‘My Rover has been significantly modified’
1968 Rover P5B Coupé Geoff Arthur, Cornwall
A P5B in sunny Cornwall – could life be any better?
'Probably not! I've invested a great deal of time and energy into this car and the results have given me huge satisfaction. I’m the third owner, with the previous one selling it because his wife couldn’t stand all the attention it got. Since then, in the 18 years I’ve owned it, I've steadily made improvements and I’m thrilled to say it's now the car I had always hoped it would be.'
What have you done to it?
'It was always my intention to modify the car and give it extras that would make it easier to use daily and improve the driving experience. I wouldn’t want inappropriate wheels but I fitted cruise control, central locking and an alarm. To give it some extra kick, I then plumped for a Holley carb, an Offenhauser manifold, SD1 Vitesse heads and pistons and a handmade gas-flowed exhaust manifold.'
Modifying classics is potentially controversial…
'If it's been done carefully and in the spirit of the car’s character, subtle modification can genuinely enhance the classic ownership experience. Totally original cars are wonderful but to me, they can often end up more like museum pieces that you’re too afraid to use. My approach is that the car should retain its history and classic charm but be totally driveable in all conditions. For instance, I find the gearing on old cars can be too low, especially when trying to keep up with modern traffic, so I had a ZF gearbox fitted. I also wanted the best stereo system possible and spent a great deal of time working out where to hide the
speakers, amp and sub woofers.'
How difficult was all this to do?
'It helps when you do lots of research and, occasionally, get a big hand from experts! I wish I could say I did things like the gearbox myself but it was a complex job. I know a guy in Wales who builds gearboxes so I gave him a list of what I needed and he worked his magic. It’s wise to spend that little bit extra on quality parts, too. You can get cheaper kits on ebay, but they’re usually made in China and go wrong after a few weeks.'
So, you’re happy with the result?
'More than happy – it feels like a new car. The new gearbox makes such a difference to the experience and it not only cruises effortlessly at 70 all day long, it’s now agile in the bends. There are still some things I want to do to improve it though. I’m going to redesign the door seals to completely eliminate wind noise.'