Rover 200 & 400 Owners Club

Hi everyone,

I've recently joined as I may need the knowledge and advice of you all in getting my 1.6SE tomcat rolling again.

I bought it 2nd hand in 2000 when it was less than 3 years old and drove it regularly up to 2010. But for family reasons it's been off the road in my garage on SORN since 2010. It hasn't moved because it was in the flat tyres then flat battery doom loop. I meant to get it back on the road at various times over the years, but family matters always got in the way and I put it off '" until the weather got better next Spring " too many times. It's been static for so long that it's now probably best regarded as a restoration project. But I hope to get it going again in the coming months (famous last words!!!).

I used to do a lot of my own maintenance back in the day when I owned an Austin 1100 followed by three 1750 Allegros (well, somebody had to buy them) and I also helped my brother with his Marina Coupe. But then family life came to the fore and car repairs were delegated to the local garage. Nowadays time is still tight and that's why I'll be using the local garage to do much of the work for me.

Wish me luck, I have a horrible feeling that I'll need it.

Welcome to the club.
Hope you get it started and running soon.

Lots of small steps soon add up.

Once you get it running enjoy it and show it, it doesn’t have to be pristine from day one that’s part of the fun of a rolling restoration.

1750 Allegros are nothing to be ashamed of, a Sport, SS, HL, HLS and Equipe have all featured in my 'car CV' over the years. More than enough torque to overcome the inherent understeer from such a heavy lump of engine and gearbox (alloys and wider tyres helped too!) And prior to that, I started out with an Austin 1300GT

As long as the rot hasn't taken hold in your Coupe, I am sure it won't be too challenging a project to complete and you will soon be out enjoying it again. Plenty of help, advice and encouragement available on this forum if you need it.

And the club

You'll get lots of help and encouragement here. I would suggest that starting a list would be a good idea, probably with 'check coolant hoses' and 'change coolant (and probably hoses)' near the top of it.

Ditto tyres

I drove an Equipe for a while as Dad’s second MCP car and loved it!

It must have been the end of the line,,as they appear to have run out of stripes!

Topcat Tomcat wrote: ↑Sat Sep 23, 2023 9:33 am I drove an Equipe for a while as Dad’s second MCP car and loved it!