Rover Speed 20 - Hastings Coupe

[Matt]

Hello from Herefordshire

Here is a photos from the 50's of my father's Rover. He wrote on the back Rover Speed 20 - Hastings Coupe, but I have been unable to find anything more about it. Can anyone give me any more information on this model. I have several photos, including on of the engine bay.



Regards - Matt

[paul williams]

Hi Matt,

thanks for the picture of the car, here is a little more info I have received for you:

The ad is from the Daniel Young Vintage Rover Anthology, the other two from the George Oliver book about Rovers.

If you can post some more pictures that would be very interesting, I am sure other forum members will have more info for you.

[GOY189]

Hello Matt. I'm sorrt that it has taken so long to post a reply. There has been quite a bit of activity behind the scenes, and I found some information on http://www.rover.org.nz/pages/histpic/hind4.htm that complements Paul's reply which was in part compiled by our magazine Editor. :-

"For 1933, the 'Pilots' and 'Meteors' were given a thorough design overhaul by Maurice Wilks and Robert Boyle. They were also improved mechanically to match the new 'Ten Special' with many features that Spencer Wilks would standardise in future models. These cars had a new chassis, suspension, four speed constant mesh gearbox, freewheel unit, spiral bevel axles, flexible engine mounts, new radiator shell designs and the complex Lucas Startix electrical system which ensured that the starter would always come into operation every time the engine stalled.

Also in 1933 came a new unique underslung chassis frame, which allowed a much lower and more sporting body to be created. The first of these cars was the 'Speed Pilot', which was given a raised compression ratio, closely followed by a closed two-door four seater coupe from Carbodies, of Coventry. This model was known as the 'Hastings Coupe' and featured a four window cabin with notch-back shape including a spare wheel bootlid impression at the rear. It was fitted with the increased capacity 1577 cc six-cylinder engine that now ran three carburettors, and it was a car that made a big impact on the Wilks brothers." The Wilks Brothers were the MD(Spencer) and Chief Engineer (Maurice) who guided Rover through the 1930's and beyond.

The engine in the car you refer to was 2,595 cc, so it would have had an impressive turn of speed compared with the 14Hp (1577cc) engines. Unfortunately pre second world war Production records were destroyed during the air raid on Coventry in November 1940, and the information we have is as a result, rather sketchy. The club has a record supplied by members of a couple of 20 Speed Hastings Coupes, that were registered in 1933.

If you post some further details of your Father's car we can check and see if it is known to the RSR.

Best Wishes

Mike Maher
Chairman

[Matt]

Many thanks for the replys.

Here are a few more photos; My father was teaching his brother (in the photo) to drive at the time. When bought, the car was fitted with a pair of Carl Zeiss headlamps (as seen), which my father removed as they just didn't look right and replaced them with a pair of Lucas King of the Road lamps. (The Carl Zeiss lamps now befit a rather nice earl 1930's Supercharged Mercedes)

Presumably the registration Number will provide some source of information, I'm sorry I have no more details.











Regards - Matt

[paul williams]

Hi Matt,

thanks for the extra pictures, it certainly was a handsome car, even with the large headlights. A quick search on the DVLA shows the reg number is not allocated to any car so unfortunately it looks like it no longer exists, others on the forum maybe able to tell you if it has ever been in the club

Regards

Paul

[andrewmcg]

Good morning Matt

Posts and pictures are very interesting particularly your last set of pictures which gave the registration number, AXB is a London registration number issued between Nov 1933 and Jan 1934.

As the pre 1950 Archivist for the RSR I maintain a database with details and sometimes history of members cars. This database goes back to the formation of the RSR in the early 1950's and with the registration number of your father's car I discover the car is on the database.

It was in the RSR in the 1950's with two of our founder members Mr G S Webster of Liverpool and then with Mr R H B Kinder of Shepherds Bush, London. I do not have any other details but wonder is one of these gentlemen your father??

In any case I would like to update the database as a result of your information and would appreciate some idea of the dates your father owned the car together with his name and town of residence if not one of the two names I mentioned above.

Await your news with interest.

Regards
Andrew McGovern

[Matt]

Hello Andrew

My father Mr P.Williamson was from Liverpool. I do not know the exact dates that he owned the car, but am fairly sure that this would be about 1950/51. I would guess that it was possibly Mr Webster that he sold the car to. Sadly he died a few years ago now, so not more information is available.

I remember him saying something that when new, a similar car raced a train (The Blue Streak - I think?) and beat the train. He said that the car was very fast.

If you would like higher resolution copies of the photos for your archives, I would be happy to email them to you, however they are about 2mb each, so could not all be attached to one email.

Best Regards - Matt

[Chris]

Hi Matt,

Any chance you can re post the pictures of your dad's vehicle please. They have disappeared from the forum site. I am most interested in any other information you have on this vehicle seeing as we will hopefully be starting a restoration of a 1933 Rover Speed 20 Hastings Coupe in the near future.

Many thanks,
Chris