New(ish) 1938 P2 owner with several questions.

[RichardAbraham]

Hi, this is my first post on the forum after buying my 1938 Rover 12 P2 at the beginning of the summer. It’s a very reliable car that’s a lot better than an oily rag but still best viewed at a distance . I have a few questions if anyone can answer them….

It has a couple of incorrect gauges and there is currently no way of monitoring the coolant temperature. I have just bought a Jaeger oil pressure and water temperature gauge but I can’t find anywhere on the engine to fit the temperature capillary, there is nowhere on the water pump to fit it either. We’re 1938 Rover 12s not supposed to have temperature gauges?

Also, the vacuum pipe from the manifold to the Luvax lubricator is missing. Does anybody have a spare one to sell or can anyone give me a detailed description of pipe fittings and sizes to make my own.

Every door is missing its check strap, even the check strap hinges which should be fixed to the car have been torn off and lost. Does anybody have the necessary parts to to make a full set of working check straps?

I believe the P2 tool drawers supplied by Meteor are made of wood, is that as the originals would have been? I have seen later Rover models with pressed steel drawers.

Finally, the car has a bad lean to the near side, I’m taking the rear springs off tomorrow to get them either restored or replaced. Is there anything I should know before I start?

Thanks, and sorry there are so many questions in my first post. Oh, by the way, I’m near Preston in Lancashire

[SHyslop]

Dear Richard,

Welcome aboard, I can't answer all your questions but do hope this may be the first reply you have and that you'll have the information, and parts, you need soon.

Water temperature gauge, none, that is correct (I think) for these models up to the 1940 season. I'm basing that on a 1939 12 I had and a 1937 10 I have but they did fit dual gauges to some sports saloons. These have the sender bulb screwed into the back of the thermostat housing that sits behind and at the top of the radiator but I suspect your car may have the newer arrangement with the thermostat on top of the water pump ? The pre war instruments should all have rounded glasses on the instruments whereas the 1940 on ones have flat glasses.
Had you not already acquired a Jaeger dual gauge, I'd have been tempted to suggest retaining the originality of the correct gauge and fitting (temporarily?) a relatively cheap electric temperature gauge with a thin electrical sender stuffed into the top hose. My own experience is that, with the correct thermostat and a good radiator core, the Rover is a make which has generally very good cooling and once you had satisfied yourself as to what the general running temperature was, the need for a gauge may not be terribly great, as it was when the car was new.

The rubber tends to crack on original Bijur system hoses and so I'd suggest the fittings are all you need with new hose on them.

Check that your door check straps aren't in the doors. They can fairly easily fall into the door if separated from the posts.

The tool drawer has a wooden front fixed to a metal base with the rubber glued on top.

How are you getting on with the springs ? I've taken these off and put them on a couple of cars and the best I could manage was a few days on each side. Maybe you've done them before and know some short cuts but the most useful thing I think I can suggest is to take out the Bijur valve on the front end of the spring and make up an extractor with a suitable long BSF bolt and use sockets as spacers to pull the (rather long) shackle pin out. It can take a long strong bar and a bit of care to get the springs back in without damaging the rear wings. Some years ago I bought a pair of new springs and having fitted them to a 12, the car sat as low as it did with the old set and I've never had the enthusiasm to take them back out . The underslung arrangement makes them rather more awkward than on other conventional "cart sprung" setups. If you find a firm reasonably local to you in Preston who can make a good job of resetting them, maybe you can let me/us know and I might take them my old pair and see if they can do the same as I'm in Dumfries - not exactly close but not too far either !

As I say, hopefully the first reply of several !

[RichardAbraham]

Thanks, some really useful info there. I will put the temperature gauge back on eBay if I have no need for it.
I didn’t get round to starting the spring removal today, it’ll be a job for next weekend now. The car came to me with a file of receipts and the rear springs were restored 35 years ago by Rossendale Road Springs which isn’t too far from me. They have a website. I have spoken to them and they are going to re set mine if possible or make new ones if they are too far gone. Cheers.

[luli]

Welcome!
Replacing the rear springs in P1/2 Rover is a demanding and frustrating job. Prepare yourself to it by reading the these links:
https://lulis.org/2011/11/01/26-453-%d7 ... %99%d7%9d/

https://lulis.org/2011/11/01/26-453-%d7 ... 9d-%d7%91/

About the door stoppers read here:

https://lulis.org/2012/01/20/26-453-%d7 ... %a4%d7%99/

https://lulis.org/2012/05/06/26-453-%d7 ... %99%d7%a4/


and most important here:

https://lulis.org/2018/10/01/51-%D7%92% ... %95%D7%9F/

Get ASAP the RSR workshop book and the relevant parts list.