Rover Speed 20

[BenzBoy]

Possibly only Styria will relate to this car - although possibly Des would if he had been there...
I went driving today in a 1940 Rover Speed 20 - original car, in original condition and only 2 owners. The last owner has travelled only 1450 miles in the last 10 years and the log books show an oil change every 6 months since 1940 - that's 140 oil change entries in the logs. The motor showed the benefit too since it has had no work since a de-coke since 1963.
It pulled smoothly and gearbox was a delighte to use. No matter how clumsy I was I could not get the gears to crash, even between 1st and 2nd where there is no synchro.
The steering was light, the trafficators worked and the car was nimble and almost silent at 50 mph on the M2. I wonder why one would have bothered with a cumbersome Bently MKVI when this was an alternative and just as well (if not better) made!!
Hmmmm - now I know where there is another for sale...
Lest you fear I am about to desert the PII and come home with a pocket of pound notes, I did pat the PII in her garage when I parked the Rover beside it and promised it a good run next weekend. They really are chalk and cheese - and the chalk ain't half bad!
Regards,
Benz-Boy
Ps: and there wasn't a Benz in site....

 

[Michel]

In the words of a very famous RR technician, it might be time for a Bex and a lie down

 

[BenzBoy]

Hardly!! He was trying to drag race us in the Austin 7 - despite the engine rebuild/hot cam/lightened flywheel and oversize jets we simply pulled ahead in silence.....
Regards,
Benz-Boy

 

[Styria]

,Interesting little exercise, BenzBoy, wasn't it ? I think the Rover Company made a Speed 16 or 12 as well, but usually the higher the number, the better the engine....and I think there were some 'sporty' styling changes thrown in as well. Remember the Rover 110 displayed for sale at the All British Day last year ? For $10,000, and it was a bargain at that.

The Speed 20 - did it have the free wheeling feature ? For those not familiar with that arrangement, one could change gears without the use of the clutch at any time. The clutch only needed to be used when you'd come to a standstill. One visual aspect I admired was the sheer beauty and quality of design of the Free Wheel knob - I wish I had a picture of one to show. BTW, what happened to that Eastern European oddity..no. no, not the dart, no, not the dart..was it the horrible looking Trabant. To own one, eccentricity needs to become a byword. I saw one in Austria and it was horrible - no personal offence intended. BTW, I am somewhat surprised at your frank and honest comparo between Bentley and the Speed 20. You know quite well that I have had use of a Silver Cloud III for about nine months, and the Rover Coupes that have been partially completed following complete rebuilds and for sale now. Honestly, if you swapped the names between the Rover and the Bentley or Rolls Royce, the quality of finish, and the detail to perfection, the Rover gives nothing to the Rolls Royce. In fact, the original Rover Carpets as fitted to the 3 litre Saloons and Coupes were quitre superior to the carpet fitted in the Cloud III. Regards Styria

N.B. Funny how Rovers can become a topic from time to time.

http://www.topklasse.org/forums/newreply.php?do=newreply&p=15360

 

[BenzBoy]

Yes it had the traditional freewheel feature but I did not try it - I offered to buy the R110 from the 2009 ABD and was beaten to it by half an hour!!!
The Speed 20 had wonderful features like a trapezoid seating arrangement so that a crank handle can be used to change seat height and rake of the base as well as rake of the upright. And this is was before such feature became available on a Benz...
Hang around for the Phantom Tech Day in January Styria and you will get the chance to drive said beastie.
Regards,
Benz-Boy

 

[Styria]

Yes it had the traditional freewheel feature but I did not try it - I offered to buy the R110 from the 2009 ABD and was beaten to it by half an hour!!!
The Speed 20 had wonderful features like a trapezoid seating arrangement so that a crank handle can be used to change seat height and rake of the base as well as rake of the upright. And this is was before such feature became available on a Benz...
Hang around for the Phantom Tech Day in January Styria and you will get the chance to drive said beastie.
Regards,
Benz-Boy

.................and maybe there was a good chance that even Rolls Royce did not have that feature ? ......and you do flirt with other attractions, don't you ? Hmm.... Regards Styria

 

[BenzBoy]

The freewheel was an economy feature designed to save petrol. As such, it was not considered necessary at Derby and Crewe.
Yes - of course I like to flirt with other attractions. No one comapny had the exclusive rights to interesting vehicles.
Regards,
Benz-Boy