A Land Rover “Series 1” was found at the “SWAP & MEET in Myoko”

The “SWAP & MEET in Myoko” was held for the first time from April 20-21, 2024, in Niigata Prefecture, a well-established resort known for skiing and camping. One vehicle seen at the newly launched event is the Land Rover “Series 1.

Land Rover was born after World War II.

Land Rover is well known as a British manufacturer specializing in luxury 4-wheel drive vehicles, with a diverse lineup that includes the Range Rover, Defender, and Discovery. Still, Rover, originally a British company specializing in high-quality passenger cars, was born in 1948 in Amsterdam. The company’s origins can be traced back to a single off-road general-purpose 4WD vehicle that was unveiled at the Amsterdam Motor Show in 1948. The name “Land Rover” was derived from the fact that it was an off-roader made by Rover.

The U.S. military’s “Jeep,” active on battlefields around the world during World War II, was widely used by the U.S. military and allied forces in various countries. The British Land Rover was also born as a result of this process.

The humorous face of this early model

“This is a 1953 Land Rover Series 1. It was originally registered as a commercial vehicle with a 4 license plate number, but was converted to a 2-seater passenger car registration with the rear portion as the trunk. The engine is a 2L, so it is a 5 license.”

The owner, Mr. Masaki Kobayashi, said.

This is a very heavy-duty vehicle. Equipment such as winches at the front and rear of the car and heavy-duty towing hooks remind us of its original use.

The humorous look unique to the early models, also known as the “narrow eye” look, is attractive because of the unique look of the grille, which is centered to prevent the headlights from cracking even if the fenders are hit on a rough road at night. In later years, the headlights were moved to the left and right fenders for the reason that “oncoming cars would misjudge the width of the car at night if the headlights were leaning in”.

Rescued by the previous owner after being abandoned in the mountains

“The previous owner rescued the car from the mountains in the Chubu region around 1990, and I took it over in 2000. There was a time when the car was out of inspection, but I have known it for about a quarter of a century now.”

In the aftermath of World War II, the supply of steel was in short supply in the United Kingdom, so Land Rovers were built with aluminum panels and rivets for the body. While this structure had the advantage of a lightweight body and panels that did not rust, there was a risk of corrosion, known as “electrical corrosion,” at the joints between the different metals (steel frame and aluminum panels).

Mr. Kobayashi has taken the utmost care to prevent electric corrosion by installing small anti-corrosion zinc plates used on ships and other vessels in the engine compartment.

The body is styled with the aluminum ground surface as it is

“The original body was green, but now we have kept the aluminum surface so that the aluminum body can be recognized,” says Kobayashi.

The original body was green. As you know, aluminum panels gradually oxidize and turn whitish if left untreated. On the clean body of the car, there was a small sticker with some words written on it. NO ABS.”, ‘NO Airbags.’, ‘NO Electronic Injection.’, ‘NO Power Steerings.’, ‘NO Air Conditioner.’ ……, and finally ”NO Problems!” and concludes with ”NO Problems! And on the rear of the body is a flag with the words “LAND ROVER SERIES ONE CLUB” dyed in white.

“This is the flag of the Land Rover Series One Club in England. I am the only Japanese member of the club.”

Mr. Kobayashi’s passion for the Land Rover and his stylishness are no less than those of enthusiasts in UK.