Buyer’s checklist...
The launch of the technically advanced Rover 2000 marked a massive shift away from the marque’s previously rather staid image. We look at what to check when viewing a P6
The Rover P6. We look at what’s good and what could be a problem.
L aunched at the Earl‘s Court Motor Show in 1963, the Rover P6 would transform the company‘s image. Famed for producing luxurious, well engineered but ultimately steady cars like the P4 ‘Auntie’, Rover took a clean sheet with the P6 and squarely targeted the thrusting young exec who wanted more from their personal transport than traditional values and would never be seen driving the same car as their father owned.
The P6 won the first European Car of the Year Award in 1964 and with good reason. Technologically, the car had no British rivals. Its clean, modern lines clothed an almost unique method of construction and beneath the skin, innovation was everywhere from the horizontally mounted front suspension (designed to provide enough space for a gas turbine engine that would never appear…), to the race derived DeDion rear suspension with inboard mounted rear brakes to save unsprung weight. Initially, the car was only offered as the 2000 with a new 1978cc four- cylinder engine pushing out 90bhp.
This was the only area where the P6 attracted criticism that the car lacked any true performance to exploit the excellent, safe handling. Performance was upgraded first with the introduction of the TC (for Twin Carb) in 1966, which produced 115bhp. In the spring of 1968, the P6 got the engine that many felt the car deserved in the shape of the legendary, all alloy, 3.5- litre Buick- derived V8. Thanks to its construction, the engine tipped the scales at much the same point as the four- pot did, so the Rover’s almost perfect 50/ 50 weight balance remained undisturbed. In 1973, a decade after launch, the four cylinder engines were enlarged to 2205cc and the 2200 was launched in both SC and TC forms. The biggest change was in the torque figures and many consider this is the engine to go for.
The Rover P6 still offers great potential as an everyday classic. Parts supply is good
through a dedicated band of specialists, although body panels for the most part will need to be sourced secondhand. Choose the right model, and it will happily keep up with modern traffic, with brakes and handling that will inspire confidence. Active clubs and busy forums will also make ownership a pleasurable experience.
BODY
The construction of the P6 is unusual in that all the external panels are unstressed – they are not structural – and simply bolt onto the base unit. This includes the roof panel. So the bad news is that perfect rust free panels may have been used over a rotten frame. The good news is that restoration of the outer layer can be simple and straightforward, even to the point that each panel could be painted individually and then reattached.
New body panels are no longer available, so it’s a case of finding the best you can on the second hand market. The lower front valance for the later V8s is now incredibly hard to find in good condition. Rust free and in good shape, they can command eye-watering prices. The boot and bonnet are made from aluminium and although they don’t rust, they can corrode causing paint adhesion issues. Check around the washer jets and boot furniture.
Vinyl roofs and vinyl D-pillar trims are a feature of the later cars, but they’re also excellent for hiding corrosion. Check carefully for lumps and bubbles. It’s also worth noting that the boot mounted spare – vital if you want a usable sized boot – is more than a simple bracket. It also features a frame under the skin to spread the load, so make sure this is present. Brightwork is getting increasingly hard to find, and rear bumpers in excellent condition are very expensive. It shouldn’t be a deal breaker, but poor chrome should have an impact on the asking price.
BASE UNIT (CHASSIS)
This is the area that needs the closest inspection when buying a P6. The base unit not only provides the mounting point for the body panels, it also takes all of the mechanical loads in the car. If there is any sign of serious corrosion, walk away and look for a better example.
Underneath the car, start with the inner sills – not the cosmetic bolt-on outer covers – and also check the condition inside the car. Lift the carpets if possible. While you’re inside, lift out the rear seat base and check either side in the deep box sections. In the worst examples, there will be no metal at all around this vulnerable area.
Open the rear doors and inspect the area of the D-post which forms the lower door shut and the junction with the sill. Any rot here is a good indicator that there is plenty more hidden elsewhere in the base unit.
The front suspension units are mounted horizontally and all of the loads are transmitted into the front bulkhead. This area is particularly difficult to inspect without removing the front wings but try and gauge the condition as best you can. Repairs in this area would have to be completed to the very highest of standards, are very time consuming and therefore expensive to carry out.
It can’t be stressed enough – check everywhere you can for signs of corrosion and if you have any doubts about the condition of the base unit, simply walk away and look elsewhere.
ENGINE
First decide which engine you’d like. Early cars have the 1978cc in-line four with 90bhp (single carb) or 115bhp in TC form. That extra power didn’t come simply from bolting on an additional carburettor. The cylinder head was completely revised with individual ports, a higher 10:1 compression ratio and a tubular exhaust manifold. The four- cylinder unit was revised again in 1973 with an increase to 2205cc and gave 98bhp with the single carb and 115bhp in twin carb form. The V8 was first seen in the 3500 in 1968 and gave 160bhp in high compression form. Later cars would make do with 150bhp.
The four cylinder engines are all good for 100k miles if they’re maintained well. The engine block’s side cover plates are prone to leaking and can also rust through, increasing the risk of overheating. There are two timing chains – listen for a rattle from the top one, and a hollow ringing sound at 1200rpm from the bottom to detect wear.
Poor running, particularly on the twin carb models can be down to imbalanced carbs, but also check for throttle spindle wear and tired linkages. The TC models
were designed to run on 100 octane fuel, so you may need a booster to make it function happily on modern unleaded.
The V8 needs oil changes every 3000 miles. If this hasn’t been done, oilways tend to sludge up and the hydraulic tappets become noisy. Pre-1973 V8s used rope crank seals that are prone to leak in little used cars. These can be replaced by neoprene seals but the cylinder block will need machining for the rear one to fit, so this is obviously a major job.
Both the four- cylinder and V8 engines are very sensitive to the correct type and mix of antifreeze being used. Internal corrosion can be disastrous if this vital piece of maintenance is ignored.
TRANSMISSION
The P6 basically used three gearboxes – a four speed manual, the Borg Warner Type 35 and from 1974, the Borg Warner Type
65 on the 3500. The four-speed manual was also used on the 3500S model, albeit in an uprated form. All of the gearboxes are reliable in service as long as they are serviced properly.
On the manual gearbox, rattles and gear selection issues are usually down to worn bushes in the change linkage, which was a particularly convoluted affair on pre-1971 models. Parts are available but access is not good and it will be necessary to remove the engine and box to do the job properly. If the problems go beyond poor selection and also include jumping out of gear, the box will need a rebuild. Parts are expensive and getting scarce, so a good secondhand ‘box may be the only option.
On the auto boxes, pull out the dipstick and check the fluid. It should be pink. Black fluid, a smell of burning and worse still, small black particles suspended in the fluid point to overheating and wear and the gearbox may well be shot. Budget for a rebuild or replacement. Further up the drive train, clunks can be caused by any of the six universal joints in the propshaft and driveshafts. These are affordable and relatively easy to replace.
The rear diff is prone to leaks and can seize if left to run dry. Pre-1967 cars are particularly prone to oil leaks as the breather design was poor, which caused the axle to pressurise and blow the seals out. These should have been replaced or repaired by now, but it’s worth checking if you’re looking at an early car.
SUSPENSION
As mentioned earlier, the front suspension features horizontally mounted springs that are connected to the suspension uprights via bell cranks. Although unconventional in design, this setup is actually quite durable in use. Most likely point of wear is the ball joint at the bottom of the suspension leg that will manifest as a clunk on rough surfaces.
The rear axle is just as exotic, featuring a coil sprung DeDion tube, a design that allows the rear wheels to remain parallel regardless of where the suspension is in its travel. It’s very important therefore to get underneath the car and inspect the condition of the gaiters on the tube. These are prone to splitting, which will allow lubricant to escape and dirt and let water and road dirt in, resulting in the tube seizing and will have an adverse affect on the car’s handling.
Steering is via worm- and- roller box. Not as precise as a rack- and- pinion setup, but in good condition offers excellent and predictable steering. Feel for tight spots as you wind the wheel from lock-to- lock, as this may indicate that the steering box has merely been tightened up to eliminate excess play rather being properly rebuilt.
BRAKES
Rare for the time, but the P6 was fitted with disc brakes all round. Before mid1966, the system was Dunlop. All later cars were fitted with Girling brakes. Parts for the early Dunlop cars are now incredibly scarce – especially the unique rear calipers – and many cars have been converted to the later brakes, which includes having to swap the rear suspension. If originality is important to you, check early cars carefully.
The inboard rear discs are notorious on the P6. Difficult to access – made a little easier by using genuine Rover service tools – maintenance can often be neglected to the point where there is little or no braking on the rear. Calipers can leak or seize and the discs can also be contaminated with oil from a leaking differential. If the handbrake is weak or totally ineffective, suspect the worst.
WHEELS & TYRES
A few very early TCs were fitted with wire wheels but these are exceptionally rare. Most cars were fitted with steel rims with wheel discs. Check any car carefully that has been fitted with aftermarket or accessory alloy wheels.
ELECTRICS
Most pre-1970 four-cylinder cars were fitted with a dynamo, but all others came with the 11AC alternator with it’s separate regulator.
If you’re in the market for a stylish saloon that cuts a dash, the Rover P6 would be the perfect choice and the good news is there are plenty to choose from
These were not the most reliable units and many will have been replaced with the more durable 11ACR with integral regulator.
The 12 slot fusebox on post-1971 cars needs to be checked carefully for signs of burning, but for the most part the electrics are typical of the period. There are plenty are parts available, which is a plus point.
Front sidelight indicator units are unavailable and can be hard to find in good condition. The same is true of the rear number plate light. On all cars with a boot mounted battery, check the lead carefully where it goes through the rear bulkhead for signs of wear and potential shorting out.
TRIM
The interior trim may not be as plush as some more conventional Rovers, but in good order it has an enormous bearing on the value of the car. Early cars enjoyed some bright leather finishes and these are very sought after today. The later box pleat leather trim – particularly in black, red or buckskin – also rate highly in the desirability stakes.
P6 trim does not age well. Leather can shrink and split, the shin lockers and dash top can distort, and the Formica trim in the doors is liable to slide out and get damaged – only the very earliest cars used genuine dark cherry wood trim pieces.
VERDICT
Despite its many virtues, the Rover P6 has always lagged behind the rest of the market in terms of values, so it still offers great value for money. Only the best of the most desirable models – which usually means a 3500S with manual box in the right colour and trim combinations – can demand five figure sums. Joining a club and connecting with existing owners will provide the right information to find the right car for you.
All of the engine options have their own virtues and they can be reliable and long lived if they are maintained correctly. Body panels bolt onto the base unit, so an externally scruffy car can be improved easily and even though some interior trim parts are increasingly difficult to find, prices for the most parts still appear reasonable.
The Rover was lauded at its launch for its great levels of comfort, safety and driver satisfaction and that all still holds true today. If you’re in the market for a stylish saloon that cuts a dash, the Rover P6 would be the perfect choice.