how many 48s

**260AC** · 29th May 2012, 12:54 PM

Arthur,

Glad to here your going to do some more research.

Here is an ad for Regent Motors from the Weekly Times and their stand at 1949 Melbourne Royal Show in September 1949.

For Land Rovers at a major Australian agricultural show we can't get much earlier than this. The Sept 48 Melbourne Royal Show was that touch too early for the Land Rover to appear.

We know from a photo in the Melbourne Argus in November 1948 that Regent Motors had received a Land Rover. This is consistent with R860004 appearing in WA and the early vehicles arriving at Grenville Motors in December 1948.

The June 48 owners manual lists Regent Motors as a major supplier.

Also the Regent Motors Dealer list which has Donald Gorringe and Autocars of Launceston at the bottom of another one of their ads from the Weekly Times in early 1953

I hope you find some more early vehicles

**260AC** · 29th May 2012, 01:26 PM

Here is a link to the photo from the Melbourne Argus in late 1948,

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I don't believe it made it to the Sept 1948 Royal Show but we are now touching back on the thread a while back on Regent Motors and especially their MD, Lionel Spencers influence on vehicle sales and CKD plants in Australia.

I have been digging a bit more over here in the UK into the setup of Rover Australia by Mr H.A. Francis. All I can say at the moment is the Rover board had a lot of faith and trust in Francis, but when it came to Sales and CKD plants it was Spencer who appears to have called the shots with his interests in both Regent Motors and Grenville Motors.

This brings me to another interesting point. I was recently looking at some of my old files I have collected over the years on Land Rovers in Australia. I was in Adelaide a few years back now looking through old copies of 'South Australian Motor' at the SA state library which had some stats on commercial vehicle sales in around 1950 and the LR, not surprising to us was one of the leaders.

If anyone has or knows of anything like this from the early 1950s do get in touch.

**series1buff** · 4th June 2012, 07:55 PM

I think one of the Shackleton brothers owned the earliest 48 LR surviving in Australia..Leo or Barry S.

I met them at the VMVC meetings years ago , I recall talking to them about this topic . I don't know what became of that car ? Mike

**260AC** · 6th June 2012, 08:02 AM

Originally Posted by series1buff

I think one of the Shackleton brothers owned the earliest 48 LR surviving in Australia..Leo or Barry S.

I met them at the VMVC meetings years ago , I recall talking to them about this topic . I don't know what became of that car ? Mike

Hi Mike,

You are right in that Leo Shackleton did use to have an early vehicle. It is still about.

The vehicle is a Champions of Adelaide vehicle. Same age roughly as R860997

**wrinklearthur** · 12th June 2012, 09:44 AM

Hi All

Interesting snippet of news in 'The Mercury' Tuesday 14 November 1950

14 Nov 1950 - The Mercury - p9

Still looking for early Tasmanian Photo's of Land Rovers.
.

**LRO53** · 12th June 2012, 07:21 PM

This was published in the West Australian on the 26th May 1949

WA Newspaper Announcement vehicle
Can't be any earlier as it's got trafficator blocks on the windscreen.
R861595 Engine: 861820 3 21/2/49
R861596 Engine: 861799 38 23/2/49

New South Wales Announcement vehicle
Published Sydney Morning Herald 12-4-1949
We all know this as R860138 as it was used as the sign written demo.

Queensland Announcement vehicle
No photo for a unique QLD vehicle but there was an announcement that they arrived. They did publish this roughly the same time as the other states.

Annand and T 25jan 1949 (Would have been R860172 and R860173)

It looks like the courier mail just used a photo of R860138 but i have not put it past Annand and Thompson to sign write there own vehicle they did like sign writing! Only way we would know if we had a rear shot as no point looking at the front as QLD did not fit numbers plates there.

South Australia Announcement vehicle
Published: The Advertiser 2nd August 1949

Likey R860750 as R860749 did not have a bonnet mounted wheel carrier. Nor did R860194.

Victoria Announcement vehicle
R860005 or R860026
Photo Published 27 October 1948

Thread: how many 48s

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early 48

'The Mercury' Tuesday 14 November 1950

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