{"id":2770,"date":"2019-09-05T06:47:42","date_gmt":"2019-09-05T06:47:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.carandclassic.co.uk\/magazine\/?p=2770"},"modified":"2024-09-12T10:23:52","modified_gmt":"2024-09-12T09:23:52","slug":"1973-rover-p6-project-profile","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.carandclassic.com\/magazine\/1973-rover-p6-project-profile\/","title":{"rendered":"1973 Rover P6 – Project Profile"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Rover P6<\/a> rolled out of dealerships in 1963, and when it did it blew minds. This car was a huge leap forward. Not only in terms of how far it left its predecessor, the P4 behind, but in terms of the motoring world in general. It looked radical, it drove like nothing else in its class and was exceptionally well built. When Rover penned the P6, it was very much at the top of its game. Rover back then was a brave, forward-thinking, exciting company associated with luxury and high-end life. As such, the P6 was not only a car that wowed the people who were lucky enough to buy one, it also left thousands of drivers with something truly magnificent to aspire to. <\/span><\/p>\n

\"Rover,<\/a><\/p>\n

In the modern day world of classic cars, the Rover P6 retains a great deal of its aspirational value. It might now be cheaper, but it\u2019s still a classic a great many of us dream of owning one day. In 2019, the Rover P6 is a car that, remarkably, you could used every day. It\u2019s safe (for an old car), it\u2019s practical, it\u2019s comfortable. As long as you\u2019re not doing starship mileage, there is nothing a modern car can do that a P6 can\u2019t. Though when the P6 does it, it\u2019s just cooler.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What is it?\u00a0<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n

As we\u2019ve touched on above, the P6 was the successor to the ageing P4 (the P5 was actually built alongside the P6). The car we\u2019re looking at here is a 1973 3500, meaning V8 power and facelift looks care of the black plastic grille and other touches. This was the model to have. The 2000 and 2200 were good cars, but if you\u2019re going to have a big old Rover you need it to be powered by that Buick-derived V8, don\u2019t you? The only thing that could make this better would be if it was 3500S, which would mean a four-speed manual transmission.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This particular car is perfectly appointed, if very \u201870s. The body is in period Scarab Blue while the interior is tan box-pleat leather – no cloth in this rolling gentleman\u2019s club. It sits on the correct wheels with original hubcaps and the whole thing seems to have led a cared for, easy life. That said, the car does have an old insurance marker against it, but as the seller states, when that happened, the car was worth very little. This means that a simple bent bumper could have written it off. Happily, someone had the foresight to save this old girl. And now it\u2019s presented as a great project.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Why is it a project?\u00a0<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n

The vendor states that they acquired the vehicle as a non-runner, though curiously it does still have an MOT on it, not that it\u2019s a bad thing. The car is now running, having been serviced fully, so that\u2019s one less thing to worry about. The paintwork, while exceptionally presentable, is old and does show some signs of age. The interior is nice, but has imperfections such as a split in the driver\u2019s seat. There seems to be little to no major rust though, which is a huge boon with a car like this. The P6 loves to rot unfortunately. Oh, and the vendor keenly states that this P6 is sitting on a matching set of nearly new tyres, which is nice to know.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Rover,<\/a><\/p>\n

The big issue here, and you knew there was one coming, is the gearbox. Apparently the car will engage reverse, but if you want to go forwards you\u2019re in trouble. Apparently the car barely crawls along. This could be something as simple as it needing a damn good service, or it could be something more serious. You\u2019re not going to know until you get under it. Handily though, the Borg Warner \u2018box is not a rare item, so a replacement should only be a call away.<\/span><\/p>\n

Five things to look for:<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n

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