I am 100% jelous of you, and you know what it will look fantastic when finished. :)

Best of luck with this project, it was hard enough finding bits for a much lesser 'damaged' car, as you know.
(Tony found me a front bumper just as I had given up and was prepared to go for a pre-facelift model)

On the plus side, there are three hairpins that you will be able to sell on. Shame about you keeping that apex. :drool4:

So what is the history as to how it got in to that state.

Here's what I know so far:

A E Wilcox, a long standing MG Rover dealer, bought 07 from Price Waterhouse, MG Rover's Receivers in early 2006 - the engine and gearbox were aleady mising then. Initially they were planning to re-build the car, but in the end thought it uneconomic. Subsequently, the car became an extension of their parts bin! Enter yours truely.

Recently received the attached message, which is really interesting:

Firstly may I introduce myself, my name is Simon Fairbrother, I was the Powertrain Project Leader for the X12/13 programme, namely the V8 ZT's.

The car, or at least what is left of it, was the first usable auto V8 built by MGR, not the first V8 auto built, but certainly the first capable of being driven. Nic Fasci is correct it was never Supercharged. It is due to this car that the RD12 (Rover V8) programme was born.

The car was in essence a skunk project, I think the difficult birth of the whole V8 project is fairly well known and during the time that the project was 'shelved' this car was engineered by a few of us kept on the project.

This car (I cannot recall the SDV number, T7 I think) was originally a manual ZT, we took the car, removed the powerunit, cut out the trans tunnel, fitting the wider tunnel necessary for the auto trans, installed a new powerunit, electrical harness etc and made the remaining modifications required to complete the car.

The car was then presented to the Board for assessment, the results were far more favourable than expected, the original remit was to produce a V8 Auto MG, but the refinement of the car was such that the decision was taken to engineer the Rover V8.

This particular car was then used for a number of engineering activities including pass by noise certification in Idiada, Spain. Whilst this was taking place a new 'Rover' body was being prepared and ultimately the powerunit, being unique, was transplanted into the 'Rover' derivative and NVH/Interior trim work continued.

So there you have a little history, if you are to restore it to its original state you will have an MG ZT V8 Manual, alternatively you could restore it to the one and only MG ZT V8 Auto that ever existed.

Simon

PS the auto ECU's are unique, a manual ECU does not have the hardware to control the Auto Transmission.

so looks like you are needing a 75 v8 trans / engine then...

Yes Please!! :D

So there you have a little history, if you are to restore it to its original state you will have an MG ZT V8 Manual, alternatively you could restore it to the one and only MG ZT V8 Auto that ever existed.

A little more challenging but it would seem it should be an auto

are auto ECUs like hens teeth? presumably the SV stuff is all manual?

there's a seller on ebay that advertising an auto box for 795. can't find it at the moment but there's a link on the 260ties I'll try to find.