- Seller: Geoff K
- Location: Ben Lomond, California
- Mileage: 90,000 Shown
- Chassis #: 75300161C
- Title Status: Clean
- Engine: 3-Liter Inline-6
- Transmission: Automatic
This 1965 Rover 3-Liter Coupe, also known as a P5 Mark II, has been parked in a garage for the past 15 years. Before being parked, it was in good working order and looks to be a survivor that would be fun to revive. The seller is selling the garage it’s been parked in, and they don’t have the time to get it back on the road. If you’d love to be the one to clean this garage find up, you can bid on this no-reserve auction here on Barn Finds!
Rover is one of the many British Automotive brands that were folded into British Leyland in the late 1960s and slowly faded away. Here in the State, the brand is best known for the Land and Range Rover, but they built lots of great vehicles ranging from tiny econo cars to “big luxury” saloons. The P5 was one of their larger cars and was offered in two body styles, the 4-door coupe and the 4-door saloon. The coupe was essentially the same as the saloon, but with a lower roofline and thinner B-pillars, which gave the car a more sporty look. Interestingly, coupes received power steering as standard, while it was an option on saloons.
The interior isn’t quite as luxurious as that of a Rolls-Royce or a Bentley of the era, but it is still nicely appointed. It features leather-wrapped seats, wood grain on the dash and door caps, and ample legroom for comfort. This example has some flaws, but overall, it is in decent shape. With minimal work, you could use it as is.
The 3.0-liter engine was taken from the P4 and features overhead intake valves and side exhaust valves. It’s a rather unique design and, in 3-liter form, produces 130 horsepower. The seller got the engine running, but it required using an external fuel source. They believe it will need a new fuel pump, but we would recommend going through the fuel system while you’re at it. It’s also going to need the brakes to be gone through, but the seller was able to put it into gear, and it moved forward, backward, and stopped in their driveway. The engine could use some detailing, but it looks tidy overall.
This appears to be an excellent project for anyone seeking something unique and comfortable. It will need some work, but doesn’t appear to need anything significant. This rare find, just 5,482 MK II coupes were built, has spent its life in California and has been in storage for much of that time. If you’d like to get it back on the road, please cast your bids below. And leave any questions you might have for the seller in the comment section.
Bid On This Auction
marigold bid $4,600.00 2025-05-05 13:11:49
DENNIS bid $3,900.00 2025-05-05 13:07:31- marigold bid $3,600.00 2025-05-05 13:05:23
- DENNIS bid $3,200.00 2025-05-05 13:03:07
Chief Engineer bid $3,000.00 2025-05-05 13:02:45
Charles W6011 bid $2,900.00 2025-05-05 13:00:55- DENNIS bid $2,750.00 2025-05-05 13:00:03
- marigold bid $2,600.00 2025-05-05 12:59:06
- DENNIS bid $2,500.00 2025-05-05 12:58:56
- marigold bid $2,200.00 2025-05-05 12:57:14
- Charles W6011 bid $2,100.00 2025-05-05 12:56:15
- DENNIS bid $2,000.00 2025-05-05 12:55:30
Captain Leyland bid $1,755.00 2025-05-05 12:54:42- DENNIS bid $1,650.00 2025-05-05 11:58:53
[email protected] bid $1,500.00 2025-05-05 09:54:02- DENNIS bid $1,350.00 2025-05-05 09:00:36
- marigold bid $1,200.00 2025-05-05 08:50:47
- DENNIS bid $1,000.00 2025-05-02 19:38:52
dudleybeyler bid $900.00 2025-05-02 18:27:16- DENNIS bid $750.00 2025-05-01 21:11:49
- dudleybeyler bid $600.00 2025-04-29 19:54:31
zombiemotors bid $400.00 2025-04-29 09:11:22
Proof that using “coupe” in reference to a low-slung rakish four-door isn’t some newfangled 21st century marketing shtick. Deriving from the French word for “cut”, it simply describes a “cut-down” variant derived from some other, larger model.
Typically the most significant “cut” is a shortened wheelbase, with other body alterations (or different bodywork entirely) to go with that, which usually also means having two doors, but that ain’t necessarily always so. Here, as with modern-day four-door coupes, the “cut” primarily refers to a lower, sleeker roofline than the standard sedan it’s based on.
This also highlights what distinguishes a two-door coupe from a two-door sedan. The latter typically has the same wheelbase and same or similar roofline as the standard four-door, whereas the former has at least a reduced wheelbase and/or roofline, if not other body differences as well.
I look at this and think they must have wanted to build a 4 door hardtop but couldn’t get it to work the way they wanted.
They built a four door sedan first but the public wanted a less austere style of car so they altered the roof line in order to make it look more “sporty”.
When i was a wee lad,there lived a Professor from U of T(University of Toronto) who was quite the bohemian type.His drive and yard was filled with what must have been a dozen Rover P5 and P6’s plus a couple Citroen DS’.This was in the very early 70’s .He was very haughty but friendly,sort of like Orson Welles mixed with Mr Rogers and since everyone else around was Ford/Chevy/Dodge these were mystery cars to us lads and we enjoyed hanging about looking at them.So have always had a spot in my heart for old Rovers.
My father went to college with a similar guy who went on to become a college professor in Kansas. Once we moved away, every time he came to visit, he and his family would pull up in some obscure French car that no one else had ever seen, maybe not even heard of. And we were in California
What is that big muffler piece in engine area?
That’s the air filter housing. And it does look a lot like a muffler. Here’s a link to the replacement filter so you can see how it installs into the housing: https://www.jrwadhams.co.uk/product/air-filter-3-litre-html/
Interesting, maybe the next owner can get a BOGO muffler/air filter deal at Midas.
Cool find…a Rambler, Volvo, Daimler mash-up. It would look sharp in black, dark burgundy or a dark navy blue.
Thanks very much
Looks like a nice Rover that could be brought back with minimal work. These are solid easy riding highway cruisers that can easily keep up with modern traffic. I’ve had a couple Rovers in my past, a P6 and SD1 who I traveled to get and drove each over 500 miles home. One of the best things is you don’t see them much at shows, let alone on the road.
Cool car,but those pictures must be from the
previous owner,as I don’t ever recall seeing any
Redwood trees when I was in Florida.
The code for the detail field had an error in it, so it was displaying the wrong info. This car is located in California, and one of our professional photographers took the photos of it. Sorry for any confusion.
OK,that explains that.
I dig the dash, lots of interesting details. You’ve got red, yellow, and green lights, and the vents above the radio look like a window AC. Cool little car.
Lot of doors for a “coupe”…lol. Cool and interesting car.
I had this exact year make and model , mine was an Arizona car that the previous owner was restoring, new upholstery all new paint among other things and at some point when attempting to start it managed to jam the bendix . A friend and I were told if we wanted it , the engine is seized ,no rust $500 and take it away. I drove over on a Saturday morning with all my tools in my little Datsun diesel pickup , expecting to be there for a couple hours to see what evil awaited me. I climbed under with a 14” pipe wrench and put it on the yoke for a hand crank at the front of the engine (ha, no one would ever be able to) After trying one direction with both feet I was about to think “lets look for a Buick V8” but when i tried the other direction it turned way too easily with a click. I jumped in the driver seat turned what was considered the key and it started immediately humming quietly. In disbelief I drove it around the field it was in. Great car, ponderous to drive , resembled a checker marathon and a Mercedes in a cuisinart . Unfortunately like a lot of british stuff couldnt be trusted.
I’m seeing a rusty crack in the lower left license plate area which may be from a body repair in the past, also the rear bumper looks “off” so maybe a minor rear ender?
Of more concern to me is that there is staining on the headliner like moisture has gotten behind it somehow. The presence of, for lack of a better word, of “rust” and or dirt around the gauge faces plus the way that some of the dash and door panels look to me indicate moisture intrusion of some sort as well as the rusty screw holding the rear view mirror. From the looks of the door weather striping I’d say that may the windshield has been leaking as well as the side window seals. Some surface rust areas around a lot of the edges of the body openings but nothing that would prevent it from being bought and used as is and a good detail job may alleviate some of the things I see.
Kudos to the owner for the number of pics in the ad, a rarity that I usually only see on BAT.
I do find the car intriguing and certainly something that you don’t see every day.
The F head engine looks very similar to the one that resided in a “53 Bently that belonged to a friend. That was an interesting car but not for the faint of heart nor wallet. :)
Ben Lomond is in the Santa Cruz mountains, so moisture and perhaps salt air could easily have had an effect on this car.
Ben Lomond is a long way from the ocean, so salt air isn’t a factor here. Heavy winter rains and dampness are though.
Where exactly is car located? I first looked and it was in Florida.
The car is in Ben Lomond, California:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/kANV73AroeA1GX4J7
I had a P5b back in 2002/3 with a faulty slush box that gave me whiplash when it was put into “Drive.” I sold it to a friend who had a friend etc. who claimed to be able to sort out automatic boxes. Well, about a month later he brought the car back to me for a test drive, and oh,what a car. I had a Rolls Royce Shadow 2 motor car at the same time and the drive between the two was very similar.One point I really liked was the button on the dash that when pressed showed the oil level. Only the Brits could come up with a gadget like that.
Call it a coupe if you like, I only know four doors are for old men. And I’m 73.
Red Rover….. Red Rover…..Let ..Come Over!
Registration tag is 2013, is it on nonop or are there back fees? (welcome to California)
The car is on non-op, so no back fees.
@Joe Hahn
I recently sold another car on BaT and the same photographer took the pictures for this auction.
Ben Lomond is a very damp and rainy location in the Santa Cruz Mountains and cars are prone to developing surface rust, even when garaged. I’m dealing with this as I prepare these cars for sale. Surface rust on brake rotors locks up wheels, for instance.
This Rover is an original northern California car and doesn’t appear to have any body rot. It had been sitting in a field for about a decade when I got it almost 30 years ago, so the interior was wrecked and it needed paint but was very solid. I sourced a complete used interior from England and had it shipped to the US, and gave the car an inexpensive paint job which is showing its age, such as the crack on the trunk lid. I don’t think there are any repairs behind it, but I don’t know for sure. I’m not aware of any past collision damage.
This house sale situation has come up unexpectedly and needs to happen on a quick timetable. I just don’t have time to do the minor recommissioning this and several of the other cars would need to get them roadworthy. I’m fairly sure this Rover should be ready to go with just a new fuel pump, draining the ancient gas in the tank, and a brake overhaul as I wouldn’t trust them on the road. Last time I drove it, I felt it needed to have new suspension bushings as well though this wouldn’t be an urgent item.
I have spare parts which I will include with the car. I need to dig them out.
Check the photo backgrounds for two other interesting Rovers, including a 2000(TC?).
Frank, send me a message through BarnFinds and we can set up a time. I live about an hour away so it would be this weekend sometime.
Sorry, replied to the wrong person
Not very far from Ben Lomends
Would like to check it out
Charles, send me a message through BarnFinds and we can set up a time. I live about an hour away so it would be this weekend sometime.
Ok what day and time works for you over the weekend.
Is it possible to contact you by phone?
Thanks
We just sent you an email with the seller’s info so that you can schedule a time to inspect it.
I remember the later sportier models, eventually evolving from 2 to 3 hood scoops. Oh, wait, that wasnt p5, p5Bs, etc. But the TC? 3000?
Many european co.s seemed to do berely a body/style change but evolve
larger and larger displacement motors (for sales to same co/previous model owners I assume) each subsiquent year or so.
Like the interior on this’un.
The hood-scoop model is the 3500S, which is the V8 version of the 2000. I have one of those as well which will need to go soon.
I absolutely love these P5B’s, particularly the later Buick V8 versions. I never see them here in the US. Any others for sale, or leads?
As an added bonus, it probably has a full complement of Lucas electronics as well.
“Using it in reference” doesn’t make it correct. Oxford dictionary definition of a coupe’ is thus…
A car with a fixed roof, two doors and a sloping rear.
🤷🏽♂️
Great Scot ! The Britsh put the muffler in the engine compartment ! I know the British had unusual ideas but that doesn’t seem like good engineering to me! Hot air away from the intake! Talk about the colonies being primitive I’d say they got that backwards!
I take it that your comment is sarcasm, if not please note that it is the air cleaner mounted on top of the carburettors.
Please explain the spare tire mounted ON the boot on some models.
Hi,
Really nice car! I have a 1966 P5 Saloon (inline 6 cylinder) in Pine Green with Biscuit Leather. Regarding the body styles, I don’t know why they had two versions – one with a swept roofline – called a coupe and a saloon with a more upright roof – both 4 door cars.
As far as I’m aware the P5B (8 cylinder / Buick designed engine) is only made in the coupe version – but maybe somebody knows better. I believe from the pics this car has the inline 6 – not the 8 cylinder. You can easily tell by the “muffler” which is actually the housing for the air cleaner on the engine running longitudinally in the engine bay.. I grew up with these cars being used by British government ministers in the 70’s. The paint and interiors present very nicely when in good condition. In mine – there’s also rear seat heater provided through an underfloor fan.
As it pertains to the fuel pump – for what it’s worth – the original pump was used in Rolls Royce as well. It has two sides – one operates the main tank, the other operated the reserve tank (same tank) but both side operated using mechanical points (think distributor) and therefore they could need replacing – or if you’re old school savvy – you could file the points and regap them. The pump in mine was replaced but the newer cheap electronic pump flooded the car frequently. We found the original fuel pump – made by SU (carbs) in boxes of parts and rebuilt it. The original pump is clever and self-adjusts to fuel pressure – running only as needed. However, SU also offered an updated electronic retrofit kit so that it could be converted and made very stable and reliable without giving up the original pump. The original works beautifully in its updated converted form.
As for Rover, I’d happily have another – just think of it as owning Blenheim Palace’s gate house!… all the class, but not as large or flashy.
A Rover owner.
You simply don’t see these old Rovers in the Northeast anymore ( not even at shows). It’s only in a dry climate like Cali that one of these can survive! It is in very decent condition for a 60 year old!!
@Scottymac. The only time that I have ever seen a spare wheel mounted on the boot lid of a Rover was on a rally car.
Rover 2000’s often had a boot lid mounted spare wheel as an option, maybe aftermarket, to free up boot space,
Yes, this was optional on both the 2000 and 3500 models. The spare wheel takes up a significant amount of trunk space so the external mount was intended to address that.