Thread: WHO KNEW, Rover helped create the JET AGE

Originally Posted by Landy110

I just found this site.
Rover developed the jet engine during the war. Rolls Royce was too busy making Merlins to be interested. Rover put some in cars as gas turbines driving through gearboxes. They sold their developments to Rolls Royce and the rest, as thet say, is history.

The Rover Turbine Cars

Check out the facts. Rover exchanged the Whittle programme for the tank engine programme over lunch between the two CEO's. RR thought the aero engine was a good fit with what they were already doing. Rover had had a gutful of Frank Whittle and decided he was impossble to work with. Rover got the Nottingham tank engine factory. RR got the jet engine.

Rover continued interest in turbine powered cars into the sixties including running a Rover-BRM turbine engined car at Le Mans. From the Landrover point of view, much more interesting was the special transporter built for it. Based on a Series 2a FC, it had front wheel drive only, and a very low tray behind the cab with a special "kneeling" suspension that brought the rear edge of the tray onto the ground so that the racing car could be driven straight on to the tray and then lifted.

John

That T4 looks like it has a Ford Capri/Classic front on it.