1965 Rover P5 Coupe

Our vehicle is a largely original example of the MKII Coupe first registered in January 1965 - the last year of production prior to MKIII taking over the line. Whilst the majority of MkIIs were fitted with an automatic ‘box, this car has a four-speed manual with overdrive which actually delivers 134bhp - 5 more horses than the auto and good for a top speed of over 100mph.

There is only a verbal history with this car which came from the dealer who sold the car to our vendor and, to be honest, it comes with more than a light sprinkling of gangland mythology, so take it however you’d like to. First registered to a Ronald John Cook of East London, there is speculation that this car belonged to the notorious armed bank robber from the same area known as “Ronnie Cook” who later met his fate at the hands of Linda Calvey the “Black Widow” in 1990.

Nothing is then known about the car’s whereabouts until February 2008 when, at an indicated 16850 miles, it was sold to Jim Lowry from Chelmsford. He sold it later that same year to Stephen Vine of Poole who added 3,500 miles to the car before applying for a SORN in October 2011, keeping it MOT’d annually whilst off the road.

It then surfaced again in 2016 at auction where it was bought by the dealer “Chasing Cars” who then sold it to our vendor in February 2017. He wasn’t sure whether he was going to keep the car or trade it on so didn’t apply for a V5 until May 2018. He’s put over 3,000 miles on the car in three years of ownership including a very recent trip from Dorset, where the car was stored with his family, to his current location in Bridgnorth, Shropshire.  

The car’s odometer now reads 23,905 but with a car of this age, known history and condition, it has possibly gone round the clock although there is very little paperwork to confirm or refute this.

The car’s Old English White paint coating seems in a reasonable condition with only a handful of blemishes, mostly around the side trims, as you’d expect from a car of this age that’s likely to have been properly repainted at some point in the past. There are some early signs of rust appearing, notably around the rims of the wheel arches and the bottom corners of the doors. There’s also a scuff on the sill below the door on the off-side. On the front, there appear to be a few stone chips but there’s very little on this car that offends from more than a few feet away. Overall, the bodywork presents well with good, straight shutlines and panel gaps.

Chrome is in plentiful supply around the car, whether as decorative trim or functional items like bumpers and mirrors. All seems in keeping with the condition of the rest of the car; not perfect but with a good shine and an apparent absence of rust.

Unlike many P5s which were fitted with Rostyle alloys, this Coupé is sitting on 15-inch steel wheels with chrome hubcaps which add a touch more glamour to the overall look. All are shod with NEXEN tyres - fitted in September 2016 - with an off-white stripe on the walls to match the car’s bodywork.

Aside from a small tear on the passenger seat, the tan leather interior appears free from any significant damage but has the cracks and creases of patina, especially around the seat seams and areas of high wear. Nothing that a good quality, nourishing leather treatment couldn’t address. The door cards also present reasonably well with just a few stitches missing and some scuffing around the tops of the storage pockets.

The black vinyl dashtop seems in good order with no obvious shrinkage cracks or splits and the wood trim to the fascia and door tops is also sound but might benefit from a little rejuvenating polish. The steering wheel looks original, with its badged and chromed horn ring, but may need attention on the spokes where the plastic/bakelite shroud has cracked.  

The carpets and floor mats were replaced with new in 2018 and so present very well. The headlining too is understood to be clean and taut, with just a small hole above and slightly behind where the front passenger’s head would be.

For the uninitiated, the first thing that strikes you on opening the bonnet of a 3-litre P5 is that someone’s fitted the exhaust back-box on top of the engine. The air cleaner sitting atop the engine block looks very much like a silencer - because that’s exactly what it does - reducing the induction noise to barely a whisper. Everything significant in the engine bay looks original but complete with only maybe the radiator, hoses and a few electrical items having been renewed in recent history.

Underneath the car all appears intact and solid with only surface rust or flaking across most components and old underseal on the floor pans. The vendor reports that the sills are good and there is no evidence of welding to any of the underneath surfaces.

From the moist appearance to its lower surface, the diff appears to be seeping oil very slightly. The exhaust system is understood to be a stainless steel unit and shows in a fair condition.

The boot’s carpeted sides and rubber floor liner are clean and tidy and, although not photographed, a full size spare wheel and serviceable tyre are stowed below. Also in the boot is the car’s original toolkit, jack and crank handle (remember them?). The underside of the boot lid is showing a little surface rust as are the latch areas.

This rover has recently had the rear window rubber replaced and just last year a new heater control unit was fitted.

Although there are many photos and a complete walk-round video in the gallery, you may wish to look at some areas in more detail before making a decision to bid. As you will likely still be limiting your social exposure at the moment, please use the ‘Contact Seller’ option to arrange a call with the vendor who may be able to either take more specific photos for you or even set up a video call to look more closely in real-time.

There is very little paperwork with this car, such as invoices to show major work, although there are a handful of expired MOT certificates and tax discs to show usage over the past 15 years. The online MOT history reveals no MOT failures reported since 2009 when some corrosion was found on the rear spring mounting areas and presumably addressed.

As it stands, the car has no MOT (the last having expired in July 2018) and although exempt by virtue of its age, we would strongly encourage the new owner to have it tested at the earliest opportunity. The cost of an MOT is a small investment when offset against the purchase and upkeep of any classic car, and it gives an independent, third-party assessment of the car’s condition, which not only provides reassurance to the owner and any subsequent purchasers but is also invaluable in the event of a bump when negotiating with the police and any interested insurance companies.

The car has been well-maintained in current ownership following the mantra that “oil is cheap, engines are dear” always using appropriate classic lubricants. It comes with two sets of keys, original workshop manual and owner’s manual.

The Rover P5 MkII Coupe may not be as widely sought after as its younger, more powerful 3.5-litre V8 sibling, but it is still a thing of beauty and it will get you down the road with an imperious and stately air. The engine purrs very sweetly - one of the quietest you’ll ever experience thanks to that large intake silencer - and the vendor reports that the car drove very well on his recent trip from Dorset to Shropshire.

This is a very usable, entry-level classic and a hard-to-find manual to boot. It could be maintained and enjoyed as is or subjected to a little more love and attention to make it something rather more special. We think the car will sell for between £6000 and £9,000 and, this is a No Reserve auction, so you might just be able to bag a bargain.

We believe that there are only a hundred or so MkIIs still around and of those, fewer than 50 will be Coupés, most of which will have an automatic ‘box. This is an opportunity to not only buy a classic with real character but to preserve a glorious piece of sixties Britain - who knows, you may even find some swag tucked away under the boot-lining!

This particular car is located with the vendor in Shropshire; 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’.

If needed, please remember we have a network of trusted suppliers we work with regularly and can recommend: Classic & Sportscar Finance for purchase-financing, Footman James for classic car insurance Thames Valley Car Storage for storing your car and AnyVan for transporting it.

BORING, but IMPORTANT: Please note that whilst we at The Market always aim to offer the most descriptive and transparent auction listings available, we cannot claim they are perfect analyses of any of the vehicles for sale. We offer far greater opportunity for bidders to view, or arrange inspections for each vehicle thoroughly prior to bidding than traditional auctions, and we never stop encouraging bidders to take advantage of this. We do take a good look at the vehicles delivered to our premises for sale, but this only results in our unbiased personal observations, not those of a qualified inspector or other professional, or the result of a long test drive.

Additionally, please note that most of the videos on our site have been recorded using simple cameras which often result in 'average' sound quality; in particular, engines and exhausts notes can sound a little different to how they are in reality.

Please note that this is sold as seen and that, as is normal for used goods bought at auction, the Sale of Goods Act 1979 does not apply. See our FAQs for more info, and feel free to inspect any vehicle as much as you wish.