Rover V8 3500 automatic 1975

In 2014 I bought a Rover V8 automatic P6B from 1975. It is a left hand drive and run in Sweden until imported to Denmark in 2010. Throughout the years major improvements has been carried out. In 1986 an original Tudor Vebasto sunroof was mounted. This took a week at a cost of almost 70% of the cars value. In 2001 some bodywork was done and a full paint in the original Almond Yellow was done.

The Rover V8 3500 P6B came out in 1968 and replaced by the SD1 in 1976.

The Rover P6 was a new and advanced design with four dish brakes and a Dion tube suspension at the rear. The dishes are located close to the rear axle and with the Dion tube the rear axles don’t need sliding splines. In the front the suspension are with horizontal springs as in formula one cars.

The design is still elegant. The size is 457x168x142 cm (lxbxh) with a weight of 1340kg (2950lb.) the frame has on-screwed wings and panels with the bonnet and boot lid in aluminum.

The 3528cc (215cu.in.) V8 engine came from the Buick Special V8 announced in 1960. Rover took over the license rights and modified the engine. This model has a CR of 9.25:1. The automatic gearbox was Borg Warner Type 35 from 1968 and from 1974 a type 65. The gear ratio is 2.39, 1.45 and 1:1 with rear axle 3.08:1. The carburetors are SU HIF6 variable venture.

The high weight and low gearing turned out to approx 22mgp (uk) eq. 7.8km/l rolling on tires of 185R14. For the time being it has Firestone FR380 195/75-R14 with white sides. The RVS engine treatment and the cab adjustments with the permanent AFR meter gave fuel economy up to 8.8km/l (24.8 mpg -uk).