The Story so far on the find of CFH 1 J
ROVER P6B 3500 Automatic
Registration Number
CFH 1 J
This is a brief history about Registration Number CFH 1J Rover 3500.
In early September of 2013 my Wife and I were looking for a new home to rent in Gloucestershire. We had made arrangements to view a cottage in a village called Littledean. The owner of the property was a Mr Mike Weaving, upon viewing the cottage I was talking with the owner Mike and asked him if there were any chance of any external storage places as the place where we were currently living had a garage and it would be ideal if he had a shed/barn or even a garage that I could use. The cottage was offered for rent via a letting agent without a garage.
Mike said that he had 3 garages on his property and that he would make one of these available to us if we were to rent his cottage from him. Mike went on to say that he would have to clear this particular garage that was in front of us as it contained his Fathers old car. Mike went on to say that he had not opened the garage in question for over 15 years, as his Father passed away and the car inside the garage was his Fathers pride and joy. His Mother did not drive and a few years after his Father’s death his Mother became ill and passed away leaving the car, land cottages and out buildings to Mike.
I asked Mike what type of car was in the garage he replied I understand it to be a Rover 3500 Automatic with a special Number plate he went on to say that his Father always made sure this his car was in good order and confirmed that it was regularly serviced.
I asked Mike if I could view the car and the garage, he said I have the key for the garage but don’t know if it will open the lock as it has not been used for 15 years. Mike went to his cottage and returned a short time later with a Silver Green key. After a short while Mike had managed to unlock the garage door and asked if I would help him lift the door open as it was an up and over garage door. This we did and I must admit my heart was racing at this time as you hear about Barn finds but to potentially be in a position right there and then was something that I knew I would never see or experience again. Low and behold as we lifted the door there covered in dry Grey dust was an old Rover P6. There was a small standard size window in the Garage the car had been kept in for 15 years. It was a dry garage with no signs of water damage on the roof of the car stored within. I stepped through the cob webs hanging down from the garage door and wiped the boot of the Rover to see that it was Almond brown in colour. At this stage I could not see through the windows of the car because of the dust that was covering them. After wiping the side window with my hand I could see inside that there was an oatmeal colour leather interior that looked in reasonable condition. All the tyres on the Rover were flat this you would expect after 15 years of no use. I asked Mike if I could open the driver’s door to which he replied I don’t know if it’s locked or not I opened the driver’s door to see again lots of cob webs that had accumulated of the 15 years of non-use. I could see that the ignition key was in place and had noticed that the Automatic Gear Box had been left in the Neutral position and the Handbrake was down in the off position.
I asked Mike if the car was for sale to which he said well it’s been in there for so long and if you want the garage I will have to clear it out to which I replied have a think about it as I said it was your fathers pride and joy I would restore it to its former glory and use it now and then.
A few days later my wife and I went back to the cottage to measure up for curtains and I asked Mike if he had any more thoughts on the old rover in the garage, and had he come up with a price that he would sell it for. I was thinking about £500, Mike said £700 so we meet in the middle and I purchased the car for £600 in early September 2013.
At this stage I have no idea if the car would be seized through lack of use this I will find out later. I have agreed with Mike not to clean the garage out I will help him when the time is right after we have moved in we are due to move in to the cottage on the 27th of September 2013.
14th October 2013
Today was the first real day that I did any work on the car started by pulling the Rover out of the Garage. Mike had left the Rover in Neutral gear with the Handbrake in the off position this had made it easier to pull the Rover out of the Garage I still had to use another vehicle to do this.
The Rover was washed for the first time in 15 years. The paint work was in reasonable condition for a 40+ year old car. I had noticed that all the door window seals had gone perished over time these will need to be replaced in time.
I really wanted to see if the engine was seized or not so proceeded to remove the Spark Plugs, Radiator and Fan so I could get at the Bottom Pulley bolt. With the Plugs removed I proceeded to turn the Crank there was some resistance this is where I stopped. I have ordered some Marvel Mystery Oil from the internet and will pour a small amount into the Cylinders when it arrives. (Marvel Mystery Oil is supposed to be the best Oil on the market for a seized or partially seized engine).
I have all so dismantled and cleaned the Brake fluid reservoir this had no fluid in it all gone over time. The brakes will be bled latter on when the wheels come off.
