Car numbering
Posted: Sun Dec 01, 2013 8:40 am
Most of us who have had pre-war Rovers for a few years know about the numbering scheme used on the models we refer to as P2 from 1934 whereby the first number signifies the year, second the model/engine size and the final 4 four digits the actual car number, starting at 1000. The system continued, with some modifications, in the 1940s up to the end of production of the P3. I have recently discovered an Australian publication from the time which states that a similar system was actually introduced in 1933. The first digit is the year, the second digit is the model and the rest is the car number. This helps to explains a couple of anomalies with the numbering of my 1933 14hp Pilot Saloon but does not totally resolve the number code. The car, serial number 33545, has an early 14hp engine which is basically a bored out 1932 12hp Pilot engine, engine number is 3329. I have obtained a 14hp Rover Pilot owners manual that states it covers cars from number 371 onwards but it actually shows the later 14hp engine as fitted to Speed Pilots etc., I also have scans of a 14hp Pilot owners manual showing the earlier engine. On the assumption that my car number decodes as 1st 3=1933, 2nd 3=14 Pilot, 545=car number then it should have the later engine. The coding would work if it applied to the engine number only rather than the car number, or if the third digit signified something else. Does anyone else have further information on the numbering scheme used in 1933?