Description
The Land Rover had been a sales success since its introduction in 1948. The first model range was built until spring 1958.
Our vehicle is a very early example (No. 856) of the second series. This second series was manufactured for just over three years, until autumn 1961. In the first six months of the second series, the two-litre engines from the first series were still fitted. Of these, only 1, 703 vehicles were affected.
Later these very vehicles were often rebuilt to later specifications. The car presented here is therefore, due to its originality and condition, an extremely rare example.
The very early history of this Land Rover is not known. It seems to have arrived in Germany towards the end of the 1970s and was then stored dry for about 25 years. Afterwards there was an initial restoration attempt, which was abandoned due to lack of time. The current owner acquired the car in 2020 and then restarted the restoration – the result of which we can now admire – from scratch.
British cult classic meets German precision for the detail.
In well over 1, 000 hours of work the car was brought uncompromisingly to the current, better-than-new condition. Moreover, around €25, 000 was invested in parts and commissioned work, including the paint.
As part of the restoration the chassis was refurbished, the body stripped and rebuilt, and all technical parts overhauled. There is no area that was not restored to the highest standard. The Land Rover is painted in the then Land Rover colour “Dark Grey” and here too the love of detail was paramount: all body irregularities caused by rivets were left absolutely authentically as they were and not artificially smoothed out.
Since completion of the restoration the car has done 162 miles (261 kilometres) of testing.
A YouTube video about the Land Rover can be viewed here: - details above
A Land Rover suitable for a collection or as a classic counterpart to a modern Defender, or simply for the pure experience of off-road driving.
This Land Rover is a collectible car because....
- It is a very rare model;
- It has been painstakingly restored;
- It is extremely authentic and yet better than new.
The car is awaiting a test drive here in Bad Essen.
If you have any questions or interest please feel free to contact me.
