My 'new' Rover
 

Here is my last purchase. I had her in mind since long and suddenly the opportunity... I couldn't resist for these are as rare as hens teeth. It was the only one to be sold at the moment in France and I'd to travel 600 mls to get it. Hence a long journey back made along 3 days not to stress the car.
Sold new in Exeter, Devon on the 17th of April 1968 to an isle of Wight inhabitant. Then gone from the mainland around 1989/1990 and owned by a British expat living in France until 2021. Then 2 successive sales in 2021 and 2022. And mine since the 27th of December last. I've even found the genuine British plate under the French one at the back and I'm now in touch with that last British owner thanks to his son.
The sound of the engine is music to my ears...
But there's a little work to get it perfectly right. I don't like any wrong in my Rovers. That's a pleasure and I'm delighted to say I'll be busy for some time...

It's the Holy Grail for me at least and as a double whammy I've found another unicorn at the same time to match with 'Charly'...

And it's not at all a burden to drive here on the 'wrong' side of the cabin. Rather a delicacy for Charlie is a true gem of British automotive industry.

Arnaud, just to let you know that Google Drive is a pain because I can't see your photographs unless I create an account.

You're a subscribed member so can you upload them to the forum image gallery? Then we can all enjoy your new purchase.

Simon

Congratulations on your new car! I can see the photo of your lovely Rover watch but Google won't let me see the others. Being a 1968 car, I'm guessing it's either a P5 or P6? I'd love to own either!

Sorry mates. :bowdown:

I'd forgotten how complicated it is here to put pictures within the text...:duh:
Yessss it's a P5b coupe built in Solihull in the beginning of 1968, a very rare beast in our countries nowadays.
And here is the genuine British plate, builder's id and even the paint sticker still under the bonnet.
Original paint, even with coachlines (but a few are missing, I'll give it to be completed).
A piece of history, the car of the late queen and several PM in the 60s, I love it! :p:

It's certainly clumsy but not particularly complicated. Simply highlight and copy the "BB code IMG" from the desired picture in your image gallery then paste it into the text box of your message.

But your thumbnails are quite large and of good definition so thanks for those. I'm interested to see that Arden Green was a paint name in 1968 and revived thirty years later!

Simon

What a lovely car! It must be rare sight in France. The P5 is my favourite older (pre 90s) Rover, I'd love to own one eventually. I went to the British Motor Museum recently and they both the old ministerial P5 (used by several previous Prime ministers):
https://www.the75andztclub.co.uk/for...be474495a9.jpg

And the Queens:
https://www.the75andztclub.co.uk/for...be474b83e3.jpg

Nice looking car. Thanks.

Here is one more picture the rear seat with the picnic tray.
Simon I fear that this time the pic is rather ginormous! Cannot give you something between the thumbnail and that. It is very clumsy... ;)
So ginormous that the system doesn't accept it! :duh:

So back to square one...

Congratulations on your new acquisition. Just to be pedantic, both Her Majesty's cars were Saloons as were the Government cars (those were all black) though I believe the military made use of some Coupe's for the officer class & visiting dignitaries.
I've had my 'B' Saloon since 1985, you do get more car for your your money with them though the market prefers a Coupe.
Have fun.

Not at all pedantic Gary but quite right.
I'd forgotten hats! Those bigwigs should have been able to enter the car with their bowler hat indeed... ;)
But I love the line, the look, the style of that elegant coupe. It's easily recognizable thanks to its lowered roof and a four door coupe does look rather unique.
No wonder why it's highly sought after.

Even I'd had preferred a duotone body yet more refined I'm over the moon with my arden green one. And here on the continent where they are particularly scarce (it was the only one to be sold at the moment in France) I've 'only' paid 13k € i.e. a tad more than £11k: bargain! Only because of the wheel on the right side but wrong one here!

I'd had a close look around, in Spain, Italy, Swiss and Holland: a few LHD P5b coupe in good condition available between 25k & 50k €! :eek:
Mine looks pretty good: no rust at all around the arches or around the sills, just a very slight and superficial traces of rust on the undercarriage (MOT). The mechanic close to the seller who inspected it for me from below told me it was clean.

Inside is neat and clean, apart 2 short spots on the driver seat - as usual - which need to be sewn back. Engine bay rather good looking with some parts recently fitted.

But some niggles - as expected - are to be cured and services to be done with proper fluids recommended by Rover. Even the front left tyre had been fitted inside out by a numpty!!! The heating is fully working but cannot be activated from the cabin, only under the bonnet (some broken link somewhere). The radio doesn't work at the moment but as a member of the P5 club told me, 'you don't need it, only enjoy the music of the V8'!

But what a fun to drive a proper British RHD car! I've even overtaken half a dozen of times, with the complicity of my better half... :D

Arnaud

Lovely, just lovely!:bowdown:

My lovely P5b makes me very busy.
- first the leather seats : Gliptone intensive cleaner, then leather conditioner (2 layers of the latter were really needed after... 56 years!). That looks much better. but given the fair amount of leather in the cabin it's a big job of several hours and 2 days (with tea breaks indeed, I'm not in a hurry...).
- the body. It's in progress. Already done: Farecla G3 scratch remover, then colour renovator. And now Farecla G3 resin superwax. Done: boot, rear wings and roof.
- Next to come a bit of painting. First transparent yellow (stained glass type) on the white Lucas fog light to match the other (and the main beams as well, as it was used in France before 1993). And laquered rich gold (ceramic type) on the front Rover badge (top of the grill).
- Regarding the coach line which is missing on the rear wings and on the rear right door, I'll have to ask a specialist to correct it properly. But that may wait a while.
- And the main job will be done by my good mechanic to correct lots of niggles which I'll not be able to stand any longer under the bonnet and even in the cabin. Such a car requires the best don't you think so?

Very nice indeed and in such excellent condition.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Thank you David for your nice comment and testimony.
I'm so glad: even in France the car doesn't go unnoticed.
A few days ago two cops were watching the traffic : I saw them looking around in the mirror! And several people made appreciative comments at a petrol pump, in a restaurant and so on.
Nevertheless at the moment the car is at my mechanic's to be corrected of several niggles and gremlins.
And I'm using my time building the history of the car thanks to the last British owner I'm now in touch with. He told me he rebuilt the car from several crates containing lots of pieces!
I'm happy. :D

And the winner is...
 

I'm pleased to say that I'm now in touch with the last British owner, Mr. J.R.M.
He's unveiling some very interesting informations about the past of the car and mainly that he won the first prize in a Concours d'Elegance as stated below from a French daily paper.

'The Old Steering wheels enlivened the town centre
Sud-Ouest in 06/09/2019
In this last weekend of summer vacation, the old cars paraded in Jarnac as part of animations offered by the Old Jarnacais Steering wheels. From Saturday morning, the town centre was transformed into showroom with an exhibition of a hundred of vehicles which made happy passers-by. In afternoon, festivities concentrated on the place of Baloir with the Concours d'Elegance, an moment much appreciated by the public who came in numbers to discover cars of exception introduced by their owners.
For the cars after 1960, it was the Rover Coupé 3,5 l of 1968 of Jonathan Matthews which won the first prize...'

As you can see the P5B coupé, now mine, is behind.