2A Land Rovers don’t often show their heads in the sales department of any auction site, especially one as original and loved as this one.
The current owner, of a whopping 52 years, has maintained the vehicle entirely himself with exception of tyres and tests and has gone above and beyond when it comes to caring for this wonderful machine.
Perfectly imperfect, this Land Rover has all the marks, patina and scars of a full life. But this only enhances the appeal and image of such an historic family-loved motor.
A plethora of hand drawn diagrams and maintenance records
Research and clippings from over a half century
Minimal receipts showing reliability and care
Absolutely nothing is missing, end of. The vendor has kept everything. From hand made cards with gear ratios, to tyre rotation records and charts, perfectly hand-drawn diagrams and measurements for custom machined parts to keep this motor in perfect running order.
Of course the V5 is present, this states Nil previous owners. Now this is not entirely true. It was in fact purchased by an eccentric gentleman, very wealthy, who owned and loved the vehicle for just a few years until his passing. This Land Rover was left in his will to the original seller of the vehicle at the dealership. It was then sold to the vendor, but during this process, evidence of the initial ownership was lost, in reality it has had just one previous owner. Evidence of this transaction can be seen as the original bill of sale to the current owner is still in the huge history file that accompanies this car.
The original Land Rover green still resides on the aluminium panelling and has in areas been ‘touched up’. Far from perfect, this Land Rover is not hiding any past. It wears its scars with pride and wears them well. Over the years parts have been repaired, more as a corrosion repellant than to make it look perfect but in reality it does not look out of place and we thought it looked absolutely superb.
Originally the roof was cream, then painted green by the original owner, but this has since worn off leaving a fabulous green/white finish.
Looking around you can see how original and un-molested it all is, from the brass weight plate on the bonnet to the worn smooth door hinges and the original mud flaps, everything is in its place, working and functional.
The rearmost part of the chassis is heavily treated. This appears not to hide anything untoward, but is just enthusiastic protection.
An absolute time warp with evidence of the care shown toward it, this interior is dripping with period modifications, personal tweaks and quirks.
In its early days the vendor fitted an amateur radio, this at one time had a large antenna fitted to the rear of the vehicle which there is evidence of but is no longer fitted due to the radio not working. The temperature gauge too is not currently working but could be easily remedied. Other than that everything is working and in exceptional order, worn to the touch as you would expect but nonetheless in lovely condition.
The driver's seat has recently been re-covered with matching material and is pleasing to see, as these things often get overlooked. The rest of the seats are in good nick with no evident rips or significant wear. Even the headlining is superb, with no sags or stains, just the odd little mark here and there from day to day life.
Our favourite parts are definitely the coreded wrapped steering wheel and the little red, embossed tags that mark every switch and button, which had clearly been done long ago and remain a wonderful little feature.
Engine re-bore in 2003 (including an unleaded petrol conversion)
Overdrive (Santana) fitted
Superlative maintainance
All chassis is heavily rustproofed
Original bulkhead
On startup there is absolutely no doubt that this vehicle has been well cared for. The 2.3-litre petrol, four-cylinder engine fires into life immediately, certainly aided by the eliminated mechanical fuel pump and improved carburetter.
It runs beautifully, with no smoke or rattles, idles perfectly and the electric fan kicks in when needed. The gears engage smoothly.
A poke around under the bonnet reveals a honest oily rag finish, with everything in its place and as clean as it needs to be. A slight oil weeping from the rocker cover can be seen, which is not unusual. Otherwise, it's just a good, tidy engine bay with all the wonderful accompanying smells of a life well lived.
Underneath is a similar story, with the original chassis still nicely in tact. The vendor only reports one small patch of welding, which was attended to while replacing the fuel tank many years ago. The underside has regularly been treated with rust inhibitor or grease. This has evidently kept any form of corrosion at bay and has left a nice layer of oily residue. The exhaust lifetime guarantee is none transferable.
Overall this is an extremely solid example, really not wanting for much and ready to be enjoyed for a further half-century.
Simply fascinating behold, reliable, practical and one heck of a head turner. This is a very special Land Rover: loved from the day it was purchased and never neglected, this wonderful machine is ready for its new owner and any adventure. In the picture below you can find a list of all mods and maintenance performed to this vehicle
If you are not interested in polishing, washing or having shiny paintwork then likely this will appeal immensely. Vehicles like this do not come around often so take your time, examine the pictures and all the fabulous little quirks this Land Rover has to offer. If you wish a closer look the Vendor is happy for on-site visits.
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.
