Lot Ended
Description
A handsome example of this aristocratic 'gentleman's club on wheels';
has spent much of its time on Guernsey; just three owners since 1986; only
63,760 miles indicated
Launched at the
1958 Motor Show, the Rover P5 Saloon was dubbed the ‘middle class Rolls-Royce’
and immediately became the establishment’s motor of choice – the Queen is said
to have been particularly fond of the Royal P5, Harold Wilson had a built-in
pipe rack in his, and Margaret Thatcher was the last Prime Minister to be
whisked into office in hers.
The P5B version
produced from 1967 - 1973 had a larger Buick-derived 3.5-litre V8 under the
bonnet in place of the original 3-litre six and really gave the car the go to
match the show. With 160bhp and plenty of effortless grunt under his right foot,
the chauffeur could waft his passengers to 110mph and crack 60 in under 11
seconds, even with the mandatory auto box. Coupled with surprisingly good ride
and handling and some of the most comfortable seats ever to grace a motorcar,
this really was the archetypal ‘gentleman's club on wheels’.
For the more caddish toffs, Rover also produced the P5B in four-door
coupe style with a slightly lower roof-line, slimmer chromed window surrounds,
twin-armchair rear seats and additional dash instruments, this being the most
collectable variant today. Some 20,600 P5Bs were sold before production came to
an end in 1973, with just 9,000 being in the desirable Coupe
style.
First registered in February 1972, this
Coupe comes with no early history but a Guernsey Registration Book shows that it
was resident on that small island from 1986 – 2003 during which time it was
owned by a Mr Salmon of St Sampson, a small parish in the north of the island.
There are various invoices showing that it was
well looked after during his 17-year ownership, any work required being carried
out by the same local garage, Graham M Le Page, although it only seems to have
covered around 500 miles during this period – hardly surprising as Guernsey is
only six miles long and three miles wide! Aside from routine service items,
there are invoices for a new exhaust system, new power steering box, re-cored
radiator, new fuel pump and brake servo kit plus new Michelin tyres.
In June 2003 it was acquired by a Mr R Thomas
who was to keep it for the next 18 years. He presumably brought it back to
mainland UK although he doesn’t seem to have got the registration number changed
so perhaps he never drove it – who knows?
An old
MOT issued in Wisbech in July 2003 gives the mileage as 63,088 at this point and
it now shows 63,760 miles so it has clearly been very little used in the last 40
years.
In October 2021 it was acquired by a Mr Levine of Wisbech, DVLA
correspondence showing that he got the registration number changed from the
Guernsey number 23310 to LJW 66K which was presumably the car’s original
Wolverhampton-issue number.
Our vendor acquired
the car in April 2025 and although there are no invoices to show what was done,
he tells us that it was entrusted to his long-term classic car mechanic for a
thorough service and check-over to ensure that it was in good shape to
drive.
As you can see in the photos, this Coupe
looks reassuringly straight and solid with a nicely original interior. It has
been starting promptly and running nicely as we have moved it around on site,
with a lovely V8 burble from the stainless steel exhaust and riding smoothly
over the large pot holes at the bottom of our yard with not a rattle or a
squeak.
All it needs now is an enthusiastic new owner who can give it the
more regular exercise that it deserves.
Consigned by James Dennison – 07970 309907 – james.dennison@brightwells.com