Land-Rover Series III

Land Rovers have now become such a common sight on Britain's roads that it is hard to imagine life without them. However, the world had somehow struggled along without these go-anywhere marvels until Maurice Wilks had a bright idea in 1947.

Taking a war surplus American Jeep as his inspiration, the Rover chief designer messed around with prototypes on his farm in Anglesey until he perfected the vehicle that was launched at the Amsterdam Motor Show in 1948. The Series I gave way to the more sophisticated Series II in 1958, the Series IIA getting a larger more powerful engine along the way. The Series III arrived in 1971 and was the last of the Land-Rover line to mirror almost exactly the design of the original, subsequent examples getting soft coil springs and fancy overhead valves. The original design is still relevant today however, not only for being one of the few 4x4s to have a genuine 3 ½ tonne towing capacity, but also offering superior off road capabilities to most of its modern counterparts, simple rugged and reliable performance and a parts back up service bar none, with everything available at a very modest cost.

This example has had three previous owners and has covered a mere 33,000 miles from new. Little is know of its early life, the file showing that it was sold in 2009 by respected marque specialists Nene Overland for £4,495. Further invoices show that Hereford Land-Rover replaced the exhaust and fitted a new clutch master and slave cylinder in 2010 and at some point in the recent past a new set of wheels and tyres have been fitted, the original set accompanying the vehicle.

With a sound chassis, sweet engine and a towbar, this low mileage Series III has a lovely lightly used feel and would make a perfect tow vehicle, or an ideal low cost 4x4 for what many predict will be yet another winter from hell!