HMC Posted February 17, 2017 Share Posted February 17, 2017 These MG Rover curiosities have long been on my radar. I'd love to have been at a board meeting where the case to build these was put. I suppose development costs were nill as the base vehicle ( Rover commerce) and all the running gear ( mg ZR) already existed. Maybe the boys on the night shift had been on the old speckled hen as the build data for this and the few other examples Ive got build data on all show as rolling off the assembly line in the wee small hours. At any rate, only just over 300 were made, this being the 167th out of longbridge..... Six-cylinder, forddeliveryboy, Tickman and 32 others 35 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cavcraft Posted February 17, 2017 Share Posted February 17, 2017 You have just won this web site. egg and oldcars 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FakeConcern Posted February 17, 2017 Share Posted February 17, 2017 Funny, I just saw one of these yesterday. It was red with matt black front wings and yellow bonnet. Nice buy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
They_all_do_that_sir Posted February 17, 2017 Share Posted February 17, 2017 Will definitely buy tickets for this! Sent from my D6603 using Tapatalk trigger 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Breadvan72 Posted February 17, 2017 Share Posted February 17, 2017 Were they tapping in to the mystifying Barry hatchback as van scene? egg 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Six-cylinder Posted February 17, 2017 Share Posted February 17, 2017 These MG Rover curiosities have long been on my radar. I'd love to have been at a board meeting where the case to build these was put. I suppose development costs were nill as the base vehicle ( Rover commerce) and all the running gear ( mg ZR) already existed. Maybe the boys on the night shift had been on the old speckled hen as the build data for this and a couple of other examples all show as rolling off the assembly line in the wee small hours. At any rate, only just over 300 were made, this being the 157th out of longbridge..... I buy a ZR, you buy one with the side windows and rear seats missing and yet you have won! doobietoo and They_all_do_that_sir 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lacquer Peel Posted February 17, 2017 Share Posted February 17, 2017 Great for Ireland? They love cars dressed up as commercial vehicles there due to punitive taxes on passenger cars with decent engines. This is CLASS. M'coli 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr_Bo11ox Posted February 17, 2017 Share Posted February 17, 2017 CLASS, what engine is in it? I sold my Rover Commerce to a lad on here (Des), AFAIK he's still got it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
500tops Posted February 17, 2017 Share Posted February 17, 2017 This just sold on the 'bay http://vi.raptor.ebaydesc.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItemDescV4&item=182447678849&category=29757&pm=1&ds=0&t=1487361335730 oldcars 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UltraWomble Posted February 17, 2017 Share Posted February 17, 2017 Ive just unliked your post...So I can like it again. One like is just not enough. Twiggy, Vince70 and Cavcraft 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Isaac Hunt Posted February 17, 2017 Share Posted February 17, 2017 Great, I took the rear seats out of a ZR the other day so I could use it as a small van. Yours has the bonus of not having the seat fixing in the middle of the floor and I assume some other 'trim shite' in the way. Great find Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trigger Posted February 17, 2017 Share Posted February 17, 2017 Christ, that is a bloody good looking van, i just love that colour too "Britishman". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
155V6 Posted February 17, 2017 Share Posted February 17, 2017 Very nice,shame it's not a 160 petrol though Funny how they have no ZR badges,I've always wanted to get a Renault Express badge for mine,a Talbot Express badge is too big. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noel Tidybeard Posted February 17, 2017 Share Posted February 17, 2017 maybe someone saw an Fiesta XRV and thought "we can do better than that" M'coli 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
surprisingskoda Posted February 18, 2017 Share Posted February 18, 2017 I've come across those before but never one in prizewinner Blue. I think I'd quite like one as a runabout for work at some point. Must keep an eye out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
17-Coffees Posted February 18, 2017 Share Posted February 18, 2017 LOVE THESE! Knew they were rare, but never know only 300 or so were made! A big shame considering how at the local scrappy a few years ago there was 2 at the same time! :/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lacquer Peel Posted February 18, 2017 Share Posted February 18, 2017 CLASS, what engine is in it? I sold my Rover Commerce to a lad on here (Des), AFAIK he's still got it. They_all_do_that_sir, scruff and oldcars 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HMC Posted April 15, 2017 Author Share Posted April 15, 2017 Took my less common 2 seater MG to the pride of Longbridge. I arrived late last night and made a refective visit to the factory gates by moonlight. Car assembly ceased at the site late last year. (spoiler- mentallist alert) I also had hatched a plan to try and buy the former pre production/development hack/saic factory fire patrol Rover 75 that was last MOTd in 2010 and had been left abandoned on the perimeter of the site. The gates were open and I fell into conversation with site security. They, I suspect are well used to nut job enthusiasts like myself. It had latterly been their own car and had got into quite bad shape. Sadly, although untill recently it had sat derelict, it and a number of other vehicles from the MG rover era, the final remains, had been crushed. This fits in with other similar reports from february this year. I made may way back to my accommodation. Part of the redevelopment of the old factory site. My Premier inn and the adjacent poundland had previously been the site of the machine shop for the O series engine. I mused on this whlist nursing a beer. Theres a common ancestry with the L series diesel in the MG van and the T series turbo in my vitesse; The O series was the starting point for the perkins prima which became, in a triggers broom style fashion the L series. Similarly the T series turbo has lineage through the M series that debuted in the mk1 800 back to the O series. Anywhoo. Had a nice day wandering around the field of broken dreams and all in all had a great day out. This MG van flies as it basically is a stripped out mg zr hatch with said L series diesel providing loads of lazy torque. Very addictive! trigger, Lacquer Peel, sporty-shite and 14 others 17 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
holbeck Posted April 15, 2017 Share Posted April 15, 2017 My Premier inn and the adjacent poundland had previously been the site of the machine shop for the O series engine. I mused on this whlist nursing a beer. Theres a common ancestry with the L series diesel in the MG van and the T series turbo in my vitesse; The O series was the starting point for the perkins prima which became, in a triggers broom style fashion the L series. Similarly the T series turbo has lineage through the M series that debuted in the mk1 800 back to the O series. Anywhoo. Had a nice day wandering around the field of broken dreams and all in all had a great day out. This MG van flies as it basically is a stripped out mg zr hatch with said L series diesel providing loads of lazy torque. Very addictive! Putting my anorak firmly on..... The O series starting point was the crankshaft from the B series engine. New machinery to make the 1800 B crank was expensively installed at Longbridge in the early 70's and it was decreed that the money could not be wasted. So, the O used this item (although machined up slightly differently). Lindsay Porter wrote a great article called "The story of "O" about the development of the engine in one of the '80's car mags. I love all that sort of stuff. M'coli, RobT and HMC 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lacquer Peel Posted April 15, 2017 Share Posted April 15, 2017 Longbridge today brings a tear to a glass eye. I love the MG Express especially with Rover's best modern engine fitted. Laseraligningfoofooflanges, HMC, sporty-shite and 1 other 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
155V6 Posted April 15, 2017 Share Posted April 15, 2017 Lovely looking Express,even if it does have the wrong engine .Now the weather's getting better,I'm trying to get on with getting my Express 160 back on the road after I crashed it last year.I've already taken the front bumper off & pulled out the radiator mounting panel,today I pulled the rear beam out of the donor car. HMC 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Six-cylinder Posted April 15, 2017 Share Posted April 15, 2017 You missed my ZR and for me these were the highlight of the day. Laseraligningfoofooflanges, Essex V6, HMC and 2 others 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobT Posted April 15, 2017 Share Posted April 15, 2017 This event gets bigger every year, and there's always some interesting oddities turn up. One of my favourites today was an Austin Apache which made me do a massive double-take. Only two 600s turned up, which made them appear rare against a sea of 75s. The Metro did the 300 miles today without complaint, even if it did take 4 hours each way. Been a long day, but a good one. HMC, M'coli, holbeck and 3 others 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trigger Posted April 15, 2017 Share Posted April 15, 2017 I really fancied doing this event in the 600 this year but the thought of taking a car thats been in a barn for 2 years until Friday all the way to Birmingham and back might have been pushing my luck somewhat. RobT, egg and Six-cylinder 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Six-cylinder Posted April 15, 2017 Share Posted April 15, 2017 I really fancied doing this event in the 600 this year but the thought of taking a car thats been in a barn for 2 years until Friday all the way to Birmingham and back might have been pushing my luck somewhat. You should have just done it and given the AA a job if need be! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pillock Posted April 15, 2017 Share Posted April 15, 2017 Saw a couple of cruises towards Longbridge, plenty of chod... I mean "fine British vehicles". I was headed the other direction towards Worcester way. Bonus points to the guy in the TF who was properly hooning it down the A46, looked like he'd been left behind and was trying to catch up as he was 5 minutes behind a long line of MGs. He'd mistakenly* put the PoL plaque things over both his front and rear numberplates. Sent from my VIE-L09 using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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