Rover Archives

scottish_don · 26th January 2017, 04:53

I read in a classic car mag a couple of months ago how the Rootes Group archives were being mode to a new location. Does any such archive exist for Rover under any club or association? Or have the Chinese binned everything?

victorgte · 26th January 2017, 09:00

You would have thought by now that all former British car makers records would have been snapped up by museums or car clubs.
It's a piece of economic and social history never to be repeated.

jonathan63 · 26th January 2017, 09:15

I read recently that when assembly of the MG6 ended at Longbridge the chinese quietly binned what was left of the MGR heritage.

first-things-first · 26th January 2017, 10:14

I don't think it's all been binned.

Didn't most MG Rover heritage stuff go to Gaydon?

Looks like the British Motor Museum has a fair chunk of it to 1986 and MG to mid 90's.

https://britishmotormuseum.co.uk/home/

Might be worth asking them where the rest is?

The Chinese owners play on the MG heritage, can't see them being as crass as to bin the archives.

Rights in the Rover name were with Ford (now Tata). Maybe they have some later bits?

Edit : Search on the National Archives website seems to indicate that some records (to mid 60's) are held by Warwickshire University.

scottish_don · 26th January 2017, 11:41

It's just a shame that it's not all in one place, catalogued, on line and accessible.
It would be nice to know that everything from sales brochures through to technical manuals was being preserved for the future.

murphyv310 · 26th January 2017, 12:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by first-things-first

I don't think it's all been binned.

Didn't most MG Rover heritage stuff go to Gaydon?

Looks like the British Motor Museum has a fair chunk of it to 1986 and MG to mid 90's.

https://britishmotormuseum.co.uk/home/

Might be worth asking them where the rest is?

The Chinese owners play on the MG heritage, can't see them being as crass as to bin the archives.

Rights in the Rover name were with Ford (now Tata). Maybe they have some later bits?

Edit : Search on the National Archives website seems to indicate that some records (to mid 60's) are held by Warwickshire University.

I'm not so sure about the Chinese, they have little regard for other consumer goods and their parts and technical help is abysmal. I wonder if the MG7 will be furnished with good parts backup? I doubt it even Mat finds sourcing parts from China harder and harder. I'd also think the Chinese would be unlikely to keep records from a defunct company.

Lovel · 26th January 2017, 13:09

A lot of MG Rover data used to be found in this website, but its long gone unfortunately. Technical service bulletins, EKA. radio codes etc were held here. However no engineering details/drawing etc. Must have been for the dealers.

http://www.mgrconnections.com

Davpil · 26th January 2017, 18:19

i think you'll find that Gaydon hold Rover records from 1945 to 1986. I doubt that the post 1986 records have completely vanished but take the point that the Chinese may not have regarded them highly. This is an interesting issue and worthy of some research, because if they can be found how fascinating they might be in relation to our cars. First place to start is the various modern Rover published histories - from where did they source it all ?

Well, James Taylor in ' Rover 75 and MG ZT' first published in 2014 says ' MG Motor UK Ltd handed the full records for Rover 75 manufacture over to the British Motor Industry Heritage Trust in September 2012' . So, they should be safe, but in 2014 they were not then available for James for consultation ie they probably hadn't got them sorted out by then !

I'll contact Gaydon and see what they say now. Anyone want to write a book ?

X10Rich · 29th January 2017, 19:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lovel

A lot of MG Rover data used to be found in this website, but its long gone unfortunately. Technical service bulletins, EKA. radio codes etc were held here. However no engineering details/drawing etc. Must have been for the dealers.

http://www.mgrconnections.com

I thought it was www.mgroverconnections.com, the new owner of the domain was going to rebuild the site, but never got round to it afaik......

scottish_don · 29th January 2017, 20:07

I look at what the Rootes Archive managed to do, it's sad that another manufacturer with a long history hasn't managed something similar. I'm sure there would be volunteers to help preserve ( i include myself in this)

26th January 2017, 04:53	#1
scottish_don Loves to post None Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: Falkirk Posts: 426 Thanks: 151 Thanked 138 Times in 83 Posts	Rover Archives I read in a classic car mag a couple of months ago how the Rootes Group archives were being mode to a new location. Does any such archive exist for Rover under any club or association? Or have the Chinese binned everything? __________________ NONE

26th January 2017, 09:00	#2
victorgte I really should get out more....... MGTF, MGZT, Range Rover Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: Cheltenham Posts: 2,803 Thanks: 395 Thanked 633 Times in 446 Posts	You would have thought by now that all former British car makers records would have been snapped up by museums or car clubs. It's a piece of economic and social history never to be repeated. __________________ MG TF 135, MG ZT, Range Rover P38

26th January 2017, 10:14	#4
first-things-first Posted a thing or two MG ZT Join Date: Jul 2014 Location: Hornchurch Posts: 1,255 Thanks: 176 Thanked 352 Times in 272 Posts	I don't think it's all been binned. Didn't most MG Rover heritage stuff go to Gaydon? Looks like the British Motor Museum has a fair chunk of it to 1986 and MG to mid 90's. https://britishmotormuseum.co.uk/home/ Might be worth asking them where the rest is? The Chinese owners play on the MG heritage, can't see them being as crass as to bin the archives. Rights in the Rover name were with Ford (now Tata). Maybe they have some later bits? Edit : Search on the National Archives website seems to indicate that some records (to mid 60's) are held by Warwickshire University. Last edited by first-things-first; 26th January 2017 at 10:18..

26th January 2017, 11:41	#5
scottish_don Loves to post None Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: Falkirk Posts: 426 Thanks: 151 Thanked 138 Times in 83 Posts	It's just a shame that it's not all in one place, catalogued, on line and accessible. It would be nice to know that everything from sales brochures through to technical manuals was being preserved for the future. __________________ NONE

26th January 2017, 18:19	#8
Davpil Regular poster Rover 75 Saloon, MGZT Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: Bedford Posts: 54 Thanks: 12 Thanked 11 Times in 9 Posts	i think you'll find that Gaydon hold Rover records from 1945 to 1986. I doubt that the post 1986 records have completely vanished but take the point that the Chinese may not have regarded them highly. This is an interesting issue and worthy of some research, because if they can be found how fascinating they might be in relation to our cars. First place to start is the various modern Rover published histories - from where did they source it all ? Well, James Taylor in ' Rover 75 and MG ZT' first published in 2014 says ' MG Motor UK Ltd handed the full records for Rover 75 manufacture over to the British Motor Industry Heritage Trust in September 2012' . So, they should be safe, but in 2014 they were not then available for James for consultation ie they probably hadn't got them sorted out by then ! I'll contact Gaydon and see what they say now. Anyone want to write a book ? Last edited by Dragrad; 26th January 2017 at 23:24.. Reason: Consecutive posts, please use the edit or multi-quote options ;-)

26th January 2017, 09:15	#3
jonathan63 This is my second home CDTi Conniosseur SE HLNav Tourer and a Personal Line CDT Conniosseur SE Tourer..for the time being. Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Cumbria Posts: 3,639 Thanks: 340 Thanked 423 Times in 294 Posts	I read recently that when assembly of the MG6 ended at Longbridge the chinese quietly binned what was left of the MGR heritage.

26th January 2017, 13:09	#7
Lovel I really should get out more....... P6B, L550, Imp, F56, Commando Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Aberdeenshire Posts: 2,886 Thanks: 352 Thanked 677 Times in 440 Posts	A lot of MG Rover data used to be found in this website, but its long gone unfortunately. Technical service bulletins, EKA. radio codes etc were held here. However no engineering details/drawing etc. Must have been for the dealers. http://www.mgrconnections.com

29th January 2017, 20:07	#10
scottish_don Loves to post None Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: Falkirk Posts: 426 Thanks: 151 Thanked 138 Times in 83 Posts	I look at what the Rootes Archive managed to do, it's sad that another manufacturer with a long history hasn't managed something similar. I'm sure there would be volunteers to help preserve ( i include myself in this) __________________ NONE