Status: Sold to Jake in Maine
Manufactured: Solihull, England
Imported: Madrid, Spain
Engine: Rover 3.5L V8
Transmission: LT77 5-speed manual transmission
VIN: SALLHAMV2AA131882

This 1983 Range Rover Classic came to us from Madrid; it’s an unrestored truck that we fell in love with for everything it was and wasn’t. It was – is – an early 3.5L V8 with the twin SU carburetors finished in Lincoln Green and original enough that it’s character was still there. It wasn’t too much. It wasn’t over the top. It wasn’t trying to fit into someone else’s box, or adapt itself to fit into another era. It was the Range Rover that more closely resembled that which the Lords and Ladies of Solihull had in mind when they started making this particular combination of steel, rubber, and gasoline.

So, we bought it.

The early trucks – 1984 and before – have a different style gauge cluster. A different style center console, center stack, steering wheel, seats… everything. And different generally means less. No center console, just the bare carpet. There’s some elegance in all that simplicity, even if there is still some wood veneer on the doors. It all just kind of works. The old 3.5L Rover V8 is mated to a 4-speed manual and pulls along well. Steadily and without much drama, but well nonetheless.

Early morning shots halfway between our shop and Berryville mean early starts, and early starts mean wildlife. I must have passed two dozen deer driving out to the park that morning, and even while there they ate the fields nearby and jumped across the road in front of the Rover. I can photograph cars but am not great with moving deer. I did my best.

Continuing down the list of things absent on this Range Rover: Power windows, power locks, power sliding seats, heated seats, air conditioning, and any sort of sunroof. AC was an option on some of them, but not here. The crank windows and the small vent windows are two features I miss the most on later RRCs. The left-mounted radio is quirky and a-la the Honda S2000, means you alone have control over the audio. The early four-spoke steering wheel is classic and comfortable, while the early-style shift knobs have a wonderfully 1970’s vibe to the design.

Since this same truck existed across 3+ decades, there were times when it felt like it was trying to be shoe-horned into competing with peers-that-weren’t. A 1993 Range Rover Classic compared to a 1993 Land Cruiser or 1993 Geländewagen doesn’t hold up too well. The others had built quality and design features commensurate with the decade at-hand. But back in the early 1980’s the Range Rover was still in the prime of the pack, earning the stripes which would carry it across multiple other generations up until today. These are all things one thinks about when alone with a truck for hours on-end, snapping away with the camera. Deep thoughts.

The sky turning a deep pink was my sign that the day was over and so I packed up to head home. The windows down with the cool early-evening air driving back to the shop was sublime. A perfect little cruise to cap out the week. Thanks for reading.

Driveline. Rover 3.5L twin-carb V8 mated to a 4-speed manual transmission. Truck starts well, using a little choke when cold but settling out quickly to an even idle. The suspension and brakes are all stock, so with a little body roll and not a great-sense of urgency, the truck rides beautifully down the highway and backroads alike. The truck has five matching Rostyle 16” steel wheels, wrapped in new reproduction tires from Blockley. The quieter nature of the V8 compared to the steady rumble of the diesel is a nice treat.

Exterior. Truck is finished in Lincoln Green with the C-pillar painted to match the body. The truck is unrestored, and the body shows some small dents and marks. OEM 16” Rostyle steel wheels are clad in new reproduction Blockley tires, with the matching spare mounted inside against the drivers C-pillar. Vertical three-piece front grill with integrated auxiliary lights. It also has an additional set of yellow auxillary lamps mounted underneath the front bumper. Raised ‘Range Rover’ lettering on the front bonnet and rear tailgate are fixtures of the early trucks,

Interior. Original fabric interior seats five, with two up front and three across the folding bench seat. Factory radio location is left of the steering wheel; we’ve added a new Continental unit. Original four-spoke Range Rover steering wheel, simple dash cluster, center controls, and minimalist center console. The shift pattern on the early trucks has an uncommon amount of design flair to it, while the oil temp, voltage, oil pressure, and clock are all mounted around the center stack. Your passenger can’t change the volume on the radio, but they’ll be able to watch your oil pressure. Seems very German for a British car.

Interested? Contact Us for more information, or Build Your Own.
info@cwclassics.com