The Rovering Member
Well-Known Member
Shades of Carroll Shelby & the AC Cobra there. 
Ex Rover P6/P6B employee
- Thread starter davey one
- Start date
JVY
Active Member
Thanks Dave.
My car was registered in March '75. So, I assume it was manufactured early '75. You must remember it, it was the Lunar Grey one
Seriously, now that you have further whetted our appetite, I wonder, what were the most common problems you had to rectify after testing?
My car was registered in March '75. So, I assume it was manufactured early '75. You must remember it, it was the Lunar Grey one
Seriously, now that you have further whetted our appetite, I wonder, what were the most common problems you had to rectify after testing?
davey one
New Member
JVY said:Thanks Dave.
My car was registered in March '75. So, I assume it was manufactured early '75. You must remember it, it was the Lunar Grey one
Seriously, now that you have further whetted our appetite, I wonder, what were the most common problems you had to rectify after testing?
Oh that one!! the lunar gray one, yes of course nice car he he , normal items were line up exhaust and snubber bar (tunnel vibration)adjust gear lever (hard to get reverse on manual)no start in P on auto ,stiff pet reserve, line up st/wheel, larger items, gear box oil leak,retrack, would be sent to major rec .Wind noise off panels would be adjusted by the body guys, bonnet whistle was the most common ( a3x2 !! was used under the doors for fine adjustments) , sparkies would fix lights HRW ,flashers, ice alert,wipers , etc not working.
After all the work was done and passed off by the inspectors it would be sent for a retest ,often coming back again with maybe a speedo noise,rebalance front wheels etc, some cars had been round the system 5 or 6 time with over 100 miles on the clock , everything had to be perfect before an inspector would put his # stamp on the build cards ,there was even red collar inspectors checking on the normal inspectors !!! . Some times the car would get as far as the valet line (last line before going into the car park) and some inspector would find a small mark on the rear deck panel ,back to stage 3 for panel change (panel line ) then retest....back through our shop ..passed off ...back to valet line.
GRTV8
Well-Known Member
A 3x2 for fine adjustment ? Bugger Ive been using a 4x2 . No wonder it doesnt fit properly .
I had a Ford dealer mate who would say '' if it doesnt fit on the front , try the back and if it still wont fit whack it with a hammer "
Im going to try the pound note gag on my grandson on our next trip together . Although mine will have to be a $5 note .
I had a Ford dealer mate who would say '' if it doesnt fit on the front , try the back and if it still wont fit whack it with a hammer "
Im going to try the pound note gag on my grandson on our next trip together . Although mine will have to be a $5 note .
davey one
New Member
Hi Dave, There did not seem to be any bodge ups although there were a few cock ups on the lineto make the day go by ,like you see the speedo guy fitting a KPH in a rhd MPH car or the glove box guy fitting a set of black ones when the sill carpet leather rear squob insert is red no one would say a word untill they finished oh the #!#!DaveHerns said:
davey one
New Member
Now can i pick your brains,does any body own a P6/P6B with a syn-dim roof ? as i saw at least 5 with them fitted ,made buy Pilkinsons it was the complete roof in glass, How many fuel injected P6Bs were made ?, as i only remember one or two on the track, Ialso remember going over to the experimental one dinner time and looking at a gas turbine car ,not a T3 or a Le mans but a two seater squarish body ? we had a chat to the guy who used to go home to dinner in it!!! and started it for us.
The sundym roof was made by Triplex, legend has it only 12-15 were made but this maybe a guess. There are a few around still, at least 3 or 4 in the UK, 1 or 2 in the USA and Australia, 1 in a shed in NZ and probably a couple in Europe.
Fuel injection... None made production. There were a few 2000s built with both Lucas mechanical injection and Brico electronic injection between 1966 and '69 and at least 6 V8s built from about 1970 with Brico efi. I have possibly the only complete surviving setup. I did a post about it here: viewtopic.php?f=5&t=9481&hilit=3500ei (No, I still haven't got it on a car )
For various reasons the injection project was cancelled. This was covered a bit in James Taylor's revised book last year.
The BRM/Rover gas turbine Le Mans car is quite well known, built to prove a point about the engine, more than a serious contender but quite a special bit of kit. That car is still around, as are most of the Turbine cars.
Fuel injection... None made production. There were a few 2000s built with both Lucas mechanical injection and Brico electronic injection between 1966 and '69 and at least 6 V8s built from about 1970 with Brico efi. I have possibly the only complete surviving setup. I did a post about it here: viewtopic.php?f=5&t=9481&hilit=3500ei (No, I still haven't got it on a car
)For various reasons the injection project was cancelled. This was covered a bit in James Taylor's revised book last year.
The BRM/Rover gas turbine Le Mans car is quite well known, built to prove a point about the engine, more than a serious contender but quite a special bit of kit. That car is still around, as are most of the Turbine cars.
davey one
New Member
Hello Kiwi Rover, Yes as soon as i read Triplex it all came flooding back don't know were i got Pilkinsons from (well its been 40 years) but there was a full pallet of glass roofs on stage 3 to be fitted!, never seen a 2000 with PI fitted only v8s, I did get to drive one on the roller test .KiwiRover said:The sundym roof was made by Triplex, legend has it only 12-15 were made but this maybe a guess. There are a few around still, at least 3 or 4 in the UK, 1 or 2 in the USA and Australia, 1 in a shed in NZ and probably a couple in Europe.
Fuel injection... None made production. There were a few 2000s built with both Lucas mechanical injection and Brico electronic injection between 1966 and '69 and at least 6 V8s built from about 1970 with Brico efi. I have possibly the only complete surviving setup. I did a post about it here: viewtopic.php?f=5&t=9481&hilit=3500ei (No, I still haven't got it on a car
For various reasons the injection project was cancelled. This was covered a bit in James Taylor's revised book last year.
The BRM/Rover gas turbine Le Mans car is quite well known, built to prove a point about the engine, more than a serious contender but quite a special bit of kit. That car is still around, as are most of the Turbine cars.
I wonder now what the little two seater jet car was ? probable just another test car. There was also a Leyland gas turbine truck fully loaded with large concrete blocks lapping the test track some days, also a Alvis armored carrier.
GRTV8
Well-Known Member
Ive got a full length glass roof in my Pug 407 SW . I can tell you , it gets pretty damned warm in there without the a/c on . It also has an electronically controlled sliding curtain that covers part or all of the roof at my wanting .
Those triplex units on the P6 would have been like living in a glass/hot house . Did they have a panel to cover the glass roof ?
The glass in the Pug has been developed to cut out all the heat invoking sun rays , and thats after 40yrs of advanced technology in glass uses.
Good on the P6 boffins for such forward thinking though .
Can see why the concept wasn't a smash hit down here in the hot parts of the planet .
Those triplex units on the P6 would have been like living in a glass/hot house . Did they have a panel to cover the glass roof ?
The glass in the Pug has been developed to cut out all the heat invoking sun rays , and thats after 40yrs of advanced technology in glass uses.
Good on the P6 boffins for such forward thinking though .
Can see why the concept wasn't a smash hit down here in the hot parts of the planet .
How many roofs on a pallet? No one seems to know for sure how many were made. Gerald, they had a zip-in headlining that could have the front or rear half open or the whole thing removed. They were usually ordered with a/c and the amblair upholstery.
Not really sure how many 2000s were converted. I think the Lucas car was a one-off for evaluation but there were at least 2 Brico converted TCs. One was sent out to be thrashed by journalists on a test day in late '66 and the workshop manual I have is dated 1969 so there would have been a few done I guess, but it appears that they dropped the 2000FI to concentrate on the 3500EI for 1970.
The gas turbine BRM: http://www.sportscars.tv/Newfiles/roverbrm.html
I could be wrong but I thought some turbine powered Leyland trucks actually saw production? Maybe not.
KiwiRover said:
You're not wrong. Leyland trucks marketed a gas turbine truck, at least one model of which was a 6x4 tractor unit rated at 44 ton GTW. Model GT16, the GT designation presumably to denote the gas turbine.
See here.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TTSvwwsmTYM
davey one
New Member
GRTV8 said:
Hi GRTV8,As i remember there was no curtain,in fact over the main offices the ones that were directors cars had silver foil stuck to the inside ,but maybe later a curtain was on the cards,the only head lining with zips was Police and CID cars for access to roof lights.
davey one
New Member
harveyp6 said:
Yes that's the one!! I see there is a comment"it was a bit slow on take off" not sure on that , but i once saw it coming back from a test run out side the Rover , it was coming up the Lode lane hill towards the Rover main exit at about 30 mph and i think the tester realize the workers were about to turn out at home time (they tend to block the road) and he had to pass this exit ,there was a mini in front of the truck ,I remember the cab lifting up and a howl as he pulled out and passed the mini fully loaded never seen a truck accelerate like that in those days. Also i remember the sound of Jet 1 as it came down our street once or twice a week all us kids would run out and stand by the road waiting for it to pass...oh i feel old now
A couple of the survivors i've seen do have the zip in hoodlining and it is shown in the brochure. Pics of a rather shabby one here: viewtopic.php?f=22&t=11641&p=92010&hilit=triplex+glass+roof#p92010 and a shot from a 1969 advert:
Though someone had one that they reckoned never had the lining as it was a prototype... so it's possible that the lining was added after a few trial models were made for directorial approval.
I think the 'slow take off' of the turbines was due to the turbine lag. It took about 3 seconds between pressing the accelerator and something actually happening. From a standing start this would be a while but while it was moving, probably not an issue.
When they were racing the brm they developed a technique of braking hard on the straight and then mashing the throttle before they got to the corner. If they timed it right the power would come on just as they were leaving the bend.
Though someone had one that they reckoned never had the lining as it was a prototype... so it's possible that the lining was added after a few trial models were made for directorial approval.
I think the 'slow take off' of the turbines was due to the turbine lag. It took about 3 seconds between pressing the accelerator and something actually happening. From a standing start this would be a while but while it was moving, probably not an issue.
When they were racing the brm they developed a technique of braking hard on the straight and then mashing the throttle before they got to the corner. If they timed it right the power would come on just as they were leaving the bend.
davey one
New Member
Great pics , first and last pics the zips look the same as Police/CID cars , that roof looks clear glass? or perhaps its the light ? . Police and CID cars had high boiling point brake fluid, larger shocks, different springs,front seats, certified speedo plus all the lights/radio , also a few for MI5 would you believe, stamped across the build card ....no machine guns behind the side lights,KiwiRover said:A couple of the survivors i've seen do have the zip in hoodlining and it is shown in the brochure. Pics of a rather shabby one here: viewtopic.php?f=22&t=11641&p=92010&hilit=triplex+glass+roof#p92010 and a shot from a 1969 advert:
Though someone had one that they reckoned never had the lining as it was a prototype... so it's possible that the lining was added after a few trial models were made for directorial approval.
I think the 'slow take off' of the turbines was due to the turbine lag. It took about 3 seconds between pressing the accelerator and something actually happening. From a standing start this would be a while but while it was moving, probably not an issue.
When they were racing the brm they developed a technique of braking hard on the straight and then mashing the throttle before they got to the corner. If they timed it right the power would come on just as they were leaving the bend.
The Rovering Member
Well-Known Member
harveyp6 said:
Nice. 8) I wouldn't mind using that for my run one night.
ghce
Well-Known Member
I think that particular prototype concept car was only a V8.
I will post a link to a motor 1968 review when I upload it to scribd.
Done here is the link http://www.scribd.com/doc/135710322/Rov ... mental-Car
and here http://www.scribd.com/doc/135710832/Rover-P6BS
Graeme
I will post a link to a motor 1968 review when I upload it to scribd.
Done here is the link http://www.scribd.com/doc/135710322/Rov ... mental-Car
and here http://www.scribd.com/doc/135710832/Rover-P6BS
Graeme