LandRovers, How did you Start and when?

[Maggot4x4]

So when did you get your first landrover? What was it? Were you bitten by the bug straight away or did it take some time?

For me it was an '83 Rangie bought in 2000 that started me off.

[Ken]

My addiction started in 93
Series 2 1959
Fully Rebuilt
From the front indicators to the brakelights
Shouldnt have ever sold it:(

[tombraider]

July 1999 - New Freelander 3 door (Wife thought it was cute)

August 1999 - 5000km service, Freelander drives in 1995 V8 Discovery drives out :p

August 2001 - Defender Tombraider Edition joins the fold...

January 2006 - 1972 Rangie Joins the yard awaiting "mods" :twisted:

[101RRS]

I was 22 and into trail bike riding - generally by myself. After some near misses coming off my bike out in the bush, without help, I decided a 4wd might be a bit safer. I saw a series 1 advertised in the paper for $600 and rode my bike over to have a look at it - bought it on the spot - put the bike in the back and then on the way home managed to get it bogged on the side of the road. An old patrol stopped to help but couldn't pull me out and I had to pay $50 for a tow truck to come and get me.

I painted it air traffic control yellow and put go fast black GT stripes on the side - I loved that car - was my sole means of transport but I still went everywhere in it. Sold it about 6 years later for $1500 and the car was often seen driving around in the northern suburbs of Sydney.

30 years later - I want another series 1 so if anyone knows a good one for less than $4k let me know.

Gazzz

[CraigE]

Sept 1997 New Tdi 300 Disco bought - went in to buy a Nissan and came home with a Disco - Inept Nissan sales staff - arrogant - Land Rover dealer an absolute pleasure to deal with. Trade due to tax implications on V8 Commodore wagon.

2001 1984 Rangie _ My Dad has now.

2004 2000 model TD5 Defender Extrem - Current.

Really wish I had kept my Disco, but still loved the rangie and still the Defender.

Inkling started with a friends Series 2 shorty in 1983 and brother in laws series 2 shorty 1991.

[Graeme]

1983 - 1976 RR replaced out-grown, worn-out 78 Subaru 4WD wagon.

[weeds]

I used to always bag my father in-laws two door rangie and thought a 45 series cruiser trayback was the ducks guts..............until I drove it for the first time on the family macadamia farm full to the roof with bags of nuts that we had just picked up, to my surprise it did it with ease, when nobody was around I tried it with my cruiser and she struggled

A few years later when our first boy was born they offer it to us, I could say yes quick enough..toyoya what toyota

She was pretty rough and run down so after five years I upgraded to the defender

[easo]

grew up with the old girl and vowed to get 1 as soon as I could afford one.
And in 2003 Sallyanne arived. See link for pics of both.
This is the old girl when I was younger.
http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q100/easo2/daniels%20stuff/101_0184.jpg
This is the old girl with Sally Anne a few weeks ago
http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q100/easo2/daniels%20stuff/101_0174.jpg

Cheers easo

[Reads90]

mm well when i was born my mum had a s2 88"
and then my dad had one of the first 110' and then many after that. Bit of a family thing

But the first i bought was in 1988 (was a S3 88" Diesel) , When i was 16 . It was my first car and have had a land rover ever since
This was my first landy

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2008/01/232.jpg

[SS_110]

fell in love with a BJ Landcruiser when the midnight oil clips reached Europe.
Must have been the age of 13 then.

BJ love turned into Landrover love and got my first RRC 3.5V8 in '89
next there was a 3.9V8i.
Because my other rigs where oldtimers I sold the RRC and bought a Series3 StaWa with safari roof and 2.25diesel.
This one was swapped after a couple of years for a D90 2.5atmo which I sold with 395.000km on the clock(and is still someones daily driver today).
I should not forget a D1 200Tdi which I bought for an Moroccan expedition couple of years ago.

The a D90 300TDI did the job for a while but could be swapped for the 110TD5 DCPU 1.5years ago.and the 110HCPU V8 just recently joined the fleet

Here some pics of the old rigs

the 300TDI
http://www.magix-photos.com/mediapool03/49/76/5C/00/0B/7E/11/DB/9A/66/5A/20/54/C1/37/DA/oma/10/5D6FE3E01A6311DBAFEC01CC54C137DA.jpg

the 90 2.5 atmo somewhere in the Spanish pyrinees
http://www.magix-photos.com/mediapool03/49/76/5C/00/0B/7E/11/DB/9A/66/5A/20/54/C1/37/DA/oma/10/6E438EF06B1811DB9EAE912154C137DA.jpg

the S3 StaWa
http://www.magix-photos.com/mediapool03/49/76/5C/00/0B/7E/11/DB/9A/66/5A/20/54/C1/37/DA/oma/10/62547C206B1911DB9AF6E24654C137DA.jpg

and the DCPU in the Romenian snow
http://www.magix-photos.com/mediapool03/49/76/5C/00/0B/7E/11/DB/9A/66/5A/20/54/C1/37/DA/oma/10/5A213BC0E5CF11DB97B8841E54C1350A.jpg

[Blknight.aus]

I blame dad and uncle jonh...

Dad toured me round half, if not more, of aus in PMG series rovers when he was a liney,

Uncle john had a series one he wont get rid of.

Dads last liney vehicle was my first rover Ive got a pic of it but a baby poo yellow lwb SIII with about 1000l worth of fuel tanks.

Thinking about it... the front brakes and swivel balls in kermit are the ones out of that LWB.

[JDNSW]

After I found that VWs don't like dust, in 1962 I bought an ex-SMA Series 1, similar to ones I had used with the BMR on a vacation job several years earlier.

John

[Bushie]

My cousin had a series 2A that I learnt to drive in. I then used to regularly drive Land Rovers in the bush fire brigade.

Around 1976 I went on a trip to the snow in a Bolwell Nagari the driver scared the s**t out of me. The return trip was in another mates 1974? Range Rover.

I was converted - mind you it took me another 5 years until I could afford a second hand Rangie, purchased in 1982 and kept until 1998 when I traded it (with 480000km) for the Defender.


Martyn

[Larry]

1979 - Series 2a SWB a few months before I got my licence.:D

Bitten by the LR bug big time, now on my 5th Land Rover.:angel:

Larry.

[Quiggers]

Rels east of Tamworth had an S1 on a farm, which went everywhere.
Did a few long runs around Mudgee on a bike following a 2a lwb, which went further than everywhere...

In the late 80's, the boss raved about his RRCs and had the pics to prove, on his Queanbeyan property.

When I had the opportunity to get a new anything in 95, the Rossignol Disco (3dr) was toooo good to pass up, but as a company car, it went when I went somewhere else, it was amazing!

The Disco I have now arrived 4 years ago, sold in to the family 'cause it has seven seats and five doors.....very important when you have a family...

any excuse will do:D:D:twisted::twisted:


GQ

[redrover3]

Series 3 wagon in 1990, holden engine ,toro overdrive, bolt type rear diff lock. Inspired by my favourite matchbox car-blue LR wagon.
Tony

[sniegy]

These are my 3 beasts i have owned & loved as they have taken me into many parts of this wonderful country i never thought i would get to & enjoyed immensly. The 1st is a 93my 200Tdi 5 spd manual. It was an import from Japan & come with twin sunroofs, remote central locking & a set of factory books all written in Japanese...:eek:;) The 2nd was a 97my 300Tdi Auto, my wife chimmed in & loved the Auto so it was a stayer..& finally the 3rd was & still is a 01my TD5 with a list of extra's that keeps growing. I have worked with the Landrover brand for nearly 20yrs & drove my first Landy when i was 13 on a Dads mates farm, it was bumpy, it stalled continually but i thought a good tune & it would be ok. I have never looked back, when i could afford one i had one.

200Tdi
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2007/06/354.jpg

300Tdi
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2007/06/355.jpg

TD5
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2010/12/498.jpg

[abaddonxi]

Fell in love with an '87 110 at a party, but it was a one night stand.

About four years ago I was driving home from work up The Spit and wham, that was the end of the Subaru L wagon.

Bought the Subaru for nothing with a plan to scrap it as soon as rego ran out, three years later I thought the thing would never die.

Roadside conversion to Defenders.

Cheers
Simon

[DarrenR]

Well I'm sure like so many others I was born into Land Rovers. When I was about 12 my dad started to get me helping him fix his series 2 Landie, I got plenty of practise and bought my own (77 series III SWB ) when I was 17 (1987), had about a dozen of them since. Had a dry (oil) spell for a few years and owned many Japanese 4WDrives and have only just gone back to the dark side this year.

Yes 20 years later and I still own a 10 year old Land Rover that needs it's tappets adjusted.

Best regards
DarrenR

EDIT: What goes around comes around, I've now got my 13 yo old boy helping me (if you can call it helping) fix the Disco and giving him driving lessons. He had his first drive through some mud today while I got it on video :)

[Studio54]

As a kid I used to be involved in 4WD trials technical driving in the UK. Most if not all vehicles used were LR or HYbrid things based on LR's.

Also as a kid two of my unlces had the early 90's Vogue SE RR when they were brand new. I used to enjoy a ride in those more than his Porshe.

Then the first care I bought with my first F/T job was a 89 RR Hi Line. ****ed my Dad off a bit because he had an 85 which had far less creature comforts. My brother also bought an 96 V8 ES Disco a few years later and then I recenlty managed to talk the missus out of a forrester for our (my) pride and joy.

The trials driving weekends on UK country estates are still some of my best memorys.

Mud dohnuts in a V8 hybrid with fiddle brakes is quite a site.

JB

[geckos]

Nice rigs everyone. You blokes from the homeland are lucky to have so many and a variaty.

My first is my current TD5 110. Bought it new 18 months ago. Most of you may remember the pics that were on here.

I first got bitten when my dad bought his first in the early 90's.
Series 3 88inch petrol. Original as can be, (not rebuilt), only years of wear and tear. 4wding in that got me bitten.

And after owning 2 sierras it was time to finally get my dream 4wd. A 110 Defender.

Loving the experience. Nothing can beat it.

Geck

[scrambler]

Bought the Stage 1 as a camping/beach/daily driver to replace a Subaru Forester, at a time when I needed a cheap vehicle.

I travelled a lot in the trays of 40 Series Landcruisers as a kid, but couldn't afford anything half decent in that line (I know now there IS nothing half decent in that line :p ) and discovered via the net that there was such a thing as a factory V8 Series III Land-Rover. Imagine - a Series Land-Rover capable of a comfortable 100km/hr!

[DirtyDawg]

10yrs old , bashing around in the back of dads 1973 SerIII ute..
My first one was at 21yrs old 198 Traytop Ser III
20yrs of Army driving 101FCs in Adelaide (16AD REGT), SERIII FFR, and current 110;s and 2 days drivin an SAS Perentie (MILPOL it was involved in a small accident and had to be drivin back to Perth So I volunteered as th SAS driver was on Ex, No one else but MILPOL was allowed as didnt have correct Lic codes to Drive it) and I didnt think to get any pics...but I did have a play with the M19 40mm auto Grenade launcher:eek:

[twitchy]

My bug bit me on the **** at the tender old age of 5, Dad had a Willy's & I was the only kid to picked up from school by fourby (through the bush of course), geeez, about 1970........ Followed up by the 7th LJ50 in the country (which we still have as well) I had my own Sierra for a bit.

However My first Landy is my series II Disco 2000 model which I purchased in May this year, after about 3 days I then realised that I would buy NO other brand again.....lol. Absolutley love it!!!!!!!!!!!!

[numpty]

Have always loved Land Rovers since I was a liitle bloke. Like Bushie, I got to drive them in the Bush Fire Brigade. So naturally when it came to buy my first 4wd in 1983, I bought a Datsun!!!:o Realised the error of our ways and in 1987 bought our first Landy, a 1981 Stage 1 V8 and the rest, as they say, is history:D

[Frenchie]

Decided I needed a 4wd in 1985 after bashing the underside of my Corona once too often on a limestone track. :angel:

Friend's brother happened to be selling a SIIA shorty which fitted the bill nicely. Now on my 6th.

http://members.iinet.net.au/~lisajs68/other_pics/l2.jpg

[disco_thrasher]

1975 I was born into Land rovers ,living in Botswana there was only really one vechicle and that was land rovers.Owning a hunting safari lodge,the most we had was 11 .3 where conversioned to 12 seaters ,we had 4 s3 utes .and 4 where set up hunting vechicles, the amount of rovers varied over the years ,so i really had no choice really in liking or wanting any other 4x4

[Barra1]

On a trip to the Wombat Post Office near Mitta, I fell for Land Rovers. Purchased an old Series 3 - a mate had to help me rebuild parts of the rusted chassis.

Interestingly we put in a brand spanking new Holden 179 motor - years ago GMH had donated it to the Albury Tech College - apparently the students stripped it down each year, put it back together again and that was it until the next year - it had never been a vehicle.

Since then two Discos, County and now on my second Defender - and the dream never goes away - I would love a 2007 model 130.

[SSmith]

i got introduced to rovers in 2001, thanks to the army..
took me till may last year to buy my own, replacing a written off hilux. got me a 97 tdi disco se, leather seats and bush bashing.... good mix? previous owner would cry, came immaculate
still want a 3.9 isuzu 110 (fiance can have the disco then :p)

[isuzurover]

Got my first Landie (1968 IIA - I still have it) in late 1993 (was still in high school). Had been used by some guys as a shooting truck and they had managed to roll it - destroying the roof and windscreen. Whole truck basically needed a rebuild - but only cost $500. I got it roadworthied and registered just before I started uni.

An old bloke up the road had been rebuilding a landie for about 15 years before that (one of those projects which would never get finished) - so I suppose that was what got me interested in them. He had enough parts to build about 4 landies. A couple of years after I built mine, dad and I bought his entire pile of parts (he finally realised he would never finish it), and I built IIA shorty for dad and upgraded the axles in my IIA (there was a sals rear and a stage 1 front in the pile of bits).

[Cap]

My old man bought a 96 LR Tdi a few years back, and I loved it! Then my brother bought a 2 door V8 Rangie, (later 70s), lifted, 35" tyres etc etc... and that thing was also a trat to drive (he put that thing through its paces) :eek:

So, I sold my peugeot and bought a very good nick 99 LR Tdi... now im in the process of trying to get an 85 Rangie 4 door on the road for some serious 4x4 :twisted:

[mcrover]

I couldnt put a year on it but My step Dad had one before him and my mum got married that he sold to a mate who then gave it back just before I turned 18.

It was a 196? SIIa shorty ute that was one of the most reliable cars I have ever had, it had a 186 and fairy OD and could happily do 75mph (120kmh) but I never used to push it too much.

I sold it for a Cortina with a 302 windsor and 4 speed and went through a dark period of 2wd cars until 4 years ago bought a 97 300tdi disco that I have now.

At the time my dad had his, my Uncle also had 1 and a friend of the family had an early 4 door rangie that he paid way too much for even back then and then preceded to treat it like he stole it and finally rolled it but it showed me just what you could and couldnt do with a Rover, Dozer tracks are a couldnt do.

[stevo68]

I've always liked LR's and almost bought my first one in 98, a Disco but ended up up buying something else at the time. Therefore my first LR is the current vehicle, the D3 back in Dec 05. From there like has turned to love, not only for the D3 but all LR's and have learnt alot since I have had it in terms of this site and GCLRO. In the future I will be looking to partner the D3 with a Fender, then I will have the best of both worlds :D

Regards

Stevo

[mudmouse]

Learn to drive on my first car? - a 67 ex-mil 2a GS. It was a flogged out unit with heaps fo rust in the chassis, but it taught me 'mechanical sympathy' and helped me skin heaps of knuckles as well as find my way around a set of spanners - no one in my family had the slightest interest in 'old cars'. Next was a ex-mil S3 FFR that i bought from the auctions and a SWB S2 for bits. The FFR lasted in and out of rego for 9 years - it got a bit neglected when i scooped up a 43 Willys to restore. Both sadly were passed on when girlfriend became wife, then a house beckoned... I redeemed myself with a 91 Disco in 2002 and love it - it WILL soon be a 4BD1t slug ( I AM THE MAN OF THE HOUSE AND I WILL DO WHAT I WANT!!!).

Always loved the series and fenders, and i think i always will...and Accos.:D

[D110V8D]

1993. I bought a 1978 series 3 Game.

It was my first car. I loved it to death. I payed to much for it but it taught me alot, and I spent many hours fixing it up.

Since then I've had ......

1968 2a SWB
1971 2a SWB Station Wagon (English import)
1974 series 3 SWB with Isuzu diesel conversion
1995 Defender 110 with 6.5 V8 Diesel conversion
1984 Range Rover which was set up for hard/extreme off road stuff
1985 Land Rover 110 V8 County.

[JamesH]

Like all Land Rover fans, it started when I was born. There's a gene. I became aware of it at a relatively old age in the early nineties. I didn't get my first Landy until the one I have now about 4 years ago.

I really don't think I'll ever be without one. Sure I have the dreams of Astons, and Bentleys and even Bristols but really I am totally satisfied with the car I own now. Maybe one day I'll treat myself to my first brand new car and get a new Defender but I'm in no rush. One thing that puts me off is the cost of getting all the things on my current one (maxi drive, snorkels, dual battery, dual tanks, UHF etc) to make any new one as well equiped.

[V8Hybrid]

When my mum was preggers with me she was driving a 88" SI. Dad always had a Land Rover, started working at Land Rover dealer in the early 70's. As usual it was bred in to me. Started driving them as soon as my feet reached the pedals. When I was 14 Dad asked "what car do you want" then all I wanted was a SWB soft top. Dad said "nah can do better than that". So we started building my Hybrid when I was 15 and put it on the road in when I was 17, not a bad rig for a P plater :). That was in 1994 and I still have it and will drive it till the day I die.

[Quarks]

Nature and nurture for me.

Dad bought his SIII new, apparently there was a SII in the family when he was younger (teenager) which must have put him on track - and then (many years later) after marrying, he convinced mum that a county would be the right thing to buy with her retirement payout (from leaving teaching). So I grew up with the SIII and the county, then just the county after dad passed away, then got my P's on the county at the end of '05.
Last year was a real test after mum sold the county - which just confirmed me on this track!! :)

[blitz]

In 1982 I bought a 73? A loved it regret selling it

Blythe

[goofyr]

So when did you get your first landrover? What was it? Were you bitten by the bug straight away or did it take some time?

For me it was an '83 Rangie bought in 2000 that started me off.

I first got interested in Land Rovers when in 1998 when I got my Peugeot 306 serviced they gave me a Discovery Series 1 to drive around for the day, I was very impressed with the way it drove so I recommended it to my brother who was getting his 1st 4WD, he'd been looking at a Pajero. After a test drive he was hooked, he's on his second Disco now.....but for me I didn't get my Disco TD5 until 2003, I unfortunately got subdued by a cheaper 3.0TD Patrol but that's another story. I'll never look back love the LR brand, love my Disco I'll be keeping it for years.

Cheers,

[Utemad]

My first Landy is my current 94 V8 Disco which I bought about 10 months ago.

I bought it as I had been in a 4wd club for about 2 years and my Rodeo wasn't up to the job anymore. I was looking at getting a Disco, Rangie or GU Patrol.
Decided against the GU as I didn't need the room, Rangies were too hard to come by (wanted a soft dash Classic) so settled on the Disco (which I am very happy with).

My biggest 'I have to get myself one of these' was when I spent a weekend at The Springs 4wd park as a passenger in a Rangie Classic owned by another club and forum member. Plus watching yet another club and forum member drive his Disco1 into and out of some interesting positions with ease.

[disco gazza]

My brother had a series 2 short wheel base defender,which I drove every chance I got way back in 79.:):)Didnt buy a LR until 3 yrs ago when I bought my current Disco 92 tdi.Wont buy anything else now that I've been smitten by the LR bug.:)

[Rosco]

In 1987 I had a shortie MQ Patrol, which seated myself, the ex and our 2 girls.
Another billy lid on the way with nowhere to fit. Browsing through a 4WD mag and see this Goodyear Wrangler comp where you can win a brand spankers 3.9 County.

You guessed it !!!!! ;):D:p

Been hooked ever since, but guess what ... those OZ Wranglers were absolute rubbish, not remotely like the current jobbies.