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ROVER V8 RACE CAR

Posted: Wed 20 Feb 2008, 15:21
by Gavin RS
The late Paddy O'Sullivan Rover V8 Race car was at Zwartkops today.

Another famous car from the 1980's.a frienfd of mine will send me photo's to post.

No replica but the real deal restored.

Re: ROVER V8 RACE CAR

Posted: Thu 21 Feb 2008, 15:59
by Gavin RS
I have attached some photos of the car taken yesterday at Zwartkops.It has been returned to the same spec and colour it was all those years ago.The original motor is still with the car but I beleive they will be saving that motor and will race with another motor.The originl motor had some special parts and is rare.
This car can be identified and has a proper chassis number to identify it.It was never built as a road car and came from the UK factory built as a race car.There have been a few articles written about this car.Classic Cars in Action and the Citizen Newspaper did an article some years ago.

In 2003 the late Paddy O'Sullivan offered this car to me for a very reasonable amount,I could not afford it at the time.I will dig out my photo's I took whenI went to see the car and post it on the site.This was without a motor or the original colour scheme. it was plain white.
No Chevy or Ford sounds as good as this little V8.

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Re: ROVER V8 RACE CAR

Posted: Thu 21 Feb 2008, 16:21
by FairmontGT
Nice post Gavin.

Re: ROVER V8 RACE CAR

Posted: Fri 22 Feb 2008, 21:08
by ZA Perana
Agreed, great post. These are the first pictures I have seen of this car, have read quite a bit about it but thus far no pics.....

One of the forgotten race cars, whats evident in this picture is the attention to detail on the car, very unusual for a race car.

Re: ROVER V8 RACE CAR

Posted: Fri 22 Feb 2008, 23:24
by Killarney Racer
Yes I have also never seen this Rover but I do remember reading about it. Looks beautiful, similar to the Rovers raced so successfully in the UK.

Who could forget Deon de Waal and his Rover V8 showboating around Killarney and making a mockery of the opposition, going through every corner as sideways as possible with smoke pouring off the tyres lap after lap? Every now and then someone would get close to him and then he would be serious for a lap or two and drive "properly" before going back to his sideways antics. He was soooooo entertaining!

Re: ROVER V8 RACE CAR

Posted: Sat 23 Feb 2008, 00:00
by Gunter
Yes.... the famous Deon de Waal and his Rover, its such a pity that as time goes by less and less people remember those glory days.
I actually still have a newspaper ad that reads something like this.....

CLUBMANS RACING THIS SATURDAY
"come see Deon de Waal vs Ray Brooks battle it out in there V8 Rovers"
then (in much much smaller script) "also National Wesbank V8 racing"

I have a big issue with promoters and race tracks that complain about low spectator numbers....20 years ago you HAD to be at Killarney by 9 am or you would not get a seat near the fence....the reason? to watch 1 guy doing an awesome show in a V8 Rover.

The world famous motorsport promoter Humpy Wheeler was asked what is his secret for ALWAYS having full stands...he said "its very easy - overpowered under tyred race cars"

Re: ROVER V8 RACE CAR

Posted: Sat 23 Feb 2008, 09:45
by Railway
Gavin RS wrote: .

In 2003 the late Paddy O'Sullivan offered this car to me for a very reasonable amount,I could not afford it at the time.I will dig out my photo's I took whenI went to see the car and post it on the site.This was without a motor or the original colour scheme. it was plain white.
No Chevy or Ford sounds as good as this little V8.


We saw this same car mid 1990 at Paddy's Mosport workshop in Boksburg. At that time he was racing a Chevair V8 in the Ultimoil/Supersaloon series but was considering fitting a bigger Chev motor into the Rover to race. In a big way a blessing it never was converted as so many other famous cars such as the 300ZX of Hennie v/d Linde and various others through the years before eventually dissapearing. Paddy pointed out if I remember correctly that even the glass on this car was thinner than normal street Rover glass as many other very trick stuff such as very light suspension components etc.

Our last memories of this car was at a Kyalami Wynns 1000 aprox 1984. The sound Gavin refers to resonates when I look at this pic I took from the old main stand across from the pits as Kyalami was. The car kept coming in for some reason which I think eventually retired.

Re: ROVER V8 RACE CAR

Posted: Tue 11 Mar 2008, 12:21
by Hi-Fi
It's amazing what used to go on in those days. I rember we had a much earler model Rover V8 which I think also ended up in J'oburg. For the life of me I can't remember who drove it.

Gunter, I think you hit it on the head with that ad you quoted. I reckon if the guys around this country had to prepare real cars with V8's in them and go racing like that, the crowds would return. It's all very well having the Wesbank V8's, but who can truly identify with them?

They should start an Historic V8 class to go with the current classes. Can you imagine that? Then all the Monaro's, Chev SS's, Fords and Rover's will hopefully pop out of the woodwork!

Re: ROVER V8 RACE CAR

Posted: Tue 11 Mar 2008, 13:42
by Railway
The earlier Rover that raced here at Killarney was a whote one and was automatic too. Can’t remember the chaps name. English name something like “Mac-…something”. Forgot about that Rover. Was one of those 3500 Rovers and had white epoxy type rims on too.

Re: ROVER V8 RACE CAR

Posted: Wed 12 Mar 2008, 09:15
by Gavin RS
Makes me want to strip down my 1984 Rover VDP m V8 and go racing.Would love to build a replica of the TWR touring car Rovers that raced in Europe and won just about everything until the rules were changed.

The late PaddyO'Sullivan's car is a legend and I am glad it is back as I have followed this car since the beginning.

As you guys say , can you imagine how the racing would be if all the old Grp1 cars ,star modifieds etc came back.Spectator value alone would be huge.