A new arrival at Oldtimer Australia is this freshly restored, Australian delivered, 1950 Land Rover Series 1 80.

There is a British Motor Industry Heritage Trust certificate on file which confirms that this particular example was despatched from the factory on 23rd May 1950. Its destination was Annand & Thompson Pty Limited in Brisbane, Australia. The certificate also confirms this car was delivered with a 1.6 litre petrol engine.

The early history of this lights through the grill Land Rover is not known however, it found its way into the ownership of a family who lived on a property near Gladstone in Central Queensland. It is understood that the car sat in shed on the property next to a World War II bomber for at least 30 years! It was ultimately sold as part of an estate sale from which it was acquired by the current owner and noted Land Rover restorer Guy Bedington from GB Restorations in Toowoomba.

When the car was recovered a few years ago, it was found to be essentially complete and in remarkably good condition, with virtually no rust. This was as a result of it being very well stored in a dry environment.

Affectionately known as Matilda, the car has undergone a 650 hour fully detailed restoration by GB Restorations using almost entirely original parts. The engine, gearbox and axles are original equipment to the car with all correct numbers, as is the carburettor, distributor and other components.

Every component has been stripped and meticulously overhauled using original parts where possible or new old stock components. All body bolts and screws were sourced from a Birmingham UK company specialising in BSF products with the correct sherardised plating.

The car presents in the original specification Land Rover deep bronze green with correct green vinyl trimmed seats. To make it more comfortable for the people sitting in the back seat cushions were fitted using the same green vinyl. For the purists, these can be easily removed as they are not attached. The same for the rubber mat in the back, its only there to protect the paint on the floor.

The canvas hood presents in the correct khaki colour and it has the correct door top flaps.

The windscreen is two separate panes of glass. The left hand pane is most likely original as it retains the original Triplex XXX Toughened etching. Even though it is scratched, the decision was made to retain it. The right hand pane is new glass.
The devil is in the detail and the car presents with correct Lucas original headlights and Lucas wiper motor.

The car rides on 16 body coloured steel wheels that are fitted with Speedways Military tyres, size 6.00-16. A correct load space spare wheel is currently mounted in the tray, however, it can also be mounted on the bonnet.

GB Restorations usually build cars to order, however, a change in circumstance of the buyer of this car, has resulted in it being available for sale.

The restoration of this Land Rover has only just been completed and as a result everything presents as new. Today the odometer reads 16 miles, which is the distance travelled since the car was restored.

There are photos on file which show the extent of the restoration. The car was stripped down to a bare chassis and every component, including the drive train has been rebuilt.

Land Rovers were originally built for agricultural and industrial work. They were practical, no frills vehicles designed purely for function - not comfort - and as a result, they are very basic. The driving position is upright, the seats are simple, there are no carpets and the dashboard is minimalistic, featuring only the essential instruments needed to operate the vehicle.

Under the bonnet everything is clean and tidy as one would expect from a recently restored car. The car retains its original ID plate, which matches the stamped chassis number, as well as its Annand & Thompson dealer plate. The radiator has the date stamp 1149 (November 1949), which would be correct for this car.

All you have to do to start the car from cold is to turn the ignition on, pull the choke out and press the starter button located on the fire wall. The car starts easily and the 1.6 litre (1,595cc) petrol engine will fire up at pretty much first crank. You can then almost immediately push the choke back and use the accelerator to further warm up the engine. After about 10 seconds the engine will idle smoothly.

The instruments and switches are all original and have been fully restored. On our test drive all the instruments were working as they should.

As one would expect from a car that wasnt built for comfort the controls are very basic and need a firm hand. The gearbox is precise and tight, but you do need to be deliberate when changing gears. With its top speed of around 50-60mph (if you are brave enough!) the Land Rover is not the fastest car on the road. The steering is also relatively vague by modern standards. Theres noticeable play in the wheel, so you often need to make small corrections to keep the vehicle tracking straight, particularly on the open road. But that is not what this car is all about. On the road it is best described as slow but capable, but it is off-road is where it really shines. It was built to handle mud, hills, and rough terrain with ease!

We were keen to put the cars off road capability to the test, but decided that discretion was the better part of valour!

The brakes are quite adequate for the car and will pull the car up quickly and in a straight line when needed.

In summary, these early Land Rovers are full of character and incredibly engaging to drive.

These early Land Rovers are becoming thin on the ground and the opportunity to acquire a brand new 1950 Land Rover Series 1 80 that has been correctly and freshly restored presents a unique opportunity.

Matilda is ready for its next custodian to show, use and enjoy!

Accompanying the car is a British Motor Industry Heritage Trust Certificate as well as photos of its restoration.

Highlights:
- Australian delivered.
- Desirable 80 lights through the grill model.
- Recently restored by passionate Land Rover specialists.
- Ready to be shown, used and enjoyed.

Priced at significantly under its replacement costs at $82,950.


Background

One of the fundamental principles of economics is the law of supply and demand. During World War II the US army had a need for a light 4WD vehicle capable of carrying troops as well as cargo. And so the Jeep was born. From 1941 through until 1945 Willys and Ford were the major supplier of Jeeps, in various configurations, to the US military and their allies.

The history of the Rover Company dates back to the mid-1800s when it was selling sewing machines and then 'safety' tricycles and bicycles. By the 1930s, it had evolved into a car company but was hit badly by the Great Depression. In common with many British industrial companies during World War II, its factories were turned over to the war effort and produced engines for tanks and aircraft. By 1945 and the end of World War II, Rover found itself with two excellent factories and a highly skilled workforce. It was looking at restarting car production and had ambitious plans to build 20,000 cars per year. A new model, the M'-Type was dropped when it became clear that it would be unsuitable for export and that tooling costs would be excessive. Plans to produce 15,000 of the pre-war designs per year were quickly quashed by the Government which refused to allocate steel for more than 1,100 cars per year. This serious shortfall led Rover to realise that a stopgap solution was required until sufficient steel was available. The stopgap also had to have export potential. Just to make things difficult, Rover had never exported any vehicles before!

Maurice Wilks, Rovers head of design, had been using ex-army Jeeps on his farm and realising that there was no real alternative decided that Rover would provide one. The first prototype Land Rover, developed in late 1946, was actually built on Jeep chassis. The bodywork was made of an aluminium alloy called Birmabright.

Using similar dimensions to the World War II Jeep, the first Land Rovers had an 80" wheelbase. The new Land Rover was first unveiled at the Amsterdam Motor Show on the 30th April 1948. It featured a steel box section chassis with an aluminium body and was powered by a 1.6 litre, 4-cylinder Rover engine from the P3 Rover car range developing around 50 hp. The gearbox was four speed Rover mated to a two-speed transfer box thus allowing 4WD operation. A PTO (power take off) was also fitted to enable the Land Rover to be used as a stationary power unit.

Rover didnt know what to expect but they need not have worried. The Land Rover was an outstanding success and the order books quickly overflowed. A legend was born! This humble Land Rover is in many ways the pioneer of the ubiquitous SUVs seen on our roads today.