Time to go

[steveharvey2001]

After 13 years of ownership, and a third clutch slave failure, I have decided to part company with my tempest Grey 04 reg (facelift) Rover 75 tourer as I can no longer justify the driveway space for a car that I am hardly using any more.

The bad news is that I made an unsuccessful attempt at the part subframe lowering technique of changing the clutch single handed and lost patience with the job. The gearbox is now out but still resting of the subframe which has been bolted back up so that I could get the wheels up and the steering rack re-attached.


For the sake of family harmony, I have agreed to let the car go FREE to a club member who may want it for a project, so it is available for any club member who can get here with a low loader, trailer etc.

The car is located in Worcester WR5.

I would not recommend towing with the front wheels on the road as it has too many suspension parts still loose.

All removed parts are in the luggage space including battery, Fuel filter, gearbox mounting, EGR, o/s drive shaft

Although it has over 300,000 miles on the clock , it has passed the last 2 MOTs first time and the most recent time they told me that it was in 'really good condition' for its age although there was a minor steering fluid leak advisory.

Prior to lock-down, I was doing over 15,000 miles per year and had not broken down other than clutch hydraulics. (The master was replaced in 2018). up until the slave failed this time, I had been very confident in driving it long distances.



The car has a tow-bar with working electrics and has a Sony CD/Radio with USB and bluetooth.

As I have been a club member for 13 years, It has had most of the well-known tweaks and workarounds applied to it over the years including spy-hole, gold resistor, handbrake compensator, MAFAM etc.

Apart from the high mileage, the bad bits on the car are:

Rear tailgate gas strut mount failed on one side.
Trip computer button not working.
Rattly front door cards


I had noted rust on the front subframe, so anyone planning to repair the car, would probably be best to remove the front subframe entirely and clean it up and re-paint whilst giving more space for gearbox access.


I also have a few parts that I bought but not yet fitted, including a diesel filter and a rear spring.

I also have a Haynes manual.


I have a full set of clutch parts - with slave - which I will sell on eBay but will take £100 for it from anyone collecting the car.

My only stipulation is that the car is collected by 31st May (bank holiday monday)

Please message me via the forum.

[Mike Noc]

Sorry to hear this Steve. Hopefully someone will take you up on your offer. Good luck with whatever has replaced it.

Next 75 I get will be an automatic - having just fitted a new clutch kit I'm fed up with slaves failing well before the clutch plate wears out.

[Lee T]

Originally Posted by Mike Noc

Sorry to hear this Steve. Hopefully someone will take you up on your offer. Good luck with whatever has replaced it.

Next 75 I get will be an automatic - having just fitted a new clutch kit I'm fed up with slaves failing well before the clutch plate wears out.

I use the clutch for 1st and reverse only, if you get the timing with the revs just right all the other gears just slip in with ease. have done this with all my cars, my ZT clutch is currently 11 years old

[steveharvey2001]

Originally Posted by Mike Noc

Sorry to hear this Steve. Hopefully someone will take you up on your offer. Good luck with whatever has replaced it.

Next 75 I get will be an automatic - having just fitted a new clutch kit I'm fed up with slaves failing well before the clutch plate wears out.

I have just replaced it with a car without a clutch, without a gearbox, and without an 'engine' too.
Just a great big 180kW electric motor..

[Sonic ZS]

Sorry to hear you are moving on Steve, but understandable under the circumstances.

However, I'd say one clutch every 100,000 miles ain't too bad these days

Good luck with the electric one

[steveharvey2001]

Originally Posted by Sonic ZS

Sorry to hear you are moving on Steve, but understandable under the circumstances.

However, I'd say one clutch every 100,000 miles ain't too bad these days

Good luck with the electric one

Unfortunately for me, all 3 clutch slave and 2 masters were in the 170k miles that I owned it.

[BillyMG]

Originally Posted by Lee T

I use the clutch for 1st and reverse only, if you get the timing with the revs just right all the other gears just slip in with ease. have done this with all my cars, my ZT clutch is currently 11 years old

My Dad keeps talking about this I'll give it a go

[Mike Noc]

Originally Posted by Lee T

I use the clutch for 1st and reverse only, if you get the timing with the revs just right all the other gears just slip in with ease. have done this with all my cars, my ZT clutch is currently 11 years old

Yes I've driven the car back over 150 miles on a couple of occasions with no clutch at all, but it probably loads up the synchromesh a bit more long term, and my gearbox has covered 412k miles and is still going strong.

[DMGRS]

That's a shame, but alas all good things must come to an end.
I must say I did grow weary of clutch issues 'back in the day' and went for an automatic instead - my ZT-T with the rather lovely Jatco JF506E automatic gearbox went on to prove itself very reliable.

Also... any pictures of the new motor?

[steveharvey2001]

Originally Posted by DMGRS

Also... any pictures of the new motor?

I had another go today and managed to fit the clutch but I simply don't have the strength and control to be able to fit the gearbox single handedly.

If anyone wants this car it need to be collected by Tuesday at the latest.

New car pic below...