Few vehicles can truly be described as the backbone of Britain, the Routemaster, the Transit both come to mind, but the venerable Land Rover, penned originally by Rover’s lead designer Maurice Wilks, may well be the most loved.

Rover executives couldn’t have possibly imagined the blossoming family tree that the Willis Jeep-inspired Land Rover would plant, let alone a whole new brand. The Land Rover revolutionised the way off-road vehicles would be developed, pairing a steel box-section chassis with lightweight aluminium panels.

The Land Rover would enter production in 1948 after its launch at the Amsterdam Motor Show, and a development inspired by this original design would remain in production until the late 2010s.

This particular Series 1 was supplied in kit form, it was shipped from the UK on the 30th of August 1951 and arrived and was subsequently assembled by Granville Motors, Sydney in December of the same year. It was repatriated to the UK in 2018 after more than 65 years.

Finished originally in Bronze Green of which some of its original finish remains, the bodywork has vastly been preserved with a level of patination that would make Richard Rawlings green with envy. The riveted aluminium panels tell a story with visible bumps, scrapes and dents throughout, that act like a map of this car’s journey. The wheels are original items refinished and wrapped in classic Avon rubber for the perfect period-correct look.

But don’t let the patination fool you, this is an incredibly well-loved Land Rover and has been subject to an extensive but sympathetic restoration. Thanks to this you’ll notice the brightwork, lights and lenses are all in excellent condition, despite being newer they compliment the patina perfectly. The Landy also benefits from a full-new canvas roof kit, meaning you can enjoy this classic whatever the weather.

The interior is dutifully sparse. The bulkhead/dash has been painted in Bronze Green and there are three centrally mounted gauges one for voltage, one for oil pressure and a tachometer. The front seats and rear benches have all been trimmed in a kit from a Land Rover restoration specialist and an original steering wheel remains in place.

Under the bonnet is a 2-litre inline 4-cylinder petrol, that has been treated very kindly, and benefits from a recent carburettor rebuild. The engine bay is also in excellent shape, it retains a bit more of the paintwork than the exterior but is free from any damage. The engine runs well, and offers more drivability than a slightly earlier Series 1 fitted with the original 1.6-litre unit.

The underside has been subject to a major overhaul, the body was removed to fully address the underside and no nut or bolt was left unturned. A large portion of work was taken on by Churchill 4x4 and included a full gearbox overhaul, axle casings and a whole host more. Invoices from Churchill 4x4 alone total more than £15,000, Included in the work was the fitment of a full-replacement wiring loom from Autosparks. Absurdly this car has had, since its return to the UK, £40,000 spent on it.

We’ve said it before, but Land Rover’s are more than just cars. They’re a companion to adventure, if they were a dog, they’d be an excited and willing Labrador. Don’t let its lumps and bumps fool you, this Land Rover has lived a well-loved life, and every mark is there to tell a story.

If you’re ready to add to them, create more memories and enjoy life with a classic icon, it could well be the car for you, the huge collection of invoices means that you can rest-assured that any common areas have been addressed, ageing wiring has been replaced but unlike a lot of Series 1s, it hasn’t been over-restored.

As with all our vehicles, a full digital folder is available on request containing more images, walk-around videos, and scans of the service history. The car can also be viewed by appointment at our West London showroom.