Description
The Land Rover entered production in 1948 with what was later termed the Series I. This was launched at the Amsterdam Motor Show. It was originally designed for farm and light industrial use, and had a steel box-section chassis, and an aluminium body.
Inspired by the US Army’s wartime ‘Jeep’, developed in haste and intended for short-term, small-scale production, the Land Rover would defy its creators’ initial skepticism. Rover bosses the Wilks brothers saw the need for a tough, four-wheel-drive, utility vehicle to serve the needs of the agricultural community in the immediate post-war years, but even so the Land Rover’s runaway success took the company by surprise.
Ruggedly built and simple in construction, the Land Rover proved capable of surviving in countries where conditions were primitive (to say the least), a virtue that helped contribute to its worldwide acceptance. Indeed, it is estimated that two-thirds of all Land Rovers ever produced are still in existence today.
This early series 1 has recently undergone a comprehensive restoration which included a full respray, re-galvanised metal work, new bulkhead, exhaust system, new springs and shock absorbers. Brake cylinders were hosed out and re-sleeved and the alloy wheels were refurbished to name some of the work carried out.
Offered with a very rare safari top rarely seen on the rare 80′ examples.
