Rugged and Refurbished Land Rover Series 1 Ready to Work
Land Rover claimed that the Series 1 would last forever. And this Bronze Green beauty is proof of that.
The aftermath of World War II was a defining moment in Land Rover history. With raw materials difficult to come by and consumers uninterested in luxury cars, the company needed to make a dramatic shift in philosophy in order to survive. Thus, they decided to build rugged utility vehicles with an eye toward agricultural use. Needless to say, that was the right choice. And even today, most of those rugged ‘utes, including this 1951 Land Rover 80 Series 1, are still on the road.
As late as 1992, in fact, Land Rover claimed that 70% of their vehicles were still around and kicking. That includes this nicely refurbished (not restored) Series 1, which is headed to Classic Car Auctions’ sale on May 25. Truthfully, we’d rather own this particular example than some “better than new” restoration. Mainly because these vehicles weren’t meant to be shiny, extravagant things. They were meant to be rugged workhorses.
Make no mistake, of course. This classic Land Rover has received a lot of maintenance over the years. It reportedly runs and drives nicely, and it looks amazing in its original Bronze Green hue. But it isn’t so perfect that you’d be afraid to take it out for a fun day on the trails. You won’t freak out if you get it a little muddy, either. And that’s really the point here.
These vehicles were made to go the distance and last a lifetime. And now, decades later, they’ve proven that they are quite capable of doing just that. The fact that the Series 1 also helped save Land Rover as a company doesn’t hurt, either.
Photos: Classic Car Auctions
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