Desirable early 2-door with 3.5 V8 engine
Full body off restoration (chassis galvanised)
Huge history file back to new
Very well sorted and correct example

MODEL HISTORY
First launched in 1970, the Range Rover S1 was billed as a “Four-In-One” car. It was a luxury car, a performance car, an estate car and of course, a cross-country car. The marketing for the model was spot-on, the car was truly “go anywhere” and combined family practicality with comfort. Even to this day Range Rover use the S1 to promote the current line of Range Rovers – the model is a design icon.

The first generation of cars were labelled the suffix-A and were launched with the ubiquitous Rover V8 3.5 litre petrol engine which delivered 135bhp but more importantly 185lb/ft of torque. Mated to a 4-speed gearbox with a lockable centre differential, the Range Rover pulls well in all gears and is more than capable of keeping up with modern traffic. Various improvements were made through the suffixes (A-F) with the 1976 suffix D benefitting from improved carburettors, interior lighting in the headlining and more luxurious carpeting on the transmission tunnel.

THIS MOTOR CAR
The car available for sale at The Classic Motor Hub is a Range Rover Suffix D delivered new to a Miss G. L. Matthews on 8th September 1976. Miss Matthews, a teacher at Lyng Hall School in Coventry, specified her Range Rover in Lincoln Green with Palamino Interior as well as the £99.69 option pack comprising of tinted glass, head restraints, brushed nylon trim and inertia reel seatbelts. Part exchanging a 1954 Standard Vanguard, Miss Matthews paid £5943.55 as detailed by the order form and invoice accompanying the history file. Miss Matthews paid fastidious attention to her every mile, keeping a log of her mileage and fuel costs in a school exercise book which, along with the order form and other detailed correspondence still accompanies the car to this day.

Miss Matthews owned and maintained the car right up to 1992, when it appears the car changed owners for the first time. The next notable owner was a Mr Tim Kent who purchased the car in the early 2000s. In 2007 Mr Kent started enquiries with specialists to restore the Range Rover obtaining several quotes from restorers including Royle & Co Ltd before eventually commissioning LRR Rane Rovers for a body-off restoration. LRR removed the body and galvanised the chassis, attended to any rust on the bodywork as well as recommissioning all mechanical parts. The engine was removed, stripped and re-built, the front and rear-axles were removed, stripped and galvanised, in all a total restoration of the car was undertaken – a detailed breakdown of which is found in the history file as well as a CD containing photographs of the work carried out.

Mr Kent enjoyed his freshly restored Range Rover for several years before selling it to the current owner who has also used the car sparingly and kept up with the maintenance schedule. Now little over 10 years since the work was carried out, the car is settling in to its restoration nicely. The bodywork is in excellent condition and the interior trim remains fresh. The original dashboard is currently fitted to the car but a spare accompanies the car. Mechanically the car is superb, starting on the button and driving very well.

Available for sale and immediate inspection at The Classic Motor Hub.