I am curently in the process of dismantling a very rotten early (ish) 2000. It was built in late '65 and first registered in Jan '66. (C suffix) As these are quite rare, I want to salvage as many of the unique parts as possible. Maybe rebuild them onto a sound base unit later. Does anyone know what I should be looking for? The car has been mucked about with quite a bit so it is not very original but I have salvaged the Sharks tooth valance and the dashboard interior lights, and removed the bonnet and slam panel. What else do I need to keep?
Early car differences
- Thread starter KiwiRover
- Start date
As well as the dash courtesey lights you also need the dash panel to mount them in. Later cars don't have the cut outs at the end of the dash-rail to accept them. Should also have a light down the back of the mirror stem, so keep that whole assembly plus the sunvisors and centre clips (later ones aren't the same width). Just possible it might have real wood door and dash trims as well, bit late for that though. I presume it will have Dunlop brakes - so keep the lot! It might still have the centre mounted under bumper reverse lamp; if it's in any sort of condition hang on to it. All the other changes you really wouldn't want to hang on to. If it still had the original venting on the diff, you'd want to modify that to later standard pretty sharpish. The gearbox is quite fragile by the standards of later cars, but a fellow early car owner might appreciate the remote change arrangements.
Chris
Chris
Right. Got all the dashboard bits and the mirror light. The car has Girling brakes. Is this right or has it been modified? When did they change? It also has the later taillights with the built in reverse lights unfortunately. (another upgrade I suspect) It had been fitted with a 2200TC motor and 'box so nothing early to be gained there. It seems to have small rubber mudflaps in front of the front wheels which I have never seen before. It had a grey interior originally but most of that has been replaced. Early radiator is in quite good nick, round door locks are good. Has a 120mph speedo, should it be a 110? I have salvaged some goodies for my TC- a nice chrome rimmed tachometer and the series one hazard light setup! Is it worth saving the wiring loom? It's quite tatty but it is all cloth covered wiring. I love my TC's remote gearchange. Once it has been rebushed and mounted properly it's an absolute joy! 
Well a 2200TC motor and box are the best of the 4 cyl cars so worth hanging on to. The small front mudflaps are standard but not often seen nowadays, either lost or substituted by the big Rover logo-ed ones. Change to Girling brakes was roughly contemporary with the introduction of the TC in '66 so this car has had its brakes replaced. Non Xflow rad, mounting panels and battery tray might possibly be worth saving but I would have thought they'd spend a long time in the back of the shed and then go to the tip later (!). If you want the early patern rear light clusters they are surprisingly common NOS - more so than the later ones! Can't think of much else. If it had the 2200 lump swapped did it get a 200 rear end as well? - that might be worth keeping. (2200 has the V8 style front diff mounting and a stronger diff).
Chris
Chris