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Two years ago this P4 Rover debuted on the Custom Car stand at the NSRA SuperNats and hasn't
been seen since. Almost finished as this is written it'll soon be a case of...
Words by Kev Elliott, pictures by Mike Key. |
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P4 Rovers aren't exactly the most common rodder
fodder, so what drew Steve Berriman to the marque and model? "My uncle used to have one and I've always
liked 'em. This is my third. I've owned it for 15 years and used to drive it around when it was
standard." Then Steve saw an ad for Burnham Autos in Custom Car and the poor Rover would never be the
same again. |
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"My brother in law Bob had done a fair bit of welding on it previously. It had needed
new rear quarters and repairs to the front wings, and he'd also prepped it and painted it before
it went into Burnham Autos." Steve told us. The initial plan was for the installation of a small
block Chevy and a narrowed rear end, though Steve didn't have any specific wheels in mind. This
turned put to be fortuitous, as in a neighbouring industrial unit to Burnham Autos there was a
pick-up that had been imported from the States and the owner wanted to part it out, including the
tri-spoke Billet Specialties wheels and tyres. Measuring 15x15 and 6x15in they were the perfect
sizes for the Rover, and appealed to Steve, especially when be managed to procure them for a
third of their retail price. Result! |
The chassis mods such as the
narrowed rear and Jag IFS are evident here. Aldan ally coilovers suspend the 9in axle, and a
Brise fuel tank now lives between the tyres. According to Paul Burnham, "We built the car around
those rear tyres!" |
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Luckily, the P4 Rover is quite big for an English car,
meaning that even with 15x15s under the bulbous back end, there was plenty enough room for chassis
rails and suspension, but rather than go the box section back half route, the guys at Burnhams opted to
narrow the stock Rover chassis rails to suit. After they'd carefully removed the just painted bodyshell
that is. A 9in Ford axle was narrowed to suit and now features discs instead of drum brakes.
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Overdrive
Steve did get the small block Chevy he wanted,
though Paul Burnham persuaded him to go for a USAutomotive sourced TPI motor from a Corvette,
complete with 700R4 overdrive transmission, and he does prefer the appearance over a carb. While
the body was off the chassis, the old Rover front end made way for a 6in narrowed Series II XJ6
crossmember and suspension, with vented discs and four pot calipers. A Cavalier centre steer rack
points everything in the right direction, while a Jag master cylinder and servo unit operates the
brakes, with the assurance that it is already matched to the front brakes and rear discs. A
Brise-fabricated ally rad now lives behind the distinctive Rover grille. |
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The TPI 'Vette motor
is backed by a 700R4 and cooled by a Brise rad. The stock heater is still in place while the Jag
servo looks like it belongs there. |
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The reworked back end meant that
once the body was remounted. the backrest of the rear seat had to be moved forward slightly and
the parcel shelf lengthened to match, but to the casual observer the interior appears stock - far
nicer than it ever came from Rover, but stock nonetheless - and this was a deliberate aim of
Steve's as he likes the look of the Rover interior, bench seat, upright handbrake 'n' all.
The seats and door panels are now trimmed in beige
leather by Creech Coachtrimmers, while Burnham Autos' resident trimmer, Keith Andrews, handled
the headliner, parcel shelf, kick panels and carpets in fine style. With refurbished wood trim,
one now wouldn't feel comfortable driving such a gentleman's motor car without a trilby in place!
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How very English! We
even arranged for rain at the fair to complete the image. There's something reassuring about
chrome, polished wood and a big black steering wheel. |
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The original gauges are in place in the pictures you
see here, but subsequent problems with hooking them up successfully mean that by the time the car hits
the road a set of modern period style instruments will replace them but still retain the early flavour.
Redder than red |
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Though Steve's brother in law had already painted
the car, once finished it was felt that it wasn't 'red enough', especially once all the trim and
bumpers had been re-chromed by the London Chroming Company, so it was moved the couple of hundred
yards to Beautiful Body Repairs for a fresh coast of VW Tornado red, which really sets the chrome
off. With wiring and an exhaust system left to fit, the Rover was displayed on the P4 Owners Club
stand at the Bromley Pageant of Motoring along with two others, in a 'The Good, The Bad and The
Ugly' display. This explains the number plate currently on the car. What were the others? The
Ugly was an old breaker while the Good was a rally-going version. According to Steve "It
certainly upset a few members of the owners group who viewed it from a distance. I could see them
saying 'He's ruined that!'"
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My, we've come a long
way from buttoned dralon in this hobby haven't we? Enlarged trans tunnel is unobtrusive, while
the leather trim reeks of class. |
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It also seemed to upset the nice lady from the DVLA
who came round to inspect the totally disassembled car when Steve applied for the V5. When he showed
her the plate with the chassis number stamped into it she wanted to know why it wasn't attached to the
car and went into a rant about it being valuable and he might be selling the parts to buy drugs.
Ushering her out of his garage he called the DVLA to complain, who told him to rivet the plate in place
and they'd send someone else round. The V5 was issued shortly thereafter! |
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If the reception the Rover got on
our stand was anything to judge by, we aren't the only ones keen to see this Rover out on the
road. Once those clocks are in and the wiring's complete, let's hope that's exactly where we'll
see it next. So, all it leaves us to say is "Rover to you Steve...!" Sorry.
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Now that's what we
call a fairground attraction! The brief for a stock appearance body with mad running gear seems
to have been kept to. |
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Steve's thanks go to Paul Burnham and Bob for the
welding and paintwork. Sorry about the repaint, Bob. |
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