Looking for 1967 P5 (for export) - how rare a P5B?

[amcdonald]

Hello

I am thinking of taking advantage of the exchange rate and get a RHD P5 to go with my two LHD P6. I have always ogled the P5 Coupe.

Now, unless you live in California it is pretty simple to bring one over to the USA. Unfortunately I live in California. The upshot of this is you can only import model year 1967 and earlier.

For several reasons, mostly engine related, an expat P5B would be very preferable over a P5. My question is this, how impossibly rare is a 1967 model year P5B coupe? Is there any chance of one coming up for sale without waiting for geological time periods? A 1967 3ltr P5 Coupe would be perfectly lovely too though.

Thanks!
Adrian

[Phil Nottingham]

The P5Bs were launched for the 1968 model year which actually begins in August. The first few built were for press and dealers demos. The general public did not get hold of them till early 1968 which coincided with the creation of the British Leyland Motor Corporation monolith which began operating in April 1968. This must have created delays. Few early models turn up now because of low sales volumes, rust and also later ones had numerous small improvements to rectify issues. The Mk3 P5s continued to be sold into 1968 to clear stock but not many were made in 1967 as the new model was anticipated
  
Good luck

[MK IA Norway Viking]

To add to this interesting update; the 3 litre MK III is the very last edition of the 6 cylinder IOE that was introduced with the P1 range (I think) in early 1930'ies. It is a very smooth engine that had output raised to 137 horsepower, which is substantially more than the 3 litre MK I from 1959 (115  horsepower, I believe). Rather than having an early P5B one could go for an MK III coupe or saloon with manual shift (the auto box eats up a lot of the power) and overdrive.


Perhaps this is a sensible alternative considering the laws of California ? 

[Phil Nottingham]

Mk3 manual saloons or Coupes are not common. The IOE 6 was developed at the end WW2 and first used in the P3 in 4 and 6 cylinder versions. The IOE4 was used in the first Land Rover S1s as well. P1s and P2s were all OHV. The IOE6 was half a late 30s project for a V6 (too wide for existing bodywork and P3 had to be widened for the new IOE6

[jorhenderson]

Well my coupe was made in Dec 1967, registered Feb 1968, I do not know of any others as old, perhaps other readers might know better, I would not have thought the chances of finding one are very high though.

[lagain]

www.cranerclassics.co.uk/product/1963-rover-p5-2/


Looks quite nice !

[amcdonald]

Hi

I always thought the 215 engine appeared in 1968 but I had a couple of mentions of 1967 cars when googling which surprised me a bit and gave a glimmer of hope that was short lived! It is really ridiculous but the rules here in California are related to completely obsolete "safety" factors like side reflectors and dual line brake systems that might have been pertinent back in the day but running around in an old tank with no airbags in 2022 probably not so much relevancy. Still, the fact is that nothing after 1967 (not sure if that is the year of sale or manufacture) may be imported. Obviously the 215 engine is supported over here by specialists and parts availability is a lot less of a worry versus the 3 ltr. Although it's really no different situation versus my 2000TC 4 cyl motor really. So I would just need to get a good 'un!

[tonys]

Phil (who is very knowledgeable re the P5s, P5Bs etc) is correct that there are few very early ones around now but there were some pre-1968 regd ones. Does it have to be a coupé? - if so, that restricts an already very limited pool even further.

There is, for example, a Nov-1967 regd saloon for sale on this forum. A friend had a late '67-manufactured but Jan 1968-regd saloon (it's still about but no longer his).

[charlie]

Great-grandfather, grandfather, and father had Rovers so I grew up with Rovers, over the years [passed my driving test 1964] I've had many Rovers P2 [no P3s] P4 P5 P5B P6 in my opinion the best Rover ever produced is a Rover 3 litre mk11c nothing before or after matched the seating in that model, closest Rover got to a Rolls-Royce for seating and smoothness, V8 ok for acceleration with being a heavy car but you don't need that with a Rover hence the mk11c is my favourite, coupe looks nicer than saloon but a lot easier to bang your head getting in and out of back seat, front seating bench or separate not fussed but prefer separate for reclining, manual or auto prefer auto but would never say no to a mk11c manual.

[Phil Nottingham]

Oct 9, 2022 19:21:23 GMT charlie said:

Great-grandfather, grandfather, and father had Rovers so I grew up with Rovers, over the years [passed my driving test 1964] I've had many Rovers P2 [no P3s] P4 P5 P5B P6 in my opinion the best Rover ever produced is a Rover 3 litre mk11c nothing before or after matched the seating in that model, closest Rover got to a Rolls-Royce for seating and smoothness, V8 ok for acceleration with being a heavy car but you don't need that with a Rover hence the mk11c is my favourite, coupe looks nicer than saloon but a lot easier to bang your head getting in and out of back seat, manual or auto prefer auto but would never say no to a mk11c manual.

I agree entirely our 1964 Mk2c Coupe auto is much smoother and better built than our 1972 P5B saloon. The MK3 was really a stopgap till the P5B was ready and I do not think the new seats it had were an improvement on the old ones that were fitted till the end of the Mk2s

[amcdonald]

Hi - coupe is a must and has to be in great shape as a restoration here would be prohibitive so I will be keeping a beady eye out........

[tonys]

If you haven't already done so, it might be worth keeping an eye on some Dutch classic car sites as there do appear to be a few P5Bs, often LHD, being offered for sale. However, having said that, whether any coupés manufactured in the first three or four months of production went there and, if they did, whether they're still around is anybody's guess and also, of course, it's Euros not Sterling.

Good luck, but unfortunately looking for a needle in a haystack springs to mind and all you can be sure of is that 55-years ago somebody put a needle in one, somewhere  .

[MK IA Norway Viking]

Hi Phil - which Dutch sites are worth monitoring for a good P5 LHD ?

[dmaxwell]

I live in California and have not had any problems with older cars (pre 1974). For better or for worse, pre 1974 cars do not have to pass any emission tests, which makes ownership easier though they do pollute more then newer cars. In addition to my '65 P5 MkIIc, I have a '62 Jaguar E-type and a '63 Dodge truck. Have not have any problems registering them in California or keeping them registered over the years.

Last year, I was invited to take part in a driving survey and as part of the survey, I had to list my cars. I have no doubt that my list of cars from the '60s was passed around as probably one of the most unusual list of cars by anyone in the survey!

David
California

[Phil Nottingham]

Oct 10, 2022 9:57:08 GMT MK IA Norway Viking said:

Hi Phil - which Dutch sites are worth monitoring for a good P5 LHD ?

I do not know! Try the FB P5 Groups