1955 Land Rover 86" Series 1

The original Land Rover series 1 was designed by Maurice Wilks and launched by the Rover Company of Solihull on 30th April 1948. It had an 80 inch wheelbase and a sturdy box section ladder-frame chassis. The open back with 3 seats in the front design was heavily influenced by the American World War Two Willys Jeep. The Land Rover quickly became popular with both the army and the farming fraternity (not least because it had a 'power take-off' or PTO as standard). The wheelbase was extended to 86 inches early on in production to give the vehicle more stability and greater load capacity. A canvas top also became a practical addition. The strong, reliable 2.0 litre petrol engine was standard until 1957 when, with the introduction of the Series 2 model, a diesel engine was offered as an alternative.

This vehicle is an 86 inch wheelbase, 1955 Series 1 petrol Land Rover, chassis number 5710-5407. It is a 'matching numbers' vehicle with a rebuilt engine and gearbox and a totally restored chassis and body to exactly the original period specification.

The "nut and bolt' restoration took place between 1997 and 2005 and the vehicle has only covered 260 miles since. This restoration project is estimated to have cost in excess of £38,000 at the time and this figure can be easily be believed when you look at the level of detail and the accuracy of all the components used. This project included the restoring of the complete interior and under bonnet areas. The owner was a life-long Land Rover enthusiast and he spent many hours researching the accurate and detailed information required to recreate exactly what the factory had produced at the time, so it is faithful in every detail no matter how small.

Carrying the original registration number 'PBM 384' is ready and available now, it comes with a fresh MOT, and is sure to be appreciated and enjoyed by the lucky new owner and it could be even exhibited globally as one of the best restored Land Rovers in the world today.

In October 2012 the exact same vehicle that was the former property of Sir Winston Churchill, but was totally unrestored, made £140,000 at auction! What value for money this particular Lot must now represent.