Skip to Content

If you can see this paragraph you might be using this website's accessibility feature to change how this site's content is displayed. To find out more about this feature or to change your display option for this site, please visit our Accessibility page.

CSMA Club Motor Museum and Cottages

• Home
• News
• Plan a Visit
• About Us
• Motor Collection
  • Search Motor Collection
    • Austin Bantam
    • Austin Chummy
    • Austin Nippy
    • Austin Swallow
    • Austin Taxi
    • BMW 327
    • Jaguar XK140
    • Jaguar MK V
    • MG TD
    • MG J2
    • MG 1100
    • MG Y
    • Austin Clifton
    • Morris Minor
    • Riley Adelphi
    • Riley Kestrel
    • Riley RMD 21/2 litre
    • Rover 8 Van
    • Standard 8
    • Sunbeam Alpine
    • Volvo P1800 ES
  • Caravans & Motorcycles
• Toy Collection
• Memorabilia
• Brum
• Teachers' Pack
• Shop
• Cottages
• Friends
• Contact Us
• Links
• Sitemap

Search the Motor Collection

Rover 8 Van

Please select a car...   Austin BantamAustin ChummyAustin CliftonAustin NippyAustin SwallowAustin TaxiBMW 327Jaguar XK140Jaguar MK VMG 1100MG J2MG TDMG YMorris MinorRiley AdelphiRiley KestrelRiley RMD 21/2 litreRover 8 VanStandard 8Sunbeam AlpineVolvo P1800 ES

Our van is one of only two known Rover 8 vans in the country. Ours being the oldest, the other being from 1924. The other van has recently been sold and is currently being restored in the UK.

Our van has only one door on the drivers side. It also has OXO advertising on the side of the van and back doors.

This really is a tiny van, why?
After the First World War there was a growing demand for transport, but few could afford the expensive coachbuilt cars that were the preserve of the very rich. Cyclecars were the answer. These were fragile, motorcycle engined and bicycle wheeled contraptions, but cheap to buy and run.

So this isn't a cyclecar then?
Having established a reputation for quality, Rover managed to combine the best features of cyclecars and large cars in the Eight. This is effectively Rover's version of the Austin Seven. The disc wheels help to make the Rover look much more solid and grown up. The Eight was designed by Jack Sangster who left to make a similar car for Ariel in 1922 and later became chairman of BSA who built both cars and motorcycles.

It doesn't look very complicated.
Simplicity was the key to the Rover Eight's success. In fact it is so simple that Rover only ever fitted one door, on the passenger side and the windscreen was single rather than split pane of glass. The chassis is very simple ironmongery and the suspension is effectively cart springs. Brakes are confined to the rear wheels.

Otherwise it is a normal small van then with a radiator…
Hold on, that radiator is actually a dummy. The engine is not water cooled like the majority of vehicles, but air-cooled. There are two scoops either side of the bonnet, which collect cooling air for the cylinder heads that would quickly glow red hot.

Was the Eight popular?
Very. It was selling at the rate of 120 to 140 per week and some 17,700 were sold in all with production running from 1919 to 1925. The vast majority were two and four-seat open topped models and this is a very rare commercial version. The price of a two seater in 1923 was £180.