Land Rover Series I 86"

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One of several Series One Land Rovers in our sale today, this 86” began life with the military in 1955 and still has its MoD VIN plate on the bulkhead.

Demobbed in 1980, it has had six owners since, our vendor acquiring it in 2013. During his ownership he has spent a lot of money on the car to get it in peak condition mechanically and structurally without losing any of that classic patina which suits these old workhorses so well. On the structural side it has received a new bulkhead and a new rear cross-member, the rest of the chassis being rock solid, as you can see in the photos on our website.

Turning to the oily bits, the 1,997cc petrol engine was completely rebuilt with new pistons etc. and fitted with a new Weber carburettor since when it has only covered around 200 miles so it is barely run-in yet. Other work has included a rebuilt gearbox; new clutch kit; re-cored radiator; all new brakes; new front axle swivels; new steering box; new wiring loom; new battery plus numerous other minor items.

All three front seats have been re-covered using an Exmoor Trim kit and our vendor, who was for many years a professional car trimmer, has covered the inner roof surfaces and the sides of the rear load area with a cloth fabric for a discreet touch of luxury in what is otherwise a fairly spartan machine. There are lots of invoices on file to document the works carried out to date.

An enthusiastic member of the Series One Club, our vendor has used VVS 719 on various club events, including attending the S1 70th Anniversary Rally on Anglesey in 2018 in company with over 400 other early Land Rovers and earlier this year it also joined in the celebrations of the 40th anniversary of the S1 Club in Norfolk (both these events being before the engine was rebuilt).

This 86” really looks the part and we are told that the top- and bottom-opening tailgate arrangement is a very rare feature which always gets a lot of interest at club gatherings. Freshly rejuvenated and fighting fit throughout, it doubtless has another 65 years of useful life ahead of it.