Beschreibung
An astonishing car with an equally astonishing story. I struggle to recall the last time I acquired a car with such comprehensive history. From supplying dealer information to a virtually full record of almost 60 years of maintenance including 2 hand-written logs covering every trip of the past 11 years. You could genuinely write an entire book about this car! And unsurprisingly, such love and care are reflected in the way the Rover presents and performs. Most definitely, it is the nicest P4 I have had the pleasure of selling and it is deserving of a very good home. I don`t anticipate that this car will be with me for long.
Introduced in 1949 by the Rover Company, the P4 was a range of luxury, mid-size saloon cars and were given a number designation dependent upon the engine size. With styling based on the 1947 Studebaker, it was a complete departure from the outdated P3 model with the initial 75 model featuring a central headlight earning it the nickname of Cyclops. This proved unpopular and the front grille was soon revised to a more traditional layout. Early cars (the 75) benefitted from a 2103cc 6-cylinder engine but others soon followed with the advent of the 60 (a 4-cylinder 1997cc) and the 90 (a 2103cc with higher compression). As the range developed through the 1950`s, other models were introduced and the car was significantly restyled in 1954 with larger boot, three-piece wraparound rear window and revised light clusters. In October 1959, the top-end 90 and 105 models were replaced with the 100, boasting an all-new 7 bearing 2638cc inline 6-cylinder engine and the ability to achieve a genuine 100MPH. Three years later, in September 1962, came the final incarnations of the model with the 95 and 110 replacing the 100. Still very much regarded as a luxury saloon with some notable owners (Grace Kelly for one), leather and wood adorned the cabin whilst a heater, overdrive on 4th gear or higher final drive ratio (95) and servo assisted Girling brakes all came as standard.
Our car was supplied new in November 1964 through Hughes of Bournemouth to a Mr. Hodges, a gentleman living in nearby Poole. One of the very last P4 models to be registered, a copy of the hand-written Dorset County Archives and the original Buff logbook confirm full details of its first registration together with the Rover`s original paper commission tag stating line number, body colour and trim codes. Hughes saw the car for the initial 3 years of servicing (up to 11, 223 miles) with Branksome Dene Garage undertaken annual maintenance from 1967-71 (a further 5 entries). After 1971, the Rover was serviced by local establishments with Auto Service Garage of Bournemouth seeing it regularly to 1973 when Wardspeed Motor Engineers took over the responsibility. The first 11 years of ownership actually saw 17 service entries and a total mileage covered of just over 41, 000. In late 1976, the car was serviced again by Southcote Motors in Bournemouth but thereafter, possibly due to lack of use, Southcote didn`t see the car for another 13 years in which time it had covered less than 11, 000 miles. In September 1990, with 54, 200 recorded miles, the car was ultimately sold by Mr. Hodges to it`s second keeper, a gentleman in Chalfont St. Giles. Sadly, this ownership proved very short, the Rover appearing for sale in Practical Classics magazine just a few months later marked up as an executor sale. It was subsequently acquired by a gentleman in Dunstable who retained it for the next 14 years. During the early 1990`s, much time and money was invested in the car to include a complete overhaul of front suspension and braking systems and replacement of kingpins, clutch, wheel bearings and steering idler arms. In addition, it further benefitted from a replacement cylinder head with all new gaskets and ancillaries, replacement thermostat, dynamo and 5 new tyres. The MoT history would suggest that the Rover was enjoyed albeit sparingly through the following 5 years but by the late 1990`s was beginning to look somewhat neglected and was largely garage stored and forgotten about. In July 2005, it was sold for the princely sum of £300 to an enthusiast in Ipswich who immediately set about undertaking a partial restoration to include replacing O/ S quarter panels, A-posts and outriggers with appropriate repainting as well as a full overhaul of braking systems, suspension and carburettor rebuild. The Rover went back on the road again in May 2008 and covered around 300 miles over the next 2 years with annual MoT and service visits before being sold again to a gentleman in Boston, Lincolnshire in September 2010. He retained the Rover for just under 2 years selling to a Mr. and Mrs. Brown, couple from nearby Sleaford in July 2012 for a respectable £4750. Mileage at the point is recorded as 65, 275. Having experienced a slightly chequered period, the Rover had now at long last found it`s rightful home. The Browns quite plainly fell in love with the car and so started a fresh chapter for BRU (as it became known) with 12 months of significant attention to include a full back to bare metal respray in May 2013 (fully photographed), complete service with all new plugs, points and leads and full brake overhaul. The Browns also started a complete hand-written log from date of acquisition to October 2023 documenting every trip and every penny spent. It makes for fascinating reading. Evidently keen golfers, the Rover was used regularly as transport to and from the Clubhouse as well as numerous classic tours, wedding fairs and notably many weddings where it provided service as a bridal car. Indeed, the car has recorded some 40 weddings from 2014-2022 and eight of these were last year. The log and supporting bills and receipts document annual servicing from 2014 to 2023 and include some significant highlights with, in 2019, major chassis work (replacement outriggers, plates and sills) being undertaken as well as replacement of core plugs and fuel pump, brake overhaul, complete service and Waxoil of the underside. In 2021, the brakes were serviced again and in November 2022, all ignition parts were replaced to include points, plugs, condenser, rotor arm and coil. Just 3 months ago, the car was fully serviced again with brakes stripped, cleaned and overhauled as required. After 13 years of very happy ownership, the Browns have now decided to call time on their wedding activities and hence the reluctant sale of their beloved Rover.
The car presents exactly as can be seen in the photographs. The bodywork is truly excellent and paint finish of what is now a 10-year-old respray is similarly excellent with just a couple of very minor blemishes and stone chips. This is a colour that hides no prisoners and the finish is remarkably fresh. External trim is equally very good although there is some light pitting and a small area of flaking to what would seem all original chrome-work. The cabin speaks for itself. The red leather seating to both front and rear is in superb original condition, as are the carpets, wood door cappings and wooden dashboard. Everything just oozes timeless quality and not surprisingly, it comes with that fabulous old car smell that Rover seem to do best. Turn the key, and the 6-pot fire straight into life, settling down off-choke to a gentle purr. Select 1st gear and the car glides forward with further gear changes coming quickly and easily as the speed climbs. On the road, the car feels both refined and relaxed with excellent road holding, superb brakes and plenty of power. On a sunny November afternoon, I took the Rover on a jaunt across the West Dorset Downs towards Beaminster and loved every minute. It feels surprisingly taught perhaps reflecting the significant work to chassis and suspension over the years and certainly has an impressive turn of speed with the higher final drive ratio allowing for confident long-legged cruising. I can certainly see it`s appeal as a reliable wedding car or just perfect for a classic tour.
The Rover comes with considerable history to include copies of original Registration Documents, Buff logbook and Dorset County Archive records, full details of servicing from 1964 to 1989, bills and receipts of all work undertaken from 1991-2023, photographs of the repaint in 2013 and the car in wedding livery, an original Instruction Manual, 2 hand-written notebooks of all mileage covered and expenditure from 2012 to 2023, old MoT Certificates from 1990 to the present day and a current MoT to June 2024.
A remarkable car with impeccable provenance. Just lovely on every level.
Shore Classics is based on the West Dorset coast within easy proximity of both Weymouth and the County town of Dorchester. As classic and vintage dealers, we offer full brokerage facilities. So if you require some help and guidance with selling your classic car or motorcycle, just give us a call today.
Deposit now taken.
