Class of '99 - my Rover of Theseus journey

CyprusSocialite · 29th October 2023, 13:00

This week I became a proud owner of a 2.0 V6 Connoisseur SE produced all the way back in 1999 - as it happens, the same year that I was.

I do not remember any details of my first ever encounter with a Rover 75 - what must have been around ten years ago - but it cemented itself in my memory as the most beautiful car I had ever seen (the respectable second place going to the pre-facelift Mercedes W221).

Fast forward through my driving license exam, a couple failed attempts at buying a Rover, some disastrous experiences with other "aged" vehicles, and I eventually settle on a most sensible, reliable, and equivalently boring Suzuki. While this was a pure knee-jerk reaction to the great inconvenience of breaking down on a scorching summer highway on my way to work, I've realised that having a workhorse car allows me to enjoy something more exciting "on the side" - without jeopardising my commute. So now here I am!

The previous owner, who has unfortunately passed away, was a Rover fan himself. The car I purchased was not the only 75 in his collection, and even has a grille badge of this Club (though I don't know if he was an active user of these forums). As such, it seems to have received diligent care and almost every component is in working order. After 24 years in use, it came to me with only 118 thousand kilometres on the odometer.

My intent, or at least my ideal, is to bring this Rover to a state of function and appearance that would not have been out of place sold by MG Rover Direct while new cars were still being produced, and to build my own knowledge of car manufacturing and engineering in the process. I am prepared to go to greath lengths including but not limited to replacing the engine and reupholstering the interior - because of this I jokingly refer to my Rover as (the car of) Theseus.

In addition to upkeep there are "upgrades" I would like to implement, such as a smartphone-compatible stereo unit and some wooden trims, but I have resolved to maintain the authentic Rover look and be most conservative in my modifications.

I will be using this thread to give updates on my progress for anyone interested and for my own retrospection. Chances are I will be posting plenty in the Technical Help forum along the way.

trikey · 29th October 2023, 16:20

Post up some pictures, especially of the Cypriot sunshine!

Sent from my SM-G780G using Tapatalk

daveo138 · 29th October 2023, 17:34

Welcome Dmitrii, and congratulations on your purchase.

CyprusSocialite · 30th October 2023, 12:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by trikey

Post up some pictures, especially of the Cypriot sunshine!

Absolutely, I'm just looking for a nice car wash before I do

29th October 2023, 13:00	#1
CyprusSocialite Newbie Rover 75 Saloon Join Date: Aug 2020 Location: Limassol Posts: 7 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Class of '99 - my Rover of Theseus journey This week I became a proud owner of a 2.0 V6 Connoisseur SE produced all the way back in 1999 - as it happens, the same year that I was. I do not remember any details of my first ever encounter with a Rover 75 - what must have been around ten years ago - but it cemented itself in my memory as the most beautiful car I had ever seen (the respectable second place going to the pre-facelift Mercedes W221). Fast forward through my driving license exam, a couple failed attempts at buying a Rover, some disastrous experiences with other "aged" vehicles, and I eventually settle on a most sensible, reliable, and equivalently boring Suzuki. While this was a pure knee-jerk reaction to the great inconvenience of breaking down on a scorching summer highway on my way to work, I've realised that having a workhorse car allows me to enjoy something more exciting "on the side" - without jeopardising my commute. So now here I am! The previous owner, who has unfortunately passed away, was a Rover fan himself. The car I purchased was not the only 75 in his collection, and even has a grille badge of this Club (though I don't know if he was an active user of these forums). As such, it seems to have received diligent care and almost every component is in working order. After 24 years in use, it came to me with only 118 thousand kilometres on the odometer. My intent, or at least my ideal, is to bring this Rover to a state of function and appearance that would not have been out of place sold by MG Rover Direct while new cars were still being produced, and to build my own knowledge of car manufacturing and engineering in the process. I am prepared to go to greath lengths including but not limited to replacing the engine and reupholstering the interior - because of this I jokingly refer to my Rover as (the car of) Theseus. In addition to upkeep there are "upgrades" I would like to implement, such as a smartphone-compatible stereo unit and some wooden trims, but I have resolved to maintain the authentic Rover look and be most conservative in my modifications. I will be using this thread to give updates on my progress for anyone interested and for my own retrospection. Chances are I will be posting plenty in the Technical Help forum along the way.

29th October 2023, 16:20	#2
trikey Premium Trader Rover 75 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Devon Posts: 33,808 Thanks: 8,837 Thanked 14,831 Times in 8,030 Posts	Post up some pictures, especially of the Cypriot sunshine! Sent from my SM-G780G using Tapatalk __________________ Lest we forget..

29th October 2023, 17:34	#3
daveo138 Gets stuck in Rover 75 Tourer Join Date: Mar 2022 Location: Chesterfield Posts: 713 Thanks: 206 Thanked 69 Times in 53 Posts	Welcome Dmitrii, and congratulations on your purchase.