Rover P5 versus Humber Supersnipe

[dorsetflyer]

There is an interesting article in Classic Car Weekly this week which puts the above two cars head to head.
It makes a change to see an article on the P5 instead of the P5B.
Obviously the writer was biased to the V8 engined version, but as a comparison between the the two straight sixes, the Humber was marginally the better of the two.
Does anyone know who the P5 saloon belongs to?

[Phil Nottingham]

Did not see any CCW but the Humber SS was always the favoured car by HMG over the 3 Litre as it was much roomier and stately. They only went over to the P5B because Chrysler UK stopped production.

[Smallfry]

I used to have a Supersnipe years ago. Silver grey with a red interior. I wish I still had it !

I always think that Rootes shot themselves in the foot when they changed the wrap around rear screen for the later sloping one. Yuk !

I thought the single headlamp front looked better too !

I dont know what the roadholding is like compared to a P5 ?

[dorsetflyer]

I have both cars and there is not a lot of difference in the ride. The Humber doesn't roll quite as much on the corners. Maybe its the coil spring suspension set up at the front that helps.
I agree with Phil on its roominess though it has a much larger interior, and the boot space is bigger even with the spare wheel in place.
The engine is much more simpler and everything is getattable. In fact there is large acres of space in the engine compartment.
If you compare both of these cars with the P5B, they are much better in their ride comfort due to the heavier weight on the front end. Their straight line peformance is much better.
One thing I did agree with the write up and that is the instrument layout. It is good on the Rover, but if you have accidently knocked out the dim panel lights, it's a right game remembering which switch does what. I had it happen to me the other night and luckily I had remembered that the right middle switch was the reserve tank, so that in mind all the other switches were playable with, without any problems arising.

[Ed from Surrey (member 236)]

I thought the Supersnipe was a beautiful car ever since seeing a police estate version on my way to primary school in the early 60's. And of course, Inspector Lockhart (Raymond Francis) was chauffeured around in one, in the tv series No Hiding Place. The opening scene showed the car being driven out of Scotland Yard. One of his side-kicks was Sgt. Perryman (Johnny Briggs) who is now Mike Baldwin in Coronation St). Memories...

Sado or what?

[Phil Nottingham]

Well I must admit that the HSS is very close to a P5 (V8 or 6) in fact I ccould take either.

The P5 is smaller though and has a V8 option so as far as I am cncerned I think they are justified equals

[dorsetflyer]

I really love driving both of these cars, they are effortless cruisers. The only time it's not relaxing in the Rover is when you are on a narrow dark road, sailing along at about sixty and all your lights go out.
Panic immediately takes over as you cant find any switches, and I inadvertantly switched the reserve tank on. Lots of banging and back firing together with loss of speed. Having put the switch back to its' rightful position I moved the light switch back to the middle and then on again. Hey presto the lights worked. It was a red hot sidelight switch that was the problem, and when I removed it and replaced it one of the terminals was black with soot.
I have yet to find out if the new switch cures the problem.

[Phil Nottingham]

Its a very common fault with this switch but as most owners do not use their cars much at night its not noticed.

Once the switch has overheated its ruined - I always fit a minature HD relay behind he instrument binacle now as new switches are expensive

[dorsetflyer]

Thanks for that Phil, I wasn't aware there was a problem with that switch.
I also checked to see if it was made by either 'ARROW', ARCOLECTRIC', or 'BURGESS', but unfortunately there is no sign anywhere on the switch.
It must be a fairly common one being on/centre off/on.

[RichardF]

Reading this thread and also previous ones confirm the weakness of the lighting switch. I am about to convert to halogen headlamps and realize that I need to fit a relay in somewhere. However, I am unsure which switch I need tp protect; the steering column one or the sidelight one in the main dash.

RichardF
Southampton

[dorsetflyer]

It's probably wiser to fit one for each switch. They are not over expensive and be obtained from Vehicle Wiring Products tel [phone]

[Phil Nottingham]

Its not a standard Lucas switch actually - faulty ones can cause a serious wiring fire! Never ignore a warm lighting or ignition switch as something is seriously wrong

See earlier threads on this

[Keith - Portsmouth]

Its a Lucas switch John.
From Auto Electric Supplies, see here - www.autoelectricsupplies.co.uk/product.php?product_id=311

081602 On/Off/On (ind.), Lucas Part No. 31743, 2 positions, 10A - £12.17 +vat +delivery

[Phil Nottingham]

See above - 10a is insufficent

[Keith - Portsmouth]

Oh... maybe I'm wrong

[Phil Nottingham]

Perhaps but as you will see the terminal arrangements are different to allow for the parking lights - if these are dispensed with then the switch will be OK with a relay.

BTW Wadhams do the proper switch but still use a relay

[Keith - Portsmouth]

Well they only show one sample picture representing four switches. The on/off/on switch has a different terminal arrangement to that shown.

[dorsetflyer]

Thanks for the info Keith. However as the switches are a mixture of metal and plastic, if it did overheat it wouldn't take long for the plastic to melt.
It's another useful site to have a look at but their stock is not as comprehensive as Vehicle Wiring Products.
10A switches are not really man enough to do the job that's required of them though.

[Keith - Portsmouth]

10amps = 60 watts per headlamp.
Maybe that is marginal - which is why they tend to get warm.
But above, and elsewhere, it has been suggested that a relay be used and that must be the right thing to do. So we are only talking about switching less than one ampere. One amp should not cause a 10A switch to get even slightly warm.

Maybe Auto Electric Supplies catalogue is not as comprehensive as Vehicle Wiring Products (I thought they were very comparable), but for those products I have checked, AES was cheaper in every case.

[dorsetflyer]

One thing I didn't do Keith was checkout any prices between the two so you could well be right. All the same it's another useful site to know.

[Phil Nottingham]

The switch will be OK with a relay though the parking facilty wiring will have to be modified to make it work. I gather its illegal these days anyway were parking lights are mandatory - eg lit streets over 30mph limit plus all unlit ones I believe but perhaps some of our boys in blue readers can confirm?

The total load also includes the two sidelights,2 tail lights, 2 Number plate lights and bootight if it still works eg another 3 amps say

[dorsetflyer]

Phil, are you saying it's illegal to have only one parking light, and you must have two working?

[Phil Nottingham]

I did recall reading somewhere that leaving only one side "on" is not legal where lights are required for parking - all of them including the number plate light(s) have to be lit

[glennr]

If you park in a speed limit zone above 30mph you must leave sidelights on, so in a 40mph zone you must leave your sidelights on and I believe a parking light is sufficient (front and rear). In a 30 mph zone no lights are required only that your vehicle is parked in the same direction of the traffic flow.(red reflectors can be seen) The parking light can only be operated on the offside anyway or have I got that wrong.

[Phil Nottingham]

You only "believe" - thats the point who knows? Sidelights is the operative word not parking lights. The current law dates from the late 60's up till then strictly lights had to be on all cars parked on any public road at night wahtever the limit unless the local Chief Constable gave special dispensation for the locality - this was NOT the case in my area and the local bobbies had regular ticketing purges about this time ofthe year on residential streeets. They did allow the P5 arrangement and also those quaint window clip on affairs with one bulb to sav edraining the battery.

Does'nt time fly?

The P5 do olny operate on the o/s but I recall that many Fords/VW's etc from the 60's 70's had the one side off arrangement worked via the indicator switch - as I do not do modern cars I do no know whether this is still the case anymore