The intention here is to write some background history of these unusual cars. A little has been written in various books, mostly the same few facts repeated, I do not intend to repeat those facts but will attempt to throw new light on them and correct some of the printed errors. For example there is one book which refers to the 16/50 as being the six cylinder version of the 14/45. This is totally wrong, there was never a six cylinder version of this engine, the 16/50 engine is identical except for the bore size. If you know something that you think would add to the story, or think I have got something wrong, please let me know. I am always willing to share more information for everyone's benefit and do not mind being corrected, nobody is perfect.

Production of the 14/45 started in late 1924, the 16/50 followed about a year later. The 14/45 was discontinued in 1927, with the 16/50 again a year later. More cars were built in the first year than any other, production declined due to a number of factors, the continuing economic depression of the 1920s being a major one. These were not cheap cars and Rover lost money on every one.

Early cars were built with a pull-up handbrake between the driver's seat and the door. This practice continued into some time in 1925, two cars from 1925 are known to still have this handbrake. Most, if not all, of the 14/45 cars that were converted to 16/50 spec have been converted to the vertical handbrake lever alongside the gear change lever. This would appear to be the reason why the driver's door curves away from the driver at the bottom on the inside, compare your two front doors, the passenger side door is straight at the bottom. You might find the small hole in the body floor side rail where the handbrake lever came through, plugged up with a piece of wood approximately 3/4" square.

Early 14/45 cars have a blue Rover badge on the radiator filler neck. The 16/50 cars and some of the upgraded cars have a script Rover16 badge on the radiator, though the earlier upgraded cars will still have the badge on the filler neck.

A small number of 2 and 4 seat Sports models were produced; these had a different cylinder block with three inlet ports. They could be fitted with a single carburettor on the middle port or twin carburettors on the outer two ports. One of these engines is known to exist, see the pictures of Chris Clayton's car. At least two single-seat racers and a two-seat racer were built using these engines and run at Brooklands, some driven by driven by the engine designer Peter Poppe's son Erling Poppe.

In late 1925, for the 1926 season, export models were produced which differed in a number of ways from the home market cars. The 'Colonial' models had the track widened from 4 feet 6 inches to 4 feet 8 and a half inches. The fuel tank is mounted at the rear of the chassis of these cars instead of in the middle of the left hand side.