Vintage Land Rovers

In the automobile industry, there are certain vehicles which, due to their quality and build, have made a lasting impression on the mind of every automobile enthusiast. One of such iconic vehicles are vintage Land Rovers.

Land Rover is a big name in the automobile industry and has many good vehicles to offer, many of which are extremely popular around the world. It is the second-oldest 4WD car company all over the globe, after Jeep. As of now, the marque is owned by the Indian giant Tata Motors.

The brand entered into production with the 'Series' models, out of which the 'Series I' was the first. The first Land Rover with the 1.6-liter I4 engine generated 50 hp. Production of the first vehicle started in 1948 and ended in 1958.

The company offered three engine variants in the Series I Land Rover, namely; 1.6-liter I4, 2.0-liter I4, and 2.0-liter diesel I4, all of which had a 4-speed manual transmission gearbox. It was offered in 2- and 4-door models, and also in a 2-door pickup truck. Throughout the lifetime of this series, this vehicle had been through many changes in wheelbase and exteriors.

Soon after the end of the production of Series I Land Rovers, the company started the next series named II. This series was in production for a less time, from 1958 to 1961. In its production stage, vehicles came with three engine variants; which were 2.0-liter petrol I4, 2.25-liter petrol I4, and 2.0-liter I4 diesel.

The Series II models were more stylish than their earlier versions. Some of these were even made using the 2-liter petrol engine from the Series I model. Series IIA, Series IIA FC, and Series IIB FC were also manufactured in latter years. These variants had differences in the type of axles, engines, body, and features.

In the Series III Land Rovers, the primary difference was that the headlights besides the grill were shifted on the fender. Their production started in 1971 and ended in 1985. There were also major changes in the Series III; such as advanced exterior and interior, a plastic dashboard, and other trim variants.

The petrol engines available were 2.25-liter 73 hp I4, 2.6-liter 86 hp I6, and 3.5-liter 91 hp V8. There was even a 2.25-liter 62 hp I4 diesel variant available in the Series III. Besides, this series also offered a Selectable 4WD system and 2-speed or 4-speed transmission gearbox.

The first Range Rover was manufactured in 1970 and is still running, being in its third generation though. 'Classic' was added to its name to differentiate it from the following generations of the SUV. The engines of the first generation Classic ranged from 2.4-liter 112 hp to 4.2-liter V8 200 hp.

The production for this variant was stopped in 1996. The first Range Rover model ever rolled out from the factory is currently displayed at the Huddersfield Land Rover Centre, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire. It is certainly one of the best off-road SUVs currently available.

The Land Rover Ninety, Land Rover One Ten, and Land Rover 127 were predecessors of the Defender. The names actually relate to the wheelbase. The exterior of these early versions of the Defender were the same as that of Series III.

Both Ninety and One Ten variants had a permanent 4WD system, a two-speed transfer gearbox, and a locking center differential. The Land Rover 127 was intended for heavy load-bearing purpose, hence used by the military and utility companies. The engine variants ranged from 2.3-liter 62 hp I4 diesel to 3.5-liter 134 hp V8 petrol.

Since all new generations of Land Rovers are available in the brand's showrooms, vintage ones can hardly be found for sale. However, there are some facilities and services which do the job of buying, selling, and restoring old Land Rovers.

You would not believe that these businesses have clients from all over the world, out of which most are die-hard enthusiasts of these 4x4 machines. The services incorporate all new features and interiors in vintage Rovers, without compromising with the valuable heritage of the vehicle. The highest-selling models are believed to be the Land Rover Defender and Land Rover Series.

At present, the Defender model is not available in the USA but is offered in the brand's showrooms all across UK. You can simply surf the web and look for stores which offer a good deal on a vintage Land Rover, even from the 60s and 70s. Due to their sturdy off-roading performance in the past, even today, Land Rovers can be called the toughest machines on the planet.