- Rover 8
The Rover 8 was a name given to three early models of car from the British Rover car company. The original one, produced between 1904 and 1912, was the first production Rover car. The name was used again from 1911 to 1912 on a new car with a Knight sleeve valve engine and finally from 1919 to 1925 on a twin cylinder light car.
Rover 8 1904-1912
Infobox Automobile
name = Rover 8
manufacturer = Rover
production = 1904-1912
body_style =
engine = 1.3 L single cylinder
transmission = 3 speed manual
wheelbase =
length =
width =
weight =
successor =
designer = Edmund LewisThe car, designed by Edmund Lewis who had joined Rover from Daimler, had an unusual design. Instead of the conventional chassis, the car used a backbone which enclosed the gearbox and was directly attached to the rear axle. The only suspension at the rear was in the tyres. A transverse leaf spring was fitted at the front.The single cylinder engine displaced 1327 cc with a bore of Auto mm|114|1 and stroke of Auto mm|130|1. It had an unusual pedal control that changed over the valve operating cams to provide extra engine braking.
Most cars seem to have had a very basic open two seat body with no windscreen or other weather protection.
At launch the Rover 8 cost GBP200 on the home market.
Rover 8 1911-1912
Infobox Automobile
name = Rover 8
manufacturer = Rover
production = 1911-1912
body_style =
engine = 1.0 L single cylinderSleeve valve
transmission =
wheelbase = 84 inches (2134 mm)
length =
width = 57 inches (1448 mm)
weight =
successor =
designer =The 1911 Rover 8 turned away from conventional engines using a 1052 cc sleeve valve unit. Daimler had a licence to produce the Knight sleeve valve engine and as the dimension of the one advertised by Rover were identical it is probable that this was their source. Whether components or complete engines were bought is not known but Daimler never sold a single cylinder sleeve valve car.
Very few were made.
Rover 8 1919-1925
Infobox Automobile
name = Rover 8
manufacturer = Rover
production = 1919-1925
17,700 madecite book |last=Baldwin |first=N. |title=A-Z of cars of the 1920s |year=1994 |publisher= Bay View Books |location=UK |id=ISBN 1-870979-53-2]
body_style =
engine = 1.0 or 1.1 L two cylinderside valve
transmission = 3 speed manual
wheelbase = 88 or 94 inches (2235 or 2388 mm)cite book |last=Culshaw |first= |coauthors=Horrobin |title=Complete Catalogue of British Cars |year=1974 |publisher=Macmillan |location=London |id=ISBN 0-333-16689-2]
length = 123 or 135 inches (3124 or 2429 mm)
width = 58 inches (1473 mm)
weight =
successor = Rover 9/20
designer = Jack SangsterThe all new Rover 8 light car was designed by Jack Sangster largely before he joined Rover and was built in a new factory in
Tyseley , Birmingham and driven to Coventry to have its body fitted. It was a great sales success for the company.The air cooled, side valve, engine was a horizontal twin and was originally of 998 cc capacity but this increased to 1135 cc in 1923. The original engine had a peak output of convert|13|bhp|abbr=on at 2600 rpm. Although there was a conventional looking radiator it was a dummy. Cooling was supplied through air scoops on the side of the bonnet and it was rumoured that after hard driving at night the cylinder heads could be seen glowing red through them. The three speed gearbox was in-unit with the engine and drove the rear wheels via a worm wheel type rear axle. A dynamo was belt driven from the propeller shaft. An electric starter was optional from 1923.
The chassis was conventional with quarter elliptic leaf springs all round. Unusually for the time, rack and pinion steering was used. Brakes were fitted to the rear wheels only with a separate set of shoes for the handbrake. The wheelbase was extended from 88 to convert|94|in|mm in 1924 to allow genuine four seat bodies to be offered including a fabric four seat saloon.
Open two and four seat bodies were usual but some closed 2 seat coupés were also made from 1923 as well as light commercials. The car cost GBP230 in 1919 reducing to GBP139 in 1925. It was capable of reaching Auto mph|45|0 and returning 45 miles per gallon (imperial).
The Rover 8 was made under licence in Germany, with a slightly larger engine, by Peter and Morritz between 1921 and 1923.cite book |last=Wood |first= Jonathan|title=Rover 8 |year=Jan 2008 |publisher=The Automobile (magazine) |location=London ]
Jack Sangster would later become chairman of BSA.
References
* The Rover Story. Graham Robson. 1977. Patrick Stephens Ltd. ISBN 1-85260-175-2
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