1979 Range Rover 3.5 V8

This is a very original example of the 2-door legend. A RHD petrol-engined classic, it's finished in Bahama Gold and looks to be still running the original five-speed manual gearbox.

The seller, an Italian signore called Umberto, lived and worked in London (the Kensington and Chelsea parking permit is still in the window) for many years and used it regularly before returning home to Italy. Having been in kept in professional storage in Sussex for circa 5 years, it is now with us in Abingdon and we can confirm that it starts, runs and stops, yet will need further re-commissioning before it could be safely and reliably used as everyday transport.

But, more importantly, it’s very solid and as a ‘No Reserve’ auction it might prove to be a way of getting your hands on the Range Rover Classic you thought you could no longer afford.

Whilst there is some, there’s no serious rot that we can see; while the majority of the body panels are alloy, the underlying framework and floorpans are all steel and while these do have some surface corrosion, this doesn’t seem to have deteriorated into rust and rot, unlike most of the UK cars you’ll see being offered.

There is a rear tow-bar too plus what looks to be a pukka front towing frame, both of which add to the vehicle’s (already mighty) versatility.

The Bahama Gold coachwork is pretty straight and in good shape, despite what might be a poor first impression. With only a five-digit odometer and incomplete history, we don’t know how many hundreds of thousands it has covered for sure, but if the bodywork is anything to go by, it hasn’t lived too hard a life - but a life it has lived nonetheless. Please study the gallery closely to understand the bodywork, if you cannot make it to Abingdon to see in person, of course.

Pleasingly, the interior is largely original, including the sought after four-spoke steering wheel. Many will feel that a full retrim etc. is required as most of the fabric has perished and some of the plastic trim has warped and cracked a bit, but others who love this type of unrepeatable patina may disagree.

If you're in the former camp, that’s okay because almost all of it is still available and what isn’t could probably be refurbished by any half-decent trimmer or sourced as good secondhand items through the usual sources.

Importantly, the seat frames, including the funky rear one with its central latching mechanism, all look to be reusable, as does most of the dashboard. Pretty much everything else is just a case of cleaning and reusing, at worst perhaps even deciding to flex your credit card or autojumble patience to source a replacement.

We don’t know much about the engine, but as you can see from the video it starts well, but will need trailering away and full service undertaken before significant use. 

We’ve driven it around the yard. We struggled to get the throttle to loosen-up fully, so we think maybe a bit of dashpot oil required.

The engine bay is purposeful rather than pretty but it, like the underside, appears to be way more solid than you might think at first glance; what corrosion there is looks to be superficial and the underlying metal and chassis look to be impressively solid.

In fact, someone has already made a start on the bodywork restoration having replaced the boot floor.

The vendor has really loved this Range Rover, and the evidence is in the money spent over the years of his ownership with this vehicle; please take a good look at the service history and invoices shown in the photo gallery. For example £1,438.35 spent in 2015 plus a new battery in 2017, the list goes on; seemingly when he was advised to spend and do something, he did. 

Currently untaxed and MOT exempt, we strongly encourage you to come and inspect the car and paperwork in person, it is with us at The Market near Abingdon and we're open Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm.

This is an intriguing car in many respects not least because it is far, far more solid than its appearance suggests. 

Bahama Gold is a great period colour too, and given only a modicum of skill and money, we can see this delightful old barge being restored to its former glory with surprising ease.

As to value, who knows: Restored two-doors can fetch between £20,000 - £50,000, so while we think that this might be a good buy, somewhere between £10,000 - £15,000, it is being offered with no reserve, making it something of a lucky dip for interested buyers.

So, if you’ve got a half-decent tool kit and a hankering to own one of the most iconic vehicles ever built, why not pop in a speculative bid and see what happens. After all, the coming winter is unlikely to bring much in the way of good news, so you might as well be tucked away in your garage fettling a British legend, eh?

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located with us at The Market HQ near Abingdon; 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’.