140b and 156 Rover 75 Saloon (1951-59)

Chris I have just noticed the masking of your violet blue Rover is different to the usual / normal mask.There have been six violet - blue Rovers sold through Vectis over the past 14 years,
and all are slightly different with their front masking although the difference is extremely marginal.Yours on the other hand is quite unique.Bruce

Hi Bruce,
To be honest I didn ' t notice till now ! I ' m even more pleased with it than I was before,
thanks mate.CW.

No idea why this is a 'Trade Boxes' thread (I see no trade box here), but it's the most recent and most frequently used thread for the Rover 75, so why not add some new, more detailed pictures of the earlier plain cream one (140b? with blue hubs) here, and the regular 1956 two-tone green version. Both have ROVER 75 cast into the ceiling of the model. Although the production of the real P4 'Cyclops' was discontinued as early as 1952, the Dinky was continued until 1960. Kind regards, Jan

Very nice Jan, and that happens to be one of the few two-tones that I personally like. The colors are pleasing and the boundry line between the two colors works just fine. I only have one of the Rover's, from long ago, purchased from H. Hudson Dobson around 1958-1959, in the maroon color.... Best regards, Terry

These are my 2 Rovers 75 saloon with box.An early maroon one and a two tone mid-blue/cream late one. Remarkable: both without a model name on underside of roof and both without model number on base. The maroon one has a mat base and the mid-blue/cream one a shiny base with rivets that I never saw before.Jan Oldenhuis, 12-1-2018

Lovely new additions to this thread, Jan. Good to see that you have a correct box with your monotone Rover. I do not want to upset you - I may be completely wrong - are you sure that your cream blue one is fully original? Looking at the base plate finish, the missing 156 imprint, the full inside covering of the cream paint, the rivets, the (too) early casting, the very shiny silver and the harsh split between the blue and the cream I was wondering about that. I may be wrong and too suspicious ... Kind regards, Jan W

That is reassuring, Jan. Fine it's OK! At a suitable moment I will check mine. Thanks, kind regards, Jan W

Jan. I have examined everything that could not be original to the car and I think that it is only the rivets that are different and apparently not original. I think the paintwork is exactly the same as its counterparts. In small parts there can always be some differences in the paint job. Sometimes very clear, sometimes less clearly painted. It is people's work. I show the overall appearance as well as possible by adding some more photos. The photos are very close up and that is different from the fact than when you actually have the model in your hands. The model really looks like new, but it does have traces of use. Has some very minor paint damage and there is some dust on the top of the bumpers. That makes it authentic. The base plate is original. The paintwork looks like original and not as repainted. The only point I mentioned is that there are rivets mounted on it that are obviously not original and I cannot explain that. I cannot understand why anybody ever should change the rivets because I see no further traces of the car which is not original. According Ramsay can this two-tone model (1956-59) be with No. 156 on base and some without. Mine is without number on base and according Ramsay can be excist.Then I also have a question to you Jan. When I saw the picture of your cream Rover 75 I saw that the grille of your cream Rover 75 is also silver painted on top and on the bonnet and the little front side lights are silver painted, while I never see this with these models. (The real Rover 75 do, but I don't see that on the Dinky models). Is this original? It looks like additional painting? Silver painted grille Rover 75 Jan W Silver painted grille Rover 75 Jan OKind regards,Jan Oldenhuis, 12-1-2018

Very strange that someone would change the rivets on what is claimed to be an original car......most interesting!Best regards,Terry

Hi Jan, I checked the silver detailing on the cream one's grille. Hard to say. Could be a slight embellishment, but 'invisible' to the bare eye. The casting is a bit coarse here, making the silver line look a bit clumsy, but still in concordance with the no doubt authentic silver paint on the rest of the grille. Nevertheless, very observant of you! Kind regards, Jan W

After a disappointing purchase I sold the 156 Rover 75 blue/cream with non-original rivets (of course with the correct description to the buyer). Instead I bought a better 156 2-tone green with number 156 in the base plate and Rover 75 cast-in underside of the roof. The box has the correct colour spot and a pencil price of 3 / - on it. This was the price from October 1955 to May 1958. My Dinky Toys 156 Rover 75 Saloon 2-tone green with box and correct colour spot I have searched a bit of Rover's car brand. It is a pity that Rover's car brand went bankrupt in 2005 and disappeared from the market. Rover emblem Rover 75 1952 Export Sales Brochure Rover 75 1952 Export Sales Brochure Rover 75 1952 Export Sales Brochure Rover 75 P4 The P4 was built from 1949-64, it replaced the P3 with a completely new rounded body, but engines were carried over from the P3. The P4 was one of the last UK cars to incorporate rear-hinged suicide doors. As time went on different models were available. The original P4, the 75 was built from 1949-59, early cars got the Cyclops eye in the centre of the grille (removed in 1952) it got the 2100cc 6cyl. The 1954 Mk II got a 3 piece wraparound rear window. In 1957 the whole P4 range got a facelift, a new grille and indicators moved up on the wings. The 1953-59 P4 60 was a 4 cyl car (1997cc) replaced in 1959 by the updated P4 80 (2286cc) The P4 90 was the 6 cyl version (2600cc) replaced in 1960 by the updated P4 100 (more power) Introduced in 1956, the high output P4 105S and auto 105R got a high compression 2600 with twin SUs, separate front seats and driving lights. The last of the P4s was the 1962-64 95 and 110, both 2600cc, the 110 got an overdrive. Painted radiator grille with silver cross on radiator with central headlight. A 2-tone older one with flip-out direction pointers. Silver radiator grille with silver cross on radiator with central headlight. Painted radiator grille with silver cross on radiator with central headlight. Silver radiator grille with silver cross on radiator with central headlight. I love the front with his central headlight very much. Some Rovers 75 have a full silver radiator grille with central headlight, while others only have a painted radiator grille with a silver colored cross shape grille with central headlight. Meccano Liverpool then opted for the cross-shaped silver painted grille, so that the central headlight in the middle of the cross is more noticeable. Personally, I think this is also the most beautiful. Incidentally, this version is also depicted on the sales brochure. Jan Oldenhuis, 8-2-2018

Jan-A very nice replacement Rover for your collection, and I happen to really like that particular two-tone. Many of the other two-tones were quite contrived and the real cars never had anything remotely resembling them. Also very nice collateral information on what was a very nice British motor car. That central headlight was certainly unique and distinctive.....I wonder if it was always used in conjunction with the normal two headlights, or just for high beam use?Best regards, Terry