Back in 1970 Bill Shaw was commissioned by the British Leyland Competitions Department to build and prepare a Rover P6 in readiness for possible participation in the 1971 British Group 2 Saloon Car Championship.
The car (JXC806D in Leyland Spec) started as a new 3500 Auto shell in 1970 and was put together at Abingdon [MG Works division], painted Leyland blue and white, and fitted with a Traco modified version of the Rover 3.5 V8, out of another Works car (JXC808D) - this was bored and stroked giving a capacity of 4.5 litres. This was linked to a modified four speed Rover 2000 gearbox.
Former British saloon car champion Roy Pierpoint was appointed to drive the car, competing in a number of special saloon events, achieving 1 victory at Castle Coombe. The P6s debut was at Mallory Park on April 19th, 1970. Although showing great promise during practice and early stages of the race, the suspension failed and unfortunately, Pierpoint became an early retirement.
Sadly the project ceased to continue beyond 1970, partly due to the BL Competition department cutting backā¦
The Works Rover JXC806D lived on to be raced at Nurburgring, before going to Australia and being raced there in 1971, then being converted to the Camel Rover in 1973 and fitted with a Repco Holden V8 engine.
Both JXC808D and JXC806D (believed still in Australia) still live on today. JXC808D has recently been painted blue, and still gets used in anger
Text shamelessly plagiarised from the following sources:
www.slotforum.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=43531
and
www.flickr.com/photos/rccapics/3093739089/
A couple more racing P6s I found whilst making this thread..
The car (JXC806D in Leyland Spec) started as a new 3500 Auto shell in 1970 and was put together at Abingdon [MG Works division], painted Leyland blue and white, and fitted with a Traco modified version of the Rover 3.5 V8, out of another Works car (JXC808D) - this was bored and stroked giving a capacity of 4.5 litres. This was linked to a modified four speed Rover 2000 gearbox.
Former British saloon car champion Roy Pierpoint was appointed to drive the car, competing in a number of special saloon events, achieving 1 victory at Castle Coombe. The P6s debut was at Mallory Park on April 19th, 1970. Although showing great promise during practice and early stages of the race, the suspension failed and unfortunately, Pierpoint became an early retirement.
Sadly the project ceased to continue beyond 1970, partly due to the BL Competition department cutting backā¦
The Works Rover JXC806D lived on to be raced at Nurburgring, before going to Australia and being raced there in 1971, then being converted to the Camel Rover in 1973 and fitted with a Repco Holden V8 engine.
Both JXC808D and JXC806D (believed still in Australia) still live on today. JXC808D has recently been painted blue, and still gets used in anger
Text shamelessly plagiarised from the following sources:
www.slotforum.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=43531
and
www.flickr.com/photos/rccapics/3093739089/
A couple more racing P6s I found whilst making this thread..