BUY A P5B
classic. The comprehensive history file suggests
it’s all-original and it has the sort of lovely patina
you can’t replicate with a shiny restoration. It’s
also completely standard which means no wire
wheels, whitewall tyres, big exhausts or any
of the other additions P5Bs often receive in a
misguided attempt to dress them up into a kind
of American Graffiti wannabe.
Stepping into a P5, you don’t climb up or drop
down into the car, so much as simply slide aboard
into the wide armchair seats. These really are
spacious cars and the interior is beautifully finished
too: with the doors closed there’s no bare metal
visible but despite the ample use of wood veneer
the wraparound dashboard is remarkably modern.
The full-width shelf and separate instrument
binnacle is in fact a David Bache signature
which would be carried on through successive
generations of Rovers right into the ’90s cars.
The ignition switch is in the upper corner of
the instrument housing, so there’s no undignified
scrabbling around under the column and the V8
spins willingly into life with just a shiff of choke
required. I’ve been driving an early Discovery
V8i for the past few months which to all intents
and purposes uses the same engine but the P5
installation seems altogether more refined.
A blip of the throttle sees the car sway gently
with the torque reaction and with a squeeze of
the centre button the Borg Warner 35 box is
eased into drive with that elegant round shifter
and the P5B oozes away.
Like an ’80s Mercedes, there’s a long pedal
travel to the P5B’s throttle which makes smooth
progress an easy affair, yet it’s ready to pick up its
skirts when asked. The big slender-rimmed wheel
with its complex Rover crest decorating the horn
push doesn’t promise much but there’s a surprising
amount of feel on offer and the standard-fit power
steering gives the Rover a very modern feel
especially at lower speeds where ’50s cars can
often be hard work in modern traffic.
Despite being a largely original car, bills in
the history file show this P5B has been kept up
to scratch mechanically by its previous owners
and just a couple of years ago it received a
set of adjustable Spax dampers. No doubt this
explains its taut feel on the road and although we
were driving the car only in the confines of the
Bicester Heritage site it feels very capable with a
slight edge over the standard set-up.
The command post of a P5 is always a great
place to be and in V8 form there’s the added
enjoyment of that 210 lbf.ft torque just an ankle
flex away. It’s no sports car but as an effortlessly
brisk tourer with space for four adults to lounge
in comfort it takes some beating. CCM
34 Classic Car Mart Spring 2016
The P5B's armchair-sized front seats and large leather-clad rear bench provide the driver and passengers with an excellect amount of comfort and support.
If we’ve convinced you to go shopping for a P5B then you’ll have discovered
that prices vary wildly between the rotten projects and what sellers feel their
extensively restored cars are worth. All of which makes the £8500 being
asked for this very original and solid 1970 car seem very reasonable. As
The Motor Shed’s Mark Elder pointed out, it’s not a concours winner but it’s
very much on the button and a nice-looking car which is ready to be used and
enjoyed. It comes with the bonus of an extensive history file which confirms
the impressively low 44,000 miles. If I had more space and fewer cars then
this is another one which would have come with me and you’ll find more
details at http://www.vintageandclassiccars.co.uk or 01869 249999.