Alex's Rover 114 GSi *PIC HEAVY*

So guys, now I've opened the forum up to all types of cars, I thought I'll start my own thread on here for my Rover 114 GSi. Quite a bit has happened since I bought it in February, so here are photos to explain what has happened so far:

As I bought it:
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Bought some door bins to cut the grills out of to fit my Vibe Slick 5 speakers behind, and a Citroen AX centre console to replace the tape holder:
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Bought some Vibe Slick 4 speakers for the rear to replace the original rubbish:
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Dewipered it:
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Debadged the boot and put on some light tinting film to the red parts on the rear lights, reflector and rear fog (FlyEyesKit - brilliant stuff!):
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Took the door strips off (these might be going back on but colour coded):
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Bought a load of stickers for the back window:
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Attended a meet in Northampton, hosted by CrewsVS, which was filmed by Sky TV:
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Bought a set of clocks with a rev counter:
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Sprayed up the wood-effect dash inserts in Tahiti Blue to match the bodywork:
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Got some Citroen Xsara mist washer jets off eBay, need modifying slightly to point more upwards as the water currently hits the bottom of the windscreen and they're not adjustable:
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Won a GTi spoiler on eBay for £3.70 to be fully colour coded (still in progress!):
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Colour coded a few bits:
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Bought a proper Rover handbook folder:
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And a second dash surround to colour-code:
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Messed the spoiler up the first time and it's still hanging there, waiting for me to get decent paints:
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Picked up some spoiler caps for more than I paid for the spoiler (very hard to come by!):
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Ordered some more stickers, first two are on my dash inserts and the third will go on the corner of my spoiler:
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An Instagram-ed photo:
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Spotted this:
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Dash inserts finished:
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And finally, tinted a friends' rear lights:
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That's all for the time being that's actually happened. I have also bought some individualising valves -the Rover 100/Metro uses something called Hydragas fluid as suspension instead of coil springs or torsion bars, and for those of you who don't know, the system on the R100's is linked down each side, from back to front. Individualising means putting a valve on each Hydragas can so you can put whatever pressure you want in each corner. Lowering isn't a case of putting less fluid in though, you need to shorten the rods in the Hydragas cans and put more pressure into them, therefore lowering the suspension but stiffening it up at the same time, so that's gonna happen soon! Here's a small diagram of a Hydragas suspension system on an MGF to explain it better:

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On top of that, and finally, I have put down the deposit on a set of 14" KN Dytec alloys which are basically brand new luckily! Here's a photo of them:

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And on a Rover 100:

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That's all for the time being!

Alex.

Spoke to the paint shop on camp (I work at Brize Norton you see) and they've said they'd spray my spoiler up for me when they get a chance between RAF jobs and will give me a call when they have some free time. All I'd have to do is pay for paint & lacquer, and I said I'd prime & flat it down in advance for them. They'd even order the paint in from a local auto factors! Winning.

Off to Japfest tomorrow, so will probably have some photos from that, tickets courtesy of Tickets For Troops.

Alex.

So, Japfest was ace, really glad I got tickets for it - now for Japfest 2! However, it's made me want an MX5 with a huge fuckoff wing on it...

Anyway, regards to the Metro, I'm having a windscreen vinyl made up with the club logo on it at some point, which will be ace. On top of that, I've potentially got a back box lined up for me to collect when I'm over Nuneaton way for Download festival next month. Can't wait to get the standard uber-restrictive backbox off it. Will obviously need to upgrade the rest of the exhaust at some point, but a backbox is a good start!

Alex.

Gave RAWK a good scrub today. Here's a couple of Instagram'd photos.

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I have also ordered my South West Cruise windscreen vinyl, so that will be making an appearance soon!

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Alex.

Loving it so far. Cant wait to see it lowered and with the Dytecs on.

Okay, so some photos as to the current progress!

Looking pretty in the sun after a wash:
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South West Cruise windscreen decal:
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Looking low with five people in it (It was a squeeze!):
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Tax (Booooo!):
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Looking pretty (again) at my mate's house on a dull Tuesday morning:
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And I've just bought this - custom made gear knob (second hand though!):
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That's all for now. Picking up the Dytecs on Monday on my way home from Download festival, and hopefully getting lowered properly at some point!

Alex.

Looking good. Where is your front plate? How much did the know set you back? You getting Ding to do the lowering? He has the pump now just to let you know.

Front plate is currently in the windscreen. I took it off to clean, didn't get a chance to put it back on, and then it melted in the heatwave we just had. Lol.

Gearknob was £20, however it was a one-off custom made commission done for someone by a company in Gloucester. Fits the Metro specifically, so that it lines up with the standard gear gaiter and screws down properly.

Yeah mate I will, picking up alloys next week. Will take a look at my money situation after Download festival this week!

Alex.

It all makes sense now.

Not a bad price tbf. Especially seeing as its custom and probably cost the person a lot more. Metro specific is a bonus. Good job getting that.

Nice one mate, not pushing you or anything lol, just wondering as i want to see that car in person. Glad to see your getting them at last . No problem mate, there is no rush. If i can get money then i may buy a set of dytecs myself and possibly valves too. Just queried the seller about them now.

There's a guy on MP who's selling a set of Dytecs that he's recently refurbed, looks like a little bit of lacquer run but they have centre caps with them (unless he's sold them already!)
I think he's selling them for £80 now minus tyres, again unless they've gone. Reason why I'm sticking with Lee even though I'm paying more without centre caps is that they've not been refurbed, they're in as-new condition, even though they're missing centre caps.

Alex.

So, the plan for Dytecs has been sadly put on hold due to some issues with my solicitor & my payout (that was the only way I was gonna afford to pay for a set of wheels at this moment in time!)
Shame, I was picking them up Monday. Bit gutted really! Oh well, more will come along...

Alex.

:/, gutted for you mate.

Right, so, car of the fucking century goes to my Metro. It got us to and from Download festival three days running, despite having the bottom almost entirely ripped off by terrible field parking and badly-placed metal flooring (as in, just after big holes, so cars as low as mine get stuck on the sump/exhaust). Now it smells of a burning clutch, so that's on the to-do list. But fuck it, it got us there and back - THREE DAYS RUNNING. Legend.

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So I may get a set of these made up for the 'Tro when I can afford it... All fitments are custom when ordering from Image, and they're not badly priced either! Obviously I'll choose what design closer to the time, first design can be made smallest in 14" so they'll be 14"ers, the second design can be made in 13" so they'll be either 13"/14"...

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Alex.

Very smart, loving the choices.

I'm thinking, if I can ever get the cash together to afford a set, the second design in 14"... What do you reckon?
Alex.

Prefer the first design in all honesty but both are awesome .

How much are they anyways?

If I'm correct in thinking, it'd work out at around £500-£650, they have some crazy pricing scheme that all designs are the same, it just depends on size, width, how much chrome, centre colours etc...

Alex.

prefer the second set myself. recon they'll suit the car more.... liking the whole car so far mate. The interior touches are a nice choice too. Just missing the fluffy dice!!! lol

Not a bad price at all tbh. Quite surprised in fact. Just had a quick look on the site and my god they have some nice alloys on there. Get them photoshopped on your car.

OMG you can even get spinners, you so got to get some .

@Dan: Haha I saw the spinners, I can't believe you can still buy alloys with them on! But yeah, a lot of nice wheels. Thing is, it's a lot of money for the size of the alloys! My 18" wheels I got for my Focus cost me less than that, after buying tyres and everything. But then again they were eBay replicas...

@Aaron_206: Yeah I was thinking the second set would work more nicely with the 'Tro. And YES to fluffy dice!

Oh, and I've bought myself a Maplin driver door lock actuator, dreading fitting it... Looks like a pain in the arse of a job.

Alex wrote:

@Aaron_206: Yeah I was thinking the second set would work more nicely with the 'Tro. And YES to fluffy dice!

GOOD MAN!

Fine, take his side on the alloys, just because he is English lol.

P.s nice afro.

OrangeManDan wrote:Fine, take his side on the alloys, just because he is English lol.

P.s nice afro.

lol! i'm not taking sides, just think they'll suit his car better. And thanks i don't have an afro in person btw! Haha!!