P5 PROJECT BUYER

There are lots of projects available, from basket cases to those needing light recommissioning. According to the Rover P5 Club’s Geoff Arthur, there aren’t many really good P5s out there and even fewer come up for sale. The key when buying is to focus on the bodywork and trim; P5s that don’t need lots of welding are easy enough to find.

Parts availability is generally good, especially for service/mechanical items. Complete steel panels can be hard to find, but JR Wadhams does a wide range of high-quality repair panels and you can buy glassfibre front wings for £174 each.

Many owners opt for a few upgrades when restoring, with newer, larger-capacity V8s popular. These tend to offer improved fuel economy and more power. What isn’t worth doing is converting a 3.0-litre to V8 power; the values of good examples of the former are rising as they get more collectible, but originality (to a point) is key.

WHAT TO PAY?

Project: £2000-£5000 Runner: £6000-£10,000 Good: £10,000-£15,000

THINK AGAIN IF…

If the interior is wrecked or missing it’ll cost thousands to sort.

If there’s structural corrosion the car can’t be restored economically.