***Images and editorial supplied by vendor***
Highlights
- MBD 19K – ‘Moby Dick’ the Great White Coupe is for sale !
- Stunning colour combination of Taupe over Tudor White
- So good that the seller has owned this car twice
The Appeal
For years the transportation of choice for royalty and those in government, the Rover P5B represents nothing less than British institution.
This 1972 Coupé retains the 4-door layout from saloon models but differs with the inclusion of a rakish roofline.
This 1972 Coupé retains the 4-door layout from saloon models but differs with the inclusion of a rakish roofline.
This very smart example is in fine mechanical order, ready to be used as little or often as the next owner wishes. It has also undergone a number of sensible upgrades, making this a particularly usable example.
The History and Paperwork
- Brand new MOT until July 2023
- Sizeable history folder covering recent years
- Plenty of invoices showing regular care.
- Recent full overhaul of both front and rear brakes
- Owner’s Manuals and handbooks as well as full original tool kit
- V5 present
- Owned twice by the vendor
The Interior
- Some recent updating to a more modern spec
- Black leather upholstery with updates electric front seats ( original seats available for £300 )
- Picnic tables front and rear
Opening the wood-capped doors, you are greeted by a pleasant aura of a grand stately home. There’s a little patination to the leather as you would expect but the upholstery is intact although there is a 4 inch split seam in the rear seat base which should be easily repairable. Sitting in both front and back seats revealed all were comfortable and still retained good support.
The interior is in very good order which, although it has some patina, gives the car fantastic character.
Much work, including improvements, was carried out by the previous owner and his father who were both engineers to include :
- Electrically adjustable front seats from a Ford Scorpio
- Heated rear window with timer and relay added
- All interior wood rubbed down and varnished
- Replaced clock
- Replaced driver’s side and passenger side front door locks
- Replaced rear parcel shelf
- New headlining
- Replaced interior door lights
- Repaired torn leather in back seat
- New front door locks
- Replaced ignition, hand brake and oil lights with led bulbs
- USB port fitted to armrest between front seats.
The large and imposing steering wheel looks to be original and has a large chrome horn ring and Rover centre boss. Ahead of that is a binnacle with a large speedometer and rev counter, ancillary switchgear and warning lights.
There are four extra gauges mounted below that were unique to the Coupé for water temperature, fuel level, volts and oil pressure.
Below the dash is a full width shelf and in the centre there is a small pull out picnic table which opens to reveal a complete tool kit.
In the boot, the linings and rubber floor mat are intact and there is an enclosed battery compartment with a new battery and a fire extinguisher. The vendor informs us that the carpets may be original and are all in good order. The vendor also reports that the refinished woodwork appears to be original to the car and is in excellent condition.
The Exterior
- Attractive two tone colour scheme which always gets compliments
- Excellent chrome with only minor pitting in places.
- Recent set of Rostyle wheels and tyres
The vendor informs us that this P5B was repainted around ten years ago in its current colour combination of Taupe over Tudor White and it still retains it’s shine with only a few minor age related marks as you would expect. There is some bubbling to the edges of the roof but nothing that a £300 repaint of the roof wouldn’t sort out to bring it up to the standard of the rest of the bodywork.
Some repair work was carried out to the subframe in 2016 and so the underside is now in good, solid condition with fairly fresh black underseal.
The brightwork is in good condition with some pitting in places. The rear bumper was replaced five years ago and so is in excellent condition.
The Rover now sits on a fairly new set of chrome Rostyle wheels which are shod with new Hercules tyres which the vendor informs us have travelled less than 1000 miles.
The Mechanics
- Displays excellent oil pressure
- 3.5-litre Rover V8
- Starts and runs beautifully
The 3.5 litre V8 engine starts easily and runs sweetly with only a ticking noise when cold caused by a small leak from the exhaust manifold. This was a common issue with these engines and, once warm, largely disappears. Runs and drives beautifully with no smoke on start up and the engine runs smoothly with an equally smooth gearbox. The oil pressure remains constant and there is no hint of overheating thanks to a larger core radiator having been fitted.
Under the bonnet, which has a thick padded acoustic liner, the engine bay appears clean and tidy, with evidence of a number of new parts having been fitted. The following work has been carried out in recent years:
- Near side top ball joint replaced
- All rubber fuel lines replaced
- Fuel filter replaced
- Fuel tank breather pipes replaced
- Fuel cap rubber seal replaced
- Hand brake rods and linkage replaced
- Reserve fuel tank inner and outer cables replaced
- Reservoir fuel tap and petrol lines replaced
- Rear suspension leaf springs replaced, covered with grease and wrapped with Denso tape
- New rear shock absorbers fitted
- Diff oil replaced
- Gearbox kick down reset with new gearbox gaskets and oil replaced
- Full service several times including oil filter and antifreeze replaced
- All lights through the car - all cable connections cleaned and replaced as necessary
- All headlights, main beam and fog light relays fitted
- Modern fuel cut off switch fitted so if in an accident, the fuel pump will stop
- New stainless steel rear bumper fitted
- Reconditioned steering pump fitted and steering fluid replaced
- Replaced near side front calliper and replaced rubbers in both rear wheel brake cylinders
- Replaced thermostat and water pipes
- Exhaust rubbers replaced
- Front and rear brakes fully overhauled
- New updated large core radiator fitted
Summary
A car that has played a significant role in Britain’s governance, this beautiful P5b has obviously been cherished, well maintained and treated to some user friendly modern upgrades and must be amongst the most usable on the road today.
Whilst being MOT’d this week, the examiner commented on how clean and solid the underside was.
Whilst being MOT’d this week, the examiner commented on how clean and solid the underside was.
The vendor is reluctantly selling to help fund the restoration of his E Type.
Notice to bidders
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