A couple of bits added at each national meet should soon have it finished Kieran
Cheers Ian

Sorry, but without wanting to offend anyone involved with this Project, I really must be missing the point about this car! :shrug:

I appreciate, that it was a pre-production car and had a somewhat "interesting" life, but what is supposed to be the point of the restoration? :shrug:

I'm assuming that when the car is back to it's former glory, that it will be displayed at shows to represent the Club (as and when the owner has the time to do that) :shrug:

Why then pick a poverty spec car to show at events? :shrug:

Surely if it is being restored to be a "Show" car, then you would at least pick the highest spec Connoisseur SE you could find, with EVERY factory option available, to show off Rover's hay-day of what you could have bought, if you ticked all the option boxes (a 2.5 Auto would have been my choice) and not a hum-drum spec car that you can get to view at any provincial car auction? :shrug:

Or am I missing the point, because for me, this car when completed, wouldn't get a second glance from me at a car show! :(

I am afraid I must agree with you the intentions were right to stat with
to save this historical vehicle from the scrapman but it has now gone on far too long with out any light at the end of the tunnel

To be honest, I think Christopher bought OVP for himself. Not that there's anything wrong with that, doesn't make it 'the club project' though in my eyes.
Seems he's been busy with it recently so I take back what I said. Nice to actually see some work going into it.
http://www.the75andztclub.co.uk/foru...&postcount=156

I felt that it should be restored to its 'Battenburg' spec, as a basic 75 it is not really very interesting or good to look at. As a longbridge 'Police' car it has some history and relevance.

The issue is at the time it was thought to be the oldest surviving rover 75
However it has now come to light there are many s reg cars around and indeed even earlier ones.

I totally agree with you,but if I was to be honest ive never really gave the car a second thought, I can understand how people feel that have been following its progress or lack of:shrug:,since this car was mentioned I think some members on here have owned cars them selves just as interesting, such as the royal car mentioned already,and lewis's inspector morse car:shrug:

I am out of the UK most of the time at the moment and whilst I am away LJW continues to be repaired and restored. Since buying it from Rabett Rover this has so far cost me 4K in bills. I have nearly finished doing it up. I do not have the resources or knowledge which Christopher has but have learned alot from the forum. Some of the other members have spent much more than I have. OVP has a certain uniqueness given it's history. I view it as an ongoing project and even if it takes years to fully restore it is symbolic of the phoenix rising from the ashes in my eyes. I for one am not fed up of it.

We do have many exceptional cars for display at meets and the Classic Motor Show in Birmingham for example. They are more often than not Connoisseur SEs and ZT SEs, so it is also quite refreshing and representative of the mark to display cars built at the other end of the spectrum.

OVP was rescued from Longbridge by Pete, not Christopher. Christopher has his own vehicles already, and does not need another for getting around in.

As has been mentioned, this car is one of the earliest examples and has a unique history that many members admire and wish to see shared for others.

The car is on the mend, slowly and will be presented at meets and shows when completed - alongside higher spec members vehicles to help illustrate the range of trims available. There shouldn't be much wrong in doing that I'd hope you'd agree :shrug:

The one thing about OVP is you are very unlikely to see another car with such a low spec in such good condition, even down to the fact it's got steel wheels and wheel trims rather then alloys

Granted there are plenty of well spec'd launch cars that would equally good at shows but this OVP appears to have spent its entire life at the factory and was litterally saved from the crusher at the 11th hour

Put OVP with tony bubbles 08 development car and you really do have the history of the 75 in one go