1972 Reliant Scimitar GTE SE5

Mr Robinson bought this car from a chap on the Isle of Wight. “The car had been in long term storage and he himself had bought it to sell on, but before him the previous owner had owned the car on the island for over 25 years. He was an engineer and during his careful ownership, he’d treated the chassis to a coating of oil every year.”

As a rare early SE5 (the first incarnation of the GTE) it has the early dashboard and interior. “The interior is in rock solid condition. I’ve concentrated on getting the mechanicals up to standard over the last year and have invoices for the circa £6000 spent.”

In terms of driving, he’s confident that the next owner could just get in it, drive anywhere, and enjoy it. “It still looks great and that hard to beat interior lends it is a great cabin from which to delight in driving it.”

The car looks good from a distance, but the paintwork is micro-blistering & there is a small amount of crazing on the bonnet, so leaves plenty of room for improvement. That said, the Scimitar could easily be enjoyed as is without the worry of receiving scrapes or scratches to the already characterful exterior.

“Originally Nevada Yellow, this Scimitar has been repainted in this much more subtle Cream Yellow at some time in the past,” explains Marcus. “That appears to have been carried out a long time ago and certainly nothing has been painted in my ownership. The paintwork itself could be taken to a much higher level, but the car provides a great base from which to do so.”

There is micro-blistering to the bonnet, top of the roof, rear valance, and wings; this is accompanied by chips to the top of the driver’s door and paint crazing on the bonnet.

Wheels are generally okay, but wheel nuts are rusty; tyres all appear newish. In terms of bright work and exterior trim, the fuel filler car is very tarnished, the rear bumper is a bit pitted and marked in places, and there’s also some minor tarnishing to door frames and the window surrounds. The rear hatchback glass chrome trim is pitted and has separated on the nearside. It’s worth noting that there are also some vertical marks and scratches to both the driver and passenger windows.

All the above, minor to medium aesthetic issues, are likely direct results of the car having not been used for many a year and instead languishing in long-term storage.

Marcus has good news, though: “the chassis appears never to have been welded and the normal places all appear to be very solid. A common indicator of rust is bulging fibreglass around the door hinges, but these areas appear to be in remarkable condition on this car.”

Cosmetic items replaced include new front stainless steel bumper corners, but the rest is all original. It retains its original front slatted grille and side trims.

“It’s hard to beat this car’s interior,” says Marcus, and who are we to disagree? Pop down to our Video Review below for the full effect and then back it up with our Photographic Gallery – both show the car’s interior in all its glory.

“The early SE5 interior is delightful and appears very original – all that’s been done to it is cleaning.” Here at The Market, we’ve given it the once over and can confirm that it is a thing of beauty; door cards and seats look to be original and the combination of Tan Ambla, the wood-rim steering wheel and biscuit-coloured carpets really is majestic.

There are a few minor things to note… the passenger seat inner edge is a bit worn/cut, this was caused by some spare parts being caught on the seat during our vendor's ownership. The glove box cover is worn and coming away slightly; the top of the dash is a little bit loose; and the headlining is a bit grubby, so could benefit from another clean.

Again, these are mentioned so potential bidders are fully aware of all elements of condition; the main thing to state again, is that it’s a lovely, lovely cabin.

Okay, we alluded to mechanical works carried out over the last year; so, what’s been done? “The cooling system was thoroughly gone through,” says Marcus. “With an upgraded, high-capacity aluminium radiator and modern thermostatic Revo colling fan both fitted. Several core plugs were also replaced, as were all the coolant hoses and the heater valve (the latter with a brand-new OEM part). The system was thoroughly flushed, and new coolant added. On the braking, steering and suspension fronts all were refreshed with many new parts. New tyres were fitted, and the car was then treated to a major service by Classic Project Shop of Bicester.”

Although it didn’t require it, Marcus had the Scimitar MOT tested. It flew through this, and the new ticket runs until August 2023. “It drives so well with fabulous oil pressure, a nice gear change and clutch; there are also no noises from the transmission, and the overdrive works nicely too. The brakes and steering both feel positive and it’s a real pleasure to drive. In traffic the temperature never exceeds normal, and all the electrics, gauges, and lighting works apart from the clock and cigar/cigarette lighter – that’s rare for a Scimitar, believe me!”

Popping the bonnet reveals a nice, pleasant engine bay; there’s room for further aesthetic improvement, as there’s a bit of peeling paint and a few chips and the soundproofing has come adrift, but that can be completed at the next owner’s pleasure – should they wish to smarten matters up. The engine starts first time; it isn’t that keen to tick-over when cold but does so easily once warm; it pulls very well, is mechanically quiet when doing so and maintains good oil pressure.

The underside of the vehicle looks good, as does a chassis that, as Marcus suggested, has received preventative covering of oil through the years to fend off corrosion.

There’s not a huge amount in the Scimitar’s history file, but enough to warrant more than a quick look through. The invoices that Marcus mentioned are present and include one for £2,323.46 (08/06/2022, Project Shop) for various works, as well as another one for parts £976 (09/08/2021) from Graham Walker Ltd Scimitar Specialist. Among others, Fontain.co.uk carried out more work on the Scimitar for a combined £1426.49 (30/11/2021).

The included V5c document notes four owners from new and you’ll also find a workshop manual, parts catalogue, handbook supplement and Reliant Scimitar Owners Workshop Manual present.

A box with various spare parts is included, including what appears to be the original steering wheel.

Please visit the documents section of the gallery of this listing where you will find photos of this and other paperwork to support our claim that this car has been re-commissioned to and maintained to a very good standard.

Those in the know, know. The Reliant Scimitar is a very underrated model; as a sporting estate, it’s the daddy. The progenitor. The first of the breed. And as such, it warrants your attention.

That applies even more so to this early example. With a glorious interior that has survived remarkably well and thoroughly checked mechanicals it’s a very nice thing indeed.

Yes, the paintwork wears one or two battle scars and has a bit of micro-blistering and paint crazing, but it will provide the basis for a truly spectacular example.

We think it will realise somewhere between £10,000 and £15,000. Once purchased, the next owner has a decision to make, run and enjoy as is, or get that body up to concours standard.

Either way, it’s a very decent dilemma to have.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located with us at The Market HQ near Abingdon; we are open weekdays 9am-5pm, to arrange an appointment please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.