User:KrikkitRobot/Rover 9

The Rover 9 was a small family car from the British Rover car company produced between 1925 and 1929.

Rover 9/20
The 1929 Rover 9 was based on the earlier Rover 8 (which it replaced), and was the predecessor to the Rover 10. The car was conventional with leaf spring suspension all round, quarter elliptic at the front and rear with rigid axles. Braking was provided by two cable-operated drums on the rear wheels.

The four cylinder, overhead valve engine had a capacity of 1074 cc and had a magneto ignition, electric starting motor (although a starting handle was also provided). Drive was to the rear wheels through a three speed gearbox through a dry-plate clutch.

Rover 10 1933-1938
The 1933 10 was really a new car with new chassis and new 1389 cc engine. It was the first car to be developed by Rover after the Wilks brothers Spencer and younger brother Maurice joined the company. The car was relatively expensive at GBP238 - the Austin 10 was GBP168 - and reflected the new company policy of moving upmarket rather than chasing volume. The Pressed Steel body was continued but there were no more fabric bodied models. Chassis were also supplied to a wide range of external coachbuilders.

The engine was flexibly mounted in the chassis to reduce vibration and a freewheel device was fitted to help gear changing on the non-synchromesh gearbox and save fuel, a 15% improvement in economy was claimed. The freewheel would continue to be a feature of some Rovers until 1959.

Rover 10 1939-1947
The final version of the 10 was launched in 1939. The chassis was slightly modified getting an extra half inch (12 mm) in the wheelbase and the engine got a new cylinder head increasing power from 44 to 48 bhp. Synchromesh was fitted to the top two ratios on the gearbox. The body was restyled in the Rover style of the time. The price was now GBP275 for the saloon but few were made before the outbreak of war and production stopping in 1940.

The Coventry factory was damaged by bombing in November 1940 and when production restarted it was from the new Solihull works. The cars were little changed but a left hand drive version to help the export drive arrived in 1947 along with an optional heater.

The final cars were made in 1947.