Rover 14

Rover 14 P1
1935 Fourteen 6-light saloon P1
Overview
Manufacturer	Rover
Production	1933–1938
Body and chassis
Body style	chassis only four-door “six-light” saloon four-door "four-light" sports saloon Streamline saloon (fastback) Speed Fourteen Streamline coupé Speed Fourteen Hastings coupé sports four-seater * coupé and sports bodies also available with 54 bhp engine as Rover Speed Fourteen
Powertrain
Engine	1577 cc straight 6
Transmission	gear control central and 'remote'; 4-speed with 'quiet' 2nd and 3rd; free-wheel controlled from dashboard (automatic starting); single-dry-plate clutch; open propellor shaft; spiral bevel rear axle
Dimensions
Wheelbase	2,921 mm (115 in)
Length	4,191 mm (165 in) to 4,445 mm (175 in)
Width	1,575 mm (62 in) to 1,588 mm (63 in)
Kerb weight	P1 24 cwt, 2,688 lb (1,219 kg) P1 26 cwt, 2,912 lb (1,321 kg) P2
Chronology
Predecessor	Pilot 14
Successor	Rover P2

Rover 14 P2
Fourteen 6-light saloon registered September 1939 (postwar car was longer and wider)
Overview
Manufacturer	Rover
Production	1938–1940 1945–1948
Body and chassis
Body style	4-door 6-light saloon 4-door 4-light sports saloon drophead coupé
Powertrain
Engine	1901 cc straight 6
Chronology
Predecessor	Rover Fourteen P1
Successor	Rover Fourteen P3

The Rover Fourteen was a medium-sized family car and variants produced by the British Rover car company between 1924 and 1948. Civilian automobile production was interrupted in 1940 because of the war, but when the war ended in 1945, the Rover 14 returned to the market and remained available until replaced by the Rover 75 at the beginning of 1948.

Rover's first 14 was no more than a renamed 12. Introduced in 1912 designed by Clegg it became known as Rover's Clegg 12. The name was changed to 14 in 1923. It was last offered for sale in 1925. See Rover Clegg.

Announced in October 1924 with a much more powerful engine than its predecessor it would remain available until 1928 though "supplemented" from May 1926 by the 2.4-litre 16/50 with a strengthened transmission on the same chassis. Somewhat unconventional the new 14/45 displayed these distinctive attributes: unusual engine design (spherical combustion chambers), four-wheel brakes, four-speed gearbox

The engine was given spherical combustion chambers for which greater efficiency was claimed because it provided more even burning of the fuel and air mixture. The engine's sparking plugs had been placed in the centre of each combustion chamber and on either side of the plug the overhead valves were mounted at 45 degrees to the head. One overhead camshaft acts directly on the inlet valves and through horizontal pushrods works the exhaust valves on the other side of the engine. The camshaft was driven by a vertical shaft at the rear of the engine. Water circulation was assisted by an impeller. By the time of the following Motor Show the worm drive at the rear of the engine for the camshaft and other accessories had been modified to deal with a noise problem.

Engine clutch and gearbox were held as a unit at three points. There was a single plate clutch, its housing cast in one piece with the gearbox, a four-speed gearbox and an enclosed drive shaft taking power to the spiral bevel final drive. The gear lever, adjustable for reach, was positioned by the driver's right hand.

The worm and sector steering box was fixed to the engine and received lubrication from it. All four wheels had internally expanding brakes. The hand lever operated only the back pair. Unconventional in action it was simplified for the following Motor Show. The front brakes used the Perrot system. The car's springs were all half-elliptical, flat-set and gaitered.

As well as the windscreen there was a rear screen and luggage grid. The hood was supplied with a draught excluder and all-weather side curtains. The front seats could be adjusted.