1979 Land Rover Series 3 88

Supplied new on the 10th of April 1979 by Wadham Stringer in Somerset, this gorgeous example has had just five previous owners, all of whom have clearly treasured it; for those more used to looking at over-priced, farmyard specials, this low-mileage, largely original example will set their hearts a-flutter.

Finished in classic Marine Blue, the seller bought the Land Rover five years ago from marque specialists Conway Classic Land Rover. Since that time he has undertaken a few running repairs and has lightly refurbished small areas of the bodywork, being careful to retain its reference quality status, as demonstrated by being the subject of an article in a specialist Land Rover magazine.

With a genuine 56,000 miles on the odometer, it is now running superbly and is fit to be shown or used, as the new owner prefers.

Remarkably for a Land Rover, the paintwork is largely original, even if it is a little thin in places thanks to decades of being religiously polished and has the odd minor blemish. The doors haven’t dropped and still click shut nicely, and the bulkhead is completely solid and free of rust, rot, and corrosion.

The chassis is the original and has only received one new outrigger in its time in addition to some repairs to the rear. This is largely due the presence of the original factory paint protection, which has been supplemented by a coating of Owatrol oil, a little-known product that is a far better protective coating for original vehicles like this than standard underseal, which can trap water and mask problems.

All the light lenses are still the original Lucas units, and the galvanized body cappings are all in excellent condition, as is the hardtop, all of which only adds to the already considerable charm of this ‘reference’ vehicle.

The presence of some electrolytic corrosion led to the seller having the doors professionally resprayed and a pinprick hole in the passenger’s side floor caused him to have both footwells carefully replaced as a precaution against further, more aggressive corrosion. The offside front wing was replaced by the last owner when the seller bought the vehicle as the original was slightly damaged.

Not only is this vehicle in astoundingly wonderful original condition, it is also one of the rare examples originally supplied with the optional deluxe interior. This comprises more deeply padded vinyl seats complete with moderate side bolsters, Hardura insulation on the bulkhead centre panel, the footwell sides and the transmission tunnel. It also sports a much better headlining than was more normally installed, and rubber protective mats that are, incredibly, still held in place with the original clips.

The static seat belts can still be stored on the original plastic clips and the optional sun visors are still present and correct. All-in-all, the interior is an absolute delight, being original, almost pristine and fully functioning.

The original seats have been removed as the driver’s side seat has a split in one seam. This could be repaired but the owner has chosen to fit identical replacement seats, retaining and carefully storing the originals which will come with the car.

If you are used to being disappointed looking at old Land Rovers which end up having lost many original features, please use the ‘contact seller’ button to arrange a viewing of this fine specimen before auction end.

This vehicle still has its original four-cylinder petrol engine, main and transfer gearboxes, and front and rear axles which is a remarkable achievement for a car knocking on the door of its 40th anniversary. The owner tells us that they are all in good condition and work as they should. The car is with us and we can confirm that it is free of oil leaks, which aficionados will know is almost unheard of! Despite being MOT exempt, we are pleased to state that the owner of the Land Rover has just put it through; it has passed giving you further confidence about its solidity.

In 2017 the carburettors were refurbished and the braking system completely overhauled as part of a stem-to-stern inspection and service and so the owner tells us that the vehicle needs no mechanical work whatsoever. In total, he estimates he has spent in excess of £12,000 on the vehicle since he bought it.

The matching ‘bar-grip’ tyres are like new and fitted to Limestone steel wheels, as per the original. Even the original toolkit, complete with the factory jack and its wooden handle, is in place under the passenger’s seat base.

Delightfully, it comes with the original owner’s handbook and wallet, service history book and a huge wad of old bills, invoices and expired MOT certificates.

Please visit the ‘documents’ section of the gallery, where you will find a large number of invoices and other paperwork to support our claim that this car has an impressively comprehensive service history.

The article from Classic Land Rover magazine in 2015 is also reproduced in the ‘documents’ section of the gallery and we strongly recommend you read it for an independent review of this vehicle.

Good, original Series III Land Rovers are now in short supply as so many fell prey to the twin ravages of rust and bodged, inappropriate modifications made in period to keep them on the road when prices were on the floor.

However, their iconic status and legendary durability means the ones that have survived in good condition are highly prized by collectors, off-road enthusiasts and classic car collectors, which means vehicles of this quality will always find a ready market.

And having driven it ourselves, we can confirm that this is a very, very good example of the breed; driving superbly well and is a very straight vehicle. It has only been lightly refurbished, rather than ripped apart and fully restored (a process which, in this case, would have been almost criminally irresponsible…) this Series III Land Rover serves as an accurate guide as to how they were when they rolled off the production line in the seventies.

So, it’s not going to be cheap. We estimate that it will sell for £11,500 - 13,000, at which point it still represents a saving on the investment the seller has made – and a solid future investment, if past performance is anything to go by. The reserve is, as always with our auctions, set at a lower point than this.

We would strongly encourage you to make the trip to The Market HQ near Abingdon to see for yourself just how good this Land Rover Series III is; to arrange an appointment please use the ‘Contact Seller’ button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.

If needed, please remember we have a network of trusted suppliers we work with regularly and can recommend: Thames Valley Car Storage for storing your car, AnyVan for transporting it, and Footman James for classic car insurance.