1974 Range Rover 2 door

Owner Nigel bought this ‘Suffix-C’ Range Rover three years ago. The ex-South African, two-door, V8, four-speed manual station wagon had been imported into the UK in 2016 and had lived in the South West.

‘I drove it back from Exeter,’ he remembers. He was struck by its general robustness and the fact that it was still, largely, a good drive. ‘I had a full engineer’s report done when I got it,’ he says. ‘I needed it to prove that it was worth the [higher] insurance value.

But as an engineer and seasoned Land Rover (usually Discovery) rebuilder, there were a few things Nigel felt needed doing;

‘I replaced the gearbox with a good second-hand one - the gear-change on the original one felt like stirring porridge. The new one is tight, doesn’t jump out of first or second and it pulls like a train.’

He also describes the original electrics as ‘a nightmare’; ‘lots of little gremlins. All the bulbs work now and the wiring is as it should be.’

The engine needed a good clean and he replaced the radiator with a good second-hand unit. He had the carburettors rebuilt (South African models used Stromberg's), and also installed both a new fuel pump and a ‘Filter King’ fuel regulator.

Nigel also treated the Ranger with (Canadian) Krown rustproofing underneath. ‘It’s good because it’s clear,’ he says; ‘so you can still see the state of the metal underneath.’

‘It’s the little things that make it,’ he summarizes - right down to the hard-to-find- ash tray. He’s ended up with an outstanding example with no jobs of any significance left to do.

This is a very smart-looking vehicle. There are plenty of parallel lines on early Range Rovers that are quite capable of telling you exactly what the state of play is between the various body parts, but on this example it appears that body and chassis are playing well together.

All those recesses and folds line up nicely across the panels, and shut lines and joins are consistent and very even - no rust down in there either. Looking down the flanks, there doesn’t seem to be any rippling (nor ‘orange-peeling’ in the paint).

Talking of paint, Nigel says the Ranger had ‘some paint’ done while in the UK, though apparently not the roof.

The finish is consistent across the station wagon - true to the authentic Land Rover paint code and showing a good gloss all round. The roof perhaps does look very slightly faded, with some small dents (none showing cracks in the paint or rust) and one small patch of lacquer peeling. There are a couple of very tiny bubbles in the paint on the rain gutter.

The coated back window frames appear largely very good - one or two tiny spots of rust, but folds and joins appear very clean. Windscreen rubbers look very good. The metal at the base trim of the front nearside passenger window frame is rather uneven, and the seam along painted edge (above black panel) atop the upper rear hatch looks very slightly discoloured. Looking around the rear pillars, there are a couple of ripples in the vinyl of the near-side rear post.

Of course, the rear hatch is an area any Range Rover enthusiast will be looking at closely, and everything here looks very healthy. The metal may not look hugely thick in places, but there are no signs of rust along lips and edges. This too can be said of door bottoms and the bonnet. The ‘Range Rover’ script here is spelled out in steel letters - no low budget decals here thank you. Although having a prestige feel, they had a reputation for allowing rust to get into the bonnet edge. This hasn’t happened and the metal here remains strong with a good finish to both lettering and paint. (There is an unrelated crack to the paint on front near-side corner).

A very presentable station wagon that looks to be in very good shape.

With classic 4x4s - we’re always expecting/looking for damage inflicted by hiking books, wellies, shooting kit or even sheep, but this Ranger seems to have led a more protected life. The interior is rather good. It’s trimmed in cloth and the seats retain all of their their quite upbeat print. Vinyl sides and edge piping are also very tidy and scuff-free too. You’ll also be nicely surprised by the condition of the controls - steering wheel, gear stick and high-low ratio shift; imprinted schematics intact, gaiters clean and straight, boss straight and scratch-free.

Plastics retain their light grey colour - none of the yellowing you sometimes see. Nor are there any cracks to brackets, panels and lever sockets so often found in well-used examples. And generally no warping. And that ashtray is very neat - and not loose

Door cars and furniture are also pretty impressive (nothing rattles when you close the doors). There handles show a few marks, but everything is clean, straight and very firmly mounted.

Carpets throughout are good. They retain a good pile - even along edges and and show no stains or fading from their original dark grey. They are more ‘utilitarian’ perhaps than later iterations, but tidy nonetheless. The mats too are clean and in good shape, with edges are neatly bound.

The load area/deck in the rear can of course get a lot of abuse in a station wagon, but the same conditions apply hear. Ironically, there is a rusty patch on the rear seat frame where there finish has chipped off, but, apart from this, everything is very sound.

Certainly a vehicle you would like to use for a smart country day out.

The most crucial area of a classic truck is its undercarriage, and it’s when you get underneath this wagon that you realise just how good it is. The chassis appears very robust and really rather fabulous. Everything looks straight. Chassis rails, cross members and outriggers all display a confidence-inspiring strength and solidity. Similarly, drive shafts and differentials all appear to be in excellent condition, as do brakes and suspension arms and assemblies. (tyres are new too). Everything has been cleaned and also, remember, underseal treated. There is a light dab of surface rust on one or two edges, but nothing to cause any concern about durability or function.

Joints are well greased, and Nigel has upgraded several items; shock absorbers, brake hoses (copper) and added a ‘Terra Firma’ steering damper.

Looking up into deeper cavities of the underside - and there are many - everything looks clean, no mud (or road salt) has been thrown up into these areas, or, if it ever has, the truck has been thoroughly cleaned before it had any effect.

In the engine bay, as with the underside, one is again impressed with just how clean, tidy - and standard - the motor and ancillaries are. There is the gentle weathering, but no signs of harsh treatment. There are no signs of leaks or overheating. Particularly impressive for one of these is the whole front end/radiator bulkhead structure, which remains straight, true and rust-free.

Perhaps what wins you over about the Range Rover is just how free-moving, clean and well-serviced any moving parts and assemblies appear around the whole of the underneath - from the suspension joints to the carburettors. Nothing significant appears to have been overlooked. It inspires a lot of confidence in the vehicle.

As Nigel himself says; ‘there isn’t a lot of history or validation with the Range Rover.’ He has done most of the work himself, so there are no lengthy garage invoices. However, the initial engineer’s report is of interest (available to view from the vendor) and testifies to the soundness of the beast. The Range Rover also appeared on Range Rover Register stand at the Manchester Classic Car show, and can be seen in the pictures for the club’s newsletter feature.

This Range Rover possesses many of the elements so in demand among the classic Range Rover and 4x4 fraternity; the earliest, purest shape, the rare two-door body, the archetypal V8 engine coupled to a (more hands-on) four-speed, manual transmission. And it’s in such great condition. That’s quite a package.

It’s desert-crossing, river-fording days may be over (not that it looks like it ever did any such things), but it is an ideal companion for Summer touring in the Cotswolds, the Peaks or the Highlands with the next owner probably only needing to add petrol and a Fortnum and Mason’s picnic hamper.

Aside from the cost of those, we think you will need to set aside between £25,000 and £30,000 to acquire this slice of country life.

Viewing is always encouraged and this particular car is situated in New Mills, Derbyshire; to arrange an appointment, please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to to ask any questions or make observations on the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.

This vehicle is not with us at The Market’s HQ, which means we have had to rely on the owner’s description of it, in conjunction with the photographs you see here, to compile the listing.

With this in mind, we would encourage potential bidders to contact the owner themselves and arrange to view the car in person, or to arrange a dedicated video call in which they can view the car virtually and ask questions.