1975 Range Rover ‘Classic’ (Suffix D) LHD
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Highlights
• 2 owners from new
• Exceptionally low mileage
• Fully documented history from new
• Presented in outstanding, original, unrestored condition throughout
• “As near to a new 1975 Range Rover as you are going to get” – Martin Buckley, Classic & Sportscar
The Appeal
Land Rover had already made their name in basically equipped go-anywhere vehicles, but by the 1960s they had become aware of the emerging Sports Utility Vehicle market starting across the pond in the United States. Under the watchful eye of Charles Spencer King, the Rover company would come up with the Range Rover.
With big coil springs, a permanent four-wheel-drive, a comfortable cabin, and a towing capacity of 3.5 tons it was marketed as “A car for all reasons.” The first-generation Range Rover sowed the seed for the uber-luxurious SUVs we see today.
This Suffix D Classic Range Rover is an incredible example with an equally incredible story. It may be knocking on the door of 50 years old, but it still looks and feels nearly new.
The History and Paperwork
• Ordered new by the original owner in the July of 1975. It is optioned with underseal, seatbelts, wing mirrors, a radio, and PAS (power-assisted steering), the final bill for their new Range Rover was £4,750.
• The original bill of sale comes with this car, in its beautifully presented bespoke paperwork binder.
• The car was collected by the first owner from Rover's personal export department on the 10th of November 1975. All the collection paperwork is on file and this explains the xVC Coventry registration number.
• Three days after the original owner picked it up, it was fitted with a tow bar, a ‘National’ radio/cassette, and air conditioning. The receipt for this work is still on file and the accessories are still present, correct and working.
• The day after the car was fitted with its extras the original owner embarked on an epic journey to Tehran, Iran. The running-in service was carried out in Salzburg, and the ‘Passport to Service’ was duly stamped (on file)
• Apparently the original owner was working as an architect in Iran and would use his Range Rover sparingly until just before the Iranian Revolution in 1978. This prompted the original owner to drive the Range Rover back to the UK (via Spain and France).
• From delivery the Range Rover was fitted with a KPH speedometer. Upon its repatriation to the UK it was fitted with an MPH speedometer. Unfortunately, the original speedometer was not kept. But the original owner estimates it had only covered 16,500 miles before the speedometer was changed.
• Between 1979-2013 it sat comfortably in the family collection, being used on rare occasions. The odometer currently displays just a smidge over 15,000 miles. Hence we can say that the car appears to have completed slightly over 30,000 miles from new.
• In 2013 the car was acquired from the original owner by Famous Four, a specialist for Range Rovers/Land Rovers. In an email printout in the paperwork collection, MD Richard Varrell states that he believes the mileage is genuine, based on the condition of the car and how it drove.
• Shortly after Famous Four had acquired the car it moved on to Bishops 4x4, who used the car for the next few years as a showpiece for what an all original, unrestored Range Rover Classic could look like.
• The current owner acquired the car in 2019 with the intention of it being his ‘forever Range Rover’. Just after purchasing the car at auction from Bishops 4x4 a long email is exchanged (on file), commissioning Bishops to 1. Make the car as safe as possible, 2. Present the car in as original condition as possible, 3. Make everything work as intended, 4. Protect against corrosion to enable a long and happy ownership.
• The recommissioning works were extensive and included an A/C restoration, a new battery, new Goodyear AT/S tyres, radiator flush, new rear seatbelts plus a lot of other servicing and proactive maintenance work. This invoice has been photographed for a prospective buyer to look over.
• This work would culminate in an invoice for nearly £7,000, but after this work, it was as good as new. The car was also undersealed in 2019 with clear wax even being applied to the engine bay.
• Since that work was carried out in 2019 there have been some other works carried out by the London based high-end car dealer Graeme Hunt.
• In October of 2020, the carburettors were stripped and rebuilt to resolve a leaking issue. At the time the air-conditioning was also re-gassed and still blows cold air today
• In April of 2021, the alternator was replaced and then in December of 2021, a new radiator was fitted after the original one sprung a leak.
• This Range Rover has also found acclaim with a 5-page article in Classic & Sports Car in 2016. A beautifully written feature written by journalist Martin Buckley titled Town & Country uses this car to tell the tale of the Range Rover. In this article, Martin Buckley states this car is “As near to a new 1975 Range Rover as you are going to get”
• After a change in personal circumstance, the current owner has taken the hard decision to sell this almost perfect Range Rover Classic. With an extensive history file and amazing story from new, this is possibly the best-unrestored example of an English classic.
• There is a valid V5c present which indicates only 1 owner from new, along with this there are a few MOT certificates. There is a current MOT which expires in October 2022. It is also ULEZ exempt!
• Along with the legal documents, there are also a few original sales brochures and information booklets.
The Interior
• Original interior
• Fitted with Air-conditioning in 1975, this still blows cold today
• Full tool kit in the boot – including the starting handle and bottle jack
The interior of the Range Rover is where it made its name, with added luxury over other Rover products but with some serious off-roading credentials it is the best of both worlds. A go-anywhere vehicle, the Range Rover started a long dynasty of luxury off-roaders that other manufacturers are still struggling to compete with.
Having completed so few miles the interior of this Range Rover is presented in excellent condition. With all the interior elements still being the same that were fitted in Solihull back in 1975, it is a remarkable car.
All of the seats are covered in an eye-catching sandstone brown fabric. None of the seats show signs of damage or staining that you may expect to find on a car of this age.
There is slight damage to the passenger side seat base, but this is the only obvious sign of wear and tear. If you have ever thought about purchasing a Solihull product you will know about well-documented headlining sag, this car still wears its original headlining material and is presented with no sag at all.
Back in 1975, before the car left for Iran, it was sent off to get some extras fitted to help with the comfort. A National Pana Cassette player was added with a couple of extra speakers in the doors, but more importantly, there was an air-conditioning system fitted. Today, after nearly 50 years of service, this air-conditioning still works blowing nice cooling air into the cabin.
The rest of the cabin area is present with virtually no damage. The thin-rimmed Bakelite steering wheel is very tactile to use and with the optional PAS system fitted the steering is incredibly light for a car of this age and size.
When you pop open the now synonymous Range Rover split tailgate design you can see that even the boot section is presented in remarkable condition. With an original spare wheel, shod in modern rubber, and a full toolkit neatly hidden under a flap on the right-hand side.
Amazingly this toolkit has a starting handle, so should your starter motor pack up in the middle of the Sahara you can still get yourself out of trouble.
It has to be said that the interior of this Range Rover ticks almost every box. It’s totally original, in great condition, and safe for the modern roads with seatbelts for every seat.
The interior is so original that it still has its clips to hold the seatbelts neatly when not in use. These items have usually been lost or broken with the passage of time.
The Exterior
•Sought-after two-door early variant
• Sympathetically repainted in original Masai Red to allow it to look like new
• Perfectly presented
The shape of a Classic Range Rover is instantly recognisable, and with this being a highly sought-after two-door variant this just adds to the curb appeal. Presented in beautiful exterior condition this car attracted many adoring looks during the photography session.
All of the body panels that are on this car are all original, however they have received a new coat of paint relatively recently. This appears to be a very high quality re-paint and the car presents extremely well. The under-bonnet paint is original and has been protected with a thin coat of clear wax.
The silver wheels complement the red paintwork amazingly well, presented with no corrosion either, and shod with four matching Goodyear Wrangler AT/S tyres this car is fully equipped to go off-road should you so desire.
Along with all the large elements the smaller exterior features such as the headlight lenses, brake lights, and bumpers also all look like new with no damage or marks.
This Range Rover Classic Suffix D is presented in remarkable condition and should be the pride of someone’s personal collection. With so few miles completed over the years and great preservation work carried out it has produced one of the best classics out there.
The Mechanics
• With its recent mechanical overhaul, it is like new
• The low mileage is reflected in how it drives
• No driveline shunt – almost unheard of for an original near 50-year-old Range Rover
From the beginning, the engineers within the Rover group made their case that the new 4x4 should have a high output heart to match its luxurious interior.
Rover would opt for their renowned 3.5l V8 engine to power this ground-breaking off-roader. Along with the V8, a permanent four-wheel-drive system was fitted with power getting to the wheels through a 4-speed manual box with a transfer box in the middle to give the Suffix D the option of Hi and Low ranges.
A prospective buyer will be happy to hear that this Range Rover is mechanically sound. With so few miles on the clock the internals should be in good condition.
When the current owner acquired the car, it went in for quite a lot of recommissioning work, and with a new radiator, a carb rebuild, and a new alternator it is a wonderful car to own and drive.
Out on the road, the Range Rover truly is a king of the road. Riding beautifully over potholes and pulling away from the lights nicely it is a lovely beast to drive. With the new radiator, this car also sits comfortably in London traffic with no worrying increase in temperatures. Oil pressure also appears to be strong according to the gauge.
Overall, this Classic appears to be in great mechanical condition.
One final and important point that should be mentioned is that there is very little driveline shunt. Older Range Rovers tend to be plagued with this, to find an example without this is very unusual.
Summary
This Range Rover Classic Suffix D is an outstandingly good example of the Godfather of SUVs.
With such an interesting back story, minimal mileage, only 2 owners from new, fully documented history and in original, unrestored condition, this is possibly the best Range Rover Classic to come to market for a long time. It would be extremely hard to find another with these attributes.
Whoever has the absolute privilege of owning this car for the next chapter of its life is going to get a great car. Whether you want to use it as a show car or use it as it was intended in the depths of the wilderness this car will provide you with the necessary tools to do as you please
You cannot afford to miss out on the remarkable example of a classic 4x4.
Notice to bidders
Although every care is taken to ensure this listing is as factual and transparent as possible, all details within the listing are subject to the information provided to us by the seller. Car & Classic does not take responsibility for any information missing from the listing. Please ensure you are satisfied with the vehicle description and all information provided before placing a bid.
As is normal for most auctions, this vehicle is sold as seen, and therefore the Sale of Goods Act 1979 does not apply. All bids are legally binding once placed. Any winning bidder who withdraws from a sale, is subject to our bidders fee charge. Please see our FAQs and T&C's for further information. Viewings of vehicles are encouraged, but entirely at the seller's discretion.
Vehicle specification
- Year 1975
- Make Land Rover
- Model ‘Classic’ (Suffix D) LHD
- Colour Red
- Odometer 15,212 Miles
- Engine size 3528
Auction Details
- Seller Type Private
- Location London
- Country United Kingdom
17
bids
- ru•••• £47,500 29/05/22
- fr•••• £46,500 29/05/22
- ru•••• £46,000 29/05/22
- ro•••• £30,000 29/05/22
- dm•••• £28,000 29/05/22
- ro•••• £27,500 29/05/22
- st•••• £26,500 29/05/22
- dm•••• £26,000 29/05/22
- ph•••• £25,000 28/05/22
- mp•••• £23,000 25/05/22
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