Rover P6 2000TC - I hear you knocking

[Conrad D. Conelrad]

This is the interior of my old V8. Mango Boxpleat cloth. Beautiful. The Dunlopillow in the seats degrades and turns into something that looks and feels like crumbling a Digestive biscuit, so I took the covers off the seats (not easy) and replaced the foam (even less easy). The results though? They were the most comfortable seats in the world. If I had a time machine I'd love go back to a dealership and sit in a brand new one. The closest I came was Junkman's 20odd thousand mile one. You don't realise how much everything wears out even on a good car until you've closed the glovebox on a 20,000 mile one!

[Cento16v]

In P6 related events.....

https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=47&t=2102685

[Bmwdumptruck]

On 08/01/2025 at 21:56, artdjones said:

I did something thing similar(but slower) driving to my engagement meal with my elderly mother in the passenger seat of my Princess.

I was late, so pushing it, but got a bit of a telling off when she realised we were doing 90.

My Dads first time letting me have a go in his CX Safari was on the M4 and M5 to visit his brother in Exeter. He let me take over from services along the M4 where I hung on to the steering wheel till we exited the M5. At one point he lent over to check the drum speedo and suggested I let off a little for the sake of my licence and his fuel…….115mph showing😱😱😂

Always fancied a P6. But grew up in Triumphs until Dad went for the CX Safari after a particularly bad 2500S estate. But his partner had 2000 and 2200TCs.  Did none of these have Overdrive option on the manuals like the Triumphs??  

 

[artdjones]

Just now, Bmwdumptruck said:

Did none of these have Overdrive option on the manuals like the Triumphs??  

No, the gearbox was not their strongest suit. The 3500S had a strengthened version of the same 4 speed box, but I suppose the gearing would be much higher. They could do 120-125mph top end. I suppose as well that a 3.5 in a car that size wouldn't need much gear shifting. Certainly the V8 SD1 I drove had lots of power from low down.

[ETCHY]

3 hours ago, Conrad D. Conelrad said:

This is the interior of my old V8. Mango Boxpleat cloth. Beautiful. The Dunlopillow in the seats degrades and turns into something that looks and feels like crumbling a Digestive biscuit, so I took the covers off the seats (not easy) and replaced the foam (even less easy). The results though? They were the most comfortable seats in the world. If I had a time machine I'd love go back to a dealership and sit in a brand new one. The closest I came was Junkman's 20odd thousand mile one. You don't realise how much everything wears out even on a good car until you've closed the glovebox on a 20,000 mile one!

P6 has to be one of the coolest & somehow most interesting interiors on a car. Looks at all the little details like the air vents, switchgear & even the door furniture & seat release handles. Just fantastic.

[Inspector Morose]

12 hours ago, ETCHY said:

P6 has to be one of the coolest & somehow most interesting interiors on a car. Looks at all the little details like the air vents, switchgear & even the door furniture & seat release handles. Just fantastic.

Same headlight switch as a Leyland National, btw (Of course i’d know that).

[lesapandre]

14 hours ago, ETCHY said:

P6 has to be one of the coolest & somehow most interesting interiors on a car. Looks at all the little details like the air vents, switchgear & even the door furniture & seat release handles. Just fantastic.

Don't know where David Bache was taking his inspiration from? I'm guessing Scandinavian design. Was probably looking at a whole lot of different stuff. This 'look' reminds me a bit of Bang and Olufsen hifi.

Is there a book on David Bache? If not there ought to be @motorpunk

[ETCHY]

5 hours ago, lesapandre said:

Don't know where David Bache was taking his inspiration from? I'm guessing Scandinavian design. Was probably looking at a whole lot of different stuff. This 'look' reminds me a bit of Bang and Olufsen hifi.

Is there a book on David Bache? If not there ought to be @motorpunk

Yes I get what you mean about Scandinavian design, particularly when it's the strip speedo model, it accentuates that flat wide upper shelf on the P6. Interesting to note especially on earlier cars the uber ergonomic "identify by feel"switchgear so that maximum attention was kept on the road. Could teach moderns with touch screens for everything  a thing or two..

Totally agree there should be a book on Bache. Design genius IMHO.

[artdjones]

1 minute ago, ETCHY said:

Could teach moderns with touch screens for everything  a thing or two..

It doesn't really matter now, if they weren't looking at their touchscreen a lot would be looking at their phone.

[N Dentressangle]

Speedometer fix achieved.

Instrument cluster comes out with some screws n bolts:

and I found the problem straight off - this is the angle drive from the back of the speedo. The little red cog had popped off the covers and escaped from the end and was lying behind the dash:

Next job is to replace a few weeping heater hoses and she'll be good for a longer drive.

[N Dentressangle]

Live action update!

Rusty top pipe removed with no issues. Will get a nice coat of paint before it goes back on:

Hose to the bottom of the heater put up more of a struggle. Old fashioned slot screw jubilee clips, well seized worm drive and bugger all access meant it met its fate with the die grinder:

Here's where it was hiding:

Grrrr

 

[N Dentressangle]

Grille removed for a bloody good clean and return of TC badge to the correct position.

I have never liked the Series 2 eggcrate grille - the metal chrome Series 1 is so much nicer than this Leyland shite. Currently thinking how much cooler this plastic abortion would look with a coat of https://www.toolstation.com/industrial-spray-paint-500ml/p80525

Obvs not including the silver TC badge.

Thoughts?

[Matty]

I'll be controversial and say that the series 2 egg crate made them look mean as fuck. I find the series one a bit over fussy in its detailing. And usually I prefer the original of any car.

[N Dentressangle]

Yeah, me too normally. That's why I thought I'd ask.

[Matty]

Satin black tho? That'd be very subtle. It'd just make it look a bit less plastiky. I'd reckon that's a good idea 👍

[Wibble]

4 minutes ago, Matty said:

Satin black tho? That'd be very subtle. It'd just make it look a bit less plastiky. I'd reckon that's a good idea 👍

I agree that satin black wouldn’t hurt. I like originality and it winds me up when folks put Mk4 Cortina grilles on Mk5s. I’ve never understood why.

[Matty]

You can always do a patch test by spraying the TV remote first and see if you like the finish. I'm sure your missus wouldn't mind at all.

[High Jetter]

28 minutes ago, Matty said:

I'm sure your missus wouldn't mind at all.

Why would he spray her? 🤣

[captain_70s]

If you spray it and want to reapply the silver highlights a silver Sharpie works surprisingly well...

[2flags]

I personally prefer keeping cars standard myself. I have found that a really cheap way of cleaning up plastic is to wipe it down with old engine oil. I have done this with the under-bonnet plastics on my cars and it has brought it up a treat. 

[lesapandre]

Olive oil works well too. 

[N Dentressangle]

Yes, Mrs D agrees with you both, so I thought I'd start with a good clean and restoration of the TC badge to its rightful place:

Used some kind of silicone bike spray on the plastics to get rid of the nasty greyness, and fitted it all back together:

Much better, although I'm still not that keen on the silver pin striping for some reason.

[SiC]

I kinda see what you're saying. It's the uneven level between the holes that does my OCD in I think. 

Also makes me think of differential electrical signals. 

 

[ETCHY]

Looking good.

Those number plates are fab. Dunno why but a J plate always looks cool to me.

[N Dentressangle]

16 minutes ago, ETCHY said:

Looking good.

Those number plates are fab. Dunno why but a J plate always looks cool to me.

Weirdly this car used to have really nice reflective plates too. I have a couple of photos of the Rover from 1996 showing them:

[MrBiscuits]

1 hour ago, N Dentressangle said:

Much better, although I'm still not that keen on the silver pin striping for some reason.

The black with silver accents is pure 70's. Reminds me of my Dad's "music centre" and old TVs

[mk2_craig]

On 06/01/2025 at 19:17, N Dentressangle said:

 

I have a couple of photos of this car in the mid 90's wearing yellow / white plates, but someone obviously saved the originals and they're fitted now.

I reckon the yellow and white ones WERE the originals, somebody’s changed the front one and painted the rear one to match? 

[ETCHY]

16 minutes ago, mk2_craig said:

I reckon the yellow and white ones WERE the originals, somebody’s changed the front one and painted the rear one to match? 

@LightBulbFun will know !

[LightBulbFun]

16 hours ago, mk2_craig said:

I reckon the yellow and white ones WERE the originals, somebody’s changed the front one and painted the rear one to match? 

15 hours ago, ETCHY said:

@LightBulbFun will know !

I reckon so, the front and rear in the older photo both look to matching Ace number plates to me I am pretty sure (note the serif on the P but no serif on any of the other letters)

and in the current photos the front looks like a (more) modern Jepson/Frampton/Tippers plate (they all use the same font for plastic raised digits) while as @mk2_craig says someones retained but repainted the ace plate to match, (it would not be the first time I have heard of someone painting a number plate)

 

[lesapandre]

It would be very likely to have had reflective plates from new - they were a real status symbol and denoted a newer car. The first owner of the Rover and the dealer wd not have considered non-reflective IMHO - notwithstanding what the legislation said. 

Much older cars had their b/w plates painted to the new standard in period too. It was a big switch.