Excellent 1965 Rover 3 Litre saloon

Rover P5 3 litre Mk2 auto saloon. first registered 10. 3. 65 – so 51 years old - and finished in Juniper Green with brown full-leather trim.

This is one of my own classic collection – I've rather reluctantly decided that as part of a ‘life simplification programme' the fleet needs to be reduced slightly. I'm not. though. desperate to sell. and while I will let it go if I get the asking price – which is both very reasonable and slightly less than I paid at a classic auction in 2013 – if all I get is low offers I'll just keep it.

Having written about classic cars and classic car restoration for most of my working life. and written at least four P5/P5b ‘buying guides' in that time. I like to think that I know what I'm looking for when buying. and as this was going to be a ‘keeper' I clearly sought out a good one. It's not concours – I didn't want a car that I'd be scared to ever use - rather it's an ‘older restoration' that has mellowed extremely well and is still in very fine condition inside and out; I often think the real way of knowing a good rebuild is that it lasts well . The car comes with a good file of paperwork including an old-style green log book indicating that the first owner was an Doctor in Edgbaston. an upmarket Birmingham suburb; how classic Rover is that?!

There's also the original handbook and service book. the latter stamped up to 1977. The Swansea V5c indicates three owners. the second of whom bought the car in 1988 and the third in 2003 – all in in the West Midlands. The car is in excellent running order. and comes with an Mot to May 2017 – I make that 11 months. Recorded mileage – which I'm clearly not going to warrant on a 51 year old classic but which the car's condition is consistent with being about right – is 91. 00 miles; it's done just 600 in the past year.   Road tax is free of course.  The car has also been featured a bit in Classic Car Mart and Classic Car Buyer.

It's a P5 – that's the 3-litre straight six version. not the P5b. That was a deliberate decision on my part as I much prefer the six-pot version to the 3500 V8 P5b. The V8. to my mind. is a bit too silky-smooth; the six is a proper Rover engine and. in my opinion. suits the car better. More important. the power steering is far better; the P5b's all-alloy engine is much lighter than the iron-block P5 and the steering was designed for the latter. meaning the P5b's steering is far too light.

When this car was made. Rover was still basically an independent company. and one that was led by engineers and engineering excellence; it was only after 1968 that things started to go wrong.  This shows up in lots of little things – for example the nut inside the petrol filler cap is held in place with a split pin…

Though I don't know an enormous amount about the car's history other than what's stated above. it does appear to have been given a fairly extensive renovation at some time – I'm guessing mid- late 1990s. All the usual rot-spots look to me to be solid – including the various built-in rust-traps underneath – and the paintwork appears generally good too. apart from a small amount on ‘pin prick' type marking on top of the offside front wing. Both front wings have been renewed; as the experts have no doubt spotted already. it's got P5b front wings – complete with spotlights -  my guess is that these were fitted because they were still available; I actually prefer the P5b look anyway.

The wooden door caps/window surrounds  also looks to have been restored/renovated at the same time – and a superb job done. The rest of the interior. including the dash. looks to me to be original and well cared for but with a little patina/wear  including carpets and leather seats – exactly as an old car should be in my opinion. It also smells exactly as it should. There's also a period radio – and the famous Rover toolkit under the picnic tray is all there!

She runs and drives well – exactly as you'd expect a P5 to in fact; smooth and refined. and very. very comfortable! We have used it for a few longish runs – last year we went to Gaydon. and this year I took it to South London for the Bromley Pageant of Motoring. and in both cases it provided an extremely stately way of getting there and back.

Like all classic cars. there are a few bits and pieces that a future owner might or might not want to improve. The rear bumper could do with a rechrome. and the side window rubbers/draught excluders (below the glass. the one that the window slides against when going up and down) are also definitely past their best. as is the front screen rubber.  Finally. there is a teeny bit of corrosion at the very bottom front edge of the nearside rear wing – see photo. and a few places where paint has flaked on the sills  - THIS IS DEFINITELY NOT INSIDE-OUT STRUCTURAL CORROSION!!. Oh. and the ‘reserve' setting on the fuel tank doesn't work; I'm guessing that the switching relay is sticking. As always with classics. she'll probably also benefit from/need a bit of ongoing tinkering; but that's part and parcel of owning cars like this. and of course you can do it all yourself; a factory workshop manual is included. along with a couple of boxes of service spares; filters. points etc. .

So there we have it – one very. very nice P5 that's ready to use and enjoy this summer. Evidence of an appreciative home would definitely be appreciated!

One other thing; though I'm supposed to be reducing my fleet I am feeling a slight urge to own another BMC 1. 5 (A55/A60 family) Farina - or possibly a pre farina Cambridge. I MIGHT therefore be prepared to take a running and solid one of these as part-payment up to £3000; if pre-1963 it must also still have its original registration.

To find out more. or to arrange viewings etc. . call me on 07778 435325 or ask via ebay.

Terms and Conditions – slightly different to usual Peterincambs stuff – please read in full. even if you are a ‘regular'.

This is a private sale of a car that has been owned by me personally. It is NOT being sold as part of. or through. my business. As usual with private sales it is ‘sold as seen' there is no post-sale comeback other than for matters of good title or errors in description – neither of which is an issue as the car is mine to sell and I have described it accurately… Please also bear in mind that I am  selling this as a classic/collectors car for limited mileage/hobby use. in keeping with it being 51 years old; I do not recommend or in any way claim it is suitable to use as a 12. 00 motorway miles a year daily driver!

Payment terms are cash on collection or money transferred into my bank account before the car leaves – no cheques. as these are now never 100% cleared. If you want to secure the car prior to collection I will hold it for seven days on receipt of a £250 deposit; this is refundable in full if. on seeing the car. you feel it has been misdescribed - but not if you simply change your mind.

Finally. I will deliver this car up to 150 miles from Spalding –  that will be a  ‘driving' delivery so I get a final go in the old girl – for cost of fuel and my return train fare – I'll donate my time. In that case. though. the car must be fully paid for. and funds cleared. prior to delivery.

Also published at eBay.co.uk

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