Rover P4, the doctor's car

At 1963, most people think of the horrible Elfstedentocht from that year. JFK was shot in Dallas. And our doctor had a new car: a Rover P4. "Because that car always started." And that's pretty important for a doctor.

An upgrade in quality

Like most other manufacturers, Rover built simple cars until the mid-1930s. Unfortunately, that did not guarantee success. During a financial emergency stop, the Wilks brothers were at the head of the factory and the course was changed. The manufacturer experienced many highs and lows, was on the verge of bankruptcy several times, but turned out to be a survivor. In any case, more than five million Rovers were made in a hundred years.

Rover started to build better quality cars. Better cars for a higher price and a better profit margin. A smart plan. Those cars were developed under the P project name, as it was used with the P6 until the mid-1960s.

And so the Rover P1949 was presented in 4

This model, drawn by the legendary Raymond Loewy, would remain in production from 1950 to 1964. The car was sold as a Rover 75 with an 6 cylinder engine. And there were variants with 4 and 6 cylinders. In view of the American market, a version with an automatic gearbox was also produced.

The Rover P4 models were decent, moderately modest cars. They had a good interior space and were provided with a beautiful, well-finished interior. The P4 designation was the basis. The number thereafter indicated the engine power. And there was quite a bit of choice in that motor pallet. In Den Beginne there was the Rover P4 75. And just before the fire went out in Soluhull, in May 1964, there were the P4 95 and 110.

Doing well

The quality and reliability of the brand improved considerably, which became the reason to open up a higher market segment again with the Rover P5. This model was first sold with an enlarged 6 cylinder of 3 liters. After purchasing the BuickV8 3.5 liter rights, that engine also appeared in the model known as P5B. The P5 was known as the Poor man's Rolls. The Rover P6 made a breakthrough. The first P6, the Rover 2000, made it to the first Car of the Year in 1963 / 1964. The model was also equipped with the well-known V1967 engine in 8.

This car

This beautiful Rover P4 comes from 1963 and is of the 95 type. The Rover P4 was completely restored a few years ago; each part has been dismantled and then replaced or overhauled. This model has the 6 cylinder 2.6 liter head / side valve motor that is known for the quiet and low no-load running. The combination of a single SU carburetor, SU electric fuel pump and Lucas distributor has been used with many other brands and models and proved to be a reliable combination. Lucas only became the Prince of Darkness when the company no longer had the budget to make good products.

A well-adjusted Rover six-cylinder engine is known for its fast starting. The interior is luxurious, with real leather, wooden dashboard and door panels and chrome edges around the counters. The standing, curved 'Shepherds Crook' handbrake is also typical and practical at the same time. The equally chrome, bent gear lever operates an 4 gearbox with an overdrive, which ensures that a much lower engine speed can be used to drive a 'modern', higher cruise speed and all by simply operating a small lever on the steering column. The beautiful chrome work immediately catches the eye on the outside.

In the meantime, 130.312 Rover P4s have been made.
And we found this specimen at Rover specialist Smink in Hooglanderveen