Lot Ended
Description
From a deceased estate; in the current ownership for 60+ years; last
on the road about 10 years ago; one of only 200 made and perhaps 40
surviving; engine turns easily; interesting recommissioning project at a
very modest guide price
Introduced in
1934, the Rover 12 (P1) was a top quality semi-handbuilt car that was good for
an easy 70mph from its 1,496cc 4-cylinder OHV engine. An updated version, the
P2, arrived in 1937 with a longer wheelbase, a stiffened chassis and Girling
brakes, this model remaining in production until 1948.
Around 16,600 P2s were made in total, the vast majority as Saloons,
although from 1947 – 1948 it was also available as a four-seat Sports Tourer
with aluminium coachwork by AP Aircraft Ltd of Coventry who had spent the war
years making Spitfires for the RAF. Only 200 Tourers were made, mostly for
export, and it is believed that only around 40 survive today making this a very
rare find indeed.
This P2
Sports Tourer was first registered in Grimsby in December 1947. On offer here
from a deceased estate, it has been in the current ownership for at least 60
years – there is a letter to the owner from The Rover Co Ltd dated November 1965
and we are told that he had owned the car for several years prior to that.
Sadly there is no real history with the car
but we are told that it was always in light regular use, attending many shows
and VSCC events and being used as bridal transport at various family weddings
(hence the confetti we found under the seats!). The owner largely maintained the
car himself, also buying another P2 which he used as a source of spares, many of
which are included with the car (see photos). It retains a full set of weather
gear (hood; sidescreens; tonneau cover) all in serviceable condition and the
original Viking bonnet mascot is also still present, along with various useful
handbooks and service manuals.
We are
told that the car was in good running order when parked up about 10 years
ago. There are a few old tax discs, the most recent from 2015, and an
online check of the MOT history shows that it was kept tested most years,
the last MOT being issued in August 2011 at 86,861 miles with just one advisory
for slight play in the o/s/f wheel bearing and it has only covered around 20
miles since.
On offer here as a straightforward
recommissioning project, this extremely rare P2 Tourer is only the third we have
offered in almost 20 years so you will be hard pressed to find another one any
time soon, let alone at the modest guide price suggested – the last one we sold
made over £25k in 2018…
PS: We hooked the car up to a battery pack on
Tues afternoon and the engine turned over easily on
the key.
For more information contact
James on 07970 309907 or email james.dennison@brightwells.com