EARLY RANGE ROVER CLASSIC. 1971. Lincoln Green

Current MOT. expires 18 April 2014. Taxed (free) to end of March 2014.

HISTORY

Two Family Owners From New.

The first owner (I shall call him the Old Gent) bought this Range Rover from HR Owen of London. SW1 and registered it on 11 August 1971.

He owned it for 27 years. but towards the end it appears that he was losing his ability to drive. When my son bought the vehicle in 1998. the Old Gent's adult daughters had "Power of Attorney" to sell it. so it seems the Old Gent was still alive but unable to manage his affairs. We have a letter from the daughters in 1998. saying the vehicle had not been driven for the previous 2/3 years.

My son had the necessary work done to put it back on the road. including some inner wing panels. but could not afford to run it so sold it to me 9 months later.

I have owned this Range Rover since August 1999. but as I have a collection of classic Land Rovers. this vehicle has not been used every year.

Mileage on MOT certs as follows:

1998: 91. 69

1999: 94. 29

2001: 94. 79

2006: 94. 11

2007: 96. 24

2008: 97. 50

2012: 98. 39

2013: 99. 00

I've owned a late N reg Classic RR for the last 16 years and this one for 14 years. so I am reluctant to sell it. Having recently bought some other old Land Rovers however. space is becoming short.

This is the reason for the sale.

CONDITION

The vehicle has never been restored but has work done to it over the years as necessary. to keep it road-worthy.

The worst feature is the bodywork. as I suspect it suffered towards the end of the Old Gent's driving time. It has dings and dents and evidence of repair. none of which happened in my ownership. The photographs show some of it. but you should inspect for yourself.

The interior is original and has not been "restored" with later seats or materials.

Unusually. the original early-type window winders have survived. These are very fragile and break easily. so on most early Range Rovers they have been replaced by the later type (shown as a spare in one of the photos).

There are staples on the rear seatback for rear seatbelts. mandatory for the US market but not usually found on UK vehicles.

The original driver's seat is heavily taped. I have 2 NOS original seat bases (ex Dunsfold many years ago) which will be for sale separately later.

I suspect the top tailgate has been replaced at some time.

The bottom tailgate is original but will need some work on its bottom edge.

The engine is the original unit. and had a part-rebuild and thorough chek-over in 2006. The heads were crack-tested and skimmed. the block was pressure tested and rebuilt with new big-end and main bearings. new timing chain and 16 new tappets. A new rope oilseal was fitted to the crank rear end.

As a matter of interest. while the engine was out. someone who was visiting the Land Rover Specialist commented that it had a "sand-cast Buick block" as opposed to a die-cast Rover block. and it had a Buick "B" on the block. (I cannot confirm this. but hope early RRC enthusiasts will know what he was talking about!)

I have never had a problem with the chassis and believe it is unwelded/un-patched and rot free. Please inspect for yourself.

The steering starts to wobble at and above 50mph. I suspect the front wheels may need balancing. (I've only driven it at that speed one time on a motorway!)

The vehicle comes with its original Owners Handbook (with the Errata page in it. relating to the deletion of the limited-slip differential) and Rover Passport to Service booklet. The tool set that came with it. is as you can see in the photos.

CONDITIONS OF AUCTION

I expect bidders to have viewed the vehicle. or had it inspected by someone on their behalf before bidding. Location: Northwest Essex. about half an hour from Stansted Airport.

You may test drive the vehicle if you bring a valid licence and evidence of insurance with you.

Bidders please note. I am trying to avoid timewasters or hagglers. so:

If you have not inspected the vehicle or contacted me during the auction. I reserve the right to delete your bid. and accept the bid of the highest bidder who has.

The vehicle is subject to a reserve price.

A successful bidder must pay a £300 non-returnable deposit at the end of the auction. by Paypal.

The balance should be paid by Bank Transfer. cleared cheque or cash. If paying by cash. the vehicle cannot be removed until the cash is accepted by my Bank. (This may involve an hour's delay).

The purchase must be completed within 7 days of the end of the auction. ( I am prepared to store the vehicle after purchase if collection is a problem. by prior agreement).

By bidding you agree to the above conditions.

Good luck. if you are a genuine bidder!

Also published at eBay.co.uk

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