One Owner: 1983 Range Rover V8 Classic
Driven by British royalty in the UK, the Range Rover has almost become a cult classic, which the market is only just waking up to. These were a revolution when they came to the market, eventually bringing mass luxury to SUVs before most, and leading the way for many years. Now every manufacturer has a luxury SUV, and they all have the Range Rover to thank for this. Yet these were built in a time when British engineering and quality was not…shall we say…at its best, so there are frequent mechanical and rust issues with these old ‘Rangies’. Yet our car today, the 1983 model year, seems to have survived relatively unscathed, with only 40,000 miles on the clock. If this piques your interest, it’s available here on eBay where the current bidding sits at $18,000 with the reserve not met, and located in Sarasota, Florida.
Launched in the 1970s, the Range Rover is still being produced today and is now in its fifth generation. Originally produced by British Leyland, the original design remained unchanged from 1970 up until 1996, with minor revisions to the headlights, but it remained much the same. Ours is the 5-door model, having been produced as a 2-door up until 1980, with this being the new line to appeal to a wider audience. The initial models were actually quite spartan and utilitarian, and it wasn’t until later they earned their luxury stripes.
Our Range Rover here looks like it has had an easy life, and looked after well, being treated to a €5000 interior retrim. As you can see from the photos, it has a spotless interior and is possibly better than when it left the factory. The brown interior is not to modern tastes, but very much of its time and looks good contrasted against the red body. These bodies sat on a ladder chassis and can be detached and repaired if needs be, with the multiple companies which exist to support this marque. Looking at the chassis it’s generally in very good condition – there are some areas of surface rust on the axle, but nothing to worry about.
Powered by its large 3.5l V8, it comes with 155hp and is based on a Buick unit before being fettled by the team in the UK. The exterior of the car also has twin headlamps, a more unusual option at the time, but contrasts nicely with the classic 3-spoke alloy wheels at each corner. Now this leaves the new owner with a bit of a quandary, as this is a very capable off-road machine. I would use it for showing off, and cruising around in the sunshine, and not take it off-road – what do you think you would use this Range Rover Classic for?
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Comments
Good looking classic rig for those in the Jeep crowd the prefer to drink warm beer from their portable Lucas refrigerators. I wold much rather own this classic than the newer model with the troublesome central computer and the terrible air suspension. These are really underpowered but the 3.5 is much more reliable than the later versions of the old Buick 215 which suffers from just about any shortcoming you can think of. Head gaskets, dropped cylinder liners, oil pump timing cover issues you name it. Personally I would lean more towards the classic Grand Cherokee. I know it’s not quite the off-roader like the Range Rover but cheaper to own and better looking with the timeless Brooks Stevens design.
All the utility of a Jeep with the reliability of a Jaguar. Notice I didn’t say reliability of a Jeep. Good looking find.
Please do not compare to Jeep.
No of course not. Jeeps are reliable and inexpensive and helped win wars.
Range Rovers helped settle beefs the posh Limeys had with grouse and pheasant.
“British engineering and quality was not…shall we say…at its best”. That’s the understatement of the year. British Leyland use to flog these with rubber mats fitted in the early days; they were rust buckets and utterly unreliable. There’s a two door 1974 parked in my neighbourhood. Looks complete and still running but somehow I get the impression it’s seldom used. This vehicle simply did not fulfilled a car’s basic rule #1; A to B and back to A thereafter. Panel gaps? You could drive a bus through those.
Yes the early ones were indeed fitted with rubber mats and simple upholstery, so they could be hosed down when dirty!
Good Air bags are not there and Springs are. Unless this was too old for Airbags?
The first gen use an aluminium body but the most who leased
this car back then in Europe mainland where wannabe who
wanted to look rich as they mostly coudlnt afford a new rear
muffler. And i traded a lot of this Range. It’s simple, straight
and striking.
From their origin, the Range was intended for the wealthy and
demanding gentlemen to go hunting with comfort and not as
simple as in a Land Rover. Both the Range- and Land Rover
was intended as good offroad but the most suffer after their
first life on straight city roads their life somewhere in the near
Eest or in Africa. Also often driven by ladies who had a wealthy
husband to transport with a statement their dog around the city.
The actual model is a good translated retro look but lacks
the offroad capacities of the first gen Range.
This here looks like an euro import. Amber turn signals and
no “closer then they appear” lettering on the right mirror glass.
The first gen use an aluminium body but the most who leased
this car back then in Europe mainland where wannabe who
wanted to look rich as they mostly coudlnt afford a new rear
muffler. And i traded a lot of this Range. It’s simple, straight
and striking.
From their origin, the Range was intended for the wealthy and
demanding gentlemen to go hunting with comfort and not as
simple as in a Land Rover. Both the Range- and Land Rover
was intended as good offroad but the most suffer after their
first life on straight city roads their life somewhere in the near
East or in Africa. Also often driven by ladies who had a wealthy
husband to transport with a statement their dog around the city.
The actual model is a good translated retro look but lacks
the offroad capabilities of the first gen Range.
This here looks like an euro import. Amber turn signals and
no “closer then they appear” lettering on the right mirror glass.
I have owned a Range Rover Classic SWB, Jeep CJ-6A and a Unimog 404 Radio Truck. They all sucked in their own lovable ways…
I had a ‘91 Range Rover “classic”, though they weren’t called that when I owned mine. Supremely dependable, get you anywhere truck. All this crap about RRs being unreliable is BS. It was my first, now I’m on my 8th. All (except maybe the ‘99 P38!) have been very good to me. Fantastic vehicles. Don’t listen to the fools who never owned one giving them a bad name.
Rule #1 maintain your vehicle!!!! I own a 2008 HSE RR. 178,000 miles and runs and purrs like a kitten! Yes, I have maintained this SUV at all expense and cost. No more than any other vehicle. People that can’t afford these buy them and don’t keep them up. Then they sell cheap and the next guy claims “what a piece of junk”?!?! Cars are machines…they are only as good as the man behind it!!!!
Absolutely! Whatever you drive, maintenance is key to keeping a car on the road. Along with safe driving habits.
Ah yes, the Range Rover. The 4×4 that you own, if you’re trying to finance your mechanic’s kid’s college education.
!987 was the first year for Land Rover North America. Prior to that they could have a lot of different spec’s, but not specifically for North America. Air springs were not available until 1993.
Beautiful looking Range Rover. Although I was too young at the time to drive a car, I remember when the Range Rover looked like this. IMHO, it’s the best looking generation Range Rover produced.