[ROVERNET - UK] Went to see the P5B Coupe in Turlock, California...

[Aidrian Bridgeman-Sutton]

Geoff

In the interests of full disclosure if you decline I'll probably make
an offer for it - SWMBO is not just going to tolerate a P5B coupe but
is actually really enthusiastic

I would suggest if you do go with it you'll be restoring it because
you want to enjoy the process of restoration - you'll never recover
the money you spend on putting it back together (though that's not the
reason many of us are here for the most part).  In my mind this is the
sort of project car that is a good candidate for a sympathetic
modernisation with things like an overdrive autobox and upgraded
brakes- I wouldn't do it a to a good original car, but once you have
the car down to the bare bones there's going to be precious little
original about it when it's all back together

If you just want a running P5B it will probably be cheaper to buy a
roadworthy car in the UK or the perhaps the Netherlands with the rust
already removed and ship it over.

The price is about in line with what a running but tatty example with
some rust and a perhaps a few months remaining on the  MoT might go
for in the UK - I've been looking for one myself and have a fair idea
of the market. A non-runner should be less unless it was particularly
low mileage and well kept; my guess might be £450 odd for a complete
car in the condition described. A good roadworthy car with a few mild
cosmetic issues will go for £4000 up onto really silly money for a
show car with history

The pattern of the rust sound pretty typical for any P5 - most of of
it is no more difficult than any other car if you are either MIG
capable or have a competent panel beater available and you can get
repair panels for most of the tricky bits.  Now, with that said, the
big problem is likely to be the rust around the windscreen; while you
can get replacement/repair panels the whole area is very tricky and
needs a really competent body shop and or a lot of patience to make it
all better again.  If the rust has got to the surface in this area
then it's almost certainly further inside the structure  - it's
usually the result of the windscreen leaking and water getting down
inside so the damage is done by the time it starts to show on the
shiny parts.

The mechanicals are straightforward; there's none of the suspension
fanciness and braking complexity of the P6. Something will need to be
fixed for sure, but none of it requires any special expertise except
possibly the rear axle

The interior...  old leather can often be resuscitated and restitched
- you'd be surprised at what hide food can bring back to life; carpet
sets are available but the niggly little things like switch gear and
interior trim can be hard to find except on from the breakers. IIRC
the wood trim was polished so two coats of Varathane just won't make
the grade

Aidrian


On Jan 13, 2008 2:49 PM, Geoff Kirkpatrick <britcarnut at yahoo.com> wrote:

> A question for you folks across the pond:  Based on this description, what would the likely value of this car be in its home market?  It is a right-hand-drive car, by the way, not LHD.  With an asking price of $1500, (about 750 pounds at current exchange rate) should I be turning up tomorrow with cash in hand, or should I be running the other way even if the car was free?