Highlights
- Smartly presented in good original form
- Formerly owned by the Rt Hon Arthur Cockfield
- Subject to recent mechanical refurbishment
- Backed by an extensive history file
The Appeal
Well appointed, with incredible road presence and solid build quality, the Rover P5 ushered in a glorious return to the top rankings of the executive car market for the esteemed automaker.
A charming slab of Old England that quickly garnered a solid reputation as the go to model for those looking for a quality executive saloon car, the Rover P5 saw untold success due to its quality craftsmanship, traditional nature and ability to wash away the miles in pure unadulterated comfort.
Both at the time of release and in the present collector market, the P5 is something of a coveted nameplate and demands a great deal of respect among those in the know.
Purchased new by the Rt Hon Arthur Cockfield in 1967, HCT 626E has been impressively well cared for throughout its lifetime and as such, stands comfortably as a wonderful showpiece, and one of the finer examples of the beloved model on the roads today.
With a recent mechanical service and refresh under its belt and a solid history file, this MK3 3 litre automatic variant is undoubtedly one to widen the eyes of even the most fastidious Rover enthusiast.
The History and Paperwork
- Manufactured 1967
- Purchased new in Autumn of that year by the Rt Hon Arthur Cockfield
- The car was then used in London until 1972 when it was taken to the Isle Of Man where it remained until the late 1990s
- Whilst in the IOM the car wore the registration mark MAN 620 as we understand
- As we understand the car was subject to an extensive restoration just prior to sale in the mid 1990s
- Purchased by the current owner in 2021 from Matthewsons auctions, famous from the “Bangers and Cash” TV series
- Accompanied by a British Motor Heritage certificate highlight various build specs and details from when the car was new
- Extensive collection of invoices for maintenance and servicing work from throughout the car’s lifetime
- Signed letter from Lord Cockfield detailing his time with the car
- Invoice for recent mechanical refresh and service in early 2023
- Various Rover club literature
- Vast collection of trophies and certificates from the car’s time on the show circuit
- V5 registration document present
- Both tax and MOT exempt due to the car’s age and historic status
- Despite MOT exemption the car holds a current MOT valid with no advisories until March 2024
The Interior
- Very preserved highly presentable interior space, in good honest form
- Lavishly upholstered in quality cream leather throughout
- Incredibly comfortable seating front and rear, with something of an armchair like quality to it
- Seating presents well having been connolised around a year ago and recently professionally cleaned
- High quality wood trim throughout, presenting in great clean order
- Well upholstered door panels with quality leather and embellishments
- Some light blemishing to the lower carpeted pockets of the door panels however this could be easily rectified if the new owner wishes to do so
- Quality leather wrapped steering wheel with chrome centre
- Interior switchgear and instruments are in fine fettle and well detailed with quality chrome trim
- Pull down centre tray with complete internal tool set present
- Clean, well fitting cream headliner
- Period Motorola radio head unit
- Plush cream carpeting throughout
- Impressively sized rear boot area which another quality tool set and fire extinguisher
The Exterior
- Excellent exterior styling which gives incredible road presence
- Finished from the factory in desirable Admiralty Blue, with a rare contrasting Silver roof panel
- The car’s paintwork is of a wonderful standard, exhibiting with a deep shine and very limited signs of age or blemishing, a real testament to the quality to which the Rover has been upheld
- Impeccable chrome trim throughout, much of which looks to be in a “like new” state
- 15” wheels reside at all four corners with decorative Rover trim caps, giving the Rover a somewhat regal appearance from the outside
- External badging and glass work is of a marvellous quality with the current owner having new window rubbers installed during their ownership of the car
- Panel gaps appear straight and consistent across the car
- Wing mounted side mirrors and Lucas fog lights sit proudly on the car’s iconic front end
- Certainly one of the finest P5s out there from an aesthetic perspective and the extensive trophy collection that comes with the car will attest to that
The Mechanics
- 3.0 litre automatic variant
- Desirable factory automatic transmission which is in great working order and provides quality, crisp gear changes
- 3.0 litre engine is in excellent shape and presents wonderfully
- Subject to an extensive mechanical refresh in early 2023 which included but was not limited to
- n/s/f wheel bearing
- New gearbox mounting
- Replacement gaskets on the cam cover, sump and manifold
- Oil and filter change
- Transmission, diff and power steering fluid change
- New points, distributor arm and rotor arm
- The Rover fires into life quickly and comfortably and provides an excellent, impressively comfortable driving experience
- Inspection of the underside shows what appears to be a clean and solid example of P5
- Advisory free MOT valid until March 2024 for added peace of mind
Summary
A charming car with incredible road presence and an overwhelming level of comfort, the Rover P5 is a prime example of the marque on their A game. This well documented MK3 iteration, with its interesting ownership history is surely one of the finest examples out there and would make a wonderful addition to a collection or to be used as a stand out show piece, which the accompanying trophies and certificates would suggest it has already been doing a great job of for some years now.
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