・Original 2 door body

・“A” suffix model

・Burbling V8

Launched in June 1970, the first Range Rover cost £1,998 which was a princely sum 50 years ago. Unlike the utilitarian Land Rovers, the all-new Range Rover was marketed as a clever mix of luxury car, cross-country vehicle and a performance estate car.

Powered by the Buick designed 3.5L V8 engine, the Range Rover was a body on frame design with a box section ladder type chassis. It used coil springs as opposed to leaf, had permanent four-wheel drive and disc brakes all round.

A four-door version was eventually released in 1981 alongside the Two door, although this remained in production for a few more years before being phased out.

This is believed to be one of the Range Rovers sent to South Africa between 1979 & 1983 as CKD ( Completely Knocked Down ) kits. These were then assembled by Associated Automotive Distributors (AAD ) who traded as Leyland SA in Cape Town . The SA assembled cars differed very slightly from Solihull units in that the inner body was sprayed black in the UK for protection prior to shipping, & remained so regardless of the outer body colour when completed.

It was found & rescued from an African township, very tired and with a few non original parts although the engine had been recently overhauled.

The chassis & body were sound with no rust as to be expected from a dry climate car.

After chassis & body restoration by SSC Classics in SA, she was shipped over to the UK in 2019 for final finishing works by Bishops 4x4 and was first Mot’d in July 2020 with 16,802 km on the clock.

There are extensive photos of the restoration which would be available to the new owner, along with invoices for work, parts etc. including work carried out by Bishops 4x4 of Peterborough here in the UK.

There is of course a current V5C and MOT certificate , but also copies of the South African registration documents, NOVA cert etc.

Having had a full body off restoration, this ’83 Range Rover looks stunning in Lincoln Green livery with its original Rostyle wheels in silver.

The paint work is really good & the body rust free as expected from a quality restoration of a dry country car & this continues under the bonnet and into the car’s interior. Underneath as the photos hopefully show, is just as spotless as on top with no underseal hiding anything which might be suspect.  Everything has been blasted and then give a coat of black satin paint including the chassis itself, which was blasted and then galvanised before being painted to match the running gear.

It’s spotless under there, well apart from a few muddy water splashes, which show it’s been driven just a little bit since having all this work completed.

One or two small jobs still to do are replacement of the window rubbers which are perishing a little after years in the sun, & the light lenses which are suffering from crazing for the same reason. 

Nothing much, but it’ll just finish of this one nicely.

New door cards, new seat coverings, new carpets , new plastic seat lower trims, new rear below window cards , the list goes on and on. 

Most things inside have been replaced and look superb.

The dash is original and looks to be in great condition, with just a trim for the radio hole or of course a new radio needed to finish the look.

The headlining also appears to be in good condition, with just a couple of marks which should clean off easily.

Overall, a great job has been done in here and it’ll provide comfort for years to come.

This Range Rover’s been taken back to its bare bones, cleaned, refurbished, re-built and then re-assembled to get to where it is today.

The chassis’ been galvanised and then painted, all running gear has been blasted and then painted, all nuts & bolts appear to be new, brake calipers are either refurbished or new and painted in gold, new discs, all piping has been replaced etc.

Just look at the under-bonnet photos, most parts are either refurbished or new with all painted items finished in gloss black.

The engine’s been rebuilt and is now back to its original twin carburettor set up.

All fuel and brake pipes have been replaced along with installation of a full new wiring loom. 

What has needed doing has been done and then some, nothing appears to have been left to chance.

It started very easily when moved around for the photos, sneaking into gear and with the power steering doing its job, was manoeuvred into position without effort.

The engine very soon settles into a smooth tick over, and when driven picks up quickly and quietly.

This is a very beautiful, near original, 1983 specification, two door Range Rover.

It has had vast amounts of time and expense lavished on it oner the last 2-3 years, which will hold in good stead for the next 30 plus years.

With its rust free body, galvanised chassis, new interior & engine rebuilt,  it should be a pleasure to drive on & off all roads in all weathers  although it’d be such a shame to use it during our salty winters without first applying a through coat of Wax Oil to that shiny underside . 

Better still, save it for those special trips out with family down to your holiday cottage, or country hotel for the weekend where it will no doubt claim pride of place on the gravel forecourt to the front of the residence.

Land Rover called it “ A car for all reasons “  which kind of sums this Range Rover up nicely.

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