RIP Roy Axe, 1937-2010

[Captain Slow]

Roy Axe, designer of the Rover 800 and much of the Montego amongst others, has died aged 73. A man with many great plans which didn't make it to production, during his time at AR and Rootes-Chrysler before it, he made his vision seen.

May he rest in peace.

[D87SMW]

Rest in peace, Roy and thanks for all you gave us.

[Guest]

Mr Axe certainly had an unenviable task of trying to transform BL Cars' design studio when he arrived in 1982 by creating one new design team based at Canley in Coventry. Also with the Maestro and Montego having already progressed too far to make any major changes, not to mention having to design a replacement for the advantegarde looking Rover SD1, he had a lot of expectation placed on him.

But he did a good job with the Rover 800 Series and later R8 200 Series, not to mention the stunning Rover CCV and the MG EX-E. Mr Axe certainly deserves to be remembered for his contribution towards initiating some inspiring designs for both the Rover and MG marques, some of which sadly never made it into production. Rest in Peace.

[G51 NAV]

73! Not much of an age these days is it.

[Piggy Bank]

As far as I know, Keith Adams from AROnline has just finished his biography about Roy Axe. So watch out for that if you are a RA friend.

Roy had some criticism on the design of Maestro and Montego when he was confrontated the first time. Especially the Maestro dash type1. ("Looks like a wet cob fish") but I always liked it better than the type2-Montego one. And have you studied the dash of Roy's big red MG sports car in the Gaydon museum?
Sorry, nothing personal but I have a differant taste.

[maestro dave]

Must agree with piggy bank I had a earlier maestro think it was A reg many years ago and I still prefer that type dash to the one I have now on my L reg maestro.

[Captain Slow]

And have you studied the dash of Roy's big red MG sports car in the Gaydon museum?
Sorry, nothing personal but I have a differant taste.

Are we sure he did the dash? Looks like a TVR 350i job to me.



I know it's an idea that's been done recently for a certain Mr. King, but would anyone in the Club be interested in a tribute run taking in Longbridge and Ryton (For his Rootes work)? Would be a nice send-off from those whose hobbies he has helped to fuel.

[Guest]

Are we sure he did the dash? Looks like a TVR 350i job to me.

I am guessing here, but I don't think Roy Axe would have been responsible for the Maestro's interior design, as he arrived in the late winter of 1982, just 12 months before the car was due to be announced. This would have given the interior designers insufficient time to design a new dashboard assembly, complete with associated heating and ventilation plumming, secondary trim, switchgear etc. And then there would be the issue of undertaking testing of it and also getting all the component suppliers up to speed when production started in early 1983, in time for the March unveiling.

Look at the design and finish of the plastic for the main dashboard moulding in the early Maestros and it has a similarity with that found in the Triumph TR7. By March 1982 everything relating to the components to be used would have been signed off for production.

[Captain Slow]

I am guessing here, but I don't think Roy Axe would have been responsible for the Maestro's interior design, as he arrived in the late winter of 1982, just 12 months before the car was due to be announced. This would have given the interior designers insufficient time to design a new dashboard assembly, complete with associated heating and ventilation plumming, secondary trim, switchgear etc. And then there would be the issue of undertaking testing of it and also getting all the component suppliers up to speed when production started in early 1983, in time for the March unveiling.

Look at the design and finish of the plastic for the main dashboard moulding in the early Maestros and it has a similarity with that found in the Triumph TR7. By March 1982 everything relating to the components to be used would have been signed off for production.

I was referring to the one in his MG DR2 prototype - link


Edit: According to that article my initial thoughts when seeing it at Gaydon were spot on, it is a TVR dash.

[guussi]

is there a photo of him?
i bought my old derv off some old boy who took alot of pride selling me it
even tho his name wasnt on the log book
he said you dont know who iam-do you?
no i said....
well you certainly not Mr Sing currently on the log book
the old derv had the best MOT dodging rust hole biscuit tin filler, sand paint job to doors, arch etc ive ever seen probably done by previous owner.....
lived north of Brum near lichfield circa 06'?
just a thought-guess i should have asked him who he was?

[guussi]

donno could have been him
Mr sing had the car from new and a near perfect floor pan so it could have been an old car plant workers car
mystery

Got me really annoyed now-think i will contact Mr Sing-give him praise for his biscuit tin filler work then ask him who he sold it too
The old boy had his son sell it on ebay there was alot of interest for it and i was mugged and undercut everyone with a buy it now
perkins TD Brit racing green circa 05-06 on ebay
very low miles 46k and did look mint to be fair

[Chris Y]

What on earth are you on about?

You bought a car from an old chap from Lichfield, and you automatically assume it must have been Roy Axe, just because his name wasn't on the V5?

Let me guess - must be the aluminium, right?

[Guest]

From what I can gather, Roy Axe had lived in Florida for a number of years following his retirement approximately ten years ago and, with due respect, I don't somehow think he would have owned a Maestro.

I remember talking to a frend of mine about ten years ago and he casually mentioned that he had been to a gentleman's house on some business in an area near Solihull in approximately 1989. The gentleman made a casual comment that he used to be a designer for Rover and showed this friend of mine a load of old drawings he had stored in his garage. It turned out that this gentleman was David Bache, and my friend had never heard of him before as he was a staunch Austin Morris man.

[G51 NAV]

lol that seems incredible now, someone so into one side of the BL empire had heard nothing of the other. But of course years before that you had people who would happily buy a Farina Morris Oxford but wouldn't be seen dead in an Austin Cambridge, even though they were the same car wearing different badges.

[Russ]

I think its very sad that he died just before his autobiography was published, ive pre ordered a copy off amazon