Rover 2000 goes for a drive
HTML-код
- Опубликовано: 27 сен 2024
- The Rover P6 2000 was one of the most innovative cars ever built, see why I love mine and would never part with it!
P6 Cutaway picture stuff- www.redbubble....
Furious Driving stickers, Ts and more here: rdbl.co/2tDXDb5
Rover Viking badge mugs HERE: Black - rdbl.co/2HzPw89
White - rdbl.co/2T5pL1f
Travel mug - rdbl.co/2TwTxkR
James Taylor's brilliant 'Rover P6' book HERE: amzn.to/2HhtEPq
and lots of other Rover and P6 stuff at www.furiousdriving.co.uk
O'h my goodness! One of my favourite cars. I have had Four! A 2000tc, a 2000sc, a 2200sc and a 3500s with a wheel on the boot. My favourite was the 2200sc. It took me all over the Uk when I worked on power stations. I was only 20 at the time but it when I saw it in gleaming white it said 'buy me' so I did. I have no regrets about any of the rovers i have owned, but the 2200sc was comfortable, smooth, refined, avg 23 mpg! Really! ............It had a glass tilt and remove sunroof with a deflector, truly marvellous. I used to sit at 65 mph on the motorway and the face level air vent above the steering wheel used to keep me awake. Seriously though when it started to rust I swapped it for a peugeot 604. Truly a terrible mistake. It is to this day one of the better built, reliable, well engineered cars of the day, if not of all time. My father had a V8-s SD1 at the time. My P6 was far more solid. Weak points...Very cramped for passengers, and boot not massive, that's it. No problems with a fuse box at all.
Thank you for this review.
What a brilliant comment. They said the P6 was over engineered but from what I’ve heard that is rightly so and they were clearly a great car!
We got 25mpg in a 3l mk1 Granada auto. That dropped to 16 with a caravan !
I had six of these.
My favourite was the 2200 SC.
God I loved that car.
Went round corners almost "upright"!
Extraordinary car!
I had two of these. A 2000SC from 1967 and a 2000TC from 1968. The most comfortable car I ever drove. The TC still easily kept up with today's motorway traffic and the brakes were stupendous. Such good looking cars too. I miss them.
These cars are ageless, they still look young and fresh ( awesome design) they certainly put the shivers up BMW and Mercedes.............
Enough so that they were used in the scifi film Gattaca.
BMW were not a big deal when this was launched they were famous for making bubble cars.
BMW were focussed on very basic vehicles when the P6 came out. Mercedes were focussed on more Bentley/Cadillac/Rolls Royce type of cars. The P6 went against things like the Citroens of the day. It was strange to see Citroen slide so much towards making cheap cars that they had to introduce a new brand name, DS, when trying to go up market again.
In 1967 I was A Salesman at Pierre's Motors in Portland Oregon. We were am MG, Lotus, and Marcos plus Rover Dealer. Way Pre Land Rover. My Demo that I bought on the US Bank Dealer Employee Demo plan cost $50 each month for 4 months then the balance was due. It was British Racing green with Black Leather and a 4 speed. The first Friday My Wife Paula and I went To the Cascade Sports Car Club Friday night Rally in Portland Oregon, and We were Mobbed By Admirers. Sadly Not Us, But The Rover. What a beautiful automobile. I next bought a White one, but just not the same. Went To Lotus next. Pierre's Fault. Wish I could find Sharon.... What a class act, Michael
Rover went to great trouble to make sure that all the switchgear could be identified by feel so you didn't flick the wrong switch if you kept your eyes on the road. Compare that to a modern car's touchscreen where you literally can feel nothing and have no choice but to divert your attention from where you're going.
that is a idea taken from a planes cockpit
I bought a 2000TC in 1969 & loved the car. Took it to Germany & did 110 MPH on the Autobahn. In 1973 I emigrated to South Africa & bought myself a P6B in January 1974 which I still have & drive still,it had many production induced flaws (by Leyland SA) ,which as I worked in engieering in the motor industry I was able to rectify & improve upon. I used to visit Rover for the company that I worked for in the U.K. ,we made steering & suspension components,& it was interesting to P6’s being built. The P6 was based on the Citroen DS, as a work colleague that I had whilst working at VWSA, had worked in body design at Pressed Steel & told me that Rover took a DS to Pressed Steel & told them they wanted the P6 constructed in the same manner. He said that Pressed Steel dismantled the DS ,but could not properly reassemble it & thus had to send it to Citroen in Slough for reassembly.
you forgot to mention that in a heavy front collision, the engine was designed to be pulled down and under the car ..
So did Citroen
@@akishot6735 So did Volvo.
@@michaeltutty1540 daily driver is a 1984 Volvo 245 Turbo. Kinda prefer them so so so much over Citroens
Always loved these cars but like Citroën their dealer and service network in the US made them not an option unless you were your own mechanic or rich or lucky enough to know one who could work on it.
I owned one of these - although when the engine blew up later in its life, the owner I bought it from fitted a six-cylinder OHV engine as it was cheaper - and I am in awe of the car to this day. Wheel alignments required special tools because the adjustment was up under the windshield. I'm unsure if the proposed engine was a "jet" but I have read that there was definitely a turbine planned. The 2000 had a myriad of adjustments, including window frame height and angle (to get correct weather-sealing against the rubbers), adjustable door hinges, and even adjustable ball-joints - there were bronze bushes in mine that allowed for wear. Even the front seats had height adjustments: you had to remove the long screws that secured the seat to the car, and then pack up the seat height with washers! Primitive, but it worked. I also loved that I could get cool air blowing on my face form the front air vents without it also blowing on my hands. Suspension travel was enormous, and the ride just sensational.
These P6s were the first of the new Rover trend to build cars with lower roofs, leading obviously to less drag more stability, better handling, acceleration, speed and respective improved mpg.
Great to see you sharing the 'love' they are terrific cars... I've owned many in UK and Oz. My current is a lovely Monza Red 3500S.
They are fantastic cars, I cont get enough of them!
Driving north to visit a relative in a Rover 2000, fan belt broke, car ground to a halt in the middle of nowhere, but 5 minutes and a pair of mum's tights later we were on the move again. I was a youngster at the time but I remember it well :-)
As a child, I remember my eldest sister driving one of these (it belonged to her father in law) up to the city centre. She took so long trying to parallel park (no power steering), that she eventually asked a passing gentleman to help her! Chivalry wasn't dead but he said it was like driving a brick! That's all I remember about the P6.
We had a VW Jetta which could be a workout at low speeds. However, front tyres at their top pressure made the steering vastly lighter !
Couldn't find any negative comments on the P6. I had one many years ago. An epic piece of engineering. Absolutely adored it. Any survivors should be treasured. Great video, if a little poor on sound. Thanks.
I don't think Ive ever heard anyone have a bad thing to say about them, apart from boot space and rust repair costs!
Sound is so much harder than people realise, I might treat myself to a radio mic if I hit 2000 subscribers over Christmas
@@furiousdriving ok. Count me in as as subbed. Your videos are great and love the car. Best of luck 👍
@@TheHorsebox2 thanks, I better get my credit car out!
Brilliant. Geraldine my 2000sc and I will be out this morning for a drive in the sun.
Worked on these cars after I completed my apprenticeship back in the 70s. There was a special tool for rewinding the pistons on the rear brakes.
The 3500s with the manual box was something special.
If only they carried on making cars like this, then Rover might still be around today.
Trouble is they went under the British Leyland umbrella in the 70s... That's when it went pear shaped.
They were labor intensive and eccentric. Adjusting valve clearance required removal of cylinder head bolts. Corrosion was the killer of the front suspension.
mr sneaky2010 the unions didn’t help either. I worked at Longbridge from 94 to 2002 and the Atmosphere at Longbridge was terrible. It was like a Constant battleground, between the unions and management. I can only describe as like being in a rough pub with that feeling like it was going to kick off at any minute.
I owned a secondhand TC version of this and it was easily the most enjoyable car I have ever owned. I never tired of driving it.
Mine was a pale green colour. 2200 SC. Aberdeen-Manchester and arriving fresh as a daisy in the 70s wasn't something you could do in many cars. Brilliant suspension - De Dion rear with inboard discs. Fronts were horizontal coils and a cantilever mechanism. And the seats were soooo comfortable. The Triumph 2000 was almost as comfortable and had a better engine (6 cylinders could take you from 10 to 100 without changing gear) but it wasn't anything like so elegant.
You said something so true that i will also Never forget the Triumph 2000 had so much torque low down If the throttle was gently treated you could accelerate from about 12MPH in top Gear to its max speed i mentioned 12MPH cause its as low as i dared go to in top gear, it was originally the 6 cylinder 1600cc engine as fitted to the Vitesse then bored out to 2000cc fitted to the 2000cc vitesse the Triumph 2000, n eventually the 2.5 PI (petrol injection) the Rover on the other hand Loved to be revved more so the TC, both where great cars the Rover more exciting to drive for younger drivers n the Triumph for the older driver, Lucas sadly went for a mechanical system for both PI n ABS, Bosch went for electronic systems, n where is Lucas now? yet Lucas electrical products where world famous for quality/reliability n their Batteries where the Best you could buy them days, also when the 6 cylinder 1600 was bored to 2000 n fitted to the vitesse It was such a joy to drive super smooth 6 cylinder engine n a light weight car Beautiful fun combination, was the golden age of British motoring from the Lotus's in F1 winning as many GPs in 10 years as Ferrari won in all their racing history till that time
I knew two people who went to buy a Triumph 2000 and were offered a 2.5PI for considerably less. They were so troublesome , and got such a bad name for this, that I think they were just dumped into the market at a loss. Luckily both these people continued with their plan, and bought the 2000.
Exactly. The 2500 PI had problem thrust bearings on crankshaft. One to be avoided. The 2000 was a great motor once the twin Strombergs were properly set up. Trouble now is that I'm too old and creaky to be greasing all those Hardy-Spicers!
Great cars the P6's. I own the 23rd oldest known 2000 which was the oldest daily driver until recently. I also own one of the last a 1976 V8 which I was covering around 10,000 miles a year in until last year. Very practical classics and cheap to buy.
I had a 2000SC but it didn't have inertia reels, just manual belts. They weren't compulsory in those days and I never used them.
The car was indestructible; I did have one funny incident though. The door hinges were just screws with a locknut. One of them had come unscrewed, I went over a bump and the left rear door fell off and I had to walk back and pick it up. It was heavy...I wound down the window, slung it over my shoulder, and walked to the car with all the dignity I could muster. I put it back on and twiddled the screw up and drove home. And it wasn't even scratched.
The first time I saw a Rover 2000 was when an uncle in the UK bought one in late 1963 or early 1964. His previous car was a 3.4 Jaguar Mk1. He missed the speed of the Jaguar, but preferred the Rover. It was very comfortable to ride in. The landscape architect who designed our garden renovation in 2000 had a 25 year old V8 version, which she loved passionately. A good car.
Daddy, back in 1967 had a choice between an MG Magnette MKIV, racing green, or a Rover 2000. The Rover looked low and small, in comparison. He chose the MG. I was 6 years old.
Great car . Last of the cars when Rover meant something
Super-cool car! My family had a 2000 TC in the 1960s. I finally got to drive a lovely 1967 example when I visited the U.K. in 1984. That car drove beautifully, even nicer than the Audi Sport of the same year (also a superb car). All I have are very fond memories of this remarkable machine... and a 1:43-scale diecast model in blue.
Your enthusiasm deserves a new mic. Sound is terrible.
Check my more recent ones, lapel mic all the way (and never trust the on camera one on a GoPro again...)
It is indeed terrible. Sometimes I can only pick out a few words.
He needs to slow down the delivery too. All a bit frantic.
It would sound better with the quarter windows closed. Sounded quite smooth despite that though.
Note, these are all comments from people with zero videos on their own channel. The RUclips equivalent of ‘back seat driving’!
Sweet memories, I had a 2000TC when I did the army service, I really loved the car even if it was hard to start in -20°C and it was a bit unpredictable on icy roads.
In summer roads it was great, I had a minor accident so it was left to it's destiny, but a few years later i got me the 3500 V8 and I enjoyed it a couple of years.
I even fixed some problems I had with it and repainted the whole car,it was in quite a good shape, I then sold it to a friend and was shocked to see the state of the car after awhile,he had this big dog that eate the whole interior of the car.
I'm glad to have had the experience of these cars.
Commisarations for dropping the camera 📷, remember a few V8's existed even out in the colonies of NZ.
Yes, even the straight 6, as well as the more familiar 1800 inline 4.
Thanks for the test drive and beautiful countryside.❤
Sorry, I was talking about the MGB, when the Rover review took over.😮
Pity you were competing with the plane overhead ❤
The Rover 2000 TC was Voted for 2 years running in Europe n the USA the best sports saloon car of the year in the 60s, on Top it would leave the 2000TI BMW for dead in the WET, nothing handled as good in the WET at that time, ( just like the Elan would do to the Porsche 356 in the wet) it also felt Very solidly build, I was a delivery driver worked for Poland street Garages in Berwick street west end n wolves garage in Russel square n the Rover 2000 was way ahead of anything else at that time a truly classic car, (even better than the 2.5L. V8 Daimler n its super silky smooth engine) most suited colour Tobacco leaf
Well in the future of 2020 you will enjoy HubNut's review of one.
@@emjayay looking forwards to it mate cheers
Just watching this after watching your latest video about how you make the videos. First time i have delved through your back catalogue. Only now am i realising just how much work you have put into this old girl, really hope we get to see her out on the road again before too long. I think she's been in your garage since i first started to watch your videos a few months back. Growing up in the late 60's and 70's, these cars i remember from my childhood, my mates dad had one, and i used to love going for a drive to the local motor factors in it. Right, i am off to browse more of your back catalogue!
My cousin had owned a 2000TC, that he had bought second-hand and my father had a 2000SC, that he, too, had bought second-hand. My father had a valve job done at a local Ferrari dealership and he found that the car was very responsive when he was driving through the countryside. One day he was driving along a country road where he took a sharp turn too quickly and the car rolled over onto the roof. He un buckled the seat belt and climbed out of the car and he started walking home. A few minutes later he ran into some friends who helped him tip the car back onto car back onto its' wheels. Although the side windows were all broken the doors would still open and close normally so he drove back home. A few days later he was driving around the city and he swerved to avoid a pedestrian when the car rolled over a second time. Again, he was able to walk away without any problems however he immediately sold the car because he had lost his faith in the car's handling. Fifty years later he is driving a Land Rover LR3 and he he says that the LR3 has the same level of luxury and comfort as the 2000; fortunately he has yet to roll over with the LR3.
i had one of these cars in New Zealand during the 70's and I loved it - swift, graceful and comfortable over any distance... still kept my workshop manuals in the hope to getting another one (as a weekender) or perhaps living in Australia the 3500 V8 although a nice 2000 would be just as fine!
I had a 2000 in Canberra in the esrly 1970s. Great car. Could cruise at speed limit in 3rd as easily as 4th. I discovered this through forgetting to change gear. I have friends now in South Australia who have v8s which allow them to safely cross the country on non highway roads at speeds which seem to indicate th was t the maps are wrong and it is not too far from Mildura to Meningie. When I worked in London I worked for a BL dealer and I preferred the SD1 3500 to the Jaguar XJ6. The quality control on both of them was abysmal, but by 1981 the Rovers were much better. Except for the pathetic single catch supposed to hold the big rear window down. I had one come undone at 107mph on a blowy and wet winter's day on the M4 once. Everyone else on the road took action to reduce the risk of being involved in my accident. But the car remained steady as the tail panel dropped down to being open about a foot and I safely slowed to a stop, slammed it shut, and was on my way at a sedate 95 until I reached Exeter. Good, but damp, memories.
My father had a 1966 model from near new. He always said it was the best car he ever owned. We were amazed it would do 80 mph in 3rd gear - quite something in mid 60s. Rust was the big weakness in UK.
They were designed to do 100 up the M1, but Im amazed they are able to do 80 in 3rd! Sadly everything rusts from that era
We owned a 1968 Rover 2000TC. I think it had a 120 BHP. It was a US version and had an Air Conditioner - which rarely worked. Because it was British is ceretainly had some interesting "quirks." One was instruments made by Smith. The second was Lucas electrics. The third was worthless bearings in the transmission. The fourth the was the water tempeture sender.
The Spedometer failed no less than 3 times and took forever to get a replacement. It also got me a ticket in Texas. The spedo was out and I was driving. My mom was in the backseat and asked how fast were were going. My father took out his handy dandy slide rule and figured out our speed by the RPM. He suggested I slow down because I was doing 105 mph. The police said he clocked me at 98 mph.
The generator? Maybe it was an alternator. In any case it failed in Flagstaff, Arizona. The only place to get a replacement was San Francisco and it took 3 days to get to Flagstaff. The new unit that was shipped in was, you guessed it, defective. A whole week to get another new one.
The bearings in the transmission started to fail at 4,000 miles. They were replaced under warranty with American bearings. The Dealer said it happened to almost everyone he sold.
An the there was water temp sender that screwed into the block. The metals were mismatched and electrolyses started and made a real mess. So many really neat engineerings innovations and stupid little mistakes that ruined what should have been a great car.
Absolutely gorgeous. I have only seen one 2000, at the shop I take my Volvo to. What a car. I loved them when they were new, and I love them even more now some 55 years later.
I've been a big fan of old Rovers since I could talk.
I still want one. And a P5. And an SD1. They're all very different, but that's a good thing, I have varied taste too.
They are fantastic cars, even the SD1 which was designed on a tighter budget is full of clever ideas, but once people have one you find people want to get the others as they are so different
Excellent review - the bits that I could actually hear. I gave up at eight minutes, but your video took me on a little trip down Memory Lane.
In 1964-68, I was an apprentice mechanic for Broadway Parking in Dunedin, New Zealand - the main Rover agent for the South Island and also agent for Jaguar, Citroen and Singer.
The Rover and Triumph 2000-series cars were announced in Britain in late 1963, but did not arrive in New Zealand until well into the next year. Triumph, preceded by a vigorous marketing programme, arrived first. Rover’s introduction was more understated.
In preparation for the Rover’s arrival, the Broadway Parking staff held evening training sessions. We would drink beer and eat nibbles while the Service Manager ran film strips (film strips were the 1964 version of PowerPoint - look it up if you want more details) showing technical details of the new model.
We mechanics were very interested in this car which was a complete breakaway from everything Rover had made, and was still making - the Rover P4 series, which was about to end with the beautiful 95 and 110, and the P5 3 Litre. My parents had a 3 Litre, of which I have fond memories - a lot of nice things happened to me in that car...
The 2000 was different in so many ways: independent rear suspension, 4-wheel disc brakes, crash-tested crumple zones, with the engine designed to go under the car in a head-on crash, instead of into the front seats, 3-point seat belt mounts for the front and rear seats, completely different front suspension, De Dion rear suspension, four speed, all synchro gearbox - no more crunch into first - and the engine! Single, chain-drive overhead cam, flat head, with the combustion chambers in the piston crowns. That was a surprise - pistons are meant to be as light as possible, right? Yet here were heavy pistons that looked like they belonged in a diesel engine. Weird!
The specialist tools started arriving, including body alignment jigs to be loaned/hired out to panel shops that would be repairing crashed 2000s and eventually, the first Rover 2000 hit the floor at work.
Pretty well immediately, we encountered a design fault in the differential. With the De Dion rear suspension, the rear brakes are mounted inboard, against the differential and soon we started getting cars with oil from the diff contaminating the rear brake pads. The problem was in the diff housing breather, which was four grooves in the shafts that were supported by the crown wheel carrier bearings. The idea was that the housing could breathe through those grooves, but with all the oil flying around inside, when the diff warmed up and the internal pressure built up, the grooves leaked oil all over the brake discs.
The Broadway Parking workshop foreman, a very clever guy, came up with a DIY modification. When we got a car that was leaking, we removed the diff and drilled and tapped a hole into the top of the long front extension housing, into which, we fitted a standard Rover axle housing breather. Problem fixed.
A while later, we received a service bulletin from Rover, advising of a factory modification to the diff breather. See, we were to drill and tap a hole in the extension housing…
Uh… thanks guys. We beat you to it...
The Rover 2000 was revolutionary, it was made to Rover’s exceptional standards and the finish, inside and outside, was superb. It was also overweight and under powered, which was nothing unusual in a Rover. The engine developed 90 horse-power (even today, I can’t think in terms of kilowatts, newton-metres and litres-per-100-kms -- I’m still back there in the horse-power and miles-per-gallon days), which gave the car a good open-road cruising speed, but it just took a little longer to get the that speed. Rover later introduced the 2000 TC, with some little tweaks to the engine - twin 2-inch SU carburettors, valve timing retarded 3 degrees - that bumped the output up to 114 horse-power, which was about equal to the Mark 1 3-Litre. However, on the few occasions that I drove a 2000 TC, I have to say that the difference between it and the standard car was not evident.
I left Broadway Parking in 1968 and went to Sydney on Phase 1 of my Big OE (Overseas Experience), where, for a few months, I worked for Grenville Motors, the Rover dealer. In Australia, the Rovers came with air conditioning and, back then, the compressors were twice the size they are today and soaked up a lot of an engine’s output. The first time I drove an automatic 2000 and turned on the air conditioning it felt as if I’d pulled the handbrake on.
The Rover 2000 was ahead of its time and earned the accolades it attracted, but I was never impressed by its performance, or by that of the 2000 TC. The model never really became what it should have been until Rover put that marvellous aluminium 3.5-litre V8 into it.
Audio kit has all been heavily upgraded since this video
When I was a lad, I had a good mate who's dad had a dark blue P6 2000. At the time, my dad had a Westminster and I was sooo envious of my mate's P6...I loved that car.
Nothing wrong with the Westie, mind...it's just not a P6.
I drove a lot of P6's in my motor trade days, the nicest one of all was a 1965 2000sc, dark green with cream interior. Smooth, comfortable, stylish. The fact it wasn't the fastest P6 didn't matter, the '65 car was absolutely lovely.
That was great, not just because of your enthusiasm but because it took me back to a nearly new 2000TC I inherited- a fantastic car and I loved it, rear discs aside.
everyone hates the rear disks!
He commented about limited boot space. That car doesn't have the fitting to put the spare tyre on top of the boot lid. The P6s with that option had pretty good boot space when they needed it. The tyre didn't even spoil the rear visibility all that much, and it only took a couple of minutes to move the tyre between its optional locations.
‘This is my feel good place’ I understand you, my BMW M Sport convertible is the same for me, even on winter tyres with no promise of the roof down it still is that place
Still love the Rover 2000 .It's awesome when I see one go by on the road. I had a 2000 T C...H reg in the 1970s..Wish I could buy one new Today..Loved that little gear stick and TC had a rev counter. Actually changing the rear brake pads was very easy.. If you unbolt the half shafts it gives you easy access to brake pads. You can wind callipers back in with your fingers and don't need any special tools like it said in the manual. It took me 1 hr a side.I think I may have unbolted the disc as well .Hard to remember after 40 odd years. Car was very easy to work on .All wings bolted on .Beautiful leather sears , very comfy..
I worked on Rovers at a main dealership from 1965 to 1977 on LOTs of p6 I also owned 2 and have never heard of the fuse box problem and yes they were a very good and great selling car
My Gramps had one of these. I loved being in the back, it was so cool and posh. Me Dad had a mk1 Escort with a sprint engine that sounded like a hooligan. Best of both worlds in the Sevs!
I certainly concur with you that they are one of the best cars ever. The balance of ride and handling has never been bettered. One of the safety aspects which you mentioned later was the steering box mounted to the scuttle. I've been in a head on smash in one of these cars and came out of it unscathed, though the car was a write-off. I presently own a Series II V8 with auto and a Series II TC with manual. The TC is a better choice than the single carb version - they go quite a bit better and on the Series II cars you get the much nicer instruments. I'd add two things to the negatives about them. With the front springs mounted against the scuttle, they do transmit quite a bit of road noise into the cabin. And the 4 cyl motor has the oil pump mounted quite high which means that oil pressure can be a bit slow in getting up if the car has been sitting for a week. But the positives relating to just how good these cars are to drive far outweigh the few negatives. One tip for TC owners is to replace the 3.54 diff with the 3.08 diff from the V8 car. The TC easily has the power to manage such tall gearing, and it makes them cruise far more nicely.
Yes, how many of us have written off one P6 only to go out and buy another one immediately after ! I hit a lamppost at 70 and did more damage to the post than to the car.
@Steve Prince they handled like a good rear-wheel drive car, a little more spongy than a BMW. A P6 comes without any fancy electronics, and in those days I knew nothing of winter tyres or snow chains. Any rear-wheel drive car on the ice or aquaplaning has pretty much no human control. The day I crashed, a mini had also hit a lamp-post on the same stretch of ice. Quite a common problem. The lamp-post was certainly strong, and cost £150 to repair or replace, but the P6 has an H-girder built into the rather wide sides of the car, and although it was seriously bent inwards, effectively writing-off the car, the rest of the car was pretty unmarked.
My mate bought a V8 minter for £500 in 1990. In red with black seats. I think that they were leather, but maybe Rexine.
The bloke he bought it off had a collection of 60s British cars, all in great nick.
This was my first car the P6 2000. After that I had 3 x P6 3500 auto and manuals. Great car always stop and stare when I see one on the road.
I still remember the day when my dad drove up in his brand new -69, yellow with black leather interior, what a car ! He sold it in 76 but its still alive and its for sale. Hmmmm, maybe i should get it back .....
My Dad had one of these (albeit a TC) many, many years ago and treated it like his baby. I remember on one holiday in Cornwall the speedo ribbon failed and the dash made the most horrendous noise for a while (not sure if it was meant to?). Being in the Army and a mechanic by trade as with everything we owned all those years ago he fixed it himself (as he did most things that went wrong on the car). I have fond memories of being wafted around in a white Rover 2000 TC about 50 years ago.
Had one, loved it. Bloke in an XJ6 turned in front of me at a staggered junction. Jag span round left side rear crushed, the Rover front left a lot of a mess. Floor pan was bent and that was the end. Sadly I had just rebuilt the engine and had the interior re carpeted and the seats re upholstered.
Thats really sad, not too long ago by the sound of it, hope you were OK and the insurance covered it
@@furiousdriving It was actually my second car. I think I got it when I was 22, so probably written off 2 years later. So 43 years ago or so. The guy who caused the accident was the owner of a car panels company. It's strange how things happen.
Insurance did not cover what I had spent on it, and my next motor was a one year old Teal Blue mini. A nice car that just rotted away.
P6s do tend to hook you this way. I adore my 68 Venetian Red TC, The pleasure I get from driving it is something else.
This is a great bio on a truly great car , thank you for posting this .
Great cars, I own 2 over here one being a 3500S (now with a 3.9 land rover motor and 5 speed) and a 2000 sc (That is getting changed for a 2200TC as the sc has seized up solid from sitting for 25 years in a barn). Still love to fly around in the 3500 as the suspension just sticks and the sound is amazing :)
That 3.9 with the 5 speed would be incredible
My Dad had one when I was a kid in the 70s, Lovely cars.
I owned one for two years. It spent 23 months up on blocks. Cost $150 per week to keep it. I swaped it for a holden ute. Best thing i ever did.
Brilliant video and and I say that not just because I love Rover P6's, the video is an enthusiastic and informative piece of classic car journalism, do some more please!
Thanks, I plan do do lots more soon
My mother had a harvest gold 2200SC. IT was a superb car. Almost the first I ever drove. Innovative and, as you said, invented a category they were sadly unable to capitalise on. Even if it did crib a few ideas from the DS.
Sounds outstandingly quiet compared to other vehicles in similar videos. I always thought they were astonishing vehicles. So futuristic looking compared with what they replaced.
it was a world away from the P4 and 5 and even though the 4 cylinder wasn't as smooth as 6 cylinder rivals it was a very calm thing hurl up the M1 at 100mph, although compared to a new car it is quite loud at speed!
My father bought a new tobacco leaf 2000 in 1970 and in 1976 a red 2200 tc.
Have many happy memories.
My dad had a blue one of these in the late 70s/early 80s. I remember loving that car. I was only 5 or 6 years old but I remember that speedometer and the big steering wheel too!
Its funny what sticks about cars, its always the smells with me!
I had one of these in the early seventies and loved it. It replaced my Mk II Jaguar. Why would I replace a MK II with a Rover 2000? The Jag was always falling apart! The service book recommended having all the screws, nuts, bolts etc. in the body tightened ever year, and it needed it. Even then, something was always working loose (or falling off).
Wow, I didn't know that was in the book! And Jag was the premium brand, a drop of Locktite would have done them a favour back then
What a beautiful car, the P6!
Excellent review, reflecting all my experiences with my 1975 2200TC 🙂
Passed my driving test in Dad's Rover 2000. Lovely car. And I vaguely recall it could make it up Telegraph Hill in Devon without changing gear, so plenty of power.
I owned three of these cars in total over a period of some years and they were one of the nicest cars I have ever driven.
I had one in my mid twenties and god I wish I still had it .
I had one in the 70's. Lovely interior and engine but like many cars back then the bodywork rusted and rotted.
A beautifully engineered car, but the design had its shortcomings. "The only two-seater four door saloon".
I had a 2200 version; beautiful car and a delight to drive.
So pleased that you liked this car. I had one in 1983, although I loved it, it never was very rapid as it needed five star petrol and you could only get four star and had to retard the ignition to try and stop it from pinking.
Lovely Car, Had my '71 for 10 years now and it's the best car I ever owned, been all over in it. Great video as well although the sound is terrible and you forgot to mention the collapsible steering wheel that is also a vital safety feature. Wonderful video though and great that there are people out there who are still so passionate about these cars.
Good video. Enjoyable to see your enthusiasm.
Great car, and last of the "Real Rovers"
I was lucky enough to own a 2200tc auto in factory finish two tone brown. It was a lovely car, still have the hub caps. Great nostalgic video. I'm lucky still.to own a Triumph 2500s ☺👍
I've have and had many, many P6s. I've never had an issue with the fuse box, or any of the wiring for that matter. My latest purchase is a NADA 3500s with less than 25000 original miles on it. Re-did the brakes with rebuilt calipers, put all new heater hoses, and drive it everyday.
Watch out as the glove box fuse box has become a very common fail point as its got old and has caused a number of fires. With brighter bulbs in the headlights mine got so hot the fusebox got soft and the fuses fell out
@@furiousdriving I never drive at night, so I've never felt the need to upgrade the lights. My TC2000 had a resistor added by my mechanic "Sparks", but again, I never drive at night.
My first car! 2000TC terrific. 1967. Drove it all the way to Naples when 18
I saw one of these on the roads for the first time in over 15 years and I couldn’t believe how small it looked! On british roads this was considered a big car, and at the time definitely not a vehicle you might buy mainly to do the school run however among the latest Ford Focus, Meganes and Mini clubmans etc, the P6 looks like a miniature version of itself. Exactly the same goes for the original Jag S type side by side with today’s “small” cars.. it looks tiny!!
On their own they still look big, as you say its when you park next to a new small car and realise the difference! Makes it easy to park though...
I think that's true for all old cars - have you ever seen the classic mini parked beside a BMW mini? - the classic looks like a toy car
@@bluegtturbo We have the opposite in America. The full size sedans from the 1960's and 70's are as long as a large SUV. But I guess our compact cars from back then would be about the same size as this Rover, just of a much poorer build quality.
aka the poor man's Rolls Royce. I learned to drive in my dad's F reg (petrol blue) 2000TC. To get reverse you had to lift up a lever on the gear stick. Tan coloured leather seats. Indicator stalk on the right hand side of the steering wheel. Loved it.
Thanks...always loved the P6 and wished so much that my dad had had one. At the time he had a Westminster followed by a Rapier but oh...I yearned for a P6.
Hi good video you like it as much as I love mine, I got the 3500 v8 I use it all most everyday, but mine has the slightly different dash, power steering, electric Windows, two fuel caps, rear head reset, and I have fitted 4 point harness in the back seat for my child and their friend, I have had to have welding done in the same place as you mentioned. Great review.
I rated my rover P5 coupe 3 litre 6 manual)as a fun drive as well. Giving a bit more gas on the downhill after Falmer and flicking the overdrive switch at 70 then breezing up up to the ton. Wonderful and quiet Miss that!
The V8 I used to drive had a fuel reserve of about 400 yards, very useful!
Very funny
I enjoyed your video & commentary of the Rovèr 2000. Such a superb car. Could you do a video on the Triumph 2000TC with overdrive! I look forward to this.
I had an old rover aluminum boot and bonnet, and the best feature a wheel that allowed you to free wheel down a hill to save gas.
But it burned more oil than gas.
In the days before illuminated switches every switch was a different shape so you could feel what you were switching on and off in the dark.
yes, its amazing how well it works
stole that from plane cockpits
@@redflag8970 . Hi, I never knew that. That is another little piece of information that I can store in my brain and bring out in conversation occasionally. Thank you.
My uncle had a Rover P6 in green,Triumph Herald in white &Volvo 240 in silver.
Crikey watching this for the first time in March 2020! Great video Matt, you are a bit more relaxed behind the camera now! Such cool cars and ground breaking, imagine where Rover would be now if they had survived and developed like this!
My father had a car like that from 1968-73. I stood in the back seat looking out of the rear window. Last week I was 50.
Owned one in South Africa..beautiful timeless design..
I had a 2000TC with the round clocks similar to the V8, it was meant to run on 5 star 100 octane, I liked it a lot, very strong car.
The last real Rover ! Genius. Still a handsome car today. .But a tiny boot.
I had a Tc here in the states in the early 1970's. Would never start on its own, I learned to park on a hill so I could roll to a start.
Lovely car, I didn't realise that it cornered so well.
A 3-speed Borg Warner 35 automatic was the only transmission available for the V8 until the 1971 addition of a four-speed manual 3500S model, fitted with a modified version of the gearbox used in the 2000/2200. The letter "S" did not denote "Sport", it was chosen because it stood for something specific on those cars: "Synchromesh". However it is important to note that the 3500S was noticeably quicker than the automatic version of this car with a 0-60 mph time of 9 seconds, compared with 10.1 for the default, i.e. automatic, car. Moreover, due to the fuel-guzzling nature of automatic gearboxes of this era, the manual car's official cycle was 24 mpg compared to the automatic's 22 mpg. [Wikipedia]
Probably the best car they ever made
Which, sadly, isn’t saying much....
I had a V8 P6 which was probably the most luxurious car I've ever owned as I normally go for things like Beetles, Imps and Escorts! :D
This car was way ahead of its time.
I still own a P6B (auto) with only 70,000 on the clock. Unfortunately it now resides far from home with my bodywork man who resprayed it a few years ago. I love the car to bits, but present circumstances prevent me from bringing it home. There are no garages where I live and it wouldn't last a year in the open air. For normal use I now have a Mercedes SLK 320. Fun car, but it will never work the magic of the Rover.
I've always loved these cars as a young boy used to adore the smell of leather and the clunk of the door. You didn't mention the boot mounting kit for the spare wheel or the TC. Is the bonnet correct, I may be wrong but I think it's for the V8. When the V8 was launched the battery was mounted in the boot as they didn't have room in the engine bay. Also, a radio was optional and there was a speaker grill under it in the front...but you could go upmarket and fit a rear speaker, in fact the grille was holed out on the parcel shelf and they even laid a cable to the front. By fitting a balance control on the right hand side, the level could be adjusted. Under the bonnet there is a air delay unit for the wipers, basically the wipers had a spade which pressed the air delay switch which until it had re-set, delayed the wipe. I found you can adjust this by turning the tiny screw. It's the same type switch as was used in flats for corridor lights.
All series 2 cars got the bonnet bumps so you can only tell by the hubcaps and badges if its a V8
I had a ‘66 back in the ‘70s. Great car. Wish I had known what I had. Ironically I replaced my TR 2000 with it. He’s right the Triumph was faster.
My dad did 250000 miles in one, was the car of my childhood, back brakes are not that bad to do on a ramp.
people used to cut a square out in the boot floor an put on a hinge to get easy access
I have a '65, has the better looking flat bonnet and alloy grill and the front bumper is higher up where the designer intended, the front end looks much nicer than on these later ones.