD-1 Hatchback 4-Door 3.5L

RELISTED DUE TO NON PAYING ZERO FEEDBACK BIDDER. UNDERCARRIAGE PHOTOS NOW AVAILABLE. PLEASE EMAIL. 5 DAY LISTING ONLY WITH VERY FAIR BUY IT NOW. SEE COMMENTS ADDED BELOW. Zero feedback bidder must have verified paypal account and contact seller prior to bidding or bids will be deleted.

This incredibly rare Rover SD-1 is made available reluctantly as I am sure I won't find one again. Selling here with NO RESERVE.  Less than 1200 were ever imported to the US and Canada and this is a genuine time machine brought back to life effortlessly from a well maintained properly stored and preserved vehicle in a collectors storage. I have been proud to own and display the car. but space requires I move it on. I am hopeful a genuine Rover enthusiast who knows and appreciates the cars will enjoy it fully. These are superb and very misunderstood cars. Rover returned to the US market in 1980 with this Specialist Division car which had already won European car of the year. but they had no funds for marketing being tied to the failing marques of MG. Triumph. and Austin through British Leyland. The car never had a chance and. with its stablemate the amazing Triumph TR-8. both car arrived when the British Pound Sterling was at an all time high against the dollar and the oil crisis was again raging. Although the nimble Rover V-8 proved incredibly economical with fuel injection and manual gearboz. people feared buying a V-8 and an unknown brand. Teetering on collapse at home. Triumph shut its doors and Rover retreated to a "Europe only" approach to sales. until they returned with their truck using the same drive train. which turned out to be the smashing success of the Luxury Range Rover lighting up the SUV craze here.

This car shows so well. with all original interior. trim. seats. etc and just one tiny crack in the dash board which we left but can be vinyl welded back to like new. Most of the interiors of these cars are so destroyed. that I doubt another original exists in such original and nice condition. The car travelled only 46. 00 miles then was laid up over a brake booster issue and a failing starter motor. Rimmer Brothers. the UK parts supplier. still catalogs everything for this model and provided me with the all new braking components. Everything has been done including new calipers. rear cylinders. a new master cylinder and booster. A new starter was provided by Moss Motors UK. and a new radiator. all new fuel injectors. all fuel lines etc etc. cap rotor. ignition wires and so on. The car runs beautifully. The A/C kicks on but has not been charged up. There is no radio but the original mounting kit is all there. The other glove box under the steering wheel is present and easily remounted. All the interior lighting. windows. door locking mechanism etc work perfectly. The rear trunk latch does not work but Rimmers has the part and its a simple fix (happy to do that one for a new owner). The gearbox. clutch etc have all been services and the hydraulics all rebuilt or replaced there also. The car was repainted to a very high standard in its original sable metallic ( Midas Gold) color which came out beautifully and period correct. The car is rust free everywhere. and was  well prepared for its respray and should last another 33 years. The grille badge is brand new and correct. Sunroof functions perfectly and does not leak. This is a very pleasant. unmolested car. and drives just great. Two tires are new. and two are very good. All correct wheel trims and badging are present. as well as the original sales brochure and owners manual. DONT MISS THIS ONE TIME CHANCE. Email with questions. Inspection welcome during but not after auction by qualified personnel. This car is now for sale elsewhere and we intend to find it a great new home so this listing could end early for the right buyer. Feel free to contact me if that's YOU!

A little follow up on the Rover and the dangers of Ebay AFTER a lengthy 10 day auction and a lot of effort to communicate with some very fine enthusiasts with many insightful comments here. nbsp;all Ebayers of good pedigree and intent. some zero feedback loser jumps in at the last second and bids twice to win but of course disappears into thin air the next morning. Fake name address and phone. Underbidders in good faith are disgusted too and the car will be relisted. For those who called me a “windbag” politely in German. thank you. There was too much information in the listing and not enough of it technical. I have a full set of undercarriage photos for anyone who wants them (email Bennett. robert@att. net) and there is no bondo anywhere in the car. It is as stated: an amazing survivor that also has had much recent work and should serve a new owner well as a car and even better as a slice of history. There also has been much more work done than was listed to make it really a pleasure to drive and enjoy right now. and some minor things to improve as you go.  Lastly to those who speculate. rather than investigate. and who thought they observed a cheap or sloppy paint job to hide something. you are wrong. The car was painted to a high standard for a car struggling to survive. A lot of good and expensive work has been done because I cared enough to step up and rescue something unique and really quite wonderful. With a few hours of detailing any minor cosmetic issues can be easily improved. Had I not bought and saved the car . it was gone forever. which would have been sad as it is now one heckuva good car. and can be made even better with ease and no massive expenses. Thank you to everybody who wrote in. good and bad. Your insights and observations are a great resource and entertainment. Sadly. some people think Ebay is a video game or a weapon. I love the car hobby and opinions and free speech are a beautiful thing. So are oddball super rare cars that people like us care about. Save one. Its a great feeling.  You can have this one where most of the money has been spent.  It was worth it and I am glad it is here in all its original mouse fur upholstered and 80s Midas Gold original glory. The work has been done well by people who care and did it right. I hope I find it a worthy home

Also published at eBay.com

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