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Hi My Rover is Called AMY Why? Because of the colour code Ratten Beige. This is not a standard Vitesse colour but is original.

AMY is a Rover SD1 owned by Rover Fleet Div, the engine No is 31A 00110 the engine was uprated in Dec 1983 to a 3.9ltr and was registered Feb 1984.

This is an unusual Vitesse and some say it was never built. having a GM450 auto gear box and has a button on the gear stick similar to an over drive. Some would say that this set up is like a sports.

The ECU was uprated by Rover Sports Div in 84. I discovered this when I had to buy another ECU and was told that the ECU numbers were for a blue Chip. My Vitesse also has a DLM8 Dizzy and according to some suppliers, it’s the wrong dizzy, as they were not put in SD1s until 85 making it more unusual.

AMY and I had problems with my registration V5 form As stated my Vitesse when first registered it had 2 yes 2 VIN numbers on, L/H drive and R/H drive 7 and 8 two digits. The VIN States that both VIN No's are RH drive 5-speed manual and LH drive 5-speed manual, but has an Automatic 450 GM.

This Vitesse was registered by Rover Fleet Div in Feb 1984 all the MOTs my car went on right from the very first one. No one picked this out this dual identity, let alone me until 1992. The Vitesse passed it's MOT but the tester reported it to the Police and DVLA. In fact I thought I was sold a Bummer and would lose my Vitesse.

The V5 had to be sent back to DVLA and my Vitesse was inspected twice once at Manchester and once at Huddersfield. It took DVLA 11 months to return the V5 forms With the R/H drive VIN number deleted, leaving the L/H drive VIN number, informing me that there were 8 Vitesse's built using CKD parts and built off line, all automatics with the GM 400 and 450 GM Auto Boxes. The Heritage people said That it’s 2 Vitesse’s but RH drive and LH drive, Then they said that it can't be!" As it's one number to one car. Then they said it must have been a mistake when built on line! Again I said that My Vitesse was built off line and by hand that I do know! Also stated “No Rover did not paint any SD1s Rattan Beige”. So why is my SD1 painted Rattan Beige? They did not know, but came up that it could be a test, demo Vitesse. The heritage people also stated that it's 2 Vitesse's because the VIN Numbers are the same excepting for the two digits i.e. 7 and 8.

As you know when you look at the VIN Numbers it tells you where the car was built engine type engine size l/h drive or r/h drive But what stumped them how did it get these 2 digits 7 or 8 from and that the Vitesse was a 3.9ltr They then asked me have I measured the Bore which was "YES" Then they came up well the last owner must have done the up rate to the engine. Then I told the heritage bloke Anders Ditlev Clauseager that Rover owned it before I did. Then I got a Letter from Heritage Trust Dated 18th May 1993:

Quote:
Dear Dr Coles-Kolher
I am afraid that we can not find the full build record of your Vitesse, all that I have found out, is that 8 Vitesse's were built from CKD parts as a test or demonstration, and with lowered and modified adjustable suspension.. Engine No ROV 00110 was a test engine, Engine 31A00110 is the finished and up rated 3.9ltr of ROV00110 all SD1 test engines have a prefix Rov at the beginning of the engine numbers to make sure that these engines are not sold on.

As stated by FAX, Rover have, as of yet not released all CKD Test Production Records of all the Rover SD1's yet more so the test Rover Vitesse's which yours is one off

We will in form you if and when any more Production Records are released by Rover Yours sincerely Anders Ditley Clausager. ..... It's now 2009 it's nearly 17 years on since that letter was wrote. Now I shall never find out What my car is. Now I have found out about 20 years ago that these were test and or demo Press Vitesse's and is registered as a Rover Vitesse Hybrid – that's on the V5 form.

My Vitesse has some unusual differences, it is just lower than standard ride height of the standard Vitesse, which I have not changed other than replaced the springs, inserts and rear dampers with the same as I took off. The steering wheel is not the standard wheel and I think Rover put the small wheel on. AMY has never had a fuel tank protector fitted.

When I first purchased my Vitesse I went into a Rover Dealership to get a new rotor arm they gave me one went home and tried to fit it, but was the wrong one. I returned and told them, the chap said what's the engine number! he came out looked at it and said something it's different! with a question mark expression.
He went back looked at this parts disk and said with a Cheshire Cat grin "Yes it is a Rover Vitesse, but!" This was 1985.Over the years I have had to fit most parts from the Land Rover V8. The radiator on my Vitesse is thicker than the standard one, yes it will fit, no it does not do it's work, so the old radiator was sent in to be rebuilt with a note stating it's for a 3.9 engine

Like the Viscous i.e. If I fitted the SD1 Viscous unit yes it would fit and work. But no it would not cut in and the Vitesse would over heat if stuck in traffic. Now this took me years of scratching the other parts like 17 years. When at a car show in Germany, this chap said that on looking at my Vitesse engine he said, just like the Rover chap in the UK said “It's a Rover Vitesse engine, but...”, how can I say it looks different?
Any how said that he has this Viscous unit and fan at home, and sent his Frau home to bring it back, it was fitted and never looked back.

I have owned My Vitesse for over 20 odd years now and it has only done around 76.000 miles from new.

The only thing that I have done to my AMY is to up rate her from a 3.9ltr to a 5.2 ltr, which I did myself machining, borring and what have you. The crank is now a rubber neck Chevvy 300 balanced and machined to fit the engine. This was done April 2000 in the 8 years since, the car only does about 1000-1500 miles a year and is on the road and outside 365 days of the year.

Me Hill Climbing