Lot Ended
Description
From a deceased estate; recent £50k restoration; displayed on the
Rover P5 Club stand at the NEC last year; driven over 200 miles to the
sale; a wonderful example of this refined and handsome British icon
It’s hard to
think of any car more quintessentially British than the magisterial Rover P5B
Saloon. An early Jaguar XJ6 comes close, but somehow the Rover is just that bit
more dignified. The ministerial car
of choice for every Prime Minister from Harold Wilson to Margaret Thatcher, it
just exudes continuity, tradition and trust in the Establishment.
However, the P5B also has another
more flamboyant side which is perfectly expressed in the Coupe
version. Too flash for the ministerial classes, it was ideally suited to
the raffish types who inhabited the demi-monde clubland scene of London in the
Sixties and Seventies. No car was better cast than the menacing P5B Coupe in
which gangland psychopath Vic Dakin (played to chilling effect by Richard
Burton) prowls the mean streets of the capital in the 1971 British noir classic,
Villain.
First
registered in Worcester in March 1973, this P5B Coupe was acquired by our
vendor’s brother in c.2017 at which point it had been in storage for 31 years. A
devoted P5 fan, he was suffering from a life-limiting illness and determined to
turn CFK 995L into the finest example available which he could then enjoy in
whatever time he had remaining.
In
2023/24 it was treated to a professional restoration while retaining as much
character and originality as possible. Although there are no bills to show the
full extent of the work carried out, we are told that the restoration
cost over £50,000, much of the process being documented in photos and notes
on file.
This included a full body restoration
and bare metal repaint; rebuilt engine and gearbox; brakes, suspension and
steering overhauled; interior refurbished – see last few photos for a more
detailed summary.
Sadly the owner was only able
to enjoy the car for a short while before he passed away, including a tour
of the Lake District. In November 2024 his brother had the car
transported from Kent to the NEC Classic Car Show in Birmingham where it
was displayed on the Rover P5 Club stand. He subsequently did a 350-mile
round trip in the car to get it serviced and have a couple of niggles sorted out
by the person who had carried out the restoration during which we are told
that it performed faultlessly.
In late-June
this year, it was driven from Kent to Brightwells on a boiling hot day, another
220-mile trip which it once more completed with ease. This included a
Friday afternoon crawl along a 50-mile section of the M25 during which it
behaved impeccably and did not over-heat – always a tough test for any classic
V8.
As you can see in the photos, this is a
fabulous looking Rover in a great colour scheme with wonderfully original and
well-preserved burgundy leather upholstery. As good an example as we have ever
seen, it is on offer here from a deceased estate and now only needs a caring new
owner who can reap the rewards of all the good work so recently carried out.
As you can probably tell, we are big fans of this luxurious British
cruiser and we love the subtle Jekyll and Hyde contrast of the Saloon and
Coupe versions. These old Rovers are held in great affection by the
vast majority of other road users and you will be treated like Royalty wherever
you go in this one - with a hint of Vic Dakin menace should anyone dare to cut
you up...
Consigned by James Dennison – 07970
309907 – [email protected]