Bill Daddis, who
lives in Aurora, Ontario, Canada, writes:
"I bought this car from a doctor in 1965. In England, Rover P4 cars,
with their outstanding reliability and image of solid
respectability, were much favoured by the medical profession. When I
bought it, the “90” had 56,000 miles on the clock.
"For ten years,
the 90 served faultlessly as my daily transport, until in the
winter of 1975 an encounter at speed with a series of potholes
resulted in a broken rear spring main leaf and a shattered
windscreen. At that time, I had neither the time nor the
facilities to repair the damage, but as I couldn't bear to part
with the car, I parked it in an obliging aunt's garage, where it
slumbered for the next 13 years.
"In 1988, I was
able to make good the damage, and with a repaired spring and new
windscreen, the Rover was back on the road. Since then, it has
been in constant use from April to November -- the salt-free
months in Ontario -- and I generally take it on a motoring
holiday every summer. Still in its original form apart from the
addition of a Laycock-deNormanville overdrive (which allows the
car to cruise comfortably at 70 m.p.h) and radial tyres, the
Rover continues to provide that special blend of silent,
comfortable, and reliable travel that has always been a P4
hallmark.
"Over the
winter of 2005/2006, I carried out a fairly comprehensive
restoration, with new sills welded in, all the minor dents
fixed, a new rear bumper, other chrome bits re-plated, a
completely re-done interior (to factory standard, by Diamond
Trim of Aurora, Ontario), and new paint in the late P4 Rover
colour "Light Navy". The valves were re-ground, the dynamo was
rebuilt, and a new water pump and front suspension bushes were
fitted. Given all this, I’ve no doubt that she’ll be rolling
along, in her silent and stately way, for another 50 years."
