1949 Land Rover Series I 80" 4x4 Utility Project

Registration no. CCF 478 Chassis no. R06104462

Footnotes

Inspired by the US Army's wartime 'Jeep', developed in haste and intended for short-term, small-scale production, the Land Rover would defy its creators' initial scepticism. Rover bosses the Wilks brothers saw the need for a tough, four-wheel-drive utility vehicle to serve the needs of the agricultural community in the immediate post-war years, but the Land Rover's runaway success took the company by surprise. Continuously developed over the course of more than 60 years in production, the supremely versatile Land Rover has proved itself adaptable to innumerable civilian and military roles. It was a sad day for 4x4 enthusiasts when the last Defender model rolled off the Solihull production line in January 2016; the Land Rover's successor is keenly anticipated.

'CCF 478' is a very early and equally rare Land Rover Series I 'lights behind grille' model. The vehicle was purchased new in 1949 by the Ampton Estate in Suffolk and served as the gamekeeper's transport there. In 1959 the Land Rover briefly passed into ownership in Kings Lynn (name in the logbook indecipherable), before moving to the Ousden Estate Shoot. When the tenancy of the Ousden Estate and therefore the shoot passed to the vendors family in 1965 'CCF 478' went with it and has remained in his family's possession ever since. Offered in need of complete restoration, this potentially most rewarding project comes with an old-style logbook and is sold strictly as viewed.