Thread: Countys for Beginners

As I understand it, before the Discovery there was Range Rover and Land Rover available in variations of the same vehicles.

Once another completely different Land Rover in the form of the Discovery came on the market the previous Land Rover was given the name Defender to avoid name (Land Rover) confusion.

Gentlemen,

Attached is a link to a thread relating to bullbars. The reason I attached the link is that the 90 in the photo is a 1998 Defender 90 Hard Top County. The word "County" refers to the fact that it's got cloth seats and a cubby box. Calling a vehicle, be it an early 1980's 110 or a 1998 Defender 90, a County does not describe it as a specific model year, nor does it describe the engine or any mechanical configuration.

NEW ARB BULLBAR FOR DEFENDER (NEW DESIGN)

If the word County is an affectionate nickname for a specific "run" of older 110 vehicles, so be it, but at least 50% of all Defender shaped vehicles ever built are County's due to their trim level.

As far as I'm concerned, in Australia, a County is a County. It may have been a trim level in the Uk, but here it was the only option in that period (in the wagons). Everyone knows exactly what australian land rover you mean when you say County, and its a far lot easier than saying "pre 1989 post 1984 land rover predecessor to the defender, but not a series 3, you know, the ones with the V8 and carpet"

Before the notion of the trim option was pointed out to me, I thought County referred to the full time 4WD system. I had bought parts from a Land Rover dealer in boxes marked County Engineering. They were responsible for Ford's 4WD farm tractor drive system.

A major attraction of the County-Isuzu to me is the abscence of electronic controls. No more instantaneous electronic falures leaving one stranded helpless in the backblocks.

Like I said, if the name "County" is an affectionate nickname for the Land Rover 110 in Australia, there is no intent to criticize the practice. I understand that only one trim level and one engine were offered at the time and by default they were known as County’s.

My mate’s 110 in the photo would be a “County” era 110 (1984) with a 2.5 litre normally aspirated diesel, an option never available in Australia, but it’s not a County as it came with a bench seat and very few luxuries and trim options.

Originally Posted by Loubrey

Like I said, if the name "County" is an affectionate nickname for the Land Rover 110 in Australia, there is no intent to criticize the practice. I understand that only one trim level and one engine were offered at the time and by default they were known as County’s.

My mate’s 110 in the photo would be a “County” era 110 (1984) with a 2.5 litre normally aspirated diesel, an option never available in Australia, but it’s not a County as it came with a bench seat and very few luxuries and trim options.

Not sure about by de fault but it is known as County by de door.

Originally Posted by Loubrey

....I understand that only one trim level and one engine were offered at the time ....

There were two engines - the 3.5 V8 and the (OZ-only) 4BD1 (3.9D). More were sold in V8 form AFAIK.

The diesels basically started life as a V8 without engine and bellhousing.

I stand corrected!

I must admit that I really only followed the developement of the diesels as my love for Land Rovers started with the cinema adds for Camel cigarettes showing the Camel Trophy in the very early 80's. Add gone wrong though, never smoked but got hooked on Land Rovers in stead!

Below is an interresting link for the overall history of Land Rover for anyone interrested. It does however not show the export specific vehicles for the southern hemisphere, like the one you pointed out to me or the South African specific Leyland sourced straight six that lacked power and guzzled fuel, but you do find a few fans of those as well!

A Short History