The Land Rover 70th anniversary will be marked this year with a series of high profile events.
The first will be the nuts and bolts restoration of the vehicle that started it all – the pre-production Land Rover shown at the Amsterdam Motor Show back in 1948.
This gave the motoring world its first glimpse of the profile that would become instantly recognisable as a Land Rover – off-road icon, work horse and fashion statement.
Location of launch Land Rover was a mystery for many years
The whereabouts of the launch Land Rover was a mystery for many years. It was last on the road in the 1960s, after which it spent 20 years in a Welsh field before being bought as a restoration project; it then lay languishing unfinished in a garden.
Following its surprise discovery just a few miles outside of Solihull – where, coincidentally, the car was built – Jaguar Land Rover Classic decided to use the model to mark the Land Rover 70th anniversary.
The team behind the successful Land Rover Series I Reborn programme will now embark on a year-long mission to preserve the prototype and get it on the road again.
“An irreplaceable piece of world automotive history”
Tim Hannig, Jaguar Land Rover Classic Director, said: “This Land Rover is an irreplaceable piece of world automotive history and is as historically important as “Huey”, the first pre-production Land Rover.
“Beginning its sympathetic restoration here at Classic Works, where we can ensure it’s put back together precisely as it’s meant to be, is a fitting way to start the Land Rover 70th anniversary.
“There is something charming about the fact that exactly 70 years ago this vehicle would have been undergoing its final adjustments before being prepared for the 1948 Amsterdam Motor Show launch – where the world first saw the shape that’s now immediately recognised as a Land Rover.”
Launch model will be restored to former glory to mark Land Rover 70th anniversary
The Jaguar Land Rover Classic team will follow a dedicated process to restore the launch vehicle, which has a lot of special features unique to the 48 pre-production Land Rovers produced prior to the mass production vehicles, such as thicker aluminium alloy body panels, a galvanised chassis and a removable rear tub.
The patina of its components will be preserved, including the original Light Green paint used in 1948.
Previous owners of this historic vehicle are being invited to Jaguar Land Rover’s Classic Works facility to share their experiences and to witness its restoration.
This project is the first in a series of events that will celebrate the past, present and future of 4×4 motoring throughout the Land Rover 70th anniversary.
Talk to a specialist about your 4×4 in Land Rover 70th anniversary year
The restoration team are Land Rover specialists. Adrian Flux has a team of specialists too who can provide value-for-money Land Rover and off-road motor insure bespoke to your very personal needs. Their best rates are always available over the phone: 0800 369 8590.
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