Thread: Late Model County's?

Originally Posted by Tikirocker

Have a squiz at these ... http://www.exmod.co.uk/stationwagons.html

Got them listed as County, EX MOD ... I think they just mean County trim ... there are Fenders in there.

Tiki

County is just that - a trim level. Always has been.

What we call countys are more correctly One Tens with county trim. Hardtops, 120 utes and AU military 4x4s and 6x6s do not have county trim, so are not countys.

Ben is right - and the term "County" for trim level has been used since the Series 3, and in Rangerovers as well as Series/110/90/Defender. May even still be used for all I know.

They were rare here while most Landrovers were assembled in Australia - I do not think it has been used on any Landrovers sold in Australia except for 110 wagons sold between the introduction of the 110 and the dropping of the 110 in 1990 (to be replaced about a year later by the Defender), and since they were the only wagon version sold, and for the first time wagons outnumbered other non-military sales as the Japs took most of the market, and the wagons had the trim level prominently labelled on the sides, the term has been widely and incorrectly used to designate all pre-Defender coil sprung Landrovers. Possibly becaause of this, Landrover Australia has not used the term for the trim on any of their subsequent vehicles, even where they are virtually the same as UK versions using the term.

Similar widespread mislabelling has occurred with other vehicles as well, a good example is the misuse of "FJ" to refer to 48-215 Holdens, or "Mini " to refer to to the Morris 850.

John

Thanks for the comments gents ... a question though. From what I have read, there are indeed very specific differences between a 1985 County and a later Defender, besides the trim are there not? I mean there were differeing levels of strength in the body work and other sundries ... a County isn't just a County due to trim level from what I understand. Please correct me if I am wrong. I understand we are talking about a One Ten County here and not a 110 ... there is a difference there besides the trim from what I understand.

Best, Simon.

Yeah there are differences between an 80s era Land Rover and a 90s era Land Rover. Things like engine and gearbox foremost but over the years panel thickness has decreased, the amount of galvanising has decreased etc.
But those differences aren't what makes a County a County, County refers purely to trim level. Aussies tend to refer to all 80s era Landy station wagons as Counties somewhat romantically as they are deemed the strongest/most reliable of the One Ten/110 model.

'County' as used in Aus is just a catch-all phrase to distinguish pre 1990 coil sprung Landies from later Defenders. A 1995 built County would just be a Defender with extra carpet to an Aussie. No mechanical or structural advantage over any other 1995 Defender.

If i'm not mistaken either... the 80's versions were not defenders.. they were 'land rover 110's'

It was mentioned earlier but i think the point was missed..

so there was the series III, the LR 110 / 90 then the defender 110 / 90

County was trim spec as has been stated

Steve

Originally Posted by 5teve

If i'm not mistaken either... the 80's versions were not defenders.. they were 'land rover 110's'

It was mentioned earlier but i think the point was missed..

so there was the series III, the LR 110 / 90 then the defender 110 / 90

County was trim spec as has been stated

Steve

Yes, but as commented, Landrover pursues a policy of continuous improvement. Apart from the obvious changes there have been many others, a few of which are improvements, but most of which reflect attempts to reduce manufacturing costs, by increasing commonality with other models or reducing costs of materials, for example decreasing thickness, changing from alloy to steel, or not galvanising, or using cheaper accessories such as lights. In some cases the cost reduction comes from reducing labour involved.

The net result is that many think the best "defenders" are the pre-Defender 90/110/120/127.

John

Originally Posted by 5teve

If i'm not mistaken either... the 80's versions were not defenders.. they were 'land rover 110's'

To go one further, I believe they were Land Rover One Ten's rather than 110's before they were Defenders. That's straight from your Dimbleby ...

Tiki.