Expert Buyer

Leaf-sprung Landies are hot property, but there are still deals to be had

Land Rover Series I-III

Series Land Rovers (the generic name for leafsprung cars from 1948 to 1984) are about as simple and rugged as motoring gets, and while they were built to work hard, most survivors were retired long ago.

Series Is now tend to live quietly in private collections alongside more glamorous machinery, but were cheap as chips a few decades ago. It was common practice to plonk a Rover V8 into them, then noisily murder them at off-road trials, but today they’re hot property, in a category of their own in terms of values.

The barrel-sided Series IIs and IIAs (which, relatively speaking, have a few more creature comforts) are catching up, and the Series III is gradually acquiring its own classic status. Swapping the engine – for a Perkins diesel or a later Tdi, which adds hugely to cruising speed and economy – used to be commonplace but enthusiasts today tend to prefer the original Rover unit’s character.

Pristine restorations have really proliferated, especially among Series Is, so buyers with cash to spare aren’t short of options. Most rougher workhorses have been broken for spares or reborn on a galvanised chassis, sometimes with a galvanised bulkhead too, but interest from urbanites with little experience of the Green Oval has motivated a few unscrupulous sellers to stick fresh paint and posh trim on rough vehicles and pass them off as restorations. Don’t get caught out, and be picky on the test drive. A well-built Series should be a pleasure to drive, but many aren’t; thousands of enthusiasts (this writer included) learned how cars work by mucking about with old Landies, often to the detriment of the vehicle.

There’s been an influx of Series Is from Australia in recent years, often weatherbeaten and cheaply maintained but very solid. Find one that’s been checked over by a UK specialist, and you’re on to a good thing.