1980 Land Rover RANGE ROVER 3 Door

Everyone loves a barn find, and everyone loves a three-door Range Rover, so this three-door, barn find Range Rover is bound to attract a lot of attention. Throw in the period Yellow paintwork, a genuine 50,000kms on the clock, just the one owner from new (a french farmer) and a wonderfully subtle patina and you have a car that is close to being The Holy Grail among Land Rover enthusiasts.

Close? Well, yes. The car misses being an absolute bull’s-eye by being a left-hand-drive. Having said that, a right-hand-drive conversion wouldn’t be terribly difficult or you could leave it as it is (we would) and enjoy all the benefits of a LHD car on those intercontinental blasts on the way to ski slopes.

Right, let’s start with the obvious: it’s a 36-year-old car that was made by British Leyland, so there are going to be some issues to deal with along the way. The tailgate, like almost every single Range Rover in the world, needs some attention and there is the odd dent, ding and scratch. 

The driver’s door, for example, has a long scratch-come-dent at the bottom, and the passenger’s door has a similar problem plus a small amount of rust bubbling at the bottom (while the door skins are aluminium, the door frames are steel. Remember, this is a 1970’s BL product when all is said and done…)

But, as you can see from the pictures it is in remarkably good condition. Most barn find cars are horribly rotten and covered in bird muck and dents. This isn’t.

It’s got the desirable short bumpers and the exposed door and bonnet hinges. OK, it’s got a non- standard front grille and a winch, but replacing and removing them isn’t exactly going to break the bank, is it?

Oh, and it’s got steel wheels for the win…

The interior is largely original, with only minor period accessories like the Blaupunkt tuner and aftermarket speakers. Crucially, the dashboard hasn’t been drilled and fitted with auxiliary switches and gauges.

The seats are the original cloth and given that everyone retrofits leather seats from a more modern example, the presence of the standard seats is a real bonus. I’d say the same of the factory fit four-speed manual gearbox; if you’re buying a period car then lets buy a period car, not one that’s been ‘updated’ to incorporate more modern mechanical components.

The door cards are showing signs of age and could either be left as they are or replaced; pretty much everything you’ll need is available new and a full re-trim is surprisingly affordable.

The inner painted surface of the tailgate is showing some signs of wear - and the boot liner is curling with age - but other that that the boot space is in very good condition and looks like it has only seen gentle use, which, for those of you that know farmers, is unusual.

This is a very solid Range Rover, and the owner tells us that the only rust is a hole in the boot floor near the petrol tank. Other than that, an initial inspection shows that the work needed to get it back on the road and MOT’d is very short: a mirror needs refitting and new glass installing; the headlights could use some fettling; the hazard warning lights need some attention as they don't flash; and here are a few small oil leaks. If that list is accurate and complete then it is a shorter list of outstanding work than any other Range Rover Classic owner in the country has!

It’s a one-owner-from-new barn-find car with fewer than 50,000kms from new.

‘Nuff said?

Cars like this are rare. Very, very rare. If you don’t believe us then just try finding another - and then see how much it’ll cost you to own it. We’re Range Rover enthusiasts and have been following the market with interest and we’ve seen many similar models in classic car showrooms with a price tag of £40,000 or more following only a sympathetic refurbishment. In fact, a similar car, albeit in RHD sold this weekend at Goodwood for £28,750.

If you can live with the fact that it is left-hand-drive and are prepared to put in a little bit of effort this might be one of your last opportunities to get yourself into an original Range Rover at an affordable price. It’s an over-used expression, but if you can pick this up for sensible money – and the reserve is very sensible indeed – then this is better than money in the bank.

Estimate £10-12,000

If you have any questions then feel to contact the owner using the buttons at the top, or ask in the comments section on the right.