[directinjection]

Originally Posted by anjan_c2007

Its closest competitor was the Contessa, which had the old Amby BMC 1489cc petrol engine under its bonnet, during 1985-87. Only in 1987, did the Contessa Classic came along with the new 1817 cc/88bhp Isuzu engine.

Although the pre-Isuzu engine was borrowed from the Amby, it was the 1800CC engine not the 1489 CC one. 1800 CC was available in Amby as optional. Later versions of Amby had it as standard.

[anjan_c2007]

Originally Posted by directinjection

Although the pre-Isuzu engine was borrowed from the Amby, it was the 1800CC engine not the 1489 CC one. 1800 CC was available in Amby as optional. Later versions of Amby had it as standard.

Yes directinjection, let me get the facts right. The original HM Contessa that was launched in 1984, costing Rs 1,10000 on road in Maharashtra, came with the BMC 1489 cc Ambassador engine with the 4-speed floor shift gear box. It was only in 1987 that the ISZ 1817cc petrol engine came along and the Contessa was rechristened Contessa Classic.In fact, I have driven both these versions.By 1987, the prices were up touching Rs 145,000=00.

[Stanher]

Nice write-up on the 2000's fiasco, anjan! That was very informative, thanks!

Sorry I'd meant to reply earlier but was out of town for a day.

[anjan_c2007]

Originally Posted by Stanher

Nice write-up on the 2000's fiasco, anjan! That was very informative, thanks!

Sorry I'd meant to reply earlier but was out of town for a day.

Thanks Stanher that was all from my memory and you may be able to add up or even correct me if need be. Standard would have made a difference in today's car market, had it survived, I am sure.

[anjan_c2007]

Some pictures of a Standard 2000. The front bumper is of a Contessa, the hood has been chopped off, but the dash, lights and most other components are original.

[Stanher]

Hmm......actually IMHO the chop top would've suited it had it been a 2-door- would've made a replica Ferrari Daytona conv.!

Is the steering wheel original with respect to these cars??

Also GBW is which state- Gujarat?

[anjan_c2007]

Originally Posted by Stanher

Hmm......actually IMHO the chop top would've suited it had it been a 2-door- would've made a replica Ferrari Daytona conv.!

Is the steering wheel original with respect to these cars??

Also GBW is which state- Gujarat?

Ha! Ha! for the Ferrari Daytona! Yes sure the steering wheel is very original. The shape is quite cute and unique, I very well remember. But I feel there was the STAMPRO logo at the centre.
GBW is Gujarat and a pre-1989 registration.Should be Ahmedabad if I am not mistaken.

[V-16]

I had the fortune of owning a Standard 2000. It was preowned.
By the end of its production cycle, the standard was coming in a beautiful black colour with black smoke tinted glasses.
Unable to get a car for around 2 months (not waiting period due to popularity but due to some other labour issues) i decided to scrap the idea of buying one. Then a dear friend wanted to sell his very sparingly used car done some.16000kms. The only issue was it was cream coloured. I remember him advertising it for 1.85. I called and offered him 1.5. Obviously he hung up as i had not identified myself.
When he found it was me on the line he called and apologised. He told me that he was sending his man with something for me in an hour, not revealing what it was. after an hour, i was called to my driveway where his driver had bought the car. So i got the car for 1.5 at the time when it was worth much more.

Dad was using the car and after about a year or so, i sold it for 1.5L to someone who dieselised the car with a Nissan engine and bought it back to show me. The car was faster and performed better but it rattled a lot, of course was not going to buy it back. I also recollect him selling it to someone for 1.85L within a few days.

Yes the car was sluggish with its original engine. In England it also came with a 3.5ltr(or was it 3.0ltr?) Rover V8 which was the police special. There was one white specimen in India too.

The Indian specimen was sloggish and a gas guzzler. It required planning to overtake, especially ion highways and refused to climb the Khandala Ghats with the a/c on

Then the spares which were so so expensive. Sometime later before the company went into problems and shut down, spares were unavailable. They were lying uncleared in the customs but the company had no money to release them.

I remember, the oil gauge going kaput. I also remember paying rs2700/- for fixing it as it needed an i/c. It was not a mechanical gauge. Same was with the speedometer. Not running on a cable as cars of that time used to.
On the whole a very regal looking car with acres of space in it but a wrong engine.

Most cars were fitted with a diesel and later junked. There were some left, i wonder if they run anymore.

[kavesh55]

Originally Posted by V-16

I had the fortune of owning a Standard 2000. It was preowned.
By the end of its production cycle, the standard was coming in a beautiful black colour with black smoke tinted glasses.
Unable to get a car for around 2 months (not waiting period due to popularity but due to some other labour issues) i decided to scrap the idea of buying one. Then a dear friend wanted to sell his very sparingly used car done some.16000kms. The only issue was it was cream coloured. I remember him advertising it for 1.85. I called and offered him 1.5. Obviously he hung up as i had not identified myself.
When he found it was me on the line he called and apologised. He told me that he was sending his man with something for me in an hour, not revealing what it was. after an hour, i was called to my driveway where his driver had bought the car. So i got the car for 1.5 at the time when it was worth much more.

Dad was using the car and after about a year or so, i sold it for 1.5L to someone who dieselised the car with a Nissan engine and bought it back to show me. The car was faster and performed better but it rattled a lot, of course was not going to buy it back. I also recollect him selling it to someone for 1.85L within a few days.

Yes the car was sluggish with its original engine. In England it also came with a 3.5ltr(or was it 3.0ltr?) Rover V8 which was the police special. There was one white specimen in India too.

The Indian specimen was sloggish and a gas guzzler. It required planning to overtake, especially ion highways and refused to climb the Khandala Ghats with the a/c on

Then the spares which were so so expensive. Sometime later before the company went into problems and shut down, spares were unavailable. They were lying uncleared in the customs but the company had no money to release them.

I remember, the oil gauge going kaput. I also remember paying rs2700/- for fixing it as it needed an i/c. It was not a mechanical gauge. Same was with the speedometer. Not running on a cable as cars of that time used to.
On the whole a very regal looking car with acres of space in it but a wrong engine.

Most cars were fitted with a diesel and later junked. There were some left, i wonder if they run anymore.

Great experience.
I remember as a kid, on a wet evening on Marine Drive, was in my uncles Ambassador and i could see a sleek looking car coming by. Looked good and 'international' by late '80 standards. It went ahead with huge tail lights lighting up as it braked. I still remember reading standard 2000, after it had gone ahead of us. i can close my eyes and revisit that.

[Stanher]

Originally Posted by anjan_c2007

Ha! Ha! for the Ferrari Daytona! Yes sure the steering wheel is very original. The shape is quite cute and unique, I very well remember. But I feel there was the STAMPRO logo at the centre.
GBW is Gujarat and a pre-1989 registration.Should be Ahmedabad if I am not mistaken.

Uh, what's so funny? I wasn't kidding around! Surely you know that this car (originally the Rover SD1) was designedd by David Bache, who'd earlier designed the Daytona?!
It's obvious from the front end!

And yes I too suspected the same about the steering wheel- should've had the stampro logo in the centre.

[wasif]

Originally Posted by Stanher

Uh, what's so funny? I wasn't kidding around! Surely you know that this car (originally the Rover SD1) was designedd by David Bache, who'd earlier designed the Daytona?!
It's obvious from the front end!

The Daytona was the inspiration for the David Bache designed Rover SDI. The Daytona was not designed by Bache but by Leornado Fioravanti at Pinninfarina.

David Bache worked all his career for Austin and his most famous & long lived design was the Land Rover Series 2 of 1958. The design with some changes is still used in the current Land Rover Defender.

He left Austin Rover in 1981 and started his own design consultancy "David Bache Assoceates"

[canonball]

We had a blue car from the first lot in late 85. It has grey interiros with fantastic grey carpet and wood finish the tamer earlier daker wood. We had her till 89 she was a beaut and had fond memories of her I will try and find pics. MFC 2658 was her number she had the standard! problem steering pump seals imported and replaced/speedo replaced/engine opened and bored out once!/height raised with spacer plates A shippy in Bandra had a white one and he had imported an orignal rover diesel engine (had nice red and silver head cover color)and transplanted it into the car I sure she must have been a great performer

[ajmat]

A sad execution.

I had an uncle (well an aunt married a scotsman!) who went through 4 of them from 1978 onwards. He used to organised conferences so he needed something that could cruise up and down and carry confernece material by the bucket load.

He drove like a madman, and I mean mad man - , he was a bully, three figure speeds, he got a ban or three months. Witnessed a superbiker giving him the finger because he would not let him pass.

He started with a Rover 2600 which he clocked 150000 miles. It was not worth anything so he kept it and bought a V8. Then he scrapped the 2600 and bought a vitesse. He after doing 100000+ in all of them, he bought one of the last vitesses. He also bought a BME 528i e28 but never looked at it and gave it to my aunt who sold it.

The Vitesse was amazing he kept it till 150000 then retired it. Meaning, he told his wife to use it and he bought a citroen XM. He could never sell that Vitesse.After the XM which he dumped on my cousin, he bought a lexus. Early 2000, he found he was suffering from cancer and passed away in 2001. Sadly, the vitesse got neglected and when I saw it six months after his death it was pared, gathering rust and a two tyres defleted. A sad end. They were going to sell it but someone needed to get it to shape. If I was in the Uk, I would have taken it!

[anjan_c2007]

Originally Posted by wasif

The Daytona was the inspiration for the David Bache designed Rover SDI. The Daytona was not designed by Bache but by Leornado Fioravanti at Pinninfarina.

wasif In fact the Pininfarina badge was prominently affixed to all Daytonas just ahead of the front door towards the front mudguard.
Quote from Wikipedia
"The Ferrari 365 GTB/4, better known by the unofficial name Ferrari Daytona, is a Gran Turismo automobile produced from 1968 to 1973. It was first introduced to the public at the Paris Auto Salon in 1968 and replaced the 275 GTB/4 but, although it was also a Pininfarina design (by Leonardo Fioravanti), the Daytona was radically different. Its sharp-edged styling resembled a Lamborghini more than a traditional Pininfarina Ferrari."

The Pininfarina studio badge in chrome

[wasif]

Hey Anjan.

The pic you posted below is of the 365 GTB/4 and not the Daytona though they actually share the same name.

Pictured is a Daytona and the Pinninfarina badge is clearly visible.

As you can see this is where Bache got his styling cues from specailly the front turn signals and the side profile