Description
1971 Rover P5B Coupe
Date of registration: 01 April 1971, J plate. Historic vehicle classification.
3528cc V8 petrol, 3 speed Borg/ Warner automatic gearbox
Mileage: Current total – 52170, recent mileage readings – 49010 (2007), 50758 (2017)
Owners: 4 previous, I am 5th owner from new, current ownership since September 2023, previous owner to me had the car for 39 years.
MOT: Due in October 2025 but can be supplied with new MOT. Old certificates back to 2007 available.
Colour – Zircon Blue and Silver Birch roof with ‘Buckskin’ interior.
Other important info – Car was seemingly sat for a quite few years prior to my ownership and had been not really used since mid 2000’s. Needed some recommissioning but I took the opportunity to also carry out chosen improvements to bring it back for regular and reliable use.
Some of the work recently carried out;
• Complete brake overhaul inc. new master cylinder, new servo, new reservoir, new nickel brake pipes throughout, front calipers overhauled, new discs & pads, new rear cylinders and shoes, new flexi hoses
• Took the opportunity to carry out bottom end engine overhaul inc. new big-end and main shells, oil pump upgrade kit, clean out sump and oil pick-up
• Gearbox fluid and filter change, new gearbox sump gasket
• Electronic ignition distributor, new HT leads and spark plugs. Rev-counter recalibrated for electronic distributor
• New SPAX adjustable shock absorbers front and rear. New anti-roll bar rubbers.
• Bespoke stainless-steel exhaust and rear decorative tips
• Re-cored radiator and Revotec electric fan installed (inc. over-ride switch under dash)
• New heater hoses and coolant hoses inc. front to rear return rear heater hoses. New stainless steel heater pipes.
• New door seals throughout
• New rear screen seal
• LED bulbs to external indicators, stop/ tail, front side-light bulbs (not front fog lights) and internal (inc. dash) bulbs.
• Halogen bulb headlight conversion
• Electric Facet fuel pump conversion (but keeping reserve fuel function – O ring replaced with ethanol compatible item)
• New air filter inserts and intake seal rubbers, new fuel filter
• Five new tyres and original wheels refurbished and balanced
• Bodywork and structure, extremely solid, no rot or corrosion present. Underside throughout fully waxoyled and protected. Paintwork/ Exterior in very good condition. Paint has been prepared, clay-barred and had a recent ceramic coating. Some external chromework – front and rear bumpers and fuel filler cap have been re-chromed where needed with original left where appropriate.
• Interior in exceptional condition, original seat facings have been cleaned and then colour matched to original, front and rear seat base foams replaced, new carpets and bespoke front carpet mats, original headlining and doorcards in very good original condition. Woodwork in first class condition, door cappings treated with Danish Oil, wooden dash sections re-lacquered by GDK Veneering. New sunvisors made by trimmer and finished in matching headlining material. Moquette trim replaced to map pockets, footwell panels and bottom of B pillars.
• Existing radio refurbished to install DAB/ FM receiver plus auxiliary input cable to connect phone etc. – looks and works like it did originally but with modern internals
This is an exceptionally well cared for, improved, refreshed, and looked after example of a great British classic with a genuine 52000 miles. It came to me after being well cared for by the last owner until it was stopped being used.
It drives and handles as the P5B should and is a complete pleasure to drive around town or on long journeys, always catching the eye. Only selling as space needed for new projects. Viewing recommended to appreciate how nice this example is and with the recent work done, is a beautiful, reliable and very useable P5B just needing a caring new owner who will reap the rewards of all the good work so recently carried out. I have had a long-standing desire to own a P5B Coupe. My Dad and I started restoring one together 30 years ago, but after 3-4 years of much time, effort and money, sadly Dad passed away and the car was sold without finishing it. Jump forward many years and the time and space in life eventually became available again to own a P5B. After quite some time and many many cars viewed, I found a genuine low-miles car and was pleased to win it at auction. With being a low-miles car and stored well, it was structurally sound with really good bodywork. Taking the old adage, as all the classic car buying advice goes, always buy the best possible example you can find and afford, it was a no-brainer. The car needed recommissioning and bringing back to life after being unused for a while but I did drive it home 150 miles from the auction, albeit the brakes could have been better!
I could have recommissioned the car quite quickly and got it MOT’d and back on the road, but decided because it was a genuine low-miles, sound and solid car, I wanted to make it a really nice, reliable and could be a daily driver if you wished. I therefore spent far longer (and much more £!) tackling many jobs and improvements, as the list of work above details, but that work has ended up really bringing the car to an excellent level and it’s now good to have a very long future and many many miles of happy motoring. I've had the pleasure of enjoying working to bring the car back to the level these classic British saloons deserve and of course driving and enjoying being out and about in it. I’m selling as space needed for new projects but I'll be really sad to see it go.
