1979 Range Rover Classic

This two-door Range Rover Classic was built at Leyland South Africa’s Blackheath plant near Cape Town sometime between 1980 and 1982. The local build plate with a 357 prefix on the chassis number and the model number 6066AA denote it as a RHD CKD (complete knock down) shipped to South Africa for assembly during that period. It appears to still be fitted with its original Rover V8 engine and four-speed manual gearbox.

Based on the previous registration numbers listed on the car’s South African title certificate, the car spent time in both the Transvaal (now Gauteng/Johannesburg) and Western Cape provinces. Imported to the UK during late autumn last year, it received its NOVA clearance just before Christmas and is now ready for UK registration. The Range Rover has been MOT'd, but the vendor has chosen to let the lucky new owner be the first UK registered keeper.

Wearing its last South African registration number ‘SNS 668C’, we understand that it was fully restored by Stone Tribe Customs of Cape Town prior to export and it appears to be rust-free.

Range Rovers of this period only came in 8 different colours and the two that stood out the most from their usual natural surroundings were Masai Red and Tuscan Blue. This one is obviously painted in the Tuscan Blue and it is in a great condition; bright and fresh thanks to the respray last year.

The bodywork appears to be in pretty good shape too, with no obvious signs of damage and good panel alignment - not things you get to say about most old Range Rovers. The larger fixings like the front grille and bumpers look almost factory fresh.

The outside isn’t perfect of course, it’s a 40-year-old off road vehicle, but what issues there are seem confined to the odd piece of trim or rubber seal needing a refresh or renewal.

The original 16-inch steel Rostyle wheels - themselves becoming quite rare - appear to have been recently repainted silver and they are all fitted with Maxtrek SUV tyres.

Once you’ve opened the door - the driver-side door handle doesn’t always work - you can see that the inside has been restored and renewed to the same fabulous condition as the exterior. We obviously don’t know what it was like before the exporting company got their hands on it but we don’t suppose it was kept looking as good as this for four decades in a hot climate.

The Brushed Bronze velour upholstery looks in great condition and the beige vinyl trim elsewhere is also tidy and undamaged. Up front, the dashboard doesn’t appear to have suffered from the sunshine or heat and, along with the four-spoke steering wheel, looks pretty original. There is a small circular patch with three screw holes where something - possibly a phone bracket - was previously attached to the lower dash. This shouldn’t be too difficult to repair.

The long beige vinyl gaiter around the gear stick is obviously not original and looks a little incongruous. Shortening it or giving it a bit of a flex might help soften the look. The rubber gaiters around the handbrake and high/low ratio selector appear to be recent replacements but the latter has split, revealing more of the beige vinyl underneath.

The edge-trimmed carpets also look refreshed and are clean with a deep pile. Up above, the headlining seems clean and taut but there is a missing courtesy light lens.

Being a South African example, this Range Rover benefits from having factory fitted air conditioning.

Under the bonnet, the engine bay is relatively clean and functional, with evidence of renewal to the fuel pump, ignition system and some of the hoses. The engine itself doesn’t appear to have been refurbished but it does start and run as it should. This is maybe an area where a future owner could potentially add some value. The underside of the bonnet is lined with StP NoiseBlock to reduce vibration and the associated noise that often blight older Land Rover products.

Underneath the car, most of the structures, floor pans and components are either painted black or have a coating of underseal and although there’s a little surface rust on some of the fixings and structures, everything else appears to be corrosion free.

There are what look like new springs and Gabriel Safari shocks all round and a Gabriel Technomatic strut across the rear. Likely to have been restored before leaving South Africa, the undersides are still looking pretty clean and tidy.

Opening the iconic split tailgate, the load space carpet appears like new but matches well with the wheel arch coverings which look more original. The full size spare wheel is stowed to one side, fitted with a new tyre and cover. The upper tailgate has new gas struts and although it holds open well, it doesn’t always want to stay closed and popped open a couple of times when we were driving it. The floor underneath the carpet looks in good, solid order.

Below is a list of the work, the vendor is aware was completed during the restoration process.

Chassis off restoration• Vehicle was stripped with all of the running gear being sandblasted and then painted 

• Whilst the running gear was off the chassis was cleaned and repainted with all ancillary brackets being taken off and painted too.

• Running gear put back on with all new bushes, oil seals, ball joints etc.

• Engine and gearbox were removed.

• Engine received new welshplugs, exhaust manifold gaskets, original intake with correct carburettors and air cleaners installed.  The carbs had an overhaul kit put in them too.

• New belts and hoses.

• Gearbox was rebuilt  & the clutch assembly was replaced

• New universal joints to propshafts.

• New shock absorbers.

• New brake lines installed.

• New brake master and slave cylinders installed.

• Radiator overhauled.

• Old wiring removed and replaced 

• New fuel lines.

• Fuel tank removed and steam cleaned and painted.

• New light lenses all around.

• Complete respray with colour added to the inside of all of the panels too and between where the panels butt.

The Range Rover does currently have a UK MOT on its South African registration number of "SNS 668C" but it is debatable whether it needs one (see paras below) but we would always encourage getting a test done for peace of mind and to prove roadworthiness should officers of the law or insurance companies request it.

The car comes with its SA registration title dated 29 Sep 2020 and HMRC NOVA clearance letter dated 22 Dec 2020. Completing a UK registration with a V55/5 form is a simple next step for the new owner, who will be the first registered UK keeper.

Although the South African registration document lists the licensing liability date as 01 Jan 79 - our information based on the presence of a local build plate with the 357 chassis number and 6066AA model number indicates an actual build date of between 1980 and 1982.

As with so many imported cars, there is no other paperwork from its time abroad, so potential bidders will need to set their budget based on its current condition, which is very impressive.

If you’d like to inspect the Range Rover prior to placing a bid – something we would encourage – then please use the Contact Seller button to arrange an appointment, at our Oxfordshire HQ.

You could go out and buy an early Defender (if you can still find an unmolested one for sensible money), paint it black and trick it out with big wheels, roll cage, winch, lots of LED lighting and a leather interior and pretend you’ve just kidnapped a beautiful young doctor from an alpine clinic… OR you could be smarter and buy a desirable two-door Range Rover “Classic” - the SUV that kicked off the idea that you could go off-road in relative comfort.

In this iconic Tuscan Blue example, you’ll not be seen as any kind of wannabe or herd-follower but be admired by both purists and Rangey-fans alike for your astute choice of classic wheels.

We’ve sold several two-door Range Rovers over the last handful of years and interest in them continues to grow. We think this fabulous looking example will sell for between £23,000 and £34,000, but it is sold with no reserve.

There are a few jobs still to do, it’s not in perfect condition, but there’s nothing that stops it being used as soon as the DVLA gives you a registration number.

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’.