Tag Archives: Rover

Move Over Henry Let Rover Take Over – Reliant Scimitar GTE V8

The Reliant Scimitar GTE can trace it’s origins back to two vehicles, the chassis is a direct descendent of Reliant Sabre and the fibre glass body which is a direct descendent Ogle SX250 a privately commissioned prototype coupe built on a Daimler SP250 chassis.

The Ogle SX250 design, which was offered to and turned down by Sir Williams Lyons who owned Daimler, was purchased by Reliant and with a few modifications required to fit the Reliant Sabre 6 chassis became the Reliant Scimitar GT SE4, production models were powered by a variety Ford engines in straight 6 and V6 configurations.

In 1968 Tom Karen, who had completed the design of the Ogle SX250 after originator David Ogle had been killed on his way to the Brands Hatch racing circuit, and Peter Bailey worked on the design of the Reliant Scimitar GTE.

With the addition of a rising waist line the GTE was a development of the 1966 Ogle Triplex Scimitar GTS concept car which had featured 43 square feet of safety glass, a vehicle eventually purchased by Prince Phillip.

Like the preceding Reliant Scimtar GT SE4 Ford engines were used to power the GTE SE5 production models though only the 2994 / 182.7 cui Essex V6. Interestingly the aforementioned Peter Bailey acquired the prototype GTE and had a 4735 cc/ 289 cui Ford V8 fitted which gave the prototype a top speed of 150 mph.

Somewhere along the way this Scimitar GTE has acquired a 3528 cc / 215.9 cui V8 engine which the engine size and badges suggest is an all alluminium Rover Buick derived unit which could have been sourced from any number of vehicles ranging from MGB V8, Rover 3.5 Coupe, Rover SDI, Triumph TR8 or conceivably even a Land or Range Rover.

My thanks to Dave Poole of sporting-reliants.com whose excellent website covers the Reliant story in fascinating illustrated detail.

Thanks for dropping in on this Ogle designed edition of ‘Gettin’ a lil’ psycho on tyres’, I hope you will join me again tomorrow for Ferrari Friday. Don’t forget to come back now !

English Corvette – TR7 V8

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The prototype V8 powered Triumph TR7 variant was produced as early as 1972. The performance of the model led to these vehicles being dubbed English Corvettes in some circles.

The Triumph TR8 Coupe was in production from 1978 to 1980 the TR8 Drophead was designed by Michelotti and introduced in 1980 continuing in production until 1982.

As a result of poor labour relations and the inherent industrial action it is thought that only 400 TR8 Coupes were built along with an estimated 2400 Dropheads, the majority of which were sold in the United States and Canada.

In other countries outside North America some TR7 owners upgraded their cars with variations of the all alloy Buick / Rover 3528cc / 215 cui V8. From the best records available to me this appears to be one such upgraded car.

My thanks to the Pistonhead who brought this TR7 V8 along to the Sunday Service at the BMW plant back in January.

Slightly off topic, why is it the only time ‘my’ driver ‘Happy’ Harvick wins a cup race I am too busy too catch it ?

Congratulations to Kevin, who is misquoted to give this blog it’s name, and the #29 Richard Childress Team 🙂

Hope you have enjoyed today’s English Corvette edition of ‘Gettin’ a lil’ psycho on tyres’ and that you will join me again tomorrow. Don’t forget to come back now!

Replica Rallysprint – Triumph TR7

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The Triumph TR7 was manufactured from 1974 to 1981.

Works competition versions of the TR7 run by British Leyland from 1976 to 1978 were initially powered by the Dolomite Sprint 16 valve engine and later switched to the ubiquitous (in the UK) aluminium Buick derived Rover V8.

This is vehicle has replica paintwork of a Triumph works rally car registered OOM512M which was used in the 1978 Texaco Rally Sprint a staged for TV event run at at Esgair Dafydd, in Wales, won by Per Eklund in a later Triumph TR7 with Tony Pond coming second in the #6.

If the registration plates on this particular are original then this TR7 was first registered in Birmingham in 1976 and it is fitted with the later Rover V8 engine according to the records made available to me.

My thanks to Tim Murray and RS2000 at The Nostalgia Forum for their help identifying the event in which OOM512M ran.

Hope you have enjoyed todays Rallysprint edition of ‘Gettin’ a lil’ psycho on tyres’ and that you will join me again tomorrow. Don’t forget to come back now !

Sunday Service – MINI Plant Car Park

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I took the 191,000 mile Passat out for a 180 mile spin yesterday to the MINI plant in Cowley just outside Oxford where the PistonHeads had organised a Sunday Service, a free gathering of 800 folks who like to worship their cars.

When I read through the list of vehicles that were booked to attend including a Ferrari California at the top of the list, my sceptical, if it’s too good to be true on the internet it is, side imagined some of those hoping to attend might be having a laugh.

However as evidenced by this very expensive tax disc, many people did in fact turn up in the vehicles promised, of the 50 plus vehicles from 28 manufacturers I photographed there were two current different model Rolling Royces, five Ferraris, helping to secure Ferrari Fridays for a while yet (!), 5 Bristols in 4 flavours a couple of Chevrolets and a 1938 Ford Deluxe Hotrod.

On an absolutely freezing morning the MINI visitor provided a welcome shelter with a completely eclectic collection of Mini’s both originals and Retro models photo’s of which I look forward to sharing in the fullness of time.

The meeting started at 9 am prompt and we were asked to clear the area by 1 pm. Ironically the afternoon drive home was in brilliant sunshine which would have been very welcome while I was taking these pix, but I guess we can’t have everything, certainly not in January.

With over 400 photographs to sort out I thought I’d share a handful of details to give you a flavour of what is to come here at Gettin’ a lil’ psycho on tyres !’

I’d like to thank everyone at Pistonheads and the MINI visitor centre who made my first Sunday Service so much fun and finally I’d like to thank all the PistonHeads who brought such a fascinating collection of vehicles.

Hope you enjoyed some of the details in today’s edition of ‘Gettin’ a lil’ psycho on tyres’ and that you’ll join me again tomorrow for a trip inside the MINI Visitor centre. Don’t forget to come back now !

Move Over – Rover P6… Cabriolet !

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The other day I was ambling along to the shops in the bright sunshine and I caught a glimpse of an old school chrome bumper through a hedge, it was attached to a Rover P6 (marketed as a Rover 2000) I didn’t think much of it till I got around the corner and it registered there was something odd, the roof was missing.

I went back to check and sure enough this is a Rover 2000 4 door cabriolet. I have no idea where or when the conversion was done, probably when the car was at least 12 months old to avoid attracting additional car purchase tax.

The Rover P6 Series 1 was in production from 1963 – 1973. This particular model was relatively underpowered by a 104 hp single carb, 1978 cc 120 CUI Heronhead (flat head / combustion chamber in the piston) overhead cam four cylinder engine. 208, 875 examples were produced of which between 160 to 170 are thought to have been converted post registration (to avoid additional car purchase tax) into estate / station wagon types by HR Owen and Crayford Engineering. Crayford are well known for Cabriolet conversions and possibly may have done this one.

If you know anything about Convertible P6’s please tell us about them ?

Slightly off topic tonight (UK time) is the night Happy Harvick and anyone else interested in lifting the NEXTEL CUP surely has to beat Jimmy Johnson to be considered a contender, if the #48 leaves California with the win then I’d say the Chase and the Drive for Five is all over bar the shouting. Fingers crossed Go Happy ! Go Harvick ! Go #29 !

Wishing everybody a sunny Sunday. Don’t forget to come back know !

Gettin' A Li'l Psycho On Tyres

Art Tidesco blogs on all things motoring