First Classic - 1973 Rover P5B Coupe.
Discussion
Just over a month ago I drunkenly bid in an auction for a 1973 P5B. I was in the North West, the car was in Plymouth. So obviously buy it unseen and then get it transported up 300 miles. Definitely not the textbook way of buying a car.
England are due to play in the Euro semis and my car arrives at about 4:30pm.
First impressions are "it's shiny, it smells of leather and it's big."
Managed a quick ten mile drive round - a little blast down the motorway followed by a bit of A road and country lanes back home.
After that it's time to watch the football!
Sunday is grey, wet and cold.
Torrential rain, but I had promised my son I'd take it over to see him - just 30 miles on the motorway with standing water in lanes 2 and 3. I must admit I came off the motorway as I was unsure of the handling - the extremely light power steering wasn't exactly designed for pin point handling.
Noticed the alternator belt starting to slip and a small leak into the passenger footwell. I'm sure there's loads more to come.
SD.
England are due to play in the Euro semis and my car arrives at about 4:30pm.
First impressions are "it's shiny, it smells of leather and it's big."
Managed a quick ten mile drive round - a little blast down the motorway followed by a bit of A road and country lanes back home.
After that it's time to watch the football!
Sunday is grey, wet and cold.
Torrential rain, but I had promised my son I'd take it over to see him - just 30 miles on the motorway with standing water in lanes 2 and 3. I must admit I came off the motorway as I was unsure of the handling - the extremely light power steering wasn't exactly designed for pin point handling.
Noticed the alternator belt starting to slip and a small leak into the passenger footwell. I'm sure there's loads more to come.
SD.
and good luck with it.I managed to do best part of 100 miles (3/4 of a tank of Super Unleaded) in the pouring rain. Typically it was dry as we got home so it was time for a little wash, polish and wax prior to putting Lola as she's been christened away for the next few nights.
Decided for the next weekend to go to our first car show! Capesthorne Hall in Cheshire. Giving the car a really good wash and polish has led me to discover the possible source of the dampness in the passenger foot well - rust under the screen trim, sadly both front and rear so that's going to be a screen out job over winter.
Capesthorne Hall is a fantastic mix of the exotic and the more mundane. Lola draws a bit of a crowd, I'm just happy with a picnic in the sun.
My local bodyshop has had a good look and he reckons he can do the work, the only downside is he can't guarantee to get the glass out in one piece. Screens seem to be about the £350 mark so quite a risk.
Time to try out the 50 year old pillar jack - still with loads of original paint. Bugger - one of the front wheel nuts is just spinning around. A quick trip to the local garage gets it up on the ramp (along with all work coming to a stop as they all crowd round).
It seems that one of the front wheel studs has been welded to the hub and the weld has failed. Getting the nut removed shows a sheared off stud and the splines in the hub have been stripped smooth. Moral of the story? Never use a rattle gun when removing the wheel nuts on a classic.
It requires a new hub. And studs. Not something that the local motor factors have any stock!
User groups, forums and numerous contacts are marvellous.
All of the studs are really good with excellent splines on the hub. This looks like a job for the next free, dry day. I'll just have to strip the hub away from the disc as well as the suspension bits - I wonder how much penetrating oil I'm going to need?
SD.
Decided for the next weekend to go to our first car show! Capesthorne Hall in Cheshire. Giving the car a really good wash and polish has led me to discover the possible source of the dampness in the passenger foot well - rust under the screen trim, sadly both front and rear so that's going to be a screen out job over winter.
Capesthorne Hall is a fantastic mix of the exotic and the more mundane. Lola draws a bit of a crowd, I'm just happy with a picnic in the sun.
My local bodyshop has had a good look and he reckons he can do the work, the only downside is he can't guarantee to get the glass out in one piece. Screens seem to be about the £350 mark so quite a risk.
Time to try out the 50 year old pillar jack - still with loads of original paint. Bugger - one of the front wheel nuts is just spinning around. A quick trip to the local garage gets it up on the ramp (along with all work coming to a stop as they all crowd round).
It seems that one of the front wheel studs has been welded to the hub and the weld has failed. Getting the nut removed shows a sheared off stud and the splines in the hub have been stripped smooth. Moral of the story? Never use a rattle gun when removing the wheel nuts on a classic.
It requires a new hub. And studs. Not something that the local motor factors have any stock!
User groups, forums and numerous contacts are marvellous.
All of the studs are really good with excellent splines on the hub. This looks like a job for the next free, dry day. I'll just have to strip the hub away from the disc as well as the suspension bits - I wonder how much penetrating oil I'm going to need?
SD.
That looks lovely - P5Bs just had such presence on the road, especially Coupes.
I only ever went in one once in 1976 to my sister's wedding as my future BIL decided to make me Best Man - it belonged to a family friend and was in the same colour combination as yours, which works so well.
A few years later my cousin got my uncle's Cameron Green P6B 3500 then I bought a Mexico Brown P6B 3500S - I do have fond memories of RoverV8s!
Good luck getting yours fettled.
I only ever went in one once in 1976 to my sister's wedding as my future BIL decided to make me Best Man - it belonged to a family friend and was in the same colour combination as yours, which works so well.
A few years later my cousin got my uncle's Cameron Green P6B 3500 then I bought a Mexico Brown P6B 3500S - I do have fond memories of RoverV8s!
Good luck getting yours fettled.
Wheeler dealers did one of these, Ed China did a mod to power steering to prevent damage, car manual had a warning not to hold on full lock for too long, involved making a bracket to limit the full travel on the steering. Think it involved welding bracket onto chassis and fitting a nut and bolt to limit the travel.
Might be worth searching for the programme.
Good luck with it, looks good, comfortable to drive sitting in a leather armchair
Might be worth searching for the programme.
Good luck with it, looks good, comfortable to drive sitting in a leather armchair
Just over 100 days of ownership and 1000 miles under the belt.
There's been a few little niggles - a slight weep of transmission fluid from the Borg Warner 35 box - it's the cork gasket that's been crushed slightly when refitting it at some stage.
There's also a little light misting of power steering fluid from the reservoir. Not enough to actually see forming, but after a day's driving it is present. I'll be looking to get the hoses all replaced, but I wonder if it's over-pressuring and leaking out. Either way, the level hasn't gone down to a measurable degree. It does need doing though.
The old canvas strap that held the toolkit in place in the boot was perished and has now been replaced with leather and brass eyelets.
Lola will be getting a little trip to the bodyshop at the end of the month. The previously identified rust under the front and rear screens needs to be assessed and treated/ repaired as necessary. The owner of the shop has done several nut and bolt restorations on his own classics, although his bread and butter is insurance work. He's looking forward to this and has one or two of his younger employees really keen to work on something different.
The car still turns heads wherever she goes, just over 3 months into ownership and it's the best present I've ever bought myself.
The 3.5 litre V8 hasn't missed a beat over the preceding 1000 miles - it had done less than 2000 miles in the last 5 years. It's been run consistently on Tesco Momentum 99RON .
It's a lovely place to sit and just waft along.
There is a little bit of worn stitching on the front seats - maybe next year for a slight interior refresh.
After the bodyshop, it's going to get a full service (last one was done just over 1200 miles ago. A fresh MOT and then a well deserved rest under cover for the winter. Although the temptation to have a blast on a cold dry day will be so tempting.
I've treated myself to a vintage tax disc and an original style "Henly's of London" dealer sticker. I'm not sure whether it will be Naff or not. What's people's opinions?
SD.
There's been a few little niggles - a slight weep of transmission fluid from the Borg Warner 35 box - it's the cork gasket that's been crushed slightly when refitting it at some stage.
There's also a little light misting of power steering fluid from the reservoir. Not enough to actually see forming, but after a day's driving it is present. I'll be looking to get the hoses all replaced, but I wonder if it's over-pressuring and leaking out. Either way, the level hasn't gone down to a measurable degree. It does need doing though.
The old canvas strap that held the toolkit in place in the boot was perished and has now been replaced with leather and brass eyelets.
Lola will be getting a little trip to the bodyshop at the end of the month. The previously identified rust under the front and rear screens needs to be assessed and treated/ repaired as necessary. The owner of the shop has done several nut and bolt restorations on his own classics, although his bread and butter is insurance work. He's looking forward to this and has one or two of his younger employees really keen to work on something different.
The car still turns heads wherever she goes, just over 3 months into ownership and it's the best present I've ever bought myself.
The 3.5 litre V8 hasn't missed a beat over the preceding 1000 miles - it had done less than 2000 miles in the last 5 years. It's been run consistently on Tesco Momentum 99RON .
It's a lovely place to sit and just waft along.
There is a little bit of worn stitching on the front seats - maybe next year for a slight interior refresh.
After the bodyshop, it's going to get a full service (last one was done just over 1200 miles ago. A fresh MOT and then a well deserved rest under cover for the winter. Although the temptation to have a blast on a cold dry day will be so tempting.
I've treated myself to a vintage tax disc and an original style "Henly's of London" dealer sticker. I'm not sure whether it will be Naff or not. What's people's opinions?
SD.
Re the period tax disc, I put one on my 1968 MGC GT, dated April 1968 which is the month/year it was manufactured. It’s just a little touch but it pleases me which is what it’s all about!
Not got an original Dealer Sticker, but you’ve got me thinking! (University Motors, London).
Love the Rover, by the way, had similar engine in my Morgan Plus 8 which I both raced and drove on road for about 6 years. Never missed a beat, apart from overheating issues when racing. An aluminium radiator solved that.
Not got an original Dealer Sticker, but you’ve got me thinking! (University Motors, London).
Love the Rover, by the way, had similar engine in my Morgan Plus 8 which I both raced and drove on road for about 6 years. Never missed a beat, apart from overheating issues when racing. An aluminium radiator solved that.
I put a Henlys sticker in my 1970 Coupe, it's a nice little finishing touch. Whenever I come back to this thread it makes me miss it terribly, I only sold it to scratch the Jag itch.
Sometimes I used to go down to the garage just to sit in it....
Sometimes I used to go down to the garage just to sit in it....
Edited by P5BNij on Thursday 14th October 14:40
Edited by P5BNij on Thursday 14th October 14:41
The wallet has taken a bit of a battering today. Replacement windscreen rubbers and clips ordered in preparation for front and rear screen removal and attention to the rust. I've found an old fashioned glass man who does a lot of restorations on big American barges - and he's really local so will go to the body shop and remove then refit the glass.
The workshop manual is fantastic - it details all the steps for screen removal etc - none of this "See you Authorised Dealer" - cars were meant to be worked on by the keen amateur.
It's still got the original tool kit in place - the tyre pressure gauge is highly chromed so may be a replacement, although it is stamped Rover. The spanners are looking a little worn - should I rechrome them or leave as they are? They won't be used, but will be part of the scene setting at next season's shows and meets.
Talking about scene setting - a trip to the local antiques place has got a 1973 copy of Motor magazine, an old OS map and some Town Centre road plans as well as a period picnic box with a proper tartan flask!
SD.
The workshop manual is fantastic - it details all the steps for screen removal etc - none of this "See you Authorised Dealer" - cars were meant to be worked on by the keen amateur.
It's still got the original tool kit in place - the tyre pressure gauge is highly chromed so may be a replacement, although it is stamped Rover. The spanners are looking a little worn - should I rechrome them or leave as they are? They won't be used, but will be part of the scene setting at next season's shows and meets.
Talking about scene setting - a trip to the local antiques place has got a 1973 copy of Motor magazine, an old OS map and some Town Centre road plans as well as a period picnic box with a proper tartan flask!
SD.
Those are amazing cars, I always liked the Coupe version.
Although it would be totally out of character....it would be great to fit a custom stainless exhaust system to release some of that V8 sound....!! Or even a switchable 'town/country' version which would be the best of both.
And I suppose that there are so many engine upgrades on that 'Buick" V8 to make it a bit of a sleeper..... but that is not really what the P5s are about !
Still....it is PH after all !
Although it would be totally out of character....it would be great to fit a custom stainless exhaust system to release some of that V8 sound....!! Or even a switchable 'town/country' version which would be the best of both.
And I suppose that there are so many engine upgrades on that 'Buick" V8 to make it a bit of a sleeper..... but that is not really what the P5s are about !
Still....it is PH after all !
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