1967 Rover 2000 TCZ (Zagato)

One of the best jobs I ever had at the Rover Company, Seagrave Road, was to make this car 'road worthy'. Its basis was a rather tired prototype 2000S base unit, in which we re-furbished the engine and other running gear. Originally it was just a 'show car'and came to us directly off the stand at Earls Court, I seem to remember.
The insruments were from a Humber Sceptre so I had to get the speedo re-calibrated. The one-off fuel tank (which leaked!) was fitted into the right rear corner and was twice the height of the original 2000 unit so when half full, the guage read full! There were a number of other minor items that needed putting right.
However, it had two twin choke Del Orto carbs that when tuned produced a beautifully smooth engine.
Once it was alldone it was a very fine motor car.

This car, if as suggested was the only one of its kind, was purchased back in the 1970s by my employer. The car was quite seriously damaged to the os corner (door ,front wing ect) including the o/s upper a pillar, which had to be hand made , and the roof. The car was repaired by my employer and I assisted in the repair eventually taking the car by trailer to I believe Canvey Island in Essex to have a windscreen made. It was a fantastic looking car and a joy to have worked on. If you know if the car still exists I would love to see it once again.

Thank you, Chris for this additional info. I last saw this car in the late 1990s, probably 1997, at the VSCC Prescott hillclimb meeting, when it went up the course to a luncheon party at Prescott House.
It looked every bit as good as when I worked on it, so the repair you refer to must have been good.
Since then, in-spite of a number of attempts. I have not come across it.

I purchased this car through my Company, two or three months after the Earls Court Motor Car Show,directly from Zagato in Italy for £2,850. It was flown into Lydd Airport and I collected the car from London. It's new UK Registration No.was PBC 2G. I purchased it as a working car but did have a few problems because it had been built purely as a design exercise. It also caused some embarassment when parked in a busy street to return to find 4/5 people trying to inspect,even one underneath. After about two years I sold it after a small crash to a Mr Pettifor,who we had met on holiday,for display in his Rover showrooms in Pershore.It was a beautiful looking car which I thoroughly enjoyed.

Nice after all these years to know for whom I was sorting the TCZ.

It was great fun doing it

Hi Tony, I wonder if the crash damage to the Rover was the damage I was involved in repairing in the 70s. If my memory is correct it was all to the o/s front so if as you say "small crash" it sound unlikely. Have you any idea where the car is now? it would be great to see it again after all these years. If you have any images I would really appreciate a copy. Cheers Chris Holmes. Lympstone Devon.

Hi Chris. The repairs you did totally fit the accident that occurred. Anyone able to access the DVLA Number plates should be able to tell you if PBC 2G is still registered.All the best,Tony Yell

Thanks for that Tony, I will keep you posted.....Cheers Chris

Hi Neil & Chris.If you look on the web-site of Piston Heads you will find more photographs and different Registration numbers which maybe traceable.FXC 206C and EE 1 8089. Good luck,Tony Yell

Thank you, Tony.
I have looked at the web site and while FXC is definitely 'our car' thankfully, the EE car is not! I write 'thankfully' because had it been, it would have left this country!
The FXC number appears to follow the company's practice of using ?XC London numbers at that time, though I rather think the 'C' suffix maybe too early. Somewhere. I have a note from Anders Clausager, published in one of the 'car'glossies with the background to this car.
I will look, but do not hold your breath!

To put you all out of your misery you will be delighted that this car survives and belongs to my husband John Hamshere !!!!it sits next to a 406Z

Wonderfull!

I looked after this car for it's current owner back in the 90's.
The gauges were indeed from a Rootes group car.
The TCZ was light and nimble and certainly as quick as a V8 auto P6.
The car was a nightmare to work on with a forward hinging bonnet whcih seemed impossible to remove making a clutch change very difficult.
I had some welding carried out to the car and undertook several repairs to it. I also had the original number plate transferred back to the car.
The highlight for me was driving the car to Antwerp for a P6 ROC Rover rally where the car was displayed along side a factory converted P6 convertible.
Good times.

Imagine my excitement yesterday when I was on the A350 near Trowbridge yesterday and this car passed passed me in the other direction. The various Rover concepts and might have beens have always held a fascination for me and seeing the beautiful zagato made my day!

Last week, I had the great pleasure of seeing the car, after many years, at the Salon Prive, in Syon Park with the present owners, Gillie and John Hamshere.
It looked terrific, clearly cherrished, and as lovely as I remembered it.
My only sadness was to note the loss of the del Orto carburettors, replaced by undersized non 2000TC SUs. I understand why, the TC 2"units would have been too tall to fit under the bonnet and the del Ortos would have been more valuable than the car, many years ago!

I remember seeing the car as a boy when it was for sale in Pershore (as above). My father seriously considered it before purchasing a more conventional Granada coupe. We looked at it several times though and it sticks in my memory as something rather exotic almost 40 years later.

Pleasant surprise last night when this car turned up at Henley Festival