1974 Land Rover Series 3 SWB Wagon

Description

Conceived as a replacement for the wartime Jeep by the Rover Car Company immediately after the cessation of hostilities, the Land Rover first appeared in prototype form in 1947 using a production Rover engine driving through a standard gearbox with specially built dual-range transfer box.  The first deliveries of Land Rovers were made in July 1948 and sales quickly surpassed those of Rover saloons. In the beginning a 1.6-litre engine was used and the wheelbase was just 80 inches but in 1952 a larger 2.0-litre unit was introduced and in 1954 the wheelbase was stretched to 86 inches. Land Rovers were hugely successful in Australia, too, preceding the arrival of early Toyota Land Cruisers (imported by Leslie Thiess for use on the Snowy Mountains Scheme) by some years. With permanent 4WD until the introduction of a dog clutch arrangement in 1950, simple but rugged engineering and basic styling, the first Land Rovers did well in the crucial export markets and a great many found their way into service on the land and in both military and industry in Australia over the years.  The original short-wheelbase Land Rover was supplemented by a longer-wheelbase Station Wagon version, initially on a 107-inch wheelbase with seating for up to 10 on the rear bench seats.  Mid-way through 1956 the definitive 109-inch wheelbase version was introduced, along with a new overhead-valve diesel engine the following year – one of the first diesels to be developed for road use.  Updated periodically, the original Land Rover gave way to the improved Series II in 1958, followed by the IIA of 1961 before the Series III arrived a decade later.  By this stage the headlamps had already been relocated to the front guards to meet new regulations, while the traditional metal grille was replaced with a plastic item and the interior was completely revamped.