1949 Land Rover Series I 4x4 Military Utility

• From the first batch of military Land Rovers delivered
• Decommissioned and sold off for civilian use in 1963
• Extensive restoration to original specification
• Many original components retained. Original engine, gearbox and axles

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. The necessity of using corrosion resistant aluminium panels at a time of severe steel shortage turned into a positive virtue in the Land Rover's sphere of operations, and the use of existing components - including the P3 saloon's 1,595cc, four-cylinder, sidevalve engine - kept production costs down and cut development time. Ruggedly built and simple in construction, the Land Rover proved capable of surviving in countries where conditions were primitive to say the least, a virtue that helped contribute to its worldwide acceptance.

In May 1949 Rover received the first major order from the Ministry of Supply for 1,878 Land Rovers for use by the British military. Production began in August 1949, with each vehicle being assigned a War Department registration number in the range beginning '00BC01' and ending '18BC78'. A 1950 model, the Land Rover offered here was completed in December 1949 as part of the aforementioned contract and registered as '12BC68'. The Land Rover served for a little over ten years before being decommissioned and sold off in 1963. Registered for civilian use in Birkenhead, it led a normal working life in that area for the next 20 years.

In the early 1980s the vehicle passed into the hands of a member of the Land Rover Series I Club as a good solid runabout, albeit brush-painted in brown and cream fence paint! Taken off the road in the late 1980s, it was subsequently treated to an extensive restoration to original specification. The chassis was shot blasted and repaired, the bodywork was repaired and renewed where required. All aluminium was chemically stripped. Mechanically the block was rebuilt, the cylinder head was acid cleaned and tested, new pistons and values were fitted along with cam shafts. The gearbox was acid cleaned, rebuilt with new seals and bearings and the clutch was renewed. A new fuel tank was installed along with pipes and fuel pump. The radiator was given a new core, and new hoses and clips were fitted. The brakes were renewed (girling) with new hoses and pipes. The steering was given new track rod ends, a refurbished steering relay, a refurbished steering box, steering wheel and chrome swivels.


Finished in the correct factory Bronze Green exterior colour and an interior re-trim in correct matching vinyl. The speedometer was changed as well (current odometer reading 00001 miles) and the restoration completed in 2020. This historic military 'Landie' retains many of its original components from 1949 and should be good for another 70 years. Offered with a V5C document. Rarely do such well restored examples come to Market.