Australias Oldest Land Rover

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Originally Posted by gromit

Just spent spent an evening with the FIL running through some more photos and also james Taylors book Original Land Rover Series I.
A few things he wasn't sure of made sense when he looked at the book.

It did have the screw on staple type cleats rather than the spot welded cleats but.....if you look carefully at the first picture below these have been changed for a screw on rope cleat (just had a look at the original with a magnifying glass).

He doesn't remember rubbers round the pedal shafts but admitted that they may have perished and been lost.
Renault 750 seats were fitted.
One D light (battered) on one side, round lamp on the other.
It was a folded type bulkhead but he cannot remember whether the seal was attached to the bulkhead or the screen.

The folded type (squarish) bulkhead would make it a pre-1501 "early" 1948.
As it was light green when your FIL got it it would most likely still have had the original chassis colour of silver. The second last photo gives the impression the chassis could be silver, but can't really tell that the crank handle tube is "proud" of the front crossmember.
Ask him if he remembers that - silver chassis and/or pipe sticking out.

It had a Rover clutch.

Rover clutch had different flywheel but was used up to earliest 1950 models.

In the first picture below there is no centre rib in the tailboard and I cannot see evidence of one having been there. The hinges look different to those we found in JT's book.

The first and last photos appear to show that the tailgate had been repaired at the bottom, the hinges look like replacements also (gate hinges?). Tailgates were pretty flimsy and many are bush repaired with angle, added sheeting, etc.?)

He remembers who he sold it to and recons he could navigate to the property so maybe we'll go for a drive one weekend.


https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/im...013/02/195.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/im...013/02/196.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/im...013/02/197.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/im...013/02/198.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/im...013/02/199.jpg



I look forward to your feedback.


Colin

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If it had the square folded firewall and a silver chassis it was a pre-1500 1948 vehicle.

Can't determine from the grille mesh rows (width and height) count whether the grille is an early 1948 or later type. (Sure beats rivet counting:Rolling::no2::no2::D)

The LAND ROVER badge colours would be useful too but no guaranteeing that they had not been touched up in the years before your FIL bought the vehicle.

Have a look with your magnifying glass - looks to me that it may have had some "divided wheels" or ask your FIL about that too.

x2 thanks for the photos too!

Bob

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Originally Posted by chazza

Fascinating article Colin!

Are those front springs hinged at the front? My eyes are too dodgy to tell.

Hope you find out where it is :)

Cheers Charlie

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Hi Charlie,

Yes 1948-1950 narrow spring setup.

Bob

I haven't checked this out yet, so I thought on this thread would be a good place to ask.
Is the measurement inside of the tub smaller from side to side on the first of the 80"?

Does that mean that the width of the cappings is wider or is the tub's outside measurement smaller widthwise than the later 80"?

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Hey Colin, I wish you the best if you do go for a drive looking for it. It would be exciting.

Easo

P.S. Take cash!

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Originally Posted by wrinklearthur

I haven't checked this out yet, so I thought on this thread would be a good place to ask.
Is the measurement inside of the tub smaller from side to side on the first of the 80"?

Does that mean that the width of the cappings is wider or is the tub's outside measurement smaller widthwise than the later 80"?

.

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Hi Arthur,

The overall tub outside dimensions are the same - length, height, width.
The differences between the 1948-mid 1950 and post 06110305 vehicles are that the earlier transom behind the seats was the "wide" transom and the seats had the "sprung" shovel style back rests, had a wide capping also.
The "narrow" transom with a narrow capping giving more space in the cab was introduced and the hinged "spade" type seat backs were fitted.
The side capping are the same width.

Bob

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Originally Posted by bobslandies

If it had the square folded firewall and a silver chassis it was a pre-1500 1948 vehicle.

Can't determine from the grille mesh rows (width and height) count whether the grille is an early 1948 or later type. (Sure beats rivet counting:Rolling::no2::no2::D)

The LAND ROVER badge colours would be useful too but no guaranteeing that they had not been touched up in the years before your FIL bought the vehicle.

Have a look with your magnifying glass - looks to me that it may have had some "divided wheels" or ask your FIL about that too.

x2 thanks for the photos too!

Bob

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Bob,

What width & height count am I looking for in the grille ?
He said it had split rims when he got it.

The Father-in-Law has enjoyed the interest created. To him it was just a working vehicle at the time.
He replaced the rings in the one pictured (and a few others) with the block in the car. The old gudgeon pin out the exhaust port trick. He also mentioned dropping the crank with the block still in the car.


Colin

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Originally Posted by gromit

Bob,

What width & height count am I looking for in the grille?

Well,
If you have a grille to look at:
Knowing that the perimeter shape and size are very close - and the mounting holes in the plates are in the same position relative to the radiator support panel then when you compare the early and then later (say 1949/50) lights behind type grilles:

The first grilles had 28 vertical kinked flat strip "bars" and 16 horizontals. The two end verticals were very close to the perimeter rod - there is about 1/8" gap. Likewise the lowest horizontal - about 1/2" to the perimeter. The top horizontal starts in the third full width inboard square from the ends and is about 3/4"down from the curved perimeter at its highest point. There is a gap (ie non-continuous strip) where it approaches the fixing plate from both ends but is not attached to the plate at all.
The plate through which the fixing bolt passes is 7/8"wide by 1 3/8"deep and is attached to the upper perimeter frame rod and then to the second horizontal. Effectively the mounting hole is below the first row of grille holes.

Later grilles have 27 vertical strips and 15 horizontals. The two end verticals are about 7/16" to 1/2" from the perimeter rod. The bottom and top horizontals are about 1" from the perimeter rod. The top horizontal starts in the first full width inboard square from the ends.
In these grilles the fixing bolt plate is attached at three points to the strips, the first horizontal strip is just below the mounting hole and the 6th inboard vertical strip starts below the hole where it attaches to the plate.

In early grilles the square mesh holes seem to average around 7/8" while the later grilles are 15/16". If you count the very thin partial "squares" there are 29 x 17 in the first grilles and 28 x 16 in the later ones.

Told you it was better than rivet counting;)

He said it had split rims when he got it.

Thought that is what they were.

The Father-in-Law has enjoyed the interest created. To him it was just a working vehicle at the time.
He replaced the rings in the one pictured (and a few others) with the block in the car. The old gudgeon pin out the exhaust port trick. He also mentioned dropping the crank with the block still in the car.


Colin

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It's great that we are able to get this far, the photos alone are fantastic, like the ones Andy posted from WA and R860138 in its Grenville Motors demo heyday all signwritten.

Bob

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Originally Posted by LRO53

Going off what Chassis Number NO 234 had. It's a Very Early 49.

NO 234 was R8663829

My guess looking at the shot where you can see part of the bulkhead it's a pressed bulkhead.

And just for the record very few "1948 Year model" vehicles we actually registered in Australia before Christmas 1948. We are only taking a dozen tops.

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R8663829 was a very original 1949 model, restored in Victoria, and the registration number NO234 was put bought and put on that land rover, as the original NO234 vehicle is not known to exist. This was used in the Regent motor sales brochure.

The vehicle here pictured in these nice colour pictures looks to me to be either a later 866 series chassis number vehicle, it has boxed in rear cross member, and 6 tubes on the rear cross member as well to hold on the optional pto and towing jaw. It also has the second set of tail board capping, but no seals, nor does the door bottoms. It could have been light green but it would have been one of the last, it would have been on of the first few thousand vehicles imported here in Australia. It certainly is not a 48model.

860004 is the oldest Australia vehicle that originally came to Australia, the pre production vehicle that lives in Perth, was imported along with the owner in 2007. 860004 also lives in Perth.

There is no evidence of any other pre production vehicles being here in Australia, but you never know. Another rare 80" vehicle that came here was the 81" 1950 model tested by the Australian army, it has a Rolls Royce’s B40 engine in it, 4 cylinders, and this was tested along with a late 1948 model 862994 which I think had a Holden Grey engine in it.

Anyway nice series of pictures, the body looks well used!! I guess you FIL would of had to take the gearbox out in order to remove the crank with the block still in the vehicle.

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Originally Posted by tom the pom

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R8663829 was a very original 1949 model, restored in Victoria, and the registration number NO234 was put bought and put on that land rover, as the original NO234 vehicle is not known to exist. This was used in the Regent motor sales brochure.

The vehicle here pictured in these nice colour pictures looks to me to be either a later 866 series chassis number vehicle, it has boxed in rear cross member, and 6 tubes on the rear cross member as well to hold on the optional pto and towing jaw. It also has the second set of tail board capping, but no seals, nor does the door bottoms. It could have been light green but it would have been one of the last, it would have been on of the first few thousand vehicles imported here in Australia. It certainly is not a 48model.

860004 is the oldest Australia vehicle that originally came to Australia, the pre production vehicle that lives in Perth, was imported along with the owner in 2007. 860004 also lives in Perth.

There is no evidence of any other pre production vehicles being here in Australia, but you never know. Another rare 80" vehicle that came here was the 81" 1950 model tested by the Australian army, it has a Rolls Royce’s B40 engine in it, 4 cylinders, and this was tested along with a late 1948 model 862994 which I think had a Holden Grey engine in it.

Anyway nice series of pictures, the body looks well used!! I guess you FIL would of had to take the gearbox out in order to remove the crank with the block still in the vehicle.

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Gearbox wasn't removed but he thinks he separated them in situ.


Colin

Great photos. Is that last one a still from a movie? It could almost be - it has a real look about it.