The Range Rover Classic thread
Discussion
I figured that as quite a few of us on PH own Rangie Classics and inspired by Clapham's recent thread, we ought to have a thread.
With values from just £1,000 to now well over £100k and a lifespan from 1969/70 to 1995 they cover a very wide range of tastes.
In recent years they have become popular in London as very useable everyday cars that don't carry any stigmas or set image. As cars they are driven by the whole spectrum of British society and in many ways could be called classless. You can park them on the dodgiest of council estates or on a proper old English estate. There is no uniform linked to them, you can climb out wearing a suit or just in old underpants and no one thinks twice.
The easiest way to breakdown the 25+ years of manufacture is by the three types of bonnet letters. The 'mark I' up to 1980 had the raised, plastic, plug in letters. From 1980 to about 85/6 the 'Mark II' had the black letters with white borders and saw the intro of door mirrors, aircon, auto etc and of course the 4 doors and the 'Mark III' from about 85 had the single colour stick on badge and the larger dash config, body spoilers and new seats with split, high back rears.
I personally like the Mark II as it still looks like the Mark I with its simple and clean trim but has enough mod cons to be totally useable as an everyday classic without compromises.
Here is the recent history of mine:
Latest 4 door purchase. It's an '89 but made of the old steel, not the 16 gauge that came in that year and is famous for rotting. It's completely original and in near perfect condition with just 65k on the clock. Very sound and drives and runs perfectly:
The 'In Vogue', took delivery last week. This is the model that I believe is set to climb. It has been overlooked as first Soft Dash, then CSKs were pushed up. Then Velars and Suffix As have been pushed. But the In Vogue was 400 UK only 2 doors trimmed out by Woods and Picket and was the first time Land Rover had had the money to capitalise on the luxury custom market. It sold so rapidly that after a couple more runs as 4 doors the 'In Vogue' brand became the standard, default setting Vogue and the concept of the luxury SUV was firmly here. This one is low mileage and has all the right In Vogue trim including the hamper. It is missing the twin grey body stripes as it had some recent paint work. The interior is very good and just needs a serious clean. The base of the As need to be re done so as to be original spec and that's it:
And my fully galavanised '72 which currently has a late 80's exterior and odd Nationwide interior. This will be altered to early 80's spec exterior and interior and sorted for power and handling to be my everyday car:
And my previous recent Rangies have been a K reg 3.9 which was a superb every day shed for London and we did a lap of Scotland in it trying to avoid Tarmac as much as possible:
And the last ever official Overfinch conversion. Carried out to a restored LSE in 2005. I absolutely loved this car but values spikes so hard that I banked the cash a year or so back:
With values from just £1,000 to now well over £100k and a lifespan from 1969/70 to 1995 they cover a very wide range of tastes.
In recent years they have become popular in London as very useable everyday cars that don't carry any stigmas or set image. As cars they are driven by the whole spectrum of British society and in many ways could be called classless. You can park them on the dodgiest of council estates or on a proper old English estate. There is no uniform linked to them, you can climb out wearing a suit or just in old underpants and no one thinks twice.
The easiest way to breakdown the 25+ years of manufacture is by the three types of bonnet letters. The 'mark I' up to 1980 had the raised, plastic, plug in letters. From 1980 to about 85/6 the 'Mark II' had the black letters with white borders and saw the intro of door mirrors, aircon, auto etc and of course the 4 doors and the 'Mark III' from about 85 had the single colour stick on badge and the larger dash config, body spoilers and new seats with split, high back rears.
I personally like the Mark II as it still looks like the Mark I with its simple and clean trim but has enough mod cons to be totally useable as an everyday classic without compromises.
Here is the recent history of mine:
Latest 4 door purchase. It's an '89 but made of the old steel, not the 16 gauge that came in that year and is famous for rotting. It's completely original and in near perfect condition with just 65k on the clock. Very sound and drives and runs perfectly:
The 'In Vogue', took delivery last week. This is the model that I believe is set to climb. It has been overlooked as first Soft Dash, then CSKs were pushed up. Then Velars and Suffix As have been pushed. But the In Vogue was 400 UK only 2 doors trimmed out by Woods and Picket and was the first time Land Rover had had the money to capitalise on the luxury custom market. It sold so rapidly that after a couple more runs as 4 doors the 'In Vogue' brand became the standard, default setting Vogue and the concept of the luxury SUV was firmly here. This one is low mileage and has all the right In Vogue trim including the hamper. It is missing the twin grey body stripes as it had some recent paint work. The interior is very good and just needs a serious clean. The base of the As need to be re done so as to be original spec and that's it:
And my fully galavanised '72 which currently has a late 80's exterior and odd Nationwide interior. This will be altered to early 80's spec exterior and interior and sorted for power and handling to be my everyday car:
And my previous recent Rangies have been a K reg 3.9 which was a superb every day shed for London and we did a lap of Scotland in it trying to avoid Tarmac as much as possible:
And the last ever official Overfinch conversion. Carried out to a restored LSE in 2005. I absolutely loved this car but values spikes so hard that I banked the cash a year or so back:
Edited by DonkeyApple on Sunday 17th August 11:59
Old Rangeys are da nutz. I bought a 1990 Rangey for five hundred quid, ran it for a while, then sold it for five hundred quid after it failed its MOT on rustiness. It was great fun, and I would have another.
Thread here:-
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
Thread here:-
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
Loveliness all round. For those who can't be shagged to dig out my thread, here's mine;
Am considering getting a very small, discreet sticker made up for the front window, rather in the manner of the Guards' Polo Club members' sticker, bearing the legend "Terram Perigrinationis - Una Vita; Vivere"
Am considering getting a very small, discreet sticker made up for the front window, rather in the manner of the Guards' Polo Club members' sticker, bearing the legend "Terram Perigrinationis - Una Vita; Vivere"
Breadvan72 said:
By contrast, can there be a modern car more horrid, and more suggestive of its owner being a tool, than a modern Range Rover?
How rude 
!!!!But maybe I'm a tool through other peoples eyes, who knows
At least mine is a full fat though with normal size wheels and no blingy s
te adorning it....Edited by MGZTV8 on Sunday 17th August 17:42
Here's my CSK, used as my only car for 3 years in London.
It was number 3 of 200 and had a very period mod fitted of electric/heated Recaro seats that were trimmed in exactly the same unique CSK leather (complete with fishnet headrests). But like most old Range Rovers, it got so rusty that I sold it as on as restoration project. I did miss it though as, rot and fuel consumption aside (!), it was one of the best cars I have ever owned. It's a great motorway cruiser, you sit nice and high with excellent visibility thanks to the slim pillars and the 3.9 just wafts you along. A couple of years ago I bought a 4 door 91 Vogue to fill the gap which I sold to buy a 2011 Defender 110 but I still missed the CSK.
I kept in touch with the guy I sold it to and when the chance came upto buy it again I did not hesitate. It's now sitting in my barn awaiting restoration.... I don't know when that will be but I look forward to driving it again one day.
It was number 3 of 200 and had a very period mod fitted of electric/heated Recaro seats that were trimmed in exactly the same unique CSK leather (complete with fishnet headrests). But like most old Range Rovers, it got so rusty that I sold it as on as restoration project. I did miss it though as, rot and fuel consumption aside (!), it was one of the best cars I have ever owned. It's a great motorway cruiser, you sit nice and high with excellent visibility thanks to the slim pillars and the 3.9 just wafts you along. A couple of years ago I bought a 4 door 91 Vogue to fill the gap which I sold to buy a 2011 Defender 110 but I still missed the CSK.
I kept in touch with the guy I sold it to and when the chance came upto buy it again I did not hesitate. It's now sitting in my barn awaiting restoration.... I don't know when that will be but I look forward to driving it again one day.
NomduJour said:
Possibly.
Scruffy one for auction on Wednesday:
They are cracking cars but you can't ever stop the rot because the oxide is inside the steel. Quite a few CSKs are now running on European market 2 door chassis and bodies with the interior and panels etc retained. I think the one above has a new chassis and much of the body replaced. It's such a shame they rot so badly. Scruffy one for auction on Wednesday:
Edited by NomduJour on Monday 18th August 00:13
Mine which is undergoing a rolling restoration. A scruffy, but very clean, original and low mileage example.
Using it as my daily driver at the moment, I've always wanted one and pleased to say it doesn't disappoint, easily the best car I've had in my 7 years of driving. Hoping I can keep it, currently buying my first house and funds are disappearing faster than the fuel in the tank
I've got all the parts I need to get it back to its best, the next job is the bodywork
Using it as my daily driver at the moment, I've always wanted one and pleased to say it doesn't disappoint, easily the best car I've had in my 7 years of driving. Hoping I can keep it, currently buying my first house and funds are disappearing faster than the fuel in the tank
I've got all the parts I need to get it back to its best, the next job is the bodywork
I love these, had a black '90 3.9 about 7 or so years ago, loved it, until some scrote decided he liked it as well, and tried to unsuccessfully nick it, resulted in the insurance company writing it off due to the amount of damage/vandalism. Only upside was I got £1500 more back than I paid for it 12 months earlier, so a V12 7 series replaced it (it was more economical 
)
With the way prices seem to be heading for good ones, I'll probably never own another one
)With the way prices seem to be heading for good ones, I'll probably never own another one
DonkeyApple said:
NomduJour said:
Possibly.
Scruffy one for auction on Wednesday:
They are cracking cars but you can't ever stop the rot because the oxide is inside the steel. Quite a few CSKs are now running on European market 2 door chassis and bodies with the interior and panels etc retained. I think the one above has a new chassis and much of the body replaced. It's such a shame they rot so badly. Scruffy one for auction on Wednesday:
Edited by NomduJour on Monday 18th August 00:13
Flatinfourth said:
They don't have to rot badly. There's nothing really wrong with the body superstructure that can't be restored and protected for good. The electrolytic problems with he doors can be permanently fixed with an intelligent approach and modern materials. I would happily put a life warranty on a Range Rover Classic door out of my workshop!
I agree completely. Being intelligent with the points where ally meets steel will stop electrolyte issues and good prep will keep everything else very good. What I was referring to was that from about '89 they switched to a different steel, 16 gauge, and this had oxide bits actually inside the steel. So no amount of external finishing can protect against it rotting from inside the steel outwards. It's this issue which has meant that CSKs have been absolute rust buckets in contrast to the pre 89 cars which have faired much better.
There is some story that the steel came from recycled Russian ships and the scrap wasn't processed well enough, hence oxide remaining in the sheet steel that was produced.
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