Highlights

Recent comprehensive restoration, completed to an exceptional standard
Original seven seat station wagon with safari roof and sliding rear windows
Immaculate interior, exterior, engine compartment and underside

The Appeal

Some restorations stand head and shoulders above the rest and we’re delighted to say this recently completed Series III is amongst the most beautifully presented Land Rovers we’ve seen. With an engine compartment and underside cleaner than most cars’ interiors, it is hard to believe that this very car was languishing in a scrapyard not so long ago.

Original factory station wagons are few and far between and, with the build sheet miraculously still present, we can confirm that this car has been restored back to its original condition and specification. If you’re looking for a restored Land Rover to display, or simply use as intended, this 1974 Series III is one of the best around.

The History and Paperwork

Original specification list present
Factory station wagon
The vendor purchased the car from a scrap yard
Subject to a full restoration carried out by the vendor, which was concluded in May 2022
Stored inside following the restoration
Original parts refurbished and reused where possible
V5C present
MOT valid until June 2023 (although exempt)
Invoices for new chassis, mechanical components and interior trim
Owner’s manual present

The Interior

Deluxe vinyl seats
Reproduction Hardura set
Individual folding rear seats
Upper and lower door cards with armrests present all round
Restored, with few signs of wear to be seen

On the inside, there is really no evidence of wear anywhere to be seen and it is evident that everything has been carefully taken apart and restored meticulously.

This Land Rover was originally specified with the deluxe three-abreast seating in the front, which were replaced with new seats meeting the original specification. In the rear, basic single seats fold down and are in similarly excellent condition.

Under the nearside seat box, the stowage compartment remains in very good shape and is lined with the period correct ribbed rubber matting. It contains the correct wheel brace, a tool roll containing the correct tools and the factory correct Tangye jack with its wooden handle. The extension bar is also present along with the starting handle.

As a factory station wagon, this Land Rover is plusher than most Series III, although spartan by the standards of most of its contemporaries. Inside the safari roof, the roof vents have been fully restored and function correctly and the full headlining is present with no damage we could see. A further station wagon feature is the cushioned panelling running around the cabin at head height which is complete and in great shape.

On the floors, rubber mats protect the alloy floors and steel footwells and there is no wear to speak of. There is also new Hardura covering the transmission tunnel and bulkhead. This car also has a full set of door cards, which in the front includes the upper and lower sections with the armrests.

The dashboard presents really well, with no signs of damage and the Jaeger instruments are in good working order. The vehicle has been fitted with an auxiliary Smiths voltmeter, which was a option of the time. This has been fitted in the optional gauge slot which exists in the dash.

The Exterior

Recent Pastel Green paintwork
New chassis from Richards Chassis
Re-galvanised cappings
Very smart bodywork
Impeccably presented underneath

The mark of a truly exemplary restoration is when even the bits you wouldn't normally see are finished to the same standard as the bits you do. If this were our Land Rover, we’d be installing mirrors on the garage floor as the chassis and running gear is impeccably presented. There is no road grime, corrosion or evidence of leaks anywhere to be seen and all of the running gear looks to be in very good shape indeed.

Topside, this Land Rover has remarkably straight bodywork, especially when you consider that aluminium alloy dents easily and Land Rovers are typically worked hard. The doors shut really well and the panel alignment is very good. The bulkhead bears no evidence of previous patches or repairs and there is no corrosion in sight. Repainted in the very fetching original Pastel Green, you can still see all the spot welds down the sides in exactly the right places. Every nut, bolt, washer, rivet and screw that we could see on this car looks absolutely right, even down to the hard-to-find parts like the clips that secure the radiator grill.

The galvanised cappings are very bright and have clearly been refinished. All of the light lenses look to be in good condition and the vendor informs us that they all work as they should. The door tops are in very good condition and the windows slide smoothly within their felted channels. A special feature of this car is the safari roof with rear windows. The top of the roof is finished in Limestone to match the wheels and we can see the two roof skins have been carefully taken apart and refurbished

Speaking of the wheels, they have been repainted to a high standard and are shod with period-correct Avon Traction Mileage tyres which all have ample tread remaining. A spare wheel is mounted to the rear door and there is provision to keep one atop the bonnet as well should the next owner wish. Mudflaps are fitted at the rear, and are in very good condition.

The Mechanics

2.25-litre petrol engine
Overdrive and freewheeling front hubs
Invoices for engine parts

As you would expect having seen the rest of the car, under the bonnet the engine compartment is immaculate, the block having been repainted its original colour and everything looking to have been refurbished or replaced.

The 2.25-litre, four-cylinder petrol engine reportedly runs well and we failed to see any evidence of leaks. The axles all look to be in fine shape, as do the leaf springs, shock absorbers, brake lines and steering components. The vendor informs us that it drives really well with no untoward noises or smoke.

Benefitting from overdrive and freewheeling hubs, this Land Rover boasts adequate performance on the road and these two features also keep driveline noise to a minimum at higher speeds. We understand that the high and low range gearbox function without fault, as does the switchable four-wheel drive system.

Summary

We’re so glad this Land Rover was saved from a scrap yard and became the basis for a truly outstanding restoration. Few 48 year-old Land Rovers look half as smart or retain so much of their originality as this one.

If you’re looking for a vehicle that is just right, this would be an excellent car to consider.

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