The Rover P5/P5B

motec 6.9

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I have always liked the look of the P5 Coupe. I drove a nice one back in 1988 when working driving buses for Keirs . It came in for a radiator repair I drove it back to owners address. Surprisingly just looked they are very depressed in price for what they offer as a car. 3 for sale at the moment but all sedan's. Was surprised at price but all appear to need work.
 
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Styria

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Have spotted a Mark III Sedan with the very rare four speed with overdrive gearbox.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/roverp5p6australia/permalink/1271144196395164/

Interesting car, this one. Firstly, it has the later models Rostyle (stands for Mag look alike) wheels that were fitted to the V8 models in the P5B range - 1968-1973. Also fitted as an extra to the small P6 V8s, but they were 14" in size. It also has, as a standard item, the nice grille with the large Rover badge. Probably one of the nicest.

It also has the ET head rests on the front seat, plus the later (P5B V8) rear back rest with the pull out drink holder. A nice feature, only seen when the V8 range was introduced. Of course, it has the manual with overdrive box which I just absolutely love, and the upholstery (in leather) - what can I say ? The workmanship from what I can see is superb. Enjoy. Regards Styria
 
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Styria

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Bryce, this one is a bit rough and untidy, but still quite acceptable to a certain extent. It's strange, but someone has sent me an email regarding the purchase of a P5B willing to pay better than reasonable money, and that person must have spotted this TK thread somewhere along the line.

I have gone right through this thread, and there are some really beautiful cars that feature at times. This provides me with more incentive to finish my cars. I am about to pick up to rear bumper bars from the platers at Fairfield West. The price - don't ask - ouch !!! Regards Styria (Still one more to go, but the quality of repairs and chroming is remarkable.
 

c107

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Meant to post these after the RR show last October.
This is a P5 Coupe that is under restoration. The owner has had it repainted in the two tone scheme and had the blue leather interior re-done. At the time of photos it was not quite back together with some trim missing, but I saw the car driving over the spit bridge a week or so ago and it looked quite good. The car was originally white and it looks much better with the dark grey roof. White in my opinion is not a good colour for the P5 coupe in particular.

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SEL_69L

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Older classic Rover and Rolls Royce cars have always had brilliantly harmonised colour schemes, inside and out. Even with off beat colour combinations

I have always found it irksome that modern Mercedes cars are most commonly found in single colour black, silver or white, and only rarely, in red. Very rarely do you see a Mercedes in a strong, or even subtle colour, that is not one of the above, and even then, is only seen in high performance sports cars.

You may have quietly inferred that I really don't like black cars, despite the fact that I currently own two. Might I add: the first two that I have ever owned in my life.

Think how much better most current modern Mercedes would look, if the they had emulated the colour schemes of the older classic Rovers?

Styria has at least given us all some idea of what can be achieved with his 6.9, even if that is only with the external colours.
 

c107

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This P5 Coupe looks like the same colour combination of the one I used to own. Its a much nicer combination when in good condition than when in poor. I like a good red interior, but would prefer a more striking exterior colour.

This is a good contrast of the earlier 3 liter cars to the v8 cars.


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rMain-l.jpg
 

Michel

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This P5 Coupe looks like the same colour combination of the one I used to own. Its a much nicer combination when in good condition than when in poor. I like a good red interior, but would prefer a more striking exterior colour.

This is a good contrast of the earlier 3 liter cars to the v8 cars.


r21l.jpg

Is that an air filter or an exhaust muffler?
 

c107

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Is that an air filter or an exhaust muffler?

It is one of those odd questions why rover engineers made their air filter housing look like a muffler!

It does give the six cyl cars a unique under bonnet look.

Styria may be able to comment more if it is a good system. I didn't own my car for long enough.
 
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Styria

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It is one of those odd questions why rover engineers made their air filter housing look like a muffler!

It does give the six cyl cars a unique under bonnet look.

Styria may be able to comment more if it is a good system. I didn't own my car for long enough.

You're pretty close Michel. Even as far back as 1963, the Rover Company knew all about exhaust gases recirculation. It is a remarkable piece of engineering. I have a bit of a story to tell about this particular under bonnet item. Back in the old whenever days I drove to Woodford in the Maitland area to pick up an engine that some owner wanted to dispose of. Well, I needed one at the time, and we are talking about 25-28 years ago.

So, I loaded up my 7 by 5 box trailer with the newly purchased engine safely secured by straps and ropes. Whatever was the cheaper at the time. Anyway, we proceeded back to Sydney on the M1 Freeway,as it was known at the time. It was about eight in the evening and obviously pitch black. So, we're going along at about a 100 (kilometres) an hour and heard a few drivers of cars that were overtaking me blow their horns. I really knew of no reason, and basically ignored the horns. Without prompting, Julie who was with me at the time, looked around and exclaimed "your engine is on fire" - the one on the trailer, mind you. Well obviously, I pulled up in the breakdown lane, walked to the trailer and, sure enough, there were smoke and a small flame emanating from the two front openings. Well, well......

In those days, I was a heavy smoker (loved them - I was the 50/50 man) and I would never use an ashtray in any of my cars. I couldn't stand the smell of stale tobacco and the look of cigarette butts, so when smoking, out the window they would go. In this case, the burning butt found its way into one of the two openings, and started to burn the Air Filter that was obviously still in the housing. A quick dismantling, I emptied the contents of the unit and obviously that got rid of the fire and flames. Think about this - at a 100k.s, the butt is flicked out the window and gets blown into one of the openings. One in a million chance ! That's my story and, BTW, it is the Air Cleaner. :D Regards Styria

N.B. Go back to the under bonnet picture and have a look at the Air Cleaner !
 
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Styria

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BTW, both of those cars are in absolutely superb condition. The Grey One with the gear lever sticking out is in fact a 1963 Mark 2A Coupe. How do I know ? Simple. There is an Oil Check level switch on the Instrument Panel. It was the only version ever produced with that arrangement. Petrol Main /Reserve are in the switch cluster above the Ignition Switch. The next model, the Mark 2C (there never was a Mark 2B Coupe) had Petrol/Main and Oil level in the same switch in the middle of the Instrument Panel. The Heater switch, on the 2C took the place of the Petrol Main /Reserve as on the 2A.

The Grey Coupe looks a bit better in pictures than in real life. However, the Red Interior is in superb condition. I have always maintained that the carpet, with its unique cloth binding, would always show up those fitted to the Rolls Royce models with their thin leather binding. The other car, a P5B with the V8 engine, is also in exceptional condition. Lovely interiors for both cars, with the earlier 1963 model having different seats, and the front seats each having their own individual armrests. Interesting also that the V8 model is fitted with original Cross Plys, presumably 6.70 by 15". Not sure, but the tyres on the grey Coupe (6 cyl.) also seems to be shod with similar rubber. Regards Styria
 

abl567

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You're pretty close Michel. Even as far back as 1963, the Rover Company knew all about exhaust gases recirculation. It is a remarkable piece of engineering. I have a bit of a story to tell about this particular under bonnet item. Back in the old whenever days I drove to Woodford in the Maitland area to pick up an engine that some owner wanted to dispose of. Well, I needed one at the time, and we are talking about 25-28 years ago.

So, I loaded up my 7 by 5 box trailer with the newly purchased engine safely secured by straps and ropes. Whatever was the cheaper at the time. Anyway, we proceeded back to Sydney on the M1 Freeway,as it was known at the time. It was about eight in the evening and obviously pitch black. So, we're going along at about a 100 (kilometres) an hour and heard a few drivers of cars that were overtaking me blow their horns. I really knew of no reason, and basically ignored the horns. Without prompting, Julie who was with me at the time, looked around and exclaimed "your engine is on fire" - the one on the trailer, mind you. Well obviously, I pulled up in the breakdown lane, walked to the trailer and, sure enough, there were smoke and a small flame emanating from the two front openings. Well, well......

In those days, I was a heavy smoker (loved them - I was the 50/50 man) and I would never use an ashtray in any of my cars. I couldn't stand the smell of stale tobacco and the look of cigarette butts, so when smoking, out the window they would go. In this case, the burning butt found its way into one of the two openings, and started to burn the Air Filter that was obviously still in the housing. A quick dismantling, I emptied the contents of the unit and obviously that got rid of the fire and flames. Think about this - at a 100k.s, the butt is flicked out the window and gets blown into one of the openings. One in a million chance ! That's my story and, BTW, it is the Air Cleaner. :D Regards Styria

N.B. Go back to the under bonnet picture and have a look at the Air Cleaner !

This story is so "The Godfather" it should be on the home page.
 

Patrick_R

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Outstanding video Bryce.
A great find.

Yes Anthony, that story needs to be up in lights somewhere :D

Question.
Can someone please tell me why these cars are called a “coupe” when clearly they are 4 door or a sedan or saloon?
 

c107

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I guess the answer is Marketing.
Rover wanted to bring out a more 'racy' (for them) version of their car, so they chose the coupe terminology. In terms of the dictionary definition, it fits, but it doesn't fit the generally accepted definition.

Having said that Mercedes later copied this with the CLS in the early 2000s, and Audi with the A5.


640px-Mercedes-CLS-C219-Facelift-front-20100918.jpg
 
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