LOT 224
C 1953 Minerva Land Rover TT 80 Chassis no. 36631803
Sold for US$17,920 inc. premiumLot to be sold without reserve
Lot 224
C 1953 Minerva Land Rover TT 80
C 1953 Minerva Land Rover TT 80
Chassis no. 36631803
Chassis no. 36631803
1,997cc OHV 4-Cylinder Engine
Single Carburetor
52bhp at 3,250rpm
4-Speed Manual Transmission
Solid Axle Suspension - 4-Wheel Drive
4-Wheel Drum Brakes
*One of approximately 9,000 examples licensed for assembly in Belgium
*Desirable early-spec 80" wheelbase
*Many fascinating features unique to Minerva variants
*Standard Land Rover mechanicals for ease of maintenance
THE MINERVA LAND ROVER TT
Looking to replace their aging, war-weary Willys Jeeps in the early 1950s, Belgian forces tested both improved versions of the American vehicle, as well as examples of the Rover-built 4x4 which it inspired. Though both vehicles performed valiantly, ultimately the Land Rover was selected for general ease of logistics–it's a few hundred miles from Brussels to London, and a few thousand to North America...
Both 80-inch wheelbase and 86-inch variants were made, assembled from kits sent from England. Minerva, a Belgian marque with roots in fine luxury automobiles, claimed that 63% of their Land Rovers were made locally, including distinct steel bodywork.
THE MOTORCAR OFFERED
The example offered appears to be a military variant, however civilian market examples were also produced. These 80" wheelbase variants are most common, and 86" wheelbase versions, made from 1954, represent only a fraction of production. Officially referred to as the Minerva TT, for Tout Terrain, these vehicles were built as station wagons, hardtops, truck chassis cabs, fire trucks and more.
Steel bodywork was specified for its lower cost compared to Aluminum, British-built bodies, and the Minerva's distinct front fenders were easier to produce than the complex, rounded items fitted to UK examples.
At the front, Minerva's distinct nose treatment prominently features a "License Rover" badge, and this was later replaced with a design placing the Minerva logo and name above a smaller Land Rover one.
Power comes from a 2.0-liter gasoline four-cylinder, and a Belgian data plate indicates that the vehicle was reconditioned in 1989. Mechanicals are essentially identical to those in British-built LR Series of the time, though interesting detail differences such as the Minerva's exhaust are fun to spot. Note the 1952 British tax disc affixed to the vehicle's exterior–an intriguing clue to what sounds like a very interesting history for this very interesting and unusual Land Rover Series.
Single Carburetor
52bhp at 3,250rpm
4-Speed Manual Transmission
Solid Axle Suspension - 4-Wheel Drive
4-Wheel Drum Brakes
*One of approximately 9,000 examples licensed for assembly in Belgium
*Desirable early-spec 80" wheelbase
*Many fascinating features unique to Minerva variants
*Standard Land Rover mechanicals for ease of maintenance
THE MINERVA LAND ROVER TT
Looking to replace their aging, war-weary Willys Jeeps in the early 1950s, Belgian forces tested both improved versions of the American vehicle, as well as examples of the Rover-built 4x4 which it inspired. Though both vehicles performed valiantly, ultimately the Land Rover was selected for general ease of logistics–it's a few hundred miles from Brussels to London, and a few thousand to North America...
Both 80-inch wheelbase and 86-inch variants were made, assembled from kits sent from England. Minerva, a Belgian marque with roots in fine luxury automobiles, claimed that 63% of their Land Rovers were made locally, including distinct steel bodywork.
THE MOTORCAR OFFERED
The example offered appears to be a military variant, however civilian market examples were also produced. These 80" wheelbase variants are most common, and 86" wheelbase versions, made from 1954, represent only a fraction of production. Officially referred to as the Minerva TT, for Tout Terrain, these vehicles were built as station wagons, hardtops, truck chassis cabs, fire trucks and more.
Steel bodywork was specified for its lower cost compared to Aluminum, British-built bodies, and the Minerva's distinct front fenders were easier to produce than the complex, rounded items fitted to UK examples.
At the front, Minerva's distinct nose treatment prominently features a "License Rover" badge, and this was later replaced with a design placing the Minerva logo and name above a smaller Land Rover one.
Power comes from a 2.0-liter gasoline four-cylinder, and a Belgian data plate indicates that the vehicle was reconditioned in 1989. Mechanicals are essentially identical to those in British-built LR Series of the time, though interesting detail differences such as the Minerva's exhaust are fun to spot. Note the 1952 British tax disc affixed to the vehicle's exterior–an intriguing clue to what sounds like a very interesting history for this very interesting and unusual Land Rover Series.
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