1947 Rover 10

Rover 10 (Saloon), 1939-1947

The Rover 10 was in production from 1939 until 1947. Designed in house and offered with a range of bodies, it is a front-engine, rear wheel drive saloon range seating five adults.

The Rover 10 was the entry level model in Rover's P2 range, which also included the 12, 14, 16 and 20hp models. The P2 was a thorough refresh of the previous model, known as the P1 - it gained half an inch in the wheelbase, synchromesh on the top two gears and a new cylinder head boosting power by almost ten percent. The P2 range was launched in 1939, but production lasted barely a year before Rover's Coventry factory was damaged by bombing. When production resumed at the Solihull factory in 1945, the model lasted a further two years before replacement by the P3 model. Some left hand drive cars were made available during its final production year. The P2 range was replaced by the P3 range, which had no direct Rover 10hp equivalent - the closest being the Rover 60 which had replaced the Rover 12. 2640 Rover 10s were made post war.

Unsurprisingly the P2 feels like a pre war design, but that's not to say that it's not charming in its own way. The engine feels more powerful than you'd expect given its 1389cc, while the freewheel system makes smooth driving easier than you'd expect. It's not a large car but it's comfortable, reflecting Rover's ambition to chase premium buyers over quantity of sales. Realistically you're limited to 50mph without an overdrive unit fitted, but that's plenty for the majority of driving you're likely to want to do in a car of this ilk.

Rear wheelarches can rust owing to the cotton trim between the arch and the wing trapping water, so check this area thoroughly. Front wings can rust around the headlamp support brackets; repairable but better to know before you buy. Check for rot in the inner and outer sills, the boot sides, floor and the seams in the inner wings. The sunroof gutter should drain from all four corners, so check they're not blocked. Running boards and door bottoms can corrode but these aren't as structurally important as the areas above. Rear body tails at the sides of the bootlid, and scuttle sides near the footwell vent are also important points to check. Oddly, despite being separate chassis, this is rarely an issue owing to the amount of oil that's usually around - it effectively protects itself against corrosion, so a quick visual inspection should suffice here. The brakes and cooling system should always be checked on any car, while a P2 Rover specific check is the wiring loom. Remember that these cars are now well over seventy years old, and if they've never been rewired they're likely to need it. Cars which have been rewired need checking to ascertain the quality of the job.

As a single model range the Rover 10 has no especially desirable or undesirable models. However, these cars wore two different bodystyles from the factory and it's possible that some have also been coachbuilt over time. The standard four door saloon holds a wide appeal, but collectors will value two door cars more highly by dint of their rarity. Left hand drive examples from 1947 are very rare, and so desirable to collectors, while cars with the optional heater will be worth slightly more than those without more as they're considered to be more usable propositions.

The Rover was a cut above the average Ford or Vauxhall, and so its competition would have been a cut above too. But equally, it was the entry level Rover and cars with similar small engines are the order of the day. A Sunbeam Talbot Ten for instance would be an interesting alternative, as would a Singer Super Twelve. Away from Rootes, the Wolseley 12/48 offered similar prestige in a small engined package. Those of a more sporting bent might consider a Riley RMA or an MG Y Type as a viable alternative. The truly aspirational might consider a Lanchester LD10, or possibly even a Jaguar 1.5 Litre.