Description
Rover P5B Coupe Owned 50years/ Prize Winner
The Rover P5 was a series of large saloon and coupe models produced by Rover from 1958 until 1973. The P5 was a major step forward for Rover with unitary bodywork style by David Bache and the car combined elegance with dignity, it is like driving an armchair with a top speed in excess of 100mph.
The P5 was the car of choice for Prime Ministers from Harold Wilson to Margret Thatcher and the Queen used one as her private car for many years, indeed one still remains in Royal ownership.
At Milestones we have only ever found one P5 that has met Jamie's exacting standards in the last 10 years and we were therefore delighted when Mr Wheeler, who has owned his P5 for 50 years, contacted us and asked if we could help find his beloved Rover a new home, we were absolutely delighted to assist.
In 1973 Brian was driving home from work (he is a time-served steam locomotive engineer with British Rail and a senior manager) when his eye was taken by the Car of the Week rotating on a floodlit carousel at his local Rover dealership. A deal was quickly done, and the P5 became his everyday car until 1993.
Over the years Brian has meticulously maintained his P5 and has focused on the preservation of the car, he even has a car pit in his garage so that he can protect the underside every 2 years.
After 1993 the P6 was retained for shows with his wife and was the Rover Club National Class Winner in 2006, the trophies/ photographs are still with the car.
Structurally Coupe has had new sills, D posts etc as required and in 2006 received a high quality respray (with roof coachline) in the original colour of Bordeaux Red & Silver Birch. The chrome work is lovely having been replated/ replaced in recent years and overall the car is simply stunning.
Mechanically Brian has always maintained the car himself. He did send the engine away in 2014 and gearbox in 2016 for expensive rebuilds and today the car drives exceptionally well. She maintained a steady 75mph on the M27 and 60mph on the A272 when I collected her from Fareham and was an absolute delight to drive. I didn't want the drive to end.....
The interior is all original with a lovely patina and is correct right down to rear reading lights in the front head rests and a full toolkit in the front picnic tray.
The huge history file goes back to the 1970s and documents all the work completed by Brian, pictures, old MOTs, lots of invoices etc.
What we really like is that the car has never been off the road, she has covered 300k miles, and has been maintained to an exceptionally high standard by her long term keeper and is now ready for a new custodian.
