Rare cars on SA road

[FiestaST]

Where in SA is that?

Not here. It was a cheat I know. This was the most suitable thread.

 

[Ivan Leon]

Spotted this immaculate W123 MB 200 at the Nissan dealership in East London last month, when I went there to order some parts for my car. I complimented the owner on taking such good pride & care in maintaining his classic car.

 

[Ivan Leon]

My 'ultra-rare & possibly unique to SA' car - I finally got around to completing a long-overdue 'cosmetic transformation' of my 2008 Tata Indica LXi, so it now looks just like a 2003-2005 CityRover model, as sold in the UK.

The Rover CityRover is a supermini car that was marketed by the former British manufacturer MG Rover under the Rover marque, between 2003 and 2005. Launched in the autumn of 2003, the car was a rebadged version of the Indian developed Tata Indica.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rover_CityRover

Over the last 2 years, I have managed to obtain quite a few interior & exterior cosmetic & trim items from Rimmer Brothers in the UK (as well as from a UK scrap-yard for the CityRover front grille assembly), in order to finally be able to do this metamorphosis.

What it looked like before - front, rear & side views:







Here's how it looks now:

CityRover front grille & ROVER badge assembly



ROVER badges on rear door scuff protector strips & Union Jack flag emblems on front fenders by the indicator repeaters



CITYROVER boot-lid lettering & ROVER badge, 'Style' model decal, Union Jack flag emblem & GB sticker



I have also fitted the UK CityRover Mk.2 instrument cluster (with MPH speedo), leather steering wheel & rubber dash-mat, CITYROVER branded rubber floor-mats, fitted carpet set with the Rover emblem, rubber boot-mat, front & rear mudflaps & plastic engine cover as well.





So now at last when anyone asks me what car I own, I can answer them: 'It's a (make-over) Rover!"

 

[FiestaST]

My 'ultra-rare & possibly unique to SA' car - I finally got around to completing a long-overdue 'cosmetic transformation' of my 2008 Tata Indica LXi, so it now looks just like a 2003-2005 CityRover model, as sold in the UK.



https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rover_CityRover

Over the last 2 years, I have managed to obtain quite a few interior & exterior cosmetic & trim items from Rimmer Brothers in the UK (as well as from a UK scrap-yard for the CityRover front grille assembly), in order to finally be able to do this metamorphosis.

What it looked like before - front, rear & side views:

View attachment 693145

View attachment 693153

View attachment 693147

Here's how it looks now:

CityRover front grille & ROVER badge assembly

View attachment 693151

ROVER badges on rear door scuff protector strips & Union Jack flag emblems on front fenders by the indicator repeaters

View attachment 693157

CITYROVER boot-lid badge with 'Style' model decal, Union Jack flag emblem & GB sticker

View attachment 693155

N.B.: I have left the TATA logo badge on the boot-lid for the moment - there was slight residual damage to the clear coat when I attempted to remove the remaining adhesive backing that was left behind - so I have temporarily re-attached it until I get it it buffed out & polished later on to fully complete the final transformation.

I have also fitted the UK CityRover Mk.2 instrument cluster (with MPH speedo), leather steering wheel & rubber dash-mat, CITYROVER branded rubber floor-mats, fitted carpet set with the Rover emblem, rubber boot-mat, front & rear mudflaps & plastic engine cover as well.

View attachment 693161

View attachment 693167

So now at last when anyone asks me what car I own, I can answer them: 'It's a (make-over) Rover!"

Nicely done! Clearly lots of thought went into it.

 

[pinball wizard]

My 'ultra-rare & possibly unique to SA' car - I finally got around to completing a long-overdue 'cosmetic transformation' of my 2008 Tata Indica LXi, so it now looks just like a 2003-2005 CityRover model, as sold in the UK.

Why, buddy, why?

 

[Ivan Leon]

Nicely done! Clearly lots of thought went into it.

A lot of thought - and quite a few Rands at the horrendous SA-UK currency exchange rates over the last 2 years!

 

[Ivan Leon]

Why, buddy, why?

I was always intrigued by the fact that the CityRover was the last 'new' model that MG Rover launched in the UK and the only one that they sourced from TATA in India, before they finally went under in 2005, so now I essentially drive around in a 'slice of colonial history' as far as the British / Indian motoring industry is concerned, seeing as the CityRover has a rapidly dwindling presence in the UK & Tata stopped producing the Indica in 2018, after a record 20 year production run.

 

[TheChamp]

Rover or Tata, that is a clean car, well done. All the Tatas I have come across were filthy and falling apart.

 

[rodga]

What did the transformation set you back this far?

 

[Ivan Leon]

Some trim items were horrendously expensive - but many of them were in fact dirt cheap - for example, the biggest cost item was the CITYROVER boot badge - when I bought it, it was around £ 45 - but I see it's now gone up even more to £ 56.97.

I bought an entire CityRover front bumper from a UK scrapyard for £ 40 - they shipped it to a friend in the UK and he cut out the centre bit and also sent me the 3 lower grilles as spares- which was all I really needed as my car still had its original bumper on it - so the CR grille wasn't a major issue to trim, respray in silver & fit.



The UK instrument cluster only cost me £ 12.95, the leather steering wheel was £ 20 (though I see it's currently on a 'Mega Clearance' special from Rimmer Brothers until the end of October for only £ 5).

I also got a front passenger electric window winder mechanism for £ 25, the left rear mechanism for £ 10 (both of mine needed replacing) and amazingly enough, a spare air-con compressor for only £ 25 (still in its original packaging & stored in a cupboard), on one of their previous 'Mega Clearance' specials as well.

Many of the other items I purchased, like all the rubber mats, carpet set, mudflaps, bonnet insulation, plastic engine cover & ROVER & flag badges were all in the £ 5 to £ 10 price range, so the biggest cost was obviously the ZAR - UK£ exchange rate & shipping cost via UPS or DHL - plus an average of R 450 or thereabouts per shipment for SA Customs & Excise Duty.

I got all these items over the last 2 years as & when I could afford it - so I spent around R 7,500 in total for all the parts - then about another R 5,000 for shipping & duties.

Many of these parts are either not even available from TATA SA, or if they are, like the air-con compressor & electric window mechanisms, they cost thousands of Rands EACH!

So overall. even with all I have now spent over the last 2 years, I have actually come out ahead cost-wise when I add everything up.

 

[rodga]

Some trim items were horrendously expensive - but many of them were in fact dirt cheap - for example, the biggest cost item was the CITYROVER boot badge - when I bought it, it was around £ 45 - but I see it's now gone up even more to £ 56.97.

I bought an entire CityRover front bumper from a UK scrapyard for £ 40 - they shipped it to a friend in the UK and he cut out the centre bit and also sent me the 3 lower grilles as spares- which was all I really needed as my car still had its original bumper on it - so the CR grille wasn't a major issue to trim, respray in silver & fit.

View attachment 693231

The UK instrument cluster only cost me £ 12.95, the leather steering wheel was £ 20 (though I see it's currently on a 'Mega Clearance' special from Rimmer Brothers until the end of October for only £ 5).

I also got a front passenger electric window winder mechanism for £ 25, the left rear mechanism for £ 10 (both of mine needed replacing) and amazingly enough, a spare air-con compressor for only £ 25 (still in its original packaging & stored in a cupboard), on one of their previous 'Mega Clearance' specials as well.

Many of the other items I purchased, like all the rubber mats, carpet set, mudflaps, bonnet insulation, plastic engine cover & ROVER & flag badges were all in the £ 5 to £ 10 price range, so the biggest cost was obviously the ZAR - UK£ exchange rate & shipping cost via UPS or DHL - plus an average of R 450 or thereabouts per shipment for SA Customs & Excise Duty.

I got all these items over the last 2 years as & when I could afford it - so I spent around R 7,500 in total for all the parts - then about another R 5,000 for shipping & duties.

Many of these parts are either not even available from TATA SA, or if they are, like the air-con compressor & electric window mechanisms, they cost thousands of Rands EACH!

So overall. even with all I have now spent over the last 2 years, I have actually come out ahead cost-wise when I add everything up.

Not bad at all.

 

[epah]

 

[Chingha]

Not a great pic but this guy seems like a bit of a Wankeler

 

[Jchan11hk]

He has taste, I hope that he is a mechanic himself.

 

[Ghoster79]

A special "race" edition of the Alfa Giulia that was visiting the dealership the SO works at 13 of 30

 

[Jchan11hk]

A special "race" edition of the Alfa Giulia that was visiting the dealership the SO works at 13 of 30
View attachment 695317

your SO works in an Alfa Dealership?

 

[ArmatageShanks]

Not a great pic but this guy seems like a bit of a Wankeler

Niiiiice

Where is it?

 

[Gtx Gaming]

Check that grill!

 

[epah]

Check that grill!

What a beauty. BMW just needs to throw that V12 in it now.

 

[Segg]

Check that grill!

Yeah nah mate, yeah nah If it weren't for that lower part on the bumper then maybe...