My History with the Rover P5B Coupe

By Editor - Philip (The Rascal)

Philip (The Rascal) Mike Brewer (show's presenter) and the Rover P5B

Cover photos from Magazine Article about the show.

History in steel and rust

By Philip (The Rascal)

I’ve attended many car shows, It never fails to amaze me how much variety is on show.

Each car will have its own story, one which changes with every owner.

When my Rover has been on show, the admirers will ask the strangest questions and request.

“Can I smell the inside please?”

“Do you mind if I open and close the rear door?”

“May I push the horn?”

All evoking a past memory or moment in a life past.

The father who owned one, the ride that occurred as a child. A car that was always a pipe dream, the rare sight of something different but beautiful.

It can often also be a memory of disappointment.

“Oh mine always broke down!”

“Mine never started on that cold day.”

“Worst car I ever owned.”

The workforce of car building in the UK has reduced dramatically due to better technology and robots. Most families had a member working for the car industry up and down the country in the 70s.

As owners, classic car enthusiasts usually have a little knowledge of mechanics, from oil changes to more technical aspects like engines and electrical engineering. Mine began simply watching my father work on a neighbors car. I’d play on the Trolly Jack, raising myself up to see over the hedge, before twisting the arm to come back down to earth. There was always a tool box, battered, rusty and very heavy. Greasy spanners, large screwdrivers and wrenches.

Handling tools, for me was usually for a bucked wheel or a puncture repair on one of my bikes, adjusting the bars, raising the seat as I out grew it, or adding stunt pegs to my latest BMX.

Your first car is usually where you learnt the basics. Too expensive to take to a garage for repairs, and often we just put up with the faults anyway. At least till it was time for the dreaded annual MOT.

I’m no mechanic, but will give most things ago.

Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would own a welding machine.

The web is full of information to make the hardest job look like a piece of cake. I’ve fallen foul myself believe me. But if you don’t try, you don’t learn and if you want to learn you have to try.

So, owning a Classic has one big advantage. Many people older and wiser will have a knowledge of it, a past owner who’s had to deal with the same problems and issues that come with ownership. A short cut or a modification to end the fault altogether.

It makes the process of ownership that little bit easier and can save you a small fortune on the way.

The tools we use are also becoming quite rare, now it seems all you need is a plug and a laptop for a quick fix. Ask a kid for a Philips and I’m not sure what you’ll end up with?

It’s great to be custodian of a classic car, and just as nice to own a modern car. It makes the problems of classic cars a little more bearable, and modern day life a little more reliable.

There’s plenty to do before becoming a classic car owner, which is why most owners are of a certain age.

They’ve done the Wedding thing, family thing, the mortgage thing, new car thing.

Now they want to go back and do the youth thing all over again.

Now, they might have a bit more time on their hands, a few quid in the bank to find that old memory or dream.

For many it doesn’t last, cars can be money pits, memories blanked out the rainy days when the wipers stopped working or the points needed changing, again. Overheating on now congested roads and paying for petrol constantly for low MPG.

When the cars of old were new, filling them up was a few quid £0.32p per gallon, yes per gallon. Even during the fuel crisis of 73, it only rose to £0.39p per gallon,(4.5lt).

Today my 3.5lt V8 drinks more than me, £1.78 per liter, that’s £8.00 a gallon.

My Rover does less than 20 miles to the gallon, which is why I drive in ballerina shoes.

Anyone out there thinking of buying a classic car would be wise to find ballerina shoes in size 9 or 10 first, before their dream car becomes a living nightmare.

Thanks for reading,

Philip (The Rascal) Editor.