1959 Rover P5 3-Litre MkI

Registration No: 477 KVT
Chassis No: 625000347
MOT: October 2024

• Four owner car from new, residing in its first family ownership for some forty-five years
• Just 37,000 recorded and believed genuine miles
• Rare MkI example that features manual transmission with overdrive
• Restored in the early 2000s and recently uprated with adjustable shock absorbers and P5B differential
• Offered with a large history file including the buff logbook

Launched in Autumn 1962, the Rover P5 was conceived to stave off increasingly refined competition from the likes of Jaguar and Mercedes-Benz. Available in Saloon and later Coupe guises - both of which employed four doors - the big Rover was the luxuriously-equipped with independent torsion-bar front suspension, a leaf-sprung 'live' rear axle and disc/drum brakes. The initial 3.0-litre OISE straight-six engine was a development of the one used by its P4 stablemate (the production runs of the two models over-lapped), and automatic transmission, overdrive on the manual, and Burman power steering were all optional, with overdrive becoming standard from May 1960.

Chassis number 625000347 was manufactured at the Lode Lane factory in Solihull on the 23^rd of October 1959, being registered new on the 4^th of January 1960. A rare MkI example, ‘477 KVT’ was finished from the factory in Rush Green over Shadow Green paintwork, the P5 features a complementary Green leather interior upholstery, with the Rover fitted with the manual transmission with overdrive. Purchased by the first owner on the 25^th January in the Stoke-on-Trent area, it was retained by said gentleman until his passing in the 1973 when ownership passed to his widow. Thereafter MOT’d by the widow (with the 1973 test certificate included in the file), it is understood that she found the car too heavy/challenging to drive and the P5 was put into storage. Eventually taken out of storage with a view to restoration, it was ultimately deemed too much for the members of the first family and was sold to the third owner in 2004.

Provided much restoration work in third ownership to return the Rover to the road, was returned to the road approximately three years later. Acquired by the vendor in 2015, the vendor has used the Rover for several events and runs during his ownership and has further improved ‘477 KVT’ significantly. The works completed includes a full service (May 2023); new starting equipment (2022); brake refresh with numerous new parts (2021/2022); 4.3 differential replaced with a P5B 3.5 differential assisting cruising (2021); full respray (2019); front seats refurbished (2018); Spax adjustable shock absorbers fitted (2016); gearbox overhaul and refurbished clutch (2015), and much more.

Winner of the second prize at the 2019 Rover P5 Club National Rally in the 3 Litre Class, the P5 is now offered a four owner example (two from the same family) with just 37,000 miles recorded on the odometer and believed genuine with supporting evidence. The large history file includes said supporting evidence comprising early servicing records from the 1960s and one from the early 1970s, and MOTs from since the Rovers return to the road in 2007. Furthermore included in the documentation is the original service guide and warranty book, dealer directory, and price list; BMIHT letter, original buff logbook, early tax discs, numerous invoices from the current ownership, an MOT certificate until October 2024, and a current V5C document, as well as having its full tool kit. A rare MkI example, this low mileage and ownership car has lovely provenance.

For more information, please contact:
Paul Cheetham
paul.cheetham@handh.co.uk
07538 667452