Lot details Registration No: YDB 865 Chassis No: 76502288A Mot Expiry: April 2007
Unveiled to great enthusiasm at the 1949 Earls Court Motor Show, the Rover P4 was another brainchild of Spencer and Maurice Wilks. Heavily influenced in stylistic terms by the Raymond Loewy penned Studebaker Champion, its transatlantic lines clothed a highly competent chassis equipped with independent coil and wishbone front suspension and a Panhard rod located leaf-sprung rear axle. Last of the line, the 110 was powered by a 2,625cc straight-six engine that developed some 123bhp and 142lbft of torque (thanks to its Weslake tuned cylinder head and larger SU carburettor). Benefiting from the provision of overdrive on its four-speed manual gearbox, servo-assisted disc / drum brakes and a theoretical 100mph plus top speed, the design is more than capable of keeping up with modern traffic.
A rare survivor from the penultimate year of production (a total of 1,534 110s were reputedly built between 1962-1964), 'YDB 865' is described by the vendor as being in "good" condition with regard to its engine, manual gearbox, electrical equipment, interior trim, chassis, bodywork and wheels / tyres (while, he considers the paintwork to be "fair / good"). Said to have been "owned by the same family since 1970", the Rover has apparently been with its present (third) keeper for the last twenty-one years. Finished in light navy with blue leather upholstery, the four-door saloon is thought to adhere to its original specification save for the fitment of a stainless steel exhaust and inertia reel front seatbelts. Accompanied by a "detailed service / work history with relevant receipts and photographs back to May 1984", the car's "horizontal sills" are deemed to "need attention" (though, its "A-, B-, C- and D-posts" are supposedly "fine"). Reportedly "always garaged" and run on "leaded petrol to this date", 'YDB 865' is believed to have covered 117,627 miles from new. Among the rarest of all the P4 variants, the 'last of the line' 110 models are especially sought after. Coming from long-term family ownership, this particular example has the further advantages of a MOT certificate valid until April 9th 2007 and historic class (free) road tax until November 30th 2006.
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