A new 1947 6 light 14 found in the USA

[Dirkco]

Hello All,

I have come upon another early Rover a rather rusty 47 6 light 14. The car has been sitting for many years in Tennessee (USA) and was a home to a range of critters. It appears that someone did a poor restoration at one point in it's life as there is bondo where the wing trim should be. However the engine bay appears to be untouched and complete.

The plate that presumably belonged to the car was found in the boot KKE 347 is the car known to the club?













Now let the comments begin

Dirk in the States

[luli]

Hi
Is it a LHD or RHD car? According to the master spare parts list there had been no export Rover 14 and therefor no LHD 14.
However, I have recently came across the following front axle:
http://www.carsforum.co.il/vb/attachmen ... 1323190300
A similar writing has been found on the gearbox:
http://www.carsforum.co.il/vb/attachmen ... 1326955503
Can any one shed some light on these strange numbers?
luli

[lakesrally]

Looks like a right hand drive car from the photos, you can see the top of the steering wheel.

[GOY189]

Hi Dirk,
KKE347 is not known to the club, but the number dates to mid 1947. It looks like a RHD (Home Market car), do you know how it came to be in the US?

Luli's pictures relate to a 1947 14 saloon by reference to the serial numbers. However, according to James L Taylor, only 2,325 14 Saloons were made and 725 Sports Saloons, so both numbers are a bit of a conundrum.

Regards

Mike

[Dirkco]

Hi Mike, Stewart and friends,

Yes, it is RHD car. There were between 7 and 9 LHD drive cars built in 47, 12 and 16s I believe. I do not think there were any 14s though. My understanding is that Rover was asked to experiment with LHD platforms by the government. I have a friend in New York who has a 16 and I have seen a LHD 12 in the UK last year. I don't have any history of this car but can tell it has been sitting for many years, maybe more than 20??? I will try and find out some information though and let the forum know what I find.

I will need a set of wings does the club have any in the parts store?

In a way it is good news that it is not known to the club which adds it to the list of survivors! They are out there

Dirk in the States

[andrewmcg]

Hi Dirk,

Well done for digging up any 'unknown' Rover. As Mike says car is not on the archive database but I have today put it on under your ownership with the UK Registration No.you mention, however any chance of letting me have the 7 digit chassis No ??

Any news for me yet on the chassis nos of your P3's ???

Best regards

Andrew

[47p2]

The chassis number will confirm if it was an export vehicle or not
If there is a letter 'R' then the number the car was built for export

[luli]

But according to the master spares parts list page (i) there had been no export 14. Among the 1947 export models, 10 and 16 had a LHD version, with a prefix L to the chassis number. Here is an example:
[img]http://lulisml.files.wordpress.com ... .jpg[/img]
In contrast, 1946 exprt 10's had been RHD only:
[img]http://lulisml.files.wordpress.com ... .jpg[/img]

[andrewmcg]

Hi everyone

Re This particular find as already stated is a RHD also, it has an English Registration No. as mentioned by Dirk in his first advice, and KKE indicates it was first registered in Kent between August and November 1947.

Having looked through the RSR archive database I notice several cars were purchased by American servicemen stationed in England, particularly East Anglia in the late 1950's early 1960's and then seemed to 'disappear'. These cars seem to have been in roadworthy condition when the American owners joined the RSR and there are notes to the effect that 1/2 were subsequently exported to Germany with their American owners.

Two thoughts on this subject:-

Did any of these eventually 'disappear' with their owners to the USA when the owners returned??
If so could KKE 347 be one of them??

Regards
Andrew McGovern
Pre 1950 RSR Archivist

[GOY189]

Hi Dirk, I'm sure that we can find some wings in the stores although some repairs will probably be needed.

Just to add some perspective to the L ad R prefixdiscussion, My 1947 Sports Saloon (GOY189) is chassis number 7430545 in the records, but R7430545 on the chassis plate. According to the records at Gaydon, it was into dispatch in November and out in early December. Why that took a month I don't know, but the vehicle was delivered to Bales of Croydon via Henlys and registered in 12 December 1947.

I'm guessing, but maybe it was a cancelled export order that had to be sold on the Home market.

Interestingly this still happens, look at the RHD Jaguars no longer bound for East Africa that are for sale at huge discounts at Witham Specialist Vehicles (http://www.mod-sales.com/) although in this case, they must be exported!

Regards
Mike