I really enjoyed watching this video, In 1956 (ish) I bought my first car for £60, I seem to remember it was a Rover ? the one thing that impressed me was the car had a ` car-jack` that was operated from inside the car, you clicked a button and it lifted the car off the ground to change a tyre., I just love these old cars, I am 87 and terminally ill, but I still love classic cars.
Well done, well done, well done! For saving the car, for giving a very interesting tour of it and for showing us inside the boot - something that hardly anyone does. I've waited decades to see inside the boot of a P2 Rover.
A very interesting video, I thought these ones were side valve, I'm guessing these are the same engines that went in the 75. Looks like a dignified old gentleman, the leather seats have stood up really well. Thanks for that.
Thanks for the comment, the engine in the 75 (the P3) is overhead inlet side exhaust or IOE - inlet over exhaust. They carried that design into the P4 straight six engines too. Very smooth and well engineered. Cheers
The little lights on the top of the wings not only look nice, but converting them into indicators is a great idea! Also the fact that it STILL HAS it's semaphore indicators, and THEY flash as well, is just the classiest thing! You've got a nice CAR, and a nice HOUSE as well - what's not to like!
I have 2 P2's and a P1, I would be interested in the method and parts you used to fit the seat belts. It is a project I would want to do early next year. Love the tour by the way and what you have done so far.
I only fitted front seat belts in the P2. I fitted them front and back in the 38 P1 but the rear mounting points were less straight forward. I welded plates in the door pillars with unf nuts to accept the standard seat belt bolts, also welded plates into the sill section at the base of the door pillars to take a bracket for the inertia reel. The mounting points for the buckles needed an extra support beneath the floor to transfer the potential load to the chassis. I expect you could fit the inertia reels without welding but I was replacing rotten sills anyway but you'd definitely have to weld the upper fixings in place. I'll get further details for the buckle fixings if you're interested. Cheers
Lovely to see! When I was a kid in the early sixties, my dad had a 12, which I think was the six-light body. I don't recall the chassis lube facility but I remember the leather seats and free wheel very well, plus the trafficators and the knobs for starting the windscreen wipers. It had a lot of character and we had a holiday driving from Northumberland to Cornwall. On the way, the starter motor fell off when going over a level crossing, so my dad started her with the handle after that.
They were a quality car with engineering above the standard of many others. I'm pretty sure starter motors falling off weren't a common problem 🤔😂 They're almost up to the standard of many cars of the 70s
@@vintageandclassicdailydriv1913 I guess you're right. This was in 1963, I think, and the previous owner had abused the car. I think it dated from 1948. It was a good car but had suffered badly from neglect before it cane to us.
The engines were all overhead valves, even in the thirties. Many other manufacturers still used the less efficient side valves well into the fifties and sixties. Everything on them has an over engineered quality, many things on mine have just been stripped, cleaned and reassembled. The engine in mine has never been rebored or had a crank regrind - pretty amazing really.
What a lovely old girl - keep her just the way she is ! Just found your channel by chance, thanks for a very interesting video - looking forward to investigating your channel now. Take care 🙂
It started as a Rover company staff car probably issued to a salesman. It was registered in Warwickshire (where Rover was based) along with several others the same day. After that the only information I have is that it was found in a woodland in Aberdeenshire less than ten years ago and I bought it in a terrible state from a bloke in Aberdeenshire that had given up thoughts of restoration when he found out that he couldn't retrieve and sell the registration. What happened in the meantime is anyone's guess! Thanks for the nice comments. Cheers
Wow - I was just about to ask if it was GAC 15 when you announced it!. I knew the car in the late seventies into the early eighties, when a friend took it on a trailer to Scotland. I know more about it if you want to contact me.
@@vintageandclassicdailydriv1913 The car was in Leytonstone, east London until 1983/4 when it was sold by one of my friends to another, who went to live in a Croft in Strathbogie, Scotland. The car was in nice original condition then, with no rust. I remember some of the black paintwork being polished to a high shine, and the Art Deco door trims with the quick release window on the driver’s side. It was being modified into a hot rod but without hurting the structure of the car at all. Jaguar E type suspension was made to bolt straight onto the front end, and the engine was an eight litre Pontiac unit. Everything was being done carefully so that it could always be returned to original. The original engine was present, I think and I seem to remember that the chassis had a self lubricating system working off the suspension. I know the logbook was present, and I think updated when things changed at DVLA. I’ll try to find out more. David
@@davidleversha4898 thanks, when I got it there was no engine or gearbox. Front suspension was original Rover but not installed, the rear axle was from a 60s rover and badly fitted and the bodywork was very rough. It had obviously had a hard life.
@@vintageandclassicdailydriv1913 the second friend who had it was not quite the engineer the first friend was!. The 60’s axle was going to be used to take the power of the GTO engine. The bodywork was great when I last saw it. The car went to Scotland in pieces unfortunately. I spoke to Roy this morning, who had it originally, and he said it had a show engine with it - stove enamelled in grey, with lots of chrome. If we can get in touch privately, I can give you Roy’s number if you’d like, as he knows loads about the car. It was ‘just an old car’ in those days, but the hotrod job planned was still going to be done carefully, as I said, so as not to ruin what has become a rare car. I think in Scotland it must have been left outside, whereas for years in London it was in a Victorian mews garage, kept dry and covered. I can smell the car now! 😁 …and how about the built in jacks? Great idea.
It'd be interesting to speak with Roy. Rovers never had built in jack's but they have hatches in the front floors in front of the seats, open them and insert the jack (stored in the boot) and wind the handle. It must be the balance point of the car as it lifts the front and rear equally, you're right about the smell though, it's distinctive! Cheers Email me at vince6094@gmail.com.
Thanks Alastair. Yes, rod brakes all round. They pull up nice and straight but you do have to anticipate more than a modern and also use more force than we are used to now. It doesn't take long to get used to it. I expect you could also have softer friction material for the brake shoes when they get relined. I've not had a problem yet!
Not many shows by us but it gets used pretty much as a daily driver. Last summer we did a 2500 mile month long holiday to see friends and family and something similar planned for later this year. I'm not really a 'show' person, just use them. Cheers
Absolutely luv it and it's original patina well done for the results you've got.
I did a P4 Cyclops ( GBL 461 ) in the similar vein over 10 years ago
My grandfather had a rover p2 .this is one classic car I wood like to own
I really enjoyed watching this video, In 1956 (ish) I bought my first car for £60, I seem to remember it was a Rover ? the one thing that impressed me was the car had a ` car-jack` that was operated from inside the car, you clicked a button and it lifted the car off the ground to change a tyre., I just love these old cars, I am 87 and terminally ill, but I still love classic cars.
Well done, well done, well done! For saving the car, for giving a very interesting tour
of it and for showing us inside the boot - something that hardly anyone does. I've
waited decades to see inside the boot of a P2 Rover.
Thanks
A very interesting video, I thought these ones were side valve, I'm guessing these are the same engines that went in the 75. Looks like a dignified old gentleman, the leather seats have stood up really well. Thanks for that.
Thanks for the comment, the engine in the 75 (the P3) is overhead inlet side exhaust or IOE - inlet over exhaust. They carried that design into the P4 straight six engines too. Very smooth and well engineered.
Cheers
The little lights on the top of the wings not only look nice, but converting them into indicators is a great idea! Also the fact that it STILL HAS it's semaphore indicators, and THEY flash as well, is just the classiest thing! You've got a nice CAR, and a nice HOUSE as well - what's not to like!
I rebuilt both from wrecks, I like the challenge 😁
Cheers
I have 2 P2's and a P1, I would be interested in the method and parts you used to fit the seat belts. It is a project I would want to do early next year.
Love the tour by the way and what you have done so far.
I only fitted front seat belts in the P2.
I fitted them front and back in the 38 P1 but the rear mounting points were less straight forward.
I welded plates in the door pillars with unf nuts to accept the standard seat belt bolts, also welded plates into the sill section at the base of the door pillars to take a bracket for the inertia reel.
The mounting points for the buckles needed an extra support beneath the floor to transfer the potential load to the chassis.
I expect you could fit the inertia reels without welding but I was replacing rotten sills anyway but you'd definitely have to weld the upper fixings in place.
I'll get further details for the buckle fixings if you're interested.
Cheers
Lovely to see! When I was a kid in the early sixties, my dad had a 12, which I think was the six-light body. I don't recall the chassis lube facility but I remember the leather seats and free wheel very well, plus the trafficators and the knobs for starting the windscreen wipers. It had a lot of character and we had a holiday driving from Northumberland to Cornwall. On the way, the starter motor fell off when going over a level crossing, so my dad started her with the handle after that.
They were a quality car with engineering above the standard of many others. I'm pretty sure starter motors falling off weren't a common problem 🤔😂
They're almost up to the standard of many cars of the 70s
@@vintageandclassicdailydriv1913 I guess you're right. This was in 1963, I think, and the previous owner had abused the car. I think it dated from 1948. It was a good car but had suffered badly from neglect before it cane to us.
The engines were all overhead valves, even in the thirties. Many other manufacturers still used the less efficient side valves well into the fifties and sixties. Everything on them has an over engineered quality, many things on mine have just been stripped, cleaned and reassembled. The engine in mine has never been rebored or had a crank regrind - pretty amazing really.
@@vintageandclassicdailydriv1913 I recall that ours needed a rebore but I also remember how solidly built it was and how quiet it was to ride in.
Your Rover looks great. I'm with you on leaving the car as is, with just necessary repairs. One of my favourite cars. Thanks for posting.
Cheers Dave. It gets mixed reactions but generally positive - even from the shiny brigade!
What a lovely old girl - keep her just the way she is ! Just found your channel by chance, thanks for a very interesting video - looking forward to investigating your channel now. Take care 🙂
Thanks for the feedback.
I'm thinking about investing in a better camera and posting more. It's good to know people find it interesting.
Cheers
Brilliant, such dedication keeping the original patina look. And with only minor subtle improvements . Well done you,
Love to know its history though.
It started as a Rover company staff car probably issued to a salesman. It was registered in Warwickshire (where Rover was based) along with several others the same day. After that the only information I have is that it was found in a woodland in Aberdeenshire less than ten years ago and I bought it in a terrible state from a bloke in Aberdeenshire that had given up thoughts of restoration when he found out that he couldn't retrieve and sell the registration.
What happened in the meantime is anyone's guess!
Thanks for the nice comments.
Cheers
@@vintageandclassicdailydriv1913 thank you for the info, much appreciated.
I knew this car in the 50s. It belonged to a Mr R Rhodes who was a keen caravaner and lived in Gerrards Cross Bucks.
Wow - I was just about to ask if it was GAC 15 when you announced it!. I knew the car in the late seventies into the early eighties, when a friend took it on a trailer to Scotland. I know more about it if you want to contact me.
That'd be great, I know very little about its history.
@@vintageandclassicdailydriv1913 The car was in Leytonstone, east London until 1983/4 when it was sold by one of my friends to another, who went to live in a Croft in Strathbogie, Scotland. The car was in nice original condition then, with no rust. I remember some of the black paintwork being polished to a high shine, and the Art Deco door trims with the quick release window on the driver’s side. It was being modified into a hot rod but without hurting the structure of the car at all. Jaguar E type suspension was made to bolt straight onto the front end, and the engine was an eight litre Pontiac unit.
Everything was being done carefully so that it could always be returned to original. The original engine was present, I think and I seem to remember that the chassis had a self lubricating system working off the suspension. I know the logbook was present, and I think updated when things changed at DVLA. I’ll try to find out more. David
@@davidleversha4898 thanks, when I got it there was no engine or gearbox. Front suspension was original Rover but not installed, the rear axle was from a 60s rover and badly fitted and the bodywork was very rough. It had obviously had a hard life.
@@vintageandclassicdailydriv1913 the second friend who had it was not quite the engineer the first friend was!.
The 60’s axle was going to be used to take the power of the GTO engine. The bodywork was great when I last saw it. The car went to Scotland in pieces unfortunately. I spoke to Roy this morning, who had it originally, and he said it had a show engine with it - stove enamelled in grey, with lots of chrome.
If we can get in touch privately, I can give you Roy’s number if you’d like, as he knows loads about the car. It was ‘just an old car’ in those days, but the hotrod job planned was still going to be done carefully, as I said, so as not to ruin what has become a rare car. I think in Scotland it must have been left outside, whereas for years in London it was in a Victorian mews garage, kept dry and covered. I can smell the car now! 😁
…and how about the built in jacks? Great idea.
It'd be interesting to speak with Roy.
Rovers never had built in jack's but they have hatches in the front floors in front of the seats, open them and insert the jack (stored in the boot) and wind the handle. It must be the balance point of the car as it lifts the front and rear equally, you're right about the smell though, it's distinctive!
Cheers
Email me at vince6094@gmail.com.
Lovely car Vince, I understand they have cable / rod brakes, how do they cope in modern traffic?
Thanks Alastair.
Yes, rod brakes all round. They pull up nice and straight but you do have to anticipate more than a modern and also use more force than we are used to now.
It doesn't take long to get used to it. I expect you could also have softer friction material for the brake shoes when they get relined. I've not had a problem yet!
Is the car on the road going to shows etc ?
Not many shows by us but it gets used pretty much as a daily driver. Last summer we did a 2500 mile month long holiday to see friends and family and something similar planned for later this year.
I'm not really a 'show' person, just use them.
Cheers
Unlike P3 - P2 has no lower boot floor ...