Ex Rover P6/P6B employee

davey one

davey one

New Member
Hello, enjoyed looking at the forum, so thought i would join ,worked on P6/P6B lines for 10 years done most jobs as i was a "floater" (covering all assy jobs ) if i can be of any help please let me know.
 
When are you coming down to NZ ? Ive got some jobs for you .!!!
Welcome to the forum , you sound like a national treasure .
What years did you work the line ?
Mines a 72 export p6b . Everything works and fits perfectly since the day she left the factory . Maybe you had a hand in its birth ?
 
Welcome Davey, good to have you aboard!

And, knowing what factories are like, I'm willing to bet you have some anecdotes about life at Solihull to share? :)

Cheers,
Stan
 
Hi GRTV8, Yes i was there in 72,(track speed was 12 per hour) but we ran two shifts (day and night)so its a 50% chance i could have worked on it! .Story one the first p6b base unit was on its own with p6s in front and behind as it came down the track towards the engine drop ,a v8 engine and gearbox waiting in the air boffins standing round ,finally it arrived at the high level,guy on the hoist pressed the down button while a pair of hand underneath grabbed the snub-er bar ....it jammed!! out it came again then down again ,the track was stopped the engine continued up and down as the boffins scratch there heads, in the end the base unit carried on minus engine and gear box as the engine mounts on base unit were wrong
 
davey one said:
Hi GRTV8, Yes i was there in 72,(track speed was 12 per hour) but we ran two shifts (day and night)so its a 50% chance i could have worked on it! .Story one the first p6b base unit was on its own with p6s in front and behind as it came down the track towards the engine drop ,a v8 engine and gearbox waiting in the air boffins standing round ,finally it arrived at the high level,guy on the hoist pressed the down button while a pair of hand underneath grabbed the snub-er bar ....it jammed!! out it came again then down again ,the track was stopped the engine continued up and down as the boffins scratch there heads, in the end the base unit carried on minus engine and gear box as the engine mounts on base unit were wrong
Click to expand...

Hello Davey one
I ordered my P6b from Perth West Australia in 1972 .Yes Im an old bugger . I wanted a/c and sundym so came ex UK and not NZ as a CKD .
When compared to my ozzie mates cars of that time , my P6 was so well engineered and fettled it blew the competition away . If you did have a hand in my cars assembly , I thank you as its such a stunning example that Im still enjoying it after 40yrs albeit not under the same ownership .
You go well my friend
Gerald
 
Hi Gerald, Glad to hear it ! such lovely engines the v8 , some days every sixth car on the track was NADO L/H or AU ,all seemed to have sundym glass and AC, the Australian TCs had twin brake servos( very hard to get your hand down the side of engine) and 6 bladed fans. If ever you remove the N/S/Rear wing and see a yellow chalk number it will give you some idea were it was on the track for every shift (stage 2 only ) , base unit built but no trim or panels would be # 1 built just leaving stage 2 ..#75 would be bare unit dropping on the start of the line (days)...#98-105( nights) .
 
Hi Davey,

Were there any major differences in the way the early and later cars were built? Mine is one of the first v8s (may 1968) so would be interesting to know :)

Thanks,

Rich
 
Hi Davey,

Welcome to the forum :) This is a great place, so you'll certainly enjoy your time here.

Look forward to reading your posts.. :wink:

Ron.
 
davey one said:
Hi Gerald, Glad to hear it ! such lovely engines the v8 , some days every sixth car on the track was NADO L/H or AU ,all seemed to have sundym glass and AC, the Australian TCs had twin brake servos( very hard to get your hand down the side of engine) and 6 bladed fans. If ever you remove the N/S/Rear wing and see a yellow chalk number it will give you some idea were it was on the track for every shift (stage 2 only ) , base unit built but no trim or panels would be # 1 built just leaving stage 2 ..#75 would be bare unit dropping on the start of the line (days)...#98-105( nights) .
Click to expand...

Hello Again
I see youve settled in my second choice for a home and lifestyle - Perth .
Lovely place for you to put the feet up .Esp after Sollihul. I hope you can surf ,or at least drink Emu.
People are oh so friendly and totaly enjoy life over there . I guess ,as its so far from anywhere , people I met just got on with it .
I purchased my Rover through Faulls in Subiaco at that time [ '72 ] . Great bunch to deal with .They even helped me bring her home to NZ a year later by arranging customs , transport etc. They filled my boot up with stuff in case I had an unscheduled stop on the Nullahboor . Fan belts , bulbs , oil , antifreeze even stone chip touch up . Prick of a road back then - unsealed bull dust and the odd abo trying to sell a spear . Dead cars everywhere , totaly stripped down to their undies . You didnt leave your car alone if you broke down on that buggar . Gone by lunchtime .
I would think Faulls would have up anchored by now . Maybe a sandgroper can throw some light on that one .

Thanks for that build #s info - unfortunately Ive had all the panels off and undersealed anything that looked like it wanted it . Chalk marks will be well preserved .
Have fun
regards
Gerald
 
rockdemon said:
Hi Davey,

Were there any major differences in the way the early and later cars were built? Mine is one of the first v8s (may 1968) so would be interesting to know :)

Thanks,

Rich
Click to expand...
Hi Rich,
No always built the same from day one on the one track SC,TC, P6B, P6BS,even police cars... lots of inspectors checking standards at each stage small upgrades speedo,dash,bonnet,trim etc as the years went by ,strange extras inc dunlop run flats (no spare) even a glass roof panel syn-dim of course !!
 
GRTV8 said:
davey one said:
Hi Gerald, Glad to hear it ! such lovely engines the v8 , some days every sixth car on the track was NADO L/H or AU ,all seemed to have sundym glass and AC, the Australian TCs had twin brake servos( very hard to get your hand down the side of engine) and 6 bladed fans. If ever you remove the N/S/Rear wing and see a yellow chalk number it will give you some idea were it was on the track for every shift (stage 2 only ) , base unit built but no trim or panels would be # 1 built just leaving stage 2 ..#75 would be bare unit dropping on the start of the line (days)...#98-105( nights) .
Click to expand...

Hello Again
I see youve settled in my second choice for a home and lifestyle - Perth .
Lovely place for you to put the feet up .Esp after Sollihul. I hope you can surf ,or at least drink Emu.
People are oh so friendly and totaly enjoy life over there . I guess ,as its so far from anywhere , people I met just got on with it .
I purchased my Rover through Faulls in Subiaco at that time [ '72 ] . Great bunch to deal with .They even helped me bring her home to NZ a year later by arranging customs , transport etc. They filled my boot up with stuff in case I had an unscheduled stop on the Nullahboor . Fan belts , bulbs , oil , antifreeze even stone chip touch up . Prick of a road back then - unsealed bull dust and the odd abo trying to sell a spear . Dead cars everywhere , totaly stripped down to their undies . You didnt leave your car alone if you broke down on that buggar . Gone by lunchtime .
I would think Faulls would have up anchored by now . Maybe a sandgroper can throw some light on that one .

Thanks for that build #s info - unfortunately Ive had all the panels off and undersealed anything that looked like it wanted it . Chalk marks will be well preserved .
Have fun
regards
Gerald
Click to expand...
Hi Gerald,...yes i do have a surf board and a cold one goes down well ! never heard the name Faulls in subi even when i worked for Toyota in car sales so must have gone before my time, gee that was some journey you did !!! it would worry me now and its a sealed road.
Dave
 
:) Hello Dave. Great to have someone with your background on the forum. I wonder - if you worked on production for 10 years, is there any chance that you had a hand in producing my '75 2200TC?
 
Hi Dave

Welcome to the forum. Always good to welcome another Dave :D

Looking forward to hearing your stories from the assembly lines. I too own a car that has a 1972 build date so it's good to hear from someone who worked there during that time.

Dave
 
JVY said:
:) Hello Dave. Great to have someone with your background on the forum. I wonder - if you worked on production for 10 years, is there any chance that you had a hand in producing my '75 2200TC?
Click to expand...

Hi JVY, By 75 I had been promoted to the test shop so i might have driven yours , my job was to rectify any probs the testers found ,although i did get to use the test track ........Dave sits in comfy chair.... lights up pipe ..another Rover story......my first day at the test shop i was to be taken on a few laps of the test track a 3.5s type was waiting,, we were going down the main entrance at 30 MPH when the tester placed a pound note on the floor in front of me "its yours if you can pick it up" he said as we hit the track he nailed it , down the straight with my head stuck to the head rest i was thinking "well he will have to brake for the first corner ill get it then" but of course under heavy braking the seat belt locks , for two laps i tried but never got the pound ,to be honest i was starting to feel a bit sick , all the testers had a good laugh when i got out of the car.
left the Rover at the end of 75 to move to Cornwall
 
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