1972 Rover P6 3500S

We are delighted to be able to offer you this Rover P6S finished in the very period colour of Mustard. The previous owner, who owned the car for 30 years from 1989 until recently, was a Rover P6 specialist and had his own garage specialising in them. Obviously a treasured example, he only used the car infrequently and it had been kept garaged throughout his time with the car.

As a result it is wonderfully original with what is thought to be its factory paintwork and the standard factory pleated and ventilated seats that everyone wants but hardly anyone can find in a usable condition.

First registered on the 11th of January 1972, this is a rare manual car that is delightfully original and benefits from many new mechanical parts in the last six months. It is thus fighting fit and ready for the coming 2020 classic car season, where it will thrill and delight its new owner on the road while also drawing an appreciative crowd when it’s being shown.

Being offered with a very sensible reserve, this is your chance to get your hands on one of the best, if not the best, unmolested Rover P6S in the country.

As we said in our introduction, the paintwork is thought to be largely original, with only very minor localised paintwork having been carried out over the years. The current owner estimates that around 80% of the paintwork is the original, while he believes that 100% of the panels are the ones it left the factory wearing.

This is a bold claim but having crawled all over it we can’t find anything on the car that would suggest it isn’t accurate. Certainly, the quality of the paintwork isn’t as high as that on German cars of the same period, and we think that a full respray using modern paints and materials would have a better finish than this.

That’s not to damn the Rover with faint praise because this is how they left the factory, and given that it has lasted almost fifty years (albeit with only gentle and infrequent use; the car essentially spent 30 years safely tucked away in a garage) it’s probably fair to say that the Mustard paint was applied with more enthusiasm than skill.

But, the doors all open and close with a precision that is rare to find on a Rover of this period, and the shutlines are even and tolerably narrow, too. The flanks are free of the sort of ripples that more heavily used classics accumulate, and the whole thing reeks of authenticity.

There is, of course, the odd micro-blister and small patch of rust here and there (if you see a BL car of this era without them that claims to still wear its original paint then alarm bells should start to ring…) but we suggest there truly isn’t anything here to worry about and we applaud the owners leaving the car as it is for the new owner to decide whether to make more localised repairs or to give the car a more comprehensive makeover.

The faults we’ve spotted are a small patch of rust on the bonnet near one of the washer jets, plus a small blister on the rear edge of the nearside rear door and a similarly sized blister on the offside rear wheelarch just above the chrome trim piece. There is also a small crease on the driver’s side where the front wing meets the door. However, if you’re interested in the car – and why wouldn’t you be? – then we’d strongly recommend popping along to see it in person because we think you’ll fall in love it…

The black C-pillar trims are present and correct, as is a natty brown vinyl roof – and nothing says Britain in the seventies like a brown vinyl roof, does it?

And just look at its stance! You can keep your slammed Japanese coupes and sky-high 4x4s; say what you like about British production quality standards in the sixties and seventies but no-one does stance like us.

The chromework is lightly pitted but we think a day with a large can of Autosol and a bunch of old rags would get rid of a lot of that, leaving only lightly worn chromework that beautifully matches the original paintwork. Restoration should be all about balance and sensitivity, and we can’t see the need for re-chroming or new bits just yet.

The steel wheels are in good shape, as are the chrome trims. The tyres all have good tread and, even better, they all match. Recently fitted, they were bought after the last MOT tester commented on them being cracked and age-perished, so if you see that on the car’s online MOT history you’ve no need to budget for a new set because the work has already been done.

As we will never tire of explaining, our experience shows that matching high-quality tyres are an infallible sign of a caring and mechanically sympathetic owner who is prepared to spend the appropriate amount in maintaining their car properly. Their presence does not, of course, preclude the need for a thorough inspection - something the vendor would welcome, by the way – but do give you a shortcut into their attitude towards maintenance.

The underside of the Rover looks to have been well preserved by the underseal, and we can’t see that it needs anything more than a watching eye to keep it intact and thus able to do its job.

The interior is as wonderfully original as the exterior. Wearing its 48 years lightly, it is lightly patinated and beautifully preserved. Wood ‘n’ leather might be a British luxury car cliché but, just like a sporting saloons stance, no-one does it better than the Brits, even when, as in this case, more of it is faux than real...

Lovely details abound. Take the short, stubby gear-lever, for example. Or the chromed ‘V8’ badge on the central speaker. Or the deeply scalloped tray ahead of the front seat passenger. Or the beautifully ornate turn/horn stalk. We could go on forever, but probably best for us all if you just pop along and take a look at it in the flesh, eh?

As for condition, the interior can best be summed up by calling it original. The seats, for example, are still the ones it left the factory with, and are the fake-leather pleated-and-ventilated ones that almost none still have because they’re so prone to cracking. These are in fine condition, with only light wear and still look terrific.

The same goes for the headlining, which looks almost new. The door cards are good too, but the front ones have been fitted with modern speakers, and we think the carpets have probably seen better days and are beyond salvaging.

While the Alpine headunit might be a modern unit finding a period-correct one wouldn’t be the hardest job you’ve ever undertaken but we can’t help but think a modern, retro-styled jobbie with Bluetooth and hidden speakers might be the way to go.

And yes, there’s some cleaning to do in there but that’s a job for a weekend, after which you’ll be able to look back at the change you have wrought.

The boot, on the other hand, has probably moved past patinated and into modest neglect. It’s solid and free of structural rust but we can see that even the most laidback of owners might want to invest a little time and money in tidying it up.

The engine bay looks like it was designed by the Earl of Hell for his drag racing buddy. Painted black (they all are…) and stuffed full of a dirty great Buick V8 engine that has been topped with twin SU carburettors and then double-dipped in the patination tank, it is every seventies’ schoolboys idea of what a hot-rod road car’s engine should look like.

Sure, you could detail it but, like the interior and the paintwork, to go overboard would be to lose a large part of the car’s charm; like us all, cars like this just get better with age and there really is no need to restore or beautify it too much. After all, Jack Regan wouldn’t have had plastic surgery, would he?

The previous owner - who was a Rover P6 specialist, remember – fitted a new clutch and serviced the car shortly before it was sold. The current owner then had the carburettors and fuel pump refurbished and fitted new/old stock rear dampers. It is, he tells us, “running clean, with no smoke when its warm” and “drives lovely”, having just driven the car the 70 miles from central London to us here in Abingdon. He added, with a smile, “the V8 sounds beautiful!”, which it certainly does!

We can confirm that the is an absolute joy, it starts, runs and drives very well indeed, with the engine being beautifully silky and smooth. It also has the rare power steering option and comes with a couple of boxes of spares. It certainly gives the impression it's one of those you could just jump in and enjoy.........

The Rover doesn’t have a current MOT certificate, and while it is exempt by virtue of its age, we would strongly encourage the new owner to have the car re-MOT’d at the earliest. 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 might also be invaluable in the event of a bump when negotiating with the police and any interested insurance companies…

The online MOT history shows nothing of concern whatsoever and confirms the car’s low mileage. The car comes with a large number of expired MOT certificates dating back to the eighties and a Haynes' workshop manual.

If you’d like to inspect the car prior to placing a bid – something we would encourage – then please contact the owner to arrange an appointment.

The Rover P6 is a great car; it reeks of the 1970s, a gentler more tolerant time when you could still smoke in the pub, leave your children to roam free on the back seat, and joining our allies in Europe still seemed like a good idea.

And a manual P6, in lieu of the more common automatic, adds an element of sporting charm that elevates it to Sweeney status rather than something George and Mildred would use to pop to the shops. It has a hint of rakishness too, which is always a good thing when there’s a V8 engine under the bonnet and four-on-the-floor.

As to price, we think it will sell for between £7,000 and £9,000, which seems like a bit of a steal to us. With many new parts already fitted, the P6S is ready to go but, even more importantly, it is a solid, rust-free base from which to commence your love affair with her; these old Rovers can rot like almost nothing else, and to find one that is as original and free of structural corrosion as this is rare.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this car can be seen here at The Market HQ in Abingdon; 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.