What is a ROTA Number?
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The ROTA iirc was the number assigned to a body that was like the order to pull it off the pressed steel line to be taken to Jensen for Tiger production.
So the rota meant it was pulled before more of the alpine specific production was done to the shell.
At least thats my recollection
So the rota meant it was pulled before more of the alpine specific production was done to the shell.
At least thats my recollection
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Thanks Michael. So what significance would the ROTA number on my Tiger have to me?
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Would just be the order request for the body of your car to be sent to jensen. I think there is a ledger that correlates the rota to vin or jal
I do not believe that Michael King is correct. The ID that Pressed Steel used was the JAL number attached to bodies destined for Jensen to build into Tigers. SAL numbers were for the Alpine bodies. The ROTA number was the build order for the car that Rootes gave to Jensen: it was attached to the windshield and followed the car down the line and probably on to Ryton for pre-delivery. It believe it determined the color of the car/trim and whether it had been ordered with a hard top. The same ROTA number often applied to several cars. It is my guess that ROTA stands for Rootes Order for Tiger Assembly. The Jensen Ledgers have Jensen build date, ROTA, VIN, JAL, Engine, Gearbox, Rear Alxe, and Key Numbers.
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Thanks Bill. Your explanation makes sense. I have a Certificate of Authenticity from the Coventry Transport Museum that provides all the numbers you refer to above. The ROTA number for my car is 1617. Can you tell me what it means? Is there a translation? Thanks.
Rick
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Bill assigned as in the order.. Not a plate attached. It told them to take it off the line... That is my recollection. Just clarifying what i stated... I could still be incorrect as to the facts... Im getting older so memory could be getting worse ;-)
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I was told by a member of STOA that there are copies of the Ryton - Upon - Dunsmore build sheets for the cars going to Jensen and they show Alpine specific pieces to be left off. Has anyone seen these copies?
Pressed Steel built trimmed bodies for Tigs and Alps; some Alp pieces were left off by Pressed Steel on the JAL bodies going to Jensen. Jensen added the Tig specific body parts and made mods as required before installing the Engine, Trans and Suspension. Completed cars were inspected and transported to Ryton for pre-delivery prep and delivery to dealers or ports for export. Attached are two pages from the Pressed Steel proposal to Rootes for the Alpine that I photographed at the Rootes Archive.
Warren is right about the ledgers; occasionally they mention hardtops but maddeningly the color is only occasionally added as an afterthought apparently. There must have been discussion between Rootes and Pressed Steel about the Tiger body changes and they would have been documented on Pressed Steel drawings; They may exist but I have not seen them myself.
It is probable that Rootes negotiated a production rate with Jensen based on their capability (space) and Rootes' estimate of the market. Pressed Steel would then have to produce trimmed bodies at about the same rate. How many at a time would have been determined by how much storage space was available for completed units at PS and/or Jensen.
The "Jensen date" in the ledgers is generally accepted as the car's build date or birthday, but if you look at the ledgers the number of cars per day varies wildly. For instance my car was built Feb 17 1965, a Wednesday, well into full scale production of Mk 1s. According to the ledgers, 12 cars were listed for Monday, 34 cars listed for Tuesday, 28 cars on Wednesday, 17 cars Thursday, and 21 cars Friday - a total of 112 cars for that week.
Pressed Steel was also producing Alpine bodies at a much higher rate so I would expect this process was continuous for both; at some point bodies would be selected for JAL treatment and have their own line there after. Question did PS do any different welding on JAL bodies or was that all done at Jensen? Did PS stamp the Tiger-unique body parts for Jensen to weld? Dunno.
The "Jensen date" in the ledgers is generally accepted as the car's build date or birthday, but if you look at the ledgers the number of cars per day varies wildly. For instance my car was built Feb 17 1965, a Wednesday, well into full scale production of Mk 1s. According to the ledgers, 12 cars were listed for Monday, 34 cars listed for Tuesday, 28 cars on Wednesday, 17 cars Thursday, and 21 cars Friday - a total of 112 cars for that week.
Pressed Steel was also producing Alpine bodies at a much higher rate so I would expect this process was continuous for both; at some point bodies would be selected for JAL treatment and have their own line there after. Question did PS do any different welding on JAL bodies or was that all done at Jensen? Did PS stamp the Tiger-unique body parts for Jensen to weld? Dunno.
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Tunnel is a tiger specific panel, not on other rootes cars ( commercial or passenger) that im aware.
Randy, are you thinking that mayne the bellhousing to firewall stamping or tunnel extension stamping were from another car?
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Jenson was building the Interceptor during the time when they were doing the Tiger conversions. The Interceptor was a V 8 powered car so could the Tiger trans tunnel possibly have been from the Interceptor?
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Given tigers started production in 1964 and interceptors in 1966.... An easy no to that suggestion.
Not to mention i doubt a torqueflite auto that most Jensen had would fit in a tiger tunnel pressing.
Not to mention i doubt a torqueflite auto that most Jensen had would fit in a tiger tunnel pressing.