Rover 90 Rally Car
Posted: Tue Dec 13, 2011 3:52 pm
For those of you who have received this month's Freewheel you will have read I have acquired another P4, this time an ex-rally 90.
If you haven't read Freewheel then briefly, an advert for a rather sad looking P4 appeared on ebay at the end of the summer, apart from the car looking a bit shabby, the text was quite interesting mentioning a 'rally pedigree' and various extras having been added.
Engine bay, showing 6 port exhaust manifold.
As it was not far away I decided to go and have a look, and as a result found ORV 222, a 1958 Rover 90 that had been rallied extensively in the late 90s but had now fallen on hard times.
A standard 90 was acquired in about 1991 for classic rallying and as a result had had a number of things added to it. The list includes, a new chassis, a replacement 110 engine and transmission , a larger servo with added disc brakes, re-inforced brake hoses, new springs front ( lowered ) and rear as well as a heavy-duty roll bar and polycarbonate suspension bushes. A bespoke new six-branch manifold had been added with a smaller straight-through type exhaust box.
Anyway I decided that the car was worth saving and a deal was done and a few days later it was sitting in my garage, alongside my 1951 Cyclops and 1929 Coachbuilt 2 litre. I wasn't looking for a new project but it seemed like a good idea at the time.
Picture taken mid-90s showing extra spot-lights and hi-intensity headlights, this rally number was for participation in the 1995 Monte carlo Rally, by the time it competed the large yellow spot had been replaced with a pair of Cibie spots which it stll carries today. The tyres are special radial snow-tyres.
Upon inspection the condition of the car became apparent, the chassis was OK as expected, but the rear body mountings had suffered from rust. It was however an interesting car and I decided to do my best to rescue it.
This is just the beginning of the story and I will try to keep the forum updated as and when progress is made. The aim of the project is to return ORV 222 to rallying prowess.
This is the car on the RSR stand at Stoneleigh, October 2011. It shows the original roofrack that was with the car and a pair of radial snow-tyres on the roof. Serious looks at the lack of metal where the body should be.
First task is to get it through an MOT, which will mean fabricating some body mounts, which will entail removing the enlarged petrol tank (uses all the spare wheel space), rear valences and part of the rear inner wings to make new bits.
The following are some of the car's rallys and results I have been able to find.
The 4th Monte Carlo Challenge Dates: 14-19 February 1993
Route: York, Prague, Noordwijk, Berlin, Oslo, Cortina, Lisbon - Beaune, Vals-les-Bains - Monte Carlo
car no.112 OA postion 54 Class Position 6
The 6th Classic Marathon - Marrakesh Dates: 25 Sep - 2 Oct 1993
Route: Versailles - San Sebastian, Toledo, Carmona, Tangier, Ifrane, Ouarzazate - Marrakesh
car No. 49 OA position 31 Class Position 2
The 5th Monte Carlo Challenge Dates: 12 - 18 February 1994
Route: Oslo, York, San Sebastian, Salzburg, Noordwijk - Beaune, Gap - Monte Carlo
car no. 78 OA position 48 Class position 6
The 7th Classic Marathon - Czech Dates: 5 - 10 June 1994
Route: Ieper - Jakobsberg, Klatovy, Hrdonov, Grobming - Cortina d'Ampezzo
car no. 22 OA position 26 Class position 2
The 6th Monte Carlo Challenge Dates: 12 - 17 February 1995
Route: Bristol, Rothenburg, Noordwijk, Oslo, Bolzano, San Sebastian - Le Mont-Dore, Vals-les-Bains - Monte Carlo
car no. 22 OA position 30 Class position 3
42e TULPENRALLYE - Dates: 5/8 April 1995 Route: Arlon-Turckheim-Adenau
car no. 79 Position 43
The 10th Classic Marathon - Marrakesh Dates: 5 - 14 September 1998
Route: Versailles - Andorra, Ubeda, Tangiers, Ifrane, Erfoud, Ouarzazate, Marakesh, Ifrane - Tangiers
car no. 34 OA position 21 Class position 3
The 10th Monte Carlo Challenge Dates: 31 Jan - 5 Feb 1999
Route: Biarritz, Oslo, Brooklands, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Noordwijk - Aix-es-Bains, Aix-en-Provence - Monte Carlo
car no. 150 OA position 39 Class position 6
46e TULPENRALLYE - Dates: 12/17 April 1999 Route: Munster-Kelbra-Berlin-Winterberg-Vaals
car no. 27 Position 101
The 1st Rally of the Tests - Blackpool Dates: 30 Nov - 2 Dec 2001
Route: Blackpool - Harrogate, Oxford - Brighton
car no. 93 OA position 54 Class position 8
The 2nd Rally of the Tests - Scarborough Dates: 7 - 10 November 2002
Route: Scarborough - Windermere, Sutton Coldfield - Bristol
car no.50 OA position 62 Class position 5
More pictures and info to come.
If you haven't read Freewheel then briefly, an advert for a rather sad looking P4 appeared on ebay at the end of the summer, apart from the car looking a bit shabby, the text was quite interesting mentioning a 'rally pedigree' and various extras having been added.
Engine bay, showing 6 port exhaust manifold.
As it was not far away I decided to go and have a look, and as a result found ORV 222, a 1958 Rover 90 that had been rallied extensively in the late 90s but had now fallen on hard times.
A standard 90 was acquired in about 1991 for classic rallying and as a result had had a number of things added to it. The list includes, a new chassis, a replacement 110 engine and transmission , a larger servo with added disc brakes, re-inforced brake hoses, new springs front ( lowered ) and rear as well as a heavy-duty roll bar and polycarbonate suspension bushes. A bespoke new six-branch manifold had been added with a smaller straight-through type exhaust box.
Anyway I decided that the car was worth saving and a deal was done and a few days later it was sitting in my garage, alongside my 1951 Cyclops and 1929 Coachbuilt 2 litre. I wasn't looking for a new project but it seemed like a good idea at the time.
Picture taken mid-90s showing extra spot-lights and hi-intensity headlights, this rally number was for participation in the 1995 Monte carlo Rally, by the time it competed the large yellow spot had been replaced with a pair of Cibie spots which it stll carries today. The tyres are special radial snow-tyres.
Upon inspection the condition of the car became apparent, the chassis was OK as expected, but the rear body mountings had suffered from rust. It was however an interesting car and I decided to do my best to rescue it.
This is just the beginning of the story and I will try to keep the forum updated as and when progress is made. The aim of the project is to return ORV 222 to rallying prowess.
This is the car on the RSR stand at Stoneleigh, October 2011. It shows the original roofrack that was with the car and a pair of radial snow-tyres on the roof. Serious looks at the lack of metal where the body should be.
First task is to get it through an MOT, which will mean fabricating some body mounts, which will entail removing the enlarged petrol tank (uses all the spare wheel space), rear valences and part of the rear inner wings to make new bits.
The following are some of the car's rallys and results I have been able to find.
The 4th Monte Carlo Challenge Dates: 14-19 February 1993
Route: York, Prague, Noordwijk, Berlin, Oslo, Cortina, Lisbon - Beaune, Vals-les-Bains - Monte Carlo
car no.112 OA postion 54 Class Position 6
The 6th Classic Marathon - Marrakesh Dates: 25 Sep - 2 Oct 1993
Route: Versailles - San Sebastian, Toledo, Carmona, Tangier, Ifrane, Ouarzazate - Marrakesh
car No. 49 OA position 31 Class Position 2
The 5th Monte Carlo Challenge Dates: 12 - 18 February 1994
Route: Oslo, York, San Sebastian, Salzburg, Noordwijk - Beaune, Gap - Monte Carlo
car no. 78 OA position 48 Class position 6
The 7th Classic Marathon - Czech Dates: 5 - 10 June 1994
Route: Ieper - Jakobsberg, Klatovy, Hrdonov, Grobming - Cortina d'Ampezzo
car no. 22 OA position 26 Class position 2
The 6th Monte Carlo Challenge Dates: 12 - 17 February 1995
Route: Bristol, Rothenburg, Noordwijk, Oslo, Bolzano, San Sebastian - Le Mont-Dore, Vals-les-Bains - Monte Carlo
car no. 22 OA position 30 Class position 3
42e TULPENRALLYE - Dates: 5/8 April 1995 Route: Arlon-Turckheim-Adenau
car no. 79 Position 43
The 10th Classic Marathon - Marrakesh Dates: 5 - 14 September 1998
Route: Versailles - Andorra, Ubeda, Tangiers, Ifrane, Erfoud, Ouarzazate, Marakesh, Ifrane - Tangiers
car no. 34 OA position 21 Class position 3
The 10th Monte Carlo Challenge Dates: 31 Jan - 5 Feb 1999
Route: Biarritz, Oslo, Brooklands, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Noordwijk - Aix-es-Bains, Aix-en-Provence - Monte Carlo
car no. 150 OA position 39 Class position 6
46e TULPENRALLYE - Dates: 12/17 April 1999 Route: Munster-Kelbra-Berlin-Winterberg-Vaals
car no. 27 Position 101
The 1st Rally of the Tests - Blackpool Dates: 30 Nov - 2 Dec 2001
Route: Blackpool - Harrogate, Oxford - Brighton
car no. 93 OA position 54 Class position 8
The 2nd Rally of the Tests - Scarborough Dates: 7 - 10 November 2002
Route: Scarborough - Windermere, Sutton Coldfield - Bristol
car no.50 OA position 62 Class position 5
More pictures and info to come.