Platinum VIP

Nice. What's the story with the "M" plate. All the others seem to have had a "P" plate.

Really like the seats!
 
PeterZRH said:
Nice. What's the story with the "M" plate. All the others seem to have had a "P" plate.

Really like the seats!

The "M" reg is weird, but according to the DVLA it was first registered on 21 May 1976 :eek:

Richard
 
Yes I guess you can fit an older plate, just not a newer one.

How much nicer this is than the brown version which is just standard Brasilia. Shame Rover couldn't have found another unique colour for the VIP.

Until someone finds a 2000S in a shed, this is about as close to a P6 "investment" you'll find.

Surely this must be a well known car inside the clubs?
 
To my knowledge, the VIP issue never came to Australia, either as a rare direct import or via N.Z as a CKD.

On a technical note, the spill return has been fitted to the N/S carburettor as opposed to the usual O/S. I may have seen that before, but I can't recall it.

I would expect, given the rarity, that it should sell for considerably more than the price currently shown.

Ron.
 
PeterZRH said:
Until someone finds a 2000S in a shed, this is about as close to a P6 "investment" you'll find.

Surely this must be a well known car inside the clubs?

I know of several 2000S', including one in a shed ;)

As for records of these cars; Nick Dunning probably has one of the most complete list of the 77 (I believe) VIPs..
 
I thought all the VIP models came with air con AND electric windows, or is this an ultra rare one without the windows?

Peter
 
The car is the real deal, I've had correspondence with a gent in Cornwall recently who remembered it, there were two VIP's in close proximity to each other down there for many years.

I have physically counted them in the registers. There were 77, 44 in Platinum (the first batch), and 33 in Brazilia (built later - September/October/November 1976, last one in January 1977).
 
To my knowledge, the VIP issue never came to Australia, either as a rare direct import or via N.Z as a CKD.

On a technical note, the spill return has been fitted to the N/S carburettor as opposed to the usual O/S. I may have seen that before, but I can't recall it.

I don't think many even got as far as the general public in the UK Ron, and they certainly weren't CKD. Though there was a rumour that there might be one in NZ...
The factory AC'd cars had an electric pump which fed into the RHS carb so the return line ran from the lhs.

I thought all the VIP models came with air con AND electric windows, or is this an ultra rare one without the windows?

Don't think any VIPs had electric windows. I guess that box was empty by then. But supposedly they all had AC, PAS, HRW, Sundym, Vinyl roof and touring kit.
 
KiwiRover wrote,...
I don't think many even got as far as the general public in the UK Ron, and they certainly weren't CKD. Though there was a rumour that there might be one in NZ...
The factory AC'd cars had an electric pump which fed into the RHS carb so the return line ran from the lhs.

Thanks Al :)

Ron.
 
KiwiRover said:
I don't think many even got as far as the general public in the UK Ron, and they certainly weren't CKD. Though there was a rumour that there might be one in NZ...

I am relatively sure I saw VIP for sale in Christchurch in the early 1990's in a well known Rover sellers yard but being busy for other things in my life at that time took little note as to the details other than that oh wow there is a VIP.

Graeme
 
Roly said:
They also had unique headlining

No, not unique as it came unstuck & flopped down just like the SD1's did (Steve Walker's was when I sat in his). It was only SD1 offcuts anyway along with the seats & visors, AFAIK. And the paint suffered the same p*ss-poor quality as the early SD1's too.
Can't really see what the fuss is about. :twisted:
 
I got to use one for a couple of weeks many years ago - OOA472R, belonged to Rob Pinner. It was fantastic. The interior was beyond funky.

Yes Gary is completely right about the build quality though, Steve Walker's car had been resprayed again 1977/1978, which was the reason it still existed.

Clive Osbourn broke probably the last one built (the only 1977 one) some years ago, but it was utterly and totally dead. Hence Lee Stacey has the brown steering wheel in her car.

RSR Editor Ian Elliott, then working for Rover/BL Publicity, did design a brochure for the VIP (there were initially going to be 150 built), but it was never produced as the cars were snapped up on spec by dealers.
 
Back
Top