New images have been discovered showing one of a north-east’s transport museum’s prized artifacts prior to its restoration.
Grampian Transport Museum first took possession of the 1985 Rover SD1 Vitesse, a former police car, in 2015.
The 190bhp, 3.5-litre V8 machine was used to chase speeders on the north-east’s busiest roads, and was nicknamed “the Beast” by Grampian traffic cops.
It is estimated the car was used to snare about 1,200 speeders in the area prior to the introduction of speed cameras.
The vehicle is now a regular attraction at the award-winning museum’s events, usually driven by Ian Slorach, who was one of the cops behind the wheel when it was in active use.
Prior to 2015, the model had passed through GTM as part of its annual car auction in the 1990s where it had been taken by then owner, local man Don McAskill.
Now the museum has taken possession of a number of images documenting the day, which were handed in by police car enthusiast Mike Scott.
The images show the car prior to its restoration, with a battered and rusty exterior, when it had been converted into a plain white Rover SD1.
GTM is now appealing for any other motoring fans in the area to come forward with images.
“We are slowly building the file for this exhibit and would like to hear from anyone with photos or info relating to the car,” said Mike Ward, curator.
The force sold the car in the late 1980s and it subsequently fell into disrepair.
A local car enthusiast then bought the motor – which by this point was just a white Rover SD1 – and refitted the engine and gearbox, saving it from being scrapped in the early 1990s.
But it was not until more than a decade later that the vehicle was restored to its former glory.
The Vitesse will next be on display at GTM’s emergency services day on August 3.
