50 YEARS of RANGE ROVER
Read our fact-file on the original Range Rover. The specialists below can help with owning one
THIS YEAR celebrates the 50th anniversary of the Range Rover. Launched in 1970, this was British Leyland’s flagship model. Charles Spencer ‘Spen’ King was the man behind the development of the Range Rover, after Land Rover’s takeover by the British Leyland Motor Corporation. The first versions had two passenger doors and a split tailgate, with a fivedoor version arriving in 1981, and the very earliest models (commonly known as ‘Suffix A’) were fitted with vinyl-faced foam seats; the vinyl seat coverings always cracked over time due to the stresses of heat and cold, but have just been remanufactured. Power came from the robust 3.5-litre V8 engine.
The Suffix A is the best long-term buy – providing it has original matching engine, gearbox and chassis numbers. Buying one that has had a diesel engine fitted, for instance, is not a good investment. Other potentially good purchases, however, include the CSK, the 25th Anniversary, and Autobiography 4.2 shortwheelbase versions.
As with most cars of the 1970s, corrosion became a major problem for the Range Rover and rust is undoubtedly the vehicle’s main enemy, the sub-structure/inner bodyshell in particular being a problem. Be warned: a number of outer panels are aluminium and can hide rot issues underneath. Other areas prone to corrosion are inner and outer sills, the rear body crossmember, front inner wings, central boot floor (particularly on later cars), left and right rear floor panels, front footwells, and Aand B-pillar sections. The upper A-pillars are more prone to rust on later models, and there can be excessive bulkhead corrosion on later ‘soft dash’ models.
If you are considering buying an early twodoor Range Rover, therefore, it is best to seek expert advice before proceeding, in case you end up with a money pit. Some specialists are listed below, who are ideal suppliers of parts and restoration services.