Thread: What did Series Land Rovers look like as new?

I'm afraid I have never owned one from new, so I can't really help with pictures. What I remember though is that they were not as shiny, and certainly did not use filler on the panels to smooth out the spot welds etc.

Perhaps worth noting a couple of points about photography in that era, and the probability of AULROians having pictures.

In the 1940s and 1950s, almost all pictures would have been black and white, although cameras were common. However, by 1960, 35mm cameras were becoming common, and these were mostly used take colour pictures, but on reversal film to produce slides.

You need to remember that film, especially colour film, was a very expensive purchase for most people, so they tended to be careful about what pictures they took. In addition, colour film tended to be more affected by storage conditions than does black and white, so many have not lasted well. Add to that the problems (cost or time) of digitising, labeling and classifying slides, and most of them have never been changed to a format that can be posted.

I know most of my slides are still awaiting digitising! But I also know I never took a picture of a new Landrover - I probably did collect brochures instead, but these are long gone!

I have a few pics of the S1 in my sig when it was newish,not inside or under bonnet though.
Some of them have been posted on here in different posts.

I can put them up if you want,but don’t have any of other models,apart from a newish S3 company car my father had for a while.

SIII, not IIA

wash_l_m.jpg

wash_r_m.jpg

Most of the "restored" example you can see today look "better" than the new ones, as John said. They weren't supposed to be pretty.

Some of these might be close though.
IMG_1934.jpg
IMG_1930.jpg
IMG_1919.jpg
IMG_1916.jpg
IMG_1912.jpg

People who bought Land Rovers in those days weren't concerned with appearance. They would have bought one even if it would have had a few scratches. I think those TV programs where they buy a wreck rebuild it, without seemingly hardly spending any time or money and flog it, making a huge profit , have a lot to answer for. Ever since, people have gone ape over L/Rs........and then the rivet counters took over.
.W.

Thanks for these. Series 3 pics will be great as well

Originally Posted by p38arover

SIII, not IIA

wash_l_m.jpg

wash_r_m.jpg

Thanks John

Originally Posted by Tins

Most of the "restored" example you can see today look "better" than the new ones, as John said. They weren't supposed to be pretty.

It’d be great to see the Series 3.

Originally Posted by scarry

I have a few pics of the S1 in my sig when it was newish,not inside or under bonnet though.
Some of them have been posted on here in different posts.

I can put them up if you want,but don’t have any of other models,apart from a newish S3 company car my father had for a while.