| This
is an absolutely sweet example of one of the earliest Rovers ever
made. In 1955, there were only six years of production on the
road. It is these early examples that are ever increasingly hard
to find, especially nice examples such as this one. It is an 86"
wheelbase, (the original 80" wheelbase was lengthened to
86" with the '54 model year) 2.0 liter straight four gas
engine, soft top (the soft top did not survive the trip across
the Atlantic, a new one will be fitted!), right hand drive, that
is just about completely original. It was fully restored four
years ago, with a rebuilt engine and gearbox, new tires, and new
paint, among other things. Most importantly, the chassis and bulkhead
are superb.
I
have to say, that in the past the Series One Rovers that I drove
were fun from an historical standpoint, but not much to write
home about performance-wise. This Rover has changed my mind-
This little 2.0 liter side valve engine is as sweet as a nut,
and zips around quite nicely. The steering is very light, and
the brakes work perfectly. The gearbox, once you get the pattern
down, is also a joy.
This
very rare 86" Series One was only in production for two
years; this was the 8067th Series One built for the '55 model
year, and it must have been built sometime in the late summer/early
fall, when you consider that there were only 118 '55 home market
Series Ones built after this one!
Please
give us a call for more information on this Rover, we would
be happy to forward more photos and details. Also, feel free
to come down anytime for a test drive, and we can show you our
future home, just up the road: an 1830's steam plant that we
are slowly restoring to its former glory. Just give us a call
at 215-426-BRIT.
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