You can’t get more British than a Land Rover and this one holds some interesting provenance. It was owned for much of its life by the Captain of the QE2 and spent its days living on the Land Rover’s ancestral home of Anglesey, the very place where the idea for the car was drawn out in the sand of Red Wharf Bay by Maurice Wilkes. ‘Bunny’ as this car is affectionally named remains very original with what appears to be its original panels but, sometime in its past, it has been treated to a galvanised chassis.

 In the keep of the most recent owner, it has undergone quite a substantial overhaul of all things mechanical and it now performs as well, if not better than it did back in the 60s. Better now because of a gearbox ratio upgrade to give it slightly better cruising abilities. Not restored, but lovingly maintained, Bunny retains all the originality and simple utilitarian design and is still fully functional.

It’s safe to say that a Land Rover is a robust vehicle, and they do say that 75% of all Landies ever made are still running and working. Well, this one is a testament to their longevity being clad in what appears to be original panels. There has been no effort to modernise or dilute the simple rough-and-tumble aspects of Land Rover's design.

 It has been maintained well and there’s a reasonable amount of invoices to show that, but it has not been abused over the years. Since coming into the hands of the current owner some 3 years ago, ‘Bunny’ has had a big overhaul where every conceivable fluid had been flushed out and changed. 

The brake system has been fully rebuilt and an uprated gearbox provides a few precious extra MPH for easier cruising. It has new rear seats and a new canvas roof complete with galvanised ‘sticks’. A new starter helps kick it over more easily too.

What can you say about the interior of an old Land Rover? It certainly can’t be described as plush and as this one is pretty much as the factory intended, you are unlikely to find many creature comforts. Mind you, there is a heater of the correct type and age which the owner has refurbished. Beyond that, it is pure 1965 Land Rover.

All the instruments and switches do what they are supposed to and It’s all just solid and functional, just what you’d expect or indeed hope for in a Landie of this era. The owner has installed some period-correct rear seats which does help make the car feel more family-friendly.

Bunny seems to be clad in what appears to be original panels and is finished in the customary green scheme. There are a few minor bumps and knocks and even a little bit of retouching here and there, but it all seems to add to the inimitable charm of a vehicle that’s fast approaching 60 years old. The true enthusiast of the Land Rover will appreciate just how original this one is. 

The only modification is the addition of a pair of better headlamps over the old sealed beam type. The new canvas roof suits the car very well and is supported by a proper galvanised frame, or ‘sticks’ as I’ve come to learn. The mileage is difficult to ascertain as genuine but, on viewing the overall condition, the 91,000 could easily be correct. 

There is only one area of corrosion that may require attention and that is where the inner wing meets the chassis rail in the engine bay. Beyond that, the underside looks like it has been treated well and the galvanised chassis is clean.

At the heart of the famous Land Rover is the clever yet simple drive system and in the case of Bunny, it has all been carefully checked out. All the fluids from engine, gearbox diffs and transfer box have all been flushed out and renewed. This means that all gears can be obtained with ease and selection of low ratio comes easily. 

The engine bay has not been overly cleaned and remains in its basic untouched form. All important areas are maintained but not modified, such as the brakes which have been fully overhauled recently. The engine starts easily in a puff of diesel smoke which settles into a steady trickle of blue fumes. That’s not a complaint as I don’t think I’ve encountered a 60-year-old diesel Landie that doesn't. It soon settles into a smooth but typically rattly tick-over and it’s ready for the off. 

This 65 Land Rover may have an affectionate and cute name, but Bunny means business. It retains everything that Land Rover stood for in 1965, including the uncompromising interior, the stark boxy exterior and the overall utility-derived design, there were no thoughts of being a Chelsea Tractor back then, just a mud-plugging and go-anywhere Farmer’s friend. 

It has been kept pretty much as Wilkes intended but with so much effort gone into keeping it so it’d be a shame to see it modernised. There is no pretence with Bunny, it is not a museum piece but a piece of functioning history that has plenty of life left to give.

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