Rover P4 60 to 110 (1949 to 1964)

Why people buy one

• A comfortable, quiet and very well-made period saloon with leather seats and a wooden dashboard.
• A long production run (about 130,000 built) means a wide choice of models, from the 60 to the 110.
• The separate chassis and simple running gear make it straightforward to work on, and the engines last well when the oil has been changed regularly.
• Early cars have unusual features, including the freewheel and, on the first 75s, the central "Cyclops" fog lamp.
• Strong support from a dedicated P4 club and the Rover Sports Register, including a members' spares supply.

What to weigh up

• The chassis rusts, often at the rear and around the outriggers, and patch repairs from the past are common.
• The doors, bonnet and boot lid were made of Birmabright aluminium alloy from launch, which resists rust but dents easily and can corrode; steel panels were used late in production, but sources differ on exactly which panels changed and when.
• Retrimming the leather and wood and rechroming the brightwork are major jobs, so a car with a tired interior and poor chrome needs a lot of work.
• Performance is modest, particularly in the four-cylinder 60 and 80, and the steering and suspension need regular oiling and greasing.
• The 105R's Rover-designed Roverdrive automatic was made only in the late 1950s and is regarded as a curiosity, so seek specialist advice before buying one.
• The pre-war and early post-war Rover P1, P2 and P3 are different cars and are not covered here.

Where they rust

• The rear of the chassis where it rises over the axle, and the rear bump stop mountings.
• Front chassis outriggers, especially the offside one that carries the brake master cylinder and handbrake.
• The chassis around the steering idler, which traps water.
• Rear spring hangers.
• Sills, A-pillars and B-pillars, including the bottoms of the A-panels.
• Rear inner wheelarches, which are double-skinned and costly to repair.
• Rear wings and boot corners, from spray thrown up by the rear wheels.
• Floors, especially where the handbrake passes through and the front footwell corners (usually nearside) where water from the screen collects.
• Lower edges of the aluminium doors, bonnet and boot lid for white powdery corrosion and dents.

Mechanical weak spots

• Engine: blue smoke suggests worn valve guides or cracked valve seats, and a knock or clatter from the top can mean camshaft wear from infrequent oil changes. Rear crankshaft seal leaks can soak the clutch.
• Cooling: the aluminium cylinder head needs the correct antifreeze mix to prevent internal corrosion and cracking.
• Gearbox: a noise that quietens with the clutch pressed in neutral points to layshaft bearing wear, and later boxes can wear their second-gear synchromesh. Early cars have a column change, later ones a floor lever.
• Freewheel and overdrive: the freewheel lets the car coast off the throttle and was used on cars without overdrive until about 1959; the later Laycock overdrive is simple to repair.
• Steering: the steering box, kingpins and idler should be filled with oil, not grease; loose steering suggests a worn follower in the box.
• Brakes: early cars have drums all round and later ones front discs, whose calipers can seize after storage. A failed brake servo can draw in fluid and cause white exhaust smoke.
• Rear axle: oil on the rear brake back plates points to leaking half-shaft seals.

At a Mathewsons viewing

• Check the chassis number and engine number against the V5C, and ask whether there is a British Motor Museum heritage certificate, which covers Rovers from the P3 to the SD1.
• With a torch, look under the car at the chassis rails over the rear axle, the bump stop mounts, the rear spring hangers and the front outriggers for rot, patch welding or fresh underseal.
• Lift the carpets and press the floors and footwell corners for damp or soft metal, and check the sills and the bottoms of the pillars.
• Look along the aluminium door, bonnet and boot lid edges for dents, bubbling or white corrosion, and check the doors open and shut without dropping.
• Open the bonnet and look for oil leaks and coolant condition, and if staff start the car, listen for top-end clatter and watch for blue or white smoke; do not assume it will be started.

Parts, specialists and clubs

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Sources

• Rover P4 buyer's guide (Classics World), 24 November 2025
• Buying guide: Rover P4 1949 to 1964 (Hagerty UK), 14 June 2023
• Rover P4 (Wikipedia), accessed 14 October 2026
• Join the club: Rover Sports Register (Hagerty UK), 12 July 2021
• Heritage certificate brochure (British Motor Museum), accessed 14 October 2026
• Rover P4 Drivers' Guild (Car and Classic club directory), accessed 14 October 2026