Exminiman wrote: ↑Wed Jan 03, 2024 9:22 am
WMU 211G wrote: ↑Mon Jan 01, 2024 10:34 am
All time favourite has to be the Lamborghini Miura, every time I see one in the metal (not often, granted) it pretty much takes my breath away. The first time I ever saw one as a nipper is etched into my memory - from the top deck of a London bus in Kensington High Street I was with my dad and uncle, looking down at Rod Stewart getting out of his white Miura S, it made everything else round it look redundant and old fashioned. I know there are plenty of people who just don't like it but to me it's beautifully proportioned and oozes '60s glamour. That it even exists makes it special and the fact that it's designers Dallara, Stanzani and Gandini were barely into their mid 20s at the time is remarkable. Gandini's assistant who designed the gorgeous Campagnolo alloys for it was just 20 at the time!
As for all time favourite that I've actually owned it has to be the Rover P5B Coupe, my grandad's cousin had two of them from new in the early '70s which both made a lasting impression on me, and many years later I eventually had two of my own. The first was a 1973 car 'PGU 726L' in burnt grey over white which was one of the very last Coupes built. It was solid enough with a few rough edges but taught me a lot about the model, it was my everyday car for a while and I loved its smoothness, gorgeous leather and wood interior and sheer road presence. The second one was a 1970 car 'ELC 941J' in monotone zircon blue which the previous owner had restored, it was much nicer all round than the first one but after two years I sold it to scratch the Jag itch and still regret it...
DAKIN 1 8fIgKAk6.jpg
P5 Dakin 1jZB.jpg
1970 26685275_1930420500320059_2943478798596886565_o.jpg
1970 P5B Coupe ELC 941J Battersea Power Station.jpg
ELC 1955331_n.jpg
As soon as I've sold the Maser Biturbo and Mk2 Cooper I'll be getting another one, I've got my eye on a few already, I'm also looking at P6B 3500s which are another old favourite
Can really see why you like them, they are a good looking car, with a V8 and the polar opposite to a mini
Dont mean to hijack the thread, but what do you watch out for when buying one, apart from the obvious rust etc...?
Well, apart from the rampant rust, rust, and lots more rust, it's the rampant rust you have to look out for! Like most British cars it's the sills, door bottoms, door posts and floors etc but with the P5s they can go particularly in the rear wheel arches, around the headlights and foglights in the front wings and around the bottom of the front and rear screens. All of the brightwork round these screens can be a water trap, the water finds its way round the seals, especially at the front where it can sit behind the trim, then it eventually drips onto the carpet, so always check under the carpets first. Most have been restored by now but you still have to watch out for it. Make sure you have a good look at the condition of those screen seals, they can become very cracked and are a bugger to replace, it's a two man job that can take all day. The steering boxes leak a bit but can be fixed, the gear change can occasionally be a bit clonky and the V8 needs regular oil and coolant changes but other that that they're pretty much bullet proof. Always check the condition of the interior thoroughly as the stitching can split in the leather seats and the African cherry woodwork can fade a bit. Always a bonus are the 'ET' style front and rear headrests which are quite rare (same goes for the Rover P6).
If you're looking at a V8 you can often tell if it's been fully or partially repainted as the coachlines on the roof and just below the bodyside trim are often missing, or redone wrongly - they were hand painted in the factory so a lot of people don't bother getting them redone when restoring their cars. (V8 saloons had the body side coachline only, but the coupes had them on the roof as well). Another tell tale is the stainless steel strip that was fitted just below the doors, this is often missing from restored cars but new ones have been remanufactured by a member of the owner's club.
Spares aren't usually a problem for the V8 cars (1967-1973) but I think some parts are hard to come by for the earlier 3 litre saloons and coupes (1958-1967). J.R.Wadhams have started remanufacturing some parts though. Hardest bits to find are decent rear bumpers as they used to rot in the corners where mud was thrown up from the rear wheels. New stainless steel bumper kits are available bit the fit and finish isn't always as good the originals.
Prices have started rising again, especially for the V8 Coupes, although some of the best V8 saloons are catching up now too. Just over 20k V8s were built, split roughly 50 / 50 between saloons and coupes and the survival rate is quite a bit higher than it is for the 3 litre cars. These two books are well worth having if you fancy buying a good P5B...
BOOK 0_SR600,600_.jpg
BOOK 25345_rover-p5-and-p5b-the-complete-story.jpeg
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