New member, just joined

robin collis

Active Member
Good morning everyone. I have known about this forum for some time but only just joined.
I am retired and live part of time in UK and part in Phayao, Thailand.
For my time in UK, I own a 1971 P6 3500S, Tobacco leaf, which has been my only car for 20+yrs. Not used daily, but when I need it. I have thought about replacing it, but I can never find any other car that I really want, and why change for the sake of it. When I spent more time in UK, I was a member of that Classic Car Club, syndicate, which let me try other cars, and the only ones I ever considered a P6 replacements were:-
Jag E-type, 6 cyl. Lovely car, and great to drive, but too expensive to keep and not use.
Porche 911. ticked a lot of boxes, but not my image. Similar to E Type in that it would be a lot of money tied up and not being used. When I was suffering the dreaded vapourisation on the P6, I was very tempted, but thanks to advice from Chris York and P6 club, that has been sorted now.
BMW 330 CDI Most impressed with smooth cruising in 6th, and fuel economy, but a modern; and diesels are now out of favour.
I should add that the P6 suits me as it costs so little in 'fixed costs' Classic insurance, (footman-james 3000K miles) and no road tax and no depreciation. Luckily so far, no major expense for MOT.
I do not have the chassis no. details in Thailand, but I think this is one of the earliest surviving 3500S.
 
Peter,
I agree, a vatly under-rated car, both as a classic and even compared to today's cars. I have never understood why the Classic car world has not discovered these cars. Is there some hang-over from the staid 'Auntie' P4's, or what is the drawback. apart from not being so fashionable, I have no complaints about my P6. Where else can you find a classic car that you can use every day for under 5K, with no road tax and cheap insurance. When I hear what my friend with a 911 pays in road tax and insurance, I think how lucky I am.
An incidental bonus of ownership, I have never seen mentioned, is that the Police like P6's. Twice I have been stopped after doing something silly and got away with a warning, after the greeting,
"Lovey old car, I remember when we used them. "
After more compliments and discussion I was let off with a warning. Bet it would have been worse if I had been in a modern car.
Not that I condone breaking the law, or even driving illegally, but we have all been guilty of the occasional rush of blood, given a clear road.....
I'll offer a photograph on a later posting. Car is Tobacco leaf with brown vinyl top, buckskin leather box pleat, (not original, but my improvement, standard engine and gearbox, body work good, but never concourse. It drive well, which is main priority. Maintained by Duncan Gill and another local (to Woking) enthusiast.
 
An incidental bonus of ownership, I have never seen mentioned, is that the Police like P6's. Twice I have been stopped after doing something silly and got away with a warning, after the greeting,
"Lovey old car, I remember when we used them. "

I've had 'interest' from police several times in the past, but never anything official. I think they like following P6s as they're a bit different; probably not what I would call a 'bonus' as such! :rolleyes:
 
Peter,
I agree, a vatly under-rated car, both as a classic and even compared to today's cars. I have never understood why the Classic car world has not discovered these cars. Is there some hang-over from the staid 'Auntie' P4's, or what is the drawback. apart from not being so fashionable, I have no complaints about my P6. Where else can you find a classic car that you can use every day for under 5K, with no road tax and cheap insurance. When I hear what my friend with a 911 pays in road tax and insurance, I think how lucky I am.
An incidental bonus of ownership, I have never seen mentioned, is that the Police like P6's. Twice I have been stopped after doing something silly and got away with a warning, after the greeting,
"Lovey old car, I remember when we used them. "
After more compliments and discussion I was let off with a warning. Bet it would have been worse if I had been in a modern car.
Not that I condone breaking the law, or even driving illegally, but we have all been guilty of the occasional rush of blood, given a clear road.....
I'll offer a photograph on a later posting. Car is Tobacco leaf with brown vinyl top, buckskin leather box pleat, (not original, but my improvement, standard engine and gearbox, body work good, but never concourse. It drive well, which is main priority. Maintained by Duncan Gill and another local (to Woking) enthusiast.

Problem is more likely a hangover from the "old man" image of the late 70s onwards. That and type of middle class people who bought these cars generally aren't that interested in cars.
 
Welcome
Pics would be good !

BTW I keep a copy of the Financial Times, a black Umbrella and a bowler hat on my rear parcel shelf, seems to amuse folks.
 
Sorry, but posting this from Thailand, while car is in UK. I have searched my HD and cannot find a pict. of the car. When I am back in UK I will oblige.
For now all I can offer is Heritage Cert, if anyone wants the details; is it the earliest 3500S?
Owned for over 20yrs, and always my only car, and not used much. working offshore I was never home more than 4 months a year, and now retired, I spend even more time in Thailand.
I bought th car from someone in Essex who had started on a renovation, and then wanted cash. paid 3000 pds. for it. Previous owner had replaced all suspension bushes, which I would never of thought of , but still gives a quiet smooth ride.
DVLC search later showed 'many owners' nd I suspect that the ca had had a hard life, but survived.
P6 suits my life-style, I am not in a rush to get anywhere, and roads around Woking do no encourage fast driving.
durng my ownership, the car has been fitted with new camshaft and bits; the old one was worn down to nearly nothing on some cams. Legacy of neglected oil changes, I suspect.
Someone had 'fixed' the vapourisation by removing the thermostat, but wife wanted a heater, so with a new thermostat, I learned all about Vapourisation. (They have that problem, said the then P6 Club) but I will not accept a car that will not go properly, so converted to a Facet, electric pump which cured the problem for some years. Then it came back again and 2 summers ago, I could not go anywhere if the sun was shining without an almost guaranteed breakdown in any traffic.
I cam close to selling the car, as, in my opinion, the only point of a car is to go places, and if it cannot be relied on to do that, then it is no use to me.
Luckily, I talked to another P6 owner who told me that an article in the club magazine showed him how to fix it. He could not find said article, but encouraged, I found 2 Rover P6 clubs on the internet, and mailed both, asking for help and if I could buy the relevant back-number of their Mag.
Only P6 Club replied, putting me in touch with Chris York, and he told me the secret. Clearing out the bypass from the Carb Tower, was easily done, thought I had never even looked at that before, nd with this generous help it was not difficult to know which Rover P6 club I should join.
The radiator was re-cored as a precaution to help with the cooling, and the system flushed twice. Duncan Gill fitted a header tank, and it seemed that I now had a reliable car again
The manual garbox was rebuilt about 6 yrs ago, after a bearing failure, and my one regret is not thinking of fitting a 5 speed box. In hose days it was still possible to but 5-speed SD1 boxes. I remember seeing a advert by RPI offering 'brand new, ex police SD1 box for , I think 350 pds. Ho I ish I had jumped in, even if I had only kept the box for later fitting.
Incidentally, I am interested to know what are the gear-box options today, and my 4 speed is not going to last for ever.
The car is otherwise standard except for replacing the vinyl seat with buckskin box-pleat leather, nd re-colouring the last summer. drivers seat could do with new foam.
I like to keep tha car origina, but I am not fanatical about that. I know the seats are not 'correct,' but my vision of Rover motoring include leather seats.
New break discs for the MOT last year, and new bits of stainless exhaust, which is noise than I would like, but I want trouble free long life, so I can live with the noise
The car is kept in Woking, and only used when I am visiting UK, mainly in the summer. I hope to be back there next month and get out to club events. Car is looked after by NBA Sport cars at Dunsfold Aerodrome, (Nigel's garage often mentioned in Top Gear,) Nigel is a long serving mechanic and really knows his stuff, thorough and reliable, and sympathetic towards older cars, (and owners).
Hoping to be more active on this forum now I have joined.

Robin.Rover 3500S.jpg
 
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