Description
Meet ‘Sam’, my 1974 Rover 3500S which I have owned for the last 4 years. It is in Almond Yellow with rare Huntsman brown vinyl roof, and as an ‘S’ model has the highly desirable 4 speed manual box.
The car was registered on 1st July 1974 by County Motors of Carlisle and has spent most of its life in the Alston area of Cumbria, where it later became part of a private collection for many years. The car comes with its original Rover ‘Passport to Service’ booklet which has multiple dealer service stamps up to 84k miles. It also retains the original MW/ LW radio which is still in working order.
I bought the car in a tired condition 4 years ago. It has since made an excellent rolling project with much mechanical work carried out over this period as detailed below. The engine is very smooth with loads of torque and pulls effortlessly through the gears, making all the desirable V8 sounds along the way. The car displays very nicely as can be seen in the photos and attracts plenty of attention when attending local car shows. It also takes at least one longer run out each summer to attend more distant car shows, with round trips of up to 140 miles comfortably achieved without problems. However, the unplanned purchase of another classic car means I no longer have the space to keep ‘Sam’, so I very reluctantly need to find a new home for the car.
Work undertaken during the last 4 years of ownership includes:
ENGINE BAY
Full engine service & oil change
New Radiator plus all coolant hoses replaced
New Electric Fuel Pump fitted
Oil Pressure Gauge Sender Unit replaced
1x rocker shaft replaced
New HT Plug Lead Set fitted
Brand new full exhaust system
Sump gasket replaced
BRAKES & WHEELS
Front - full set of new Calipers, Discs & Pads
Rear – both rear Calipers replaced
Set of 4 new 185/ 80 x14 tyres fitted
Wheel trims lightly restored
BODYWORK
A NOS rear valance panel has recently been fitted but not painted and is currently in red primer. Extensive welding to the OS inner sill and rear wheelarch areas has removed all known rot from the shell, and the car was described to me as ‘sound’ after this recent work.
IN SUMMARY
The car is 52 years old, it looks and drives very nicely but isn’t perfect, so if you are looking for a bargain price, near concourse faultless car, then this one isn’t for you. The above will give some idea of how much time and work has gone into it in recent times, and there are £5k in receipts available so that you can see clearly in black & white what has gone into the car.
Like any car of this age, it comes with a list of reasonably straightforward jobs to work through and improvements to make. The paintwork looks great from 10 feet away, but most panels have some minor blemishes. Parts of the boot lid and rear deck panel are slightly less glossy when viewed close up, while the bottom corners of both front doors would benefit from some attention quite soon.
Overall, it is an affordable and reliable classic car which turns heads everywhere it goes, and like all P6B’s it is an absolute joy to drive. It could easily be enjoyed just as it is, but it would also benefit from some of the paintwork being tidied up or taken to the next level.
The car is currently safely tucked away for winter storage but can be brought out again for serious viewings only at my home near Cramlington, Northumberland, which is close to the North Tyneside and Newcastle areas and with easy access from/ to the A1 and A19. Best to give me a few days notice for this though.
A bundle of useful spare parts are included in the price. These include the official Rover issue workshop and parts manuals, a set of 4x ‘S’ wheel trims, a complete instrument cluster (used), new rear brake pads, new handbrake cable, new fuel reserve tap, a NOS rear bumper overrider, plus other odds and ends. There is a little wiggle room on the price of the car if these spares are not required.
The V5 is present and in my name, while the 37250 mileage showing is assumed to be 137250. The car has ‘historic’ (free) road tax status and is MOT exempt, although it undergoes an annual ‘health check’ at my local garage every spring for peace of mind.
I have owned both automatic and manual P6B’s, and for me the manual cars are the ones to have.
Serious enquiries only please. Feel free to message me for further information or a chat about the car. The photographs should give a good overall impression of the car but more photos are available for anyone with a serious interest.
