[ROVERNET - UK] Wheels and press photos

James Dean jaguru at bellsouth.net
Wed Aug 2 06:32:04 BST 2006


One other note regarding Magnum 500's. They are the same bolt pattern as 
Jaguar(Probably Chevy too; but I have no Chevies in my shop) all 15 inch 
Jaguar through 1987 are the same, though not sure about lugnut 
differences...This might be of interest to someone planning to upgrade their 
3500S to a Jaguar rear- (I don't know if anyone has done it; but sounds like 
a good idea). You could use 1967 or earlier Magnum 500's on the Jaguar rear, 
and 1968-70 2000TC Rostyles on the front, of the 3500S. James Dean
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "S Manwell" <s_manwell at alum.swarthmore.edu>
To: <rovernet at lyris.ccdata.com>
Sent: Tuesday, August 01, 2006 6:30 PM
Subject: [ROVERNET - UK] Wheels and press photos


> Here is more P6 wheel and press history -- I trust that Rover intended for 
> this press information to be distributed freely, even if this is 40 years 
> late:
>
> 1966:
> A press folder from The Rover Motor Company of North America Limited 
> containing a March/April, 1966 price list includes a press photo featuring 
> a TC with the white and blue color scheme, round Icelert, round bullet 
> mirror on the rear corner of the hood ahead of the driver's door, license 
> plate bracket hanging below the front bumper and Magnum 500 wheels.
>
> The caption reads:
> "The new Rover 2000 TC, making its debut at New York's International 
> Automobile Show at the Colliseum, 9 - 17 April.  With twin carburetors and 
> a 124 horsepower engine, the TC is Rover's hotter version of the 
> successful and interesting Rover 2000 sports sedan.  The TC specially 
> equipped for the United States market has mag type wheels, simulated 
> wooden steering wheel and gear shift knob (not wood because it might 
> splinter), and a tachometer, as well as a special blue and white paint job 
> in the case of the white cars."    Don't you love the preposterous 
> marketing spin on the fake wood?  And after all that, the gear knobs 
> actually were wood on the production cars.
>
> 1967:
> A press folder from early 1967 introduces the 2000 Automatic from The 
> Rover Motor Company of North America Limited.  There is no press photo in 
> the folder that I have, but the included brochure shows Magstars on the 
> Automatic.
>
> 1968:
> I have an incomplete press folder from March, 1968 labelled "Leyland Motor 
> Corporation of North America" (combined Leyland and Rover logo at the 
> bottom) that demonstrates that the North America organization was not too 
> concerned with helping get our historical details right.  The press photo 
> shows a dark colored 2000TC with Magnum 500 wheels and other pre-1968 
> features:  round Icelert, alloy bumper overiders, bullet mirror on the 
> hood and earlier rear-view mirror with map light.
> The caption is clearly for a Federal car:  "Rover 2000 TC for 1968 
> required only minor changes to meet all federal and state smog-control and 
> safety requirements.  Four-wheel disc brakes, modified de Dion rear 
> suspension, and overhead camshaft engine have made the Rover 2000 TC a 
> stopping, handling and going machine while the safety-in-adversity design 
> philosophy has made it a reputation as a safety car as well as a luxurious 
> one.  At the suggested P. O. E. retail price of $4,198, the Rover 2000 TC 
> compares very favorably with far more expensive sports sedans."
>
> Interestingly, the first brochure for the Federal cars including an engine 
> bay photo showing the twin brake servos, also shows an earlier April 
> Yellow car on the cover.  The odd mix of obsolete and new in this brochure 
> includes detail photos of the round Icelert, Magstar and Magnum 500 wheels 
> (obsolete and repeated from an older brochure) along with photos of the 
> new twin servos and federal door mirror.  The only wheel option listed on 
> this brochure is "MagStar Wheels"-- maybe there was a brief period in 1968 
> after Magnum 500's were phased out before Rostyles were offered?
>
> 1969:
> A press folder with "British Leyland Motors Inc." on the cover and 
> containing a press release promoting the Rover/Triumph presence at the 
> April 1969 New York auto show.  The same folder contains a press photo of 
> light colored 2000TC with Rostyle wheels (not Magnum 500).  Other 
> post-1967 features include a rectangular Icelert, license plate bracket 
> mounted to the leading edge of the front bumper and plastic break-away 
> mirror.  Late 1968 or later features include a driver's door mirror 
> (similar to the later Wingard, but not the same) and trapezoidal side 
> reflectors on each fender.
>
> The caption on the photo reads: "The Rover 2000 series which includes the 
> TC (for Twin Carburetor) and the Automatic is an automobile of unique 
> construction in that it is virtually a steel cage onto which 19 body 
> panels are attached. With that beginning, Rover engineers went on to 
> reason and consider every other aspect of the car's design and 
> engineering, which is why the 2000 handles well, holds the road, and is a 
> delight to drive."
>
> 1970:
> I don't know if there was a press kit for 1970, but there is a single 
> sheet brochure for the 2000TC that must be for 1970 cars by British 
> Leyland Motors Inc:  the car on the cover has amber parking and 
> turn-signal lenses, repeater turn signals below the bumpers, side 
> reflectors and the federal door mirror.  Oddly enough, the wheel option 
> listed is "Mag-Style Sports Wheels".   Was this BL shorthand for "we'll 
> sell you MagStars or Rostyles, depending what we can find in the 
> warehouse"?
>
> I looked through a few different 3500S brochures and, as Geoff pointed 
> out, their were no (official) wheel options for the V8 car in North 
> America.  Still, I would imagine that Rostyles must have been sold as 
> accessories for some V8's.
>
> Did I mention that I like Rover press kits and brochures?
>
> --Steve Manwell
>
>
>>
>
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