It was the post-war shortage of steel which prompted development of the Land Rover. Steel became rationed, like everything else, and it was allocated to British industries in proportion to the value of their exports.
At the time, Rover's fairly expensive quality cars were not selling well abroad, and a new venture was needed to attract overseas buyers. The answer chosen was to build a jeep-type vehicle on a commercial basis, and the first Land-Rover prototypes were built during 1947. The project was launched the following year at the Amsterdam Motor Show.
In the early days you only had to make a noise like a round-the-world trip and you could borrow one, chalked up to publicity and development; but the product was soon proved and established all over the world, and the free loans ended.
Demand constantly outpaced supply, and whenever there was a "recession" in car sales, Rover were able to divert their attention to catching up on the backlog of Land-Rover orders.
Made For An Outdoor Life
The Land Rover was made for an outdoor life, washed by the rain and occasionally hosed out to clean the interior. There were two little chrome rims around the headlamps - the only concession to styling; everything else, practically, was either galvanised steel (including the chassis) or painted aluminnium.
The 1.6 liter motor was that used in the Rover P4 60, and the body was made almost entirely from aluminum. Until 1950, the 4 wheel drive system had no central differential which proved fine for tackling up-hill terrain, but was less than adequate when going down hill when the driver would find the wheels turning at different speeds. Cars built after 1950
had a dogleg clutch, allowing the driver to engage either 2 or 4 wheel drive.
Introduction Of The 80" Wheelbase
One of the common criticism's of the early Land Rovers was the relatively small load space. This was addressed in 1954
, when the 80" Land Rover was replaced with an 86" wheelbase version. A long wheelbase 107" Land Rover was also introduced. These new models proved expensive, with a surprising number of new parts including new prop-shafts, springs, exhaust, and body panelling.
The new models would only last two years. Demand had grown for a diesel
engine option, and another two inches had to be inserted to allow space in the engine compartment for the new engine option.
This space was inserted between the front axle and the toe board, adding to the wheelbase. The new wheel bases of 88" and 109" were launched in 1956
but the diesel
engine option would not be launched until 1957
. Due to production line capacity constraints, the 107" vehicle would remain in production as a station wagon until 1959
when the 109" Series II Station Wagon was launched. As well as the advent of a diesel
option, 1957 saw the arrival of fully floating half-shafts on the long wheelbase 109" vehicle.
On entering a Land-Rover the first impression was of the great height off the ground, which gave an eye level well above the roof of most cars. The angular front wings were in view, but allowance had to be made for the sturdy bumper out front, and of course it was not a question of what damage the vehicle would suffer so much as what it would do to anything it hit. After 20 years of uninterrupted producction Rover claimed that 600,000 Land-Rovers were operating in more than 170 different territories all over the world. The car's most notable appearance in a movie was in the South African film 'The Gods Must Be Crazy', and while from our expericence the brakes were never that good, the film version did go to extremes!