1973 RELIANT SCIMITAR SE5a - Brightwells, Wednesday 13th May 2015 at noon

"COMING TO AUCTION"

FROM

 EASTERS COURT, LEOMINSTER, HR6 0DE

 Wednesday 13th May 2015 at noon

 

    

1973 RELIANT SCIMITAR SE5a

Estimate	£2,000 - £2,500
Description	Reliant Scimitar SE5a Automatic
Registration	CBY 2M
Year	1973
Colour	Red
Engine size	2,994 cc
Chassis No.	933165
Engine No.	SC6910

Popularised by Princess Anne in the 1970s (she owned at least eight, all with the registration number 1420 H), the Reliant Scimitar remains one of the most practical classics that money can buy. Clothed in a handsome glassfibre body and powered by the trusty Ford 3.0 V6 engine and box, this sporting estate offers a huge amount of style and versatility for very little money.
Launched as the SE5 in 1968, the car was replaced by the SE5A in September 1972 which had a revised interior fascia, slightly more powerful engine and a more modern gearbox. In 1976 this was in turn replaced by the wider and heavier SE6 which continued in production until 1982.
This 1973 SE5a Automatic was sold new by Romford Market Garage, specified in Everest White and first registered 947 ANN. The service book has five stamps, the last of which was in October 1981 at 22,500 miles. A file of bills and invoices cover expenditure over the years, the most recent outlay accounting for a new radiator and hoses, a new battery, new brake pipes, master cylinder and servo, new rear shoes and cylinders, front caliper overhaul, a stainless steel exhaust system, new fuel tank and replacement coil-overs.
All this recent expenditure has transformed the car, which according to the vendor performs well, its MOT expiring in March 2016. The interior is in good condition for its age, the main area which detracts from the car being its poor paint finish, the thick red paint having been rather badly applied and needing rectification.
Its fresh Ogle styling, straightforward mechanics and rot-free fibreglass bodywork have always made the Scimitar GTE a tempting proposition. This cosmetically challenged example looks like exceptional value when the recent expenditure is taken into account, requiring little more than a straightforward respray to transform back into the smart, usable example it deserves to be.