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Author	Message
antp ◊ 2017-07-28 23:09
Sandie ◊ 2020-04-03 20:29	Not SDX, the 3500 was sold as "SDE" and "SDS" in ZA depending on the gearbox, per British Leyland Chronicles on Facebook: Quote In 1978 Leyland South Africa started building the Rover SD1, initially in a range of five models (second picture). Four of them (SD auto & manual / SDX auto & manual) were Rover 2600 models - powered by the locally built "E" series 2.6 litre engine (termed R-6) that also saw service in South African Marinas and Land Rovers. (the British Rover 2600 used a different engine). But the range-topper was the SDE (automatic) powered by the 3.5 litre V8. This engine had to be imported complete from the UK which was a drawback in the context of South Africa's strict "local content" requirements. A manual SDS version was later added, and its the fuel economy of these V8 cars that is being trumpeted here - at a time when fuel economy was a major issue in South Africa (which imports all its oil) in the wake of the "second fuel crisis". In the UK where fuel economy was also centre stage the gearing of the V8 Rover SD1 was altered at around this time, making the manual Rover 3500 the highest geared production car in the world. So the claim to be "probably the most economical V8 production cars in the world" would have some basis in truth. In 1979 the Rover was central to the (ultimately abortive) plans for Sigma Motor Corporation to take over the South African car making activities of Leyland - plans which were far advanced before they were cancelled as the road test attached of the "Rover 3500 SDS ... by Sigma/Leyland" illustrates. Sigma's plans for the Rover involved reducing the UK content of the V8 engine (the emerging cost of doing this was supposedly one factor that killed the takeover) and also installing a turbo-charged six cylinder Chrysler engine. But neither of those schemes came to fruition. Instead the Rover continued to be built by Leyland South Africa in both (R-6) 2600 and 3500 V8 form until 1983, with later cars being Series 2 models. Approx. 15,000 Rover SD1 cars (all variants) were built in South Africa. -- Last edit: 2020-04-03 20:31:52
dsl ◊ 2021-07-07 01:32	Book info agrees with ^ and adds some details. ZA builds started March 78, but not showroom launched until Oct 78; there was a production pause in 1979, but this was brief. Initial models were - 2600 SD - manual, automatic - 2600 SDX - manual, automatic (luxury version) - 3500 SDE - automatic ("Executive") - 3500 SDS - manual ("Sport", arrived slightly later, exact date not stated) The 3.5 V8 engines were imported from UK, the 2.6 was ZA built version of Leyland Australia engine originally derived from E-Series and expanded to 2.2 6-cyl (Kimberley/Tasman/Marina etc), and increased again to 2.6 as used in Leyland P76. When Leyland Aus closed, ZA took the tooling and started their own builds, also using it in their Land Rover Series IIIS. (So Maxi engines powered Land Rovers ) All ZA SD1s had black trim strips under rear lights, unlike UK silver effect. Bumpers started as chrome-plated rather than UK stainless steel until 1981 black rubber and slight facelift. Another facelift in 83 followed 1982 UK bodywork changes, but regained the chromed bumpers, and apparently all front spoilers disappeared. Range was now: - 2600 SD - manual - 2600 SDX - automatic (luxury version) - 3500 SDE - automatic - 3500 SDS - manual - 3500 Vanden Plas - manual, automatic Production ended later in 83 when Blackheath factory stopped making cars; about 14,400 ZA SD1s were made altogether. Apparently the ZA body presses were higher quality than UK from Pressed Steel Fisher and BL tried to import the dies for UK use afterwards, and despite some ZA quality problems they were generally better built than UK cars. All this means that our practice of defaulting all ZA SD1s to 2600 SDX may be a bit wobbly, although looking through our collection, I'm not sure there's a better way of keeping them together or of splitting them coherently.

Author

Message

antp

◊ 2017-07-28 23:09

Sandie

◊ 2020-04-03 20:29

Not SDX, the 3500 was sold as "SDE" and "SDS" in ZA depending on the gearbox, per British Leyland Chronicles on Facebook:

Quote In 1978 Leyland South Africa started building the Rover SD1, initially in a range of five models (second picture). Four of them (SD auto & manual / SDX auto & manual) were Rover 2600 models - powered by the locally built "E" series 2.6 litre engine (termed R-6) that also saw service in South African Marinas and Land Rovers. (the British Rover 2600 used a different engine). But the range-topper was the SDE (automatic) powered by the 3.5 litre V8. This engine had to be imported complete from the UK which was a drawback in the context of South Africa's strict "local content" requirements.

A manual SDS version was later added, and its the fuel economy of these V8 cars that is being trumpeted here - at a time when fuel economy was a major issue in South Africa (which imports all its oil) in the wake of the "second fuel crisis".

In the UK where fuel economy was also centre stage the gearing of the V8 Rover SD1 was altered at around this time, making the manual Rover 3500 the highest geared production car in the world. So the claim to be "probably the most economical V8 production cars in the world" would have some basis in truth.

In 1979 the Rover was central to the (ultimately abortive) plans for Sigma Motor Corporation to take over the South African car making activities of Leyland - plans which were far advanced before they were cancelled as the road test attached of the "Rover 3500 SDS ... by Sigma/Leyland" illustrates. Sigma's plans for the Rover involved reducing the UK content of the V8 engine (the emerging cost of doing this was supposedly one factor that killed the takeover) and also installing a turbo-charged six cylinder Chrysler engine. But neither of those schemes came to fruition.

Instead the Rover continued to be built by Leyland South Africa in both (R-6) 2600 and 3500 V8 form until 1983, with later cars being Series 2 models. Approx. 15,000 Rover SD1 cars (all variants) were built in South Africa.

-- Last edit: 2020-04-03 20:31:52

dsl

◊ 2021-07-07 01:32

Book info agrees with ^ and adds some details.

ZA builds started March 78, but not showroom launched until Oct 78; there was a production pause in 1979, but this was brief. Initial models were
- 2600 SD - manual, automatic
- 2600 SDX - manual, automatic (luxury version)
- 3500 SDE - automatic ("Executive")
- 3500 SDS - manual ("Sport", arrived slightly later, exact date not stated)

The 3.5 V8 engines were imported from UK, the 2.6 was ZA built version of Leyland Australia engine originally derived from E-Series and expanded to 2.2 6-cyl (Kimberley/Tasman/Marina etc), and increased again to 2.6 as used in Leyland P76. When Leyland Aus closed, ZA took the tooling and started their own builds, also using it in their Land Rover Series IIIS. (So Maxi engines powered Land Rovers

)

All ZA SD1s had black trim strips under rear lights, unlike UK silver effect. Bumpers started as chrome-plated rather than UK stainless steel until 1981 black rubber and slight facelift.

Another facelift in 83 followed 1982 UK bodywork changes, but regained the chromed bumpers, and apparently all front spoilers disappeared. Range was now:
- 2600 SD - manual
- 2600 SDX - automatic (luxury version)
- 3500 SDE - automatic
- 3500 SDS - manual
- 3500 Vanden Plas - manual, automatic

Production ended later in 83 when Blackheath factory stopped making cars; about 14,400 ZA SD1s were made altogether. Apparently the ZA body presses were higher quality than UK from Pressed Steel Fisher and BL tried to import the dies for UK use afterwards, and despite some ZA quality problems they were generally better built than UK cars.

All this means that our practice of defaulting all ZA SD1s to 2600 SDX may be a bit wobbly, although looking through our collection, I'm not sure there's a better way of keeping them together or of splitting them coherently.

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1978 Rover 3500 SDE [SD1]

1978 Rover 3500 SDE [SD1] in Blood Drive, TV Series, 2017 Ep. 1.07

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