Rover 75 Vanden Plas LWB Info...
 

Hi all,

I've done a search but can't really find the information I'm after, and hope someone will be able to help!

Summit Garage have a LWB Rover 75 for sale - I'm sure plenty of you have seen it on their website. Purchasing the car has crossed my mind on several occasions, but before I can entertain the idea properly I'd like to know a few things about the build process.

The car in question is on an MY03 plate, however has interior bits from a MK2 75. It also has aubergine seats, yes the dashboard is the usual dark grey, the carpets, armrest lid and door cards are all sandstone beige. How long did the conversions take? Did McNellie build them up from scratch or did they take built cars away and convert them?

Why would an '03 registration have parts from a facelift 75 (assuming they're original) and would the interior have been specified like this when it was built? Or did it leave the factory with sandstone seats?

Any info would be great!

Thanks.

Hi Tim

The cars were converted from normal finished production models, not sure why the dashboard would be different though?

Brill, thank you. My search of the forums did seem to turn up a few instances of '52 / '03 reg LWB cars with MK2 clocks fitted!

Seen a few mentions of some LWBs needing structural welding too - is this a thing? I'm up for cosmetic & mechanical repairs but buying something that is priced over the odds anyway to be faced with substantial welding in a couple of years puts me off...

I can give you info on the car as i owned it and I know the owner who is also a member on here (Rain).

It was owned by the city of Westminster for the Mayor of Westminster from new and converted to LPG from new due to the congestion charge (moved free inside London) it was serviced by the Rolls Royce dealer in London (oldest dealership) who I bought it off. They charged £400 for an oil change from the receipts I had

When I got it, the drivers seat was very worn due to the driver sitting there. It did no mileage as it went from the Council office to functions etc.
I had an aubergine interior and it's my favourite so I fitted that. I had great fun in it as when I got it the parking pass was still valid for all the exclusive zones in London so i would park in Westminster etc on the way to Watch Aston Villa play in London.

Rain bought it off me as part of a larger deal for another car. Rain is great and a big MG/Rover fan, he has a dark fantasy Limo etc and he did lots of maintenance on the car., so it will be right

He is selling it via John at Summit.

That is incredibly useful - thank you so much!

As for the MK2 clocks, I assume they are standard? I've found other LWBs with similar.

Safe to say most Limo's are mark 1.5 i.e they can be a mix of both. I have owned 4 and 2 had elements of Mk1 & Mk2

And regarding welding... are they prone to needing structural welding?

I have heard from some that they have.

The 4 that I have owned have never needed it. What you can find is that the rear doors can be prone to rust but you just need to watch for it like all of the cars now at the age they are. Rain I am sure would have sorted any bits that needed doing. When I sold it to him there was no rust from memory.

This car was garaged all it's life in London and driven to the council house to pick-up for a function then taken back into the garage after

That's really useful info, thank you.

I'm sure the car is in perfect condition, I'm just thinking ahead as such a purchase would be for the long term and run only as if it were a 'classic' car - if that makes sense!

If it’s Rains car it will be a good one Tim, he likes things to be as they should be.