Emerging from the darkest days of the early ’40s the car industry was fired back into action to help bolster the country's financial position.

The Rover car company, a pillar of British car manufacturing, put their money towards a go-anywhere, cheap to run truck. Maurice Wilks, the chief engineer at Rover, had penned the ‘Land Rover’ in the summer of 1947. With a central driving position, it was unlike anything else that had been previously proposed, this car was primarily designed for the agricultural sector.

Rover quickly approved this design; however, the central driving position was changed to a more normal setup. The steel box-section chassis coupled with an aluminium body was designed to avoid using the small reserves of steel in post-war Britain whilst using the surplus of Birmabright aluminium.

The bare minimum 4-wheel-drive truck, named the Series 1, was unveiled at the Amsterdam motor show in April of 1948 and for the princely sum of £450, you could be the proud owner of what would become a British icon. It hit the right spot in the market with 200,000 being produced by the time it was replaced by the Series 2 in 1958.

Leaving the Solihull factory on the 29th of March 1950 this Series 1 would head to its first owner in the Buckinghamshire area. As the Series 1 was designed with agricultural use in mind you won’t be surprised to hear that it would be first registered to a farmer, who more than likely used this truck for day-to-day tasks in and around the farm.

It would switch between a few owners during the 70s but it would ultimately stay within the home counties of Herts, Beds, and Bucks, this would take the ownership number up to around 5.

You can imagine that during its early life it was used as a Land Rover should be, none of this Chelsea tractor image that modern Land Rovers are known for. With thanks to some great record-keeping, we can say that in 1971 it was sold for the sum of £25, the equivalent of £376 in today’s money, what a bargain that would be today.

There’s a bit of a black hole in the records between 1971-1987 but there is a document that may suggest that it was off the road and laid up not doing any work, the trial is picked back up in 1987 where it can once again be found on a farm in Bedfordshire. In this period of its life, it would go through a restoration in 1999 to bring her back to her former glory, there are some pictures and records of this within the folder of paperwork. After the restoration is complete it would settle down with a few owners up in 2016 where the current owner would pick it up.

During their ownership they have loved this Series, keeping her in tip-top running condition so they can enjoy the thrills of historic motoring and share their passion with everyone. With a heavy heart, the current owner has decided to part ways with this truck due to health concerns. They are hoping that it finds its way into the arms of a classic motoring enthusiast who will use this car to its full potential and continue to share it with the next generation.

Luckily there is a fair amount of paperwork that comes with this Series 1, some of it more historical than others. The oldest piece of paperwork that we were able to find within the bundle was a registration booklet, equivalent to a modern V5 this booklet shows us where this truck has been from the start of its life until the mid 70’s when the registration document was updated into something we would recognise today as a V5. There is also a modern red V5 meaning a change of ownership will be swift on the day of collection.

Along with historical registration documents, there are quite a few invoices that show evidence some of the work that has been done over the past two decades. Some of these show interior work that has been carried out, such as a seat re-trim in 2014 using parts from Exmoor Trim, who are specialists in Land Rover interiors. Another vital piece of work that has been carried out is a head gasket replacement in 2014, so this should be good for a few more years still.

There is also a multitude of MOT test certificates, some are the older style A5 sheets but there are also more recognisable modern documents.
With all of this documented history, the next owner will be able to build a picture in their mind about this truck's past, it is clear that within the past two decades it has gone from a used and abused work truck to a collector’s item that is looked after properly.

Unlike the prototype vehicle, the production car had a more conventional right-hand drive set-up with an extra two seats along the front bench. The interior of a Series 1 is unlike a modern car, there are only the essential buttons and dials. A small speedometer, petrol gauge, and ampere meter are the only dials that you got, but then again what more do you need to ensure the smooth operation of this agricultural machine.

The front seats consist of three individual seats that form a bench-like structure, although these look basic they are relatively comfortable. These seats have been replaced or retrimmed in 2014 its thanks to this change that the seats are now presented in great condition.

This Series has been fitted with the canvas hood, a great addition to the truck's usability it is in good condition with age-related patina dotted around. The canvas appears to have no rips of tears and fits as it should around the tub. If in the summer, you feel that you need some more ventilation then you can remove this canvas hood to allow more airflow. Not only can you remove the hood, but you can also take off the window section of the doors and also the windscreen. Once you have done this you could almost call it a convertible.

Within the ‘boot’ section of the Series, you will find a new spare wheel and a bench section that can be used as extra seating for all of your friends when you go exploring the English countryside.

The interior of this Land Rover Series 1 is in great condition considering its age, it presents itself impeccably and is ready for you to jump in and take it on its next adventure.

Now an iconic shape, the exterior of this Series 1 is in great condition. We are now all familiar with the Defender 90 and 110, these numbers are a reference to the length of the wheelbase in inches, well the Series 1 is renowned for having an 80-inch wheelbase. This small footprint makes it extremely maneuverable and able to fit in even the smallest parking space.

One of the most interesting features on the exterior is around the headlight area, it is said that only very early production cars had the headlights hidden behind a mesh grill, much like this Series 1. Another extremely rare feature to see is the bronze-green painted chassis rails that are set just behind the silver steel bumper. Later Series 1 production models had their chassis painted black, but due to a lack of paint in post-war Britain, the early ones were offered solely in green.

The entire exterior of this car presents in great condition, with the correct pieces of trim all present and some amazing Land Rover mud flaps on the rear. From the exterior you can see that patina on the canvas roof, it could easily be replaced for a modern one but then you would lose the historical look and feel of this hood.

It is said that there are a few age-related marks on the bonnet but with a truck like this, there are bound to be a few bumps here and there. Apart from these reported marks the rest of the aluminum bodywork is in perfect condition and show ready.

This Series 1 is a very early example and is fitted with a 1.6L engine rather than the later 2.0L variants. The 1595cc engine is coupled to a four-speed gearbox that only has synchromesh on third and fourth. With a little bit of patience, the engine fired into life and purred away smoothly once she was up to temperature. It has only just come back from having a service so the new owner will get a full year’s worth of mechanical peace of mind knowing that the major fluids and filters have been replaced.

During the photo shoot, this Series 1 was required to start and turn around a few times and on each occasion, it did it with ease. With it being a 70-year-old engine you can imagine that on startup there is a little bit of smoke, but vitally the smoke is not blue, once she is up to temperature though there is no sign of any smoke.

Another little sign that this car has been looked after is the inclusion of an original toolkit, original foot pump, original jack, and even a manual starting handle should you want to show off how strong you are.

This car has been looked after properly over its most recent period, we should probably thank the owner who restored her in 1999 for the condition of the mechanical aspects. This historic truck is raring to get out and about, should you take her off-road she will more than likely show up her modern counterparts. The new owner will be getting a mechanically sound example of a British classic.
 

The Series Land Rover is an icon within the British automotive space and with the early example being in such great condition this would be the perfect addition to anyone’s garage. With the history that comes with the car, the new owner will be able to build up a picture of this car's life and write its next exciting chapter. 

With summer just around the corner this is the perfect car to explore the British Isles, enough space in the back for all your friends and picnic equipment, and simple engineering under the bonnet this will get you wherever you need to be no matter the conditions. 

It is all too easy to say that this could be an ‘investment opportunity’ but a car like this needs to be used, enjoyed, and showed off to the next generation to help preserve it far into the future. If you were to park this Series 1 next to a Ferrari it is more than likely that the Series will garner much more attention than any product from the prancing horse. A guaranteed head turned this would be a great purchase.