Owner of first diesel Land Rover puts tatty 4x4 up for sale
'For sale: Land Rover unrestored condition. £200k (NZ$435,000)' Unrestored, you don't say?
You may find yourself asking why this shed of a 4x4 is demanding such big bucks, but, according to the owner, it's part of Land Rover's history.
That's because this battered, unloved, crumbling Series I is claimed to be the first ever production Land Rover to feature a diesel motor. The problem is, the engine in question isn't even included.
According to owner Tim Hughes who has the vehicle listed for sale on Ebay, this is chassis number 116700001, signifying it's the first diesel model off the production line in January 1957.
But Hughes is quick to point out the engine that comes with the lot - which also isn't fitted to the vehicle - isn't the original.
Is it rear-engined? No, and that's not the original diesel motor either.
His description said: 'The engine in the back is not the original but it is a diesel from the same period.
'The original engine was 116700016 on the log book.
'There is evidence of another non-original engine fitment at some time and the old favourite battery on the front bumper adaptation.'
he timing of the sale couldn't be any better, for Hughes at least.
Forget creature comfort, this stripped out banger carcass has little to nothing left in it.
Last week, Land Rover produced the final Defender 4x4 at its Solihul plant after 68 years of the original Series I incarnation.
He describes the chassis as 'very oily but not bad', though is upfront about the restoration work required to return this relic to anything resembling its former glory.
Other details of the car are pretty sketchy, though, with the owner unable to confirm if the transmission is the genuine factory fitment, though says it 'looks original'.
It does come with some documentation, including a copies of the production records verifying this as the first available-for-sale diesel model to come off the assembly line. And the registration number is unchanged from '57.
Hughes does ask for no tyre kickers, though we'd imagine you'd be picking stray bodywork panels off the floor if that wasn't the case.
We certainly couldn't see this one flying though an MOT without the odd advisory.
- Daily Mail