So I finally joined the Turbo gang...

[agw_01]

With my new purchase. I'm sure you've all seen it before









I absolutely love it. A huge hoot to drive, whether really pushing it hard or just cruising... I had a huge smile on my face all the way home.

I know I'm probably biased, but it feels like it's the quickest Rover Turbo I've ever been in/driven. None of them seem to have had the kick this one has when the boost comes in, not even the last 420 Turbo I drove a few months back. First gear is just mental, it really forces you back into your seat and then it just keeps on pulling and pulling through every gear.

Love the gearbox on it too. Something that bugged me about the 220 is the revs in 5th gear. Sitting at 70mph was 3500rpm, moving upto 4000rpm at 80. This made for noisy, uneconomical driving. The 420, in 5th, sits at around 2700 at 70 and just over 3000 at 80.

It has a 4" custom backbox, which makes a hell of a noise. It sounds nice just blipping it, but when it comes on boost... holy jesus, it sounds like hell just opened up

It's not getting unleashed on the road just yet though. I'm going to swap the suspension and alloys over from the 220, polybushing the rear arms at the same time. I'll also fit my rear upper and lower strut braces and move the battery to boot. Also going to give it a bit of a service and put the NGK Iridium plugs and Magnecor leads from the 220 onto it.

I'll give it a wash tomorrow (Sean washed it for me, and it's filthy again ) and get some better pictures with the wheels fitted. I'll also get a few video clips so that you can hear the exhaust tone.

It's taken a few years for me to finally get one, but my god, it's been worth it

Just like to say a big thank you to Southside. A real pleasure to meet you and a credit to Rovertech.

[l33 byt]

Looks very nice.
Welcome to the club

[Scott]

im a fan of the 420's turbo's, i tried to get 1 or 2 without success and ended up with a Ti instead James' has always driven very nicely, and i prefer the car over a coupe

let me know if you want a swap

[MarkCoupe]

Nice one Andy, enjoy it mate.

[benno_bro]

about time Andy ......steady in first though mate lol

[MarkCoupe]

about time Andy ......steady in first though mate lol

Yeah dont kill the diff!

[agw_01]

about time Andy ......steady in first though mate lol

I know

Just one of those 'new car' things. No need to rag it to get places though... it pulls so well in all the other gears.

Thanks for the kind words guys Scott, swap you your Tickford for it

[Chin.]

lookin very good mate

[owen]

Nice one matey no need to say you got a bargain!

I do love the 420T, proberly my favourite Rover of all. If only they did a d16 turbo! glad to see its staying on RT too, enjoy

[zozzie_9t9]

That looks very, very nice!

MKy dad had a couple of 400 - neither were turbos though! He looked at this and said it must shift rather well! He said his 414 (a red G reg one, which seems a very long time ago now) went quite well.

DOes this now mean we will see the demise of the 220

First gear is just mental, it really forces you back into your seat and then it just keeps on pulling and pulling through every gear.

New car syndrome?!

The ti took me by surprise the second day I owned it - I pulled out of a junction and went to get up to speed 'swiftly' and put my foot right down in first - didn't half give me a shock!

So, welcome to the world of turbo charged cars - you'll love it!

[Leo]

That's all I can say really!!

[Punx0r]

Looks nice

[MrFlibbles]

Looks good!

I've never been able to kick the turbo habit

[mach1rob]

So, at last, you finally have a turbo, took long enough

ENJOY!

[southside]

Glad you like it mate it kills me to see it parked outside your house. Its like i've lost a loved one lol. On to new projects though. Just a shame i never got it on the road after all the work i did on her. Nearly kicked her a few times especially when doing the waterpump.lol

Just cant wait to pick up my new project now though. Garage looks to empty Good luck with her though mate and look after her as she's a good'en.

Just remembered something the previous owner told me. I know it probs was just the "1st time i'd driven a turbo" feeling for me aswell but he had a sierra saph cossie aswell and said the 420 deffinatly felt quicker. Im convinced theres more work been done to it internally. I'll soon decide when i compare it to my new'en

[MrFlibbles]

Nearly kicked her a few times especially when doing the waterpump.lol

Sorry to go O/T but how many hours labour do you reckon for changing a water pump?

[zozzie_9t9]

Just remembered something the previous owner told me... ....he had a sierra saph cossie aswell and said the 420 deffinatly felt quicker.

According to Autocar, back in '94 when they had 620ti on long term test, they found the sa-ph cos to be marginally slower than the ti mid range (I'll scan the bit if anyone's interested!) so the 420 turbo should be a fair bit quicker with it being so much lighter!

[jase]

yep, reasonably std engined turbos with the long ratio box are fantastic cars to own and drive.
My dad kept telling me i was stupid buying one, but when ever he drove it he always got out with an ear to ear grin.

enjoy mate.


Just watch the front brakes they aint as good as the rest of the car...


J

[agw_01]

Sean, I know how you feel. I felt exactly the same when I sold the 214.

Your garage looks empty? With all that stuff in there Just spread it out a bit to take up some of the space. Bet your mum is glad to have the garage back though.

I'd have to agree about it being a good'un though. I'll have to get a boost gauge hooked up to check the boost, but if this is on the standard BMV, it's VERY impressive. I've been in another 420 Turbo and a 220 GSi Turbo @ 12psi and there's no way they pulled as hard as this one... especially not in first gear.

It even took me by suprise, and I was expecting it to be quick.

Cheers for the kind words though guys. Always nice to own something a little bit special, especially when you're only a young'un Most of my friends at my age are still driving 1.4 306's and Corsa's.

Thought you'd like it Leo, and Rob, I totally agree. I've worked my way up and it's been totally worth the wait. In fact, I want to go out and drive it right now... shame the insurance ran out at 11 o'clock this morning

zozzie, tell your Dad that it shifts very well. I used to think my 214 was quick for what it was. Just before I sold it, I drove it back from the garage (had a few bits done) after owning the 220 for a week. Tbh, it felt slow and gutless. I was so disappointed with it. That was until it had warmed up and I started to open it up... 6k in each gear and I started to realise just what the 1.4 K-series was good for... revving

In fact, sometimes, I actually wish I still had the 214. It was so much fun to drive.

Sadly, I think this is it for the 220. Cableguy was interested in it, but I want to take a few bits off it for the 420, and that would leave it as a non-running car. It's been a superb car (very reliable and very fun to drive) but unless someone wants to spend time welding the sills and sorting the paintwork, it's going to end up rusting itself to death.

A real shame as I look out the window, see it parked on the curb (420 is taking its place on the drive) and think to myself, "That's a good looking car".

[mach1rob]

420s do seem to go well, I remember going to Trax few years back, still had the 420 nasp, and Jamez still had the white 220 turbo, he was suprised just how well it went as he struggled a bit getting past

[zozzie_9t9]

My dad kept telling me i was stupid buying one, but when ever he drove it he always got out with an ear to ear grin.

All dads are the same!

[agw_01]

My dad kept telling me i was stupid buying one, but when ever he drove it he always got out with an ear to ear grin.

All dads are the same!

Not mine

He took me all the way to Tamworth to pick it up

[zozzie_9t9]

My dad went with me to Cheshire to pick my ti up - still says I was daft to buy it in the first place! If he ever borrows it, he always comes back with tales of accleration and leaving Golfs and Beamers behind!

[agw_01]

It's the way it should be.

I p1ssed off a Focus ST170 driver, a Sean Leon FR driver, a Megane Diesel driver (who saw an old Rover come up behind him on the motorway, tried to out-accelerate me and failed ) and got a thumbs up from an Impreza RB5 driver.

[zozzie_9t9]

zozzie, tell your Dad that it shifts very well.

Will do

Sadly, I think this is it for the 220. Cableguy was interested in it, but I want to take a few bits off it for the 420, and that would leave it as a non-running car. It's been a superb car (very reliable and very fun to drive) but unless someone wants to spend time welding the sills and sorting the paintwork, it's going to end up rusting itself to death.

A real shame as I look out the window, see it parked on the curb (420 is taking its place on the drive) and think to myself, "That's a good looking car".

How about a photo-tribute before it does go? You know it's one of my favourites from the RT fleet!

[southside]

Nearly kicked her a few times especially when doing the waterpump.lol

Sorry to go O/T but how many hours labour do you reckon for changing a water pump?

If you know what your doing it could be done in a hour i rekon. Be easier on a ti as more room in the bay. All depends on how seized the bolts are though as i've heard a few people snap theres. All th eones on the 420 came out pretty much hassle free though

[MrFlibbles]

Nearly kicked her a few times especially when doing the waterpump.lol

Sorry to go O/T but how many hours labour do you reckon for changing a water pump?

If you know what your doing it could be done in a hour i rekon. Be easier on a ti as more room in the bay. All depends on how seized the bolts are though as i've heard a few people snap theres. All th eones on the 420 came out pretty much hassle free though

Not 4 hours then? I knew they were a bunch of robbing no nothing bastards!

[Cableguy]

Sadly, I think this is it for the 220. Cableguy was interested in it, but I want to take a few bits off it for the 420, and that would leave it as a non-running car. It's been a superb car (very reliable and very fun to drive) but unless someone wants to spend time welding the sills and sorting the paintwork, it's going to end up rusting itself to death.

.

Hope your not backing out of that ,im counting on it

[agw_01]

Got your PM, can't get on MSN at the mo as I'm a bit busy but I'll catch you today to discuss

[Hughes_16]

Very nice mate, might pop round one night and have a goose at her, if you dont mind

[agw_01]

Very nice mate, might pop round one night and have a goose at her, if you dont mind

Sure thing Dave, I'm in most evenings

If you do come round, you couldn't bring the Haynes over could you (providing that you've finished with it).

[SubCat001]

Welcome to the turbo club. You'll be soon finding it too slow though .

[owen]

Welcome to the turbo club. You'll be soon finding it too slow though .

That is one of the most annoying things about cars, they never seem fast enough. At first you like 'wooooh' and then is more of a 'hmmm its o.k, but i want more...............POWERRR! '

[Hughes_16]

Very nice mate, might pop round one night and have a goose at her, if you dont mind

Sure thing Dave, I'm in most evenings

If you do come round, you couldn't bring the Haynes over could you (providing that you've finished with it).

Yeah i will bring it round mate no problem

[tonyvitesse]

Awesome matey. You knmow what I think about them. Hope your out and about next time I pop down.


By the way. Please, please, please tell me it was a black ST170 with rear tints. Possibly bttos stickers on the rear quaters. If it was, it's me ex flatmate.... Not the first time he's been shamowned by a 420 turb.