LRM Classics
Vehicles, people and stories…
Vehicles, people and stories...
WELCOME to LRM Classics. This month we tell the fascinating story of the first coil-spring Ninetys, two of which survive in the Dunsfold Collection, with two more in private hands. They were built during what to my mind is one of the most interesting decades in Land Rover history: the years from 1977 to 1987.
The humble utility Land Rover, which had evolved at a glacial pace since its launch in 1948, began to change much more rapidly. It had to, if the company was to fend off the increasing number of competitors it was facing, and the changing expectations and demands of its customers. The programme known as Stage 1 saw the installation of the Range Rover’s V8 in the Series III 88 and 109, and Stage 2 led to a brief flirtation with a 100-inch wheelbase Land Rover as well as the replacement of leaf springs and drum brakes with coils and discs, and the creation of the Ninety and One Ten that would a few years later become the Defender 90 and 110.
During this period, the company also began to exploit the potential for a luxury SUV by taking the Range Rover ever more upmarket, initially via the In Vogue limited editions and then with the four-door, which would spearhead Land Rover’s re-entry into the vital North American market in 1987. And, last but not least, the seeds were sown towards the tail end of the decade for Project Jay, which would become the company’s lifesaver, the Discovery. We’ll bring you more stories about this fascinating period over the coming months.
Our second feature comes from regular columnist Jack Dobson, also known now as one half of Oliver & Dobson Ltd, newly-formed Land Rover restoration specialists in Australia. Jack has plenty of experience of rebuilding his own vehicles but realises it is a whole new ball game when you’re doing it professionally with a paying customer in mind!
Jack provides a refreshingly honest summary of his experiences and lessons learned during the sourcing, sight-unseen, and the subsequent restoration of Oliver & Dobson’s Build 001, a 1967 Series IIA 88 inch, and shares his thoughts on factory-spec versus bespoke modifications and paint finishes.