Land Rovers

[Martin Hash]

When my wife, Gwynne & I, travel, we always breath a sigh of relief if there's another couple near our age. Often travel involves younger people who haven' yet got their life started, and are traveling to further prolong there childhood. Obviously, other than banalities and polite conversation, we have nothing in common with them, but grey-haired retired couples with a lifetime of experiences trailing along behind them, them we can fashion a bond with.

We met Phil & Klara while traveling across Central Asia. Of course, they invited us to their home near Melbourne, Australia, and of course, we visited. Because Phil & Klara travel so much, they actually live in a converted shop, and rent their house out. We slept in their trailer. Klara is actually Swiss, and speaks with a thick accent. It turns out, Phil used to custom build trailers, over a 1000 of them. While driving us around, he would point out trailers he had made: we saw 3 of his trailers he'd built for a surfboard school in parking lot 100 miles from his house. He'd started his trailer-making operation from the money they got selling their video rental store just in the nick of time. They also helped maintain a local historic movie theater by selling lollies (Aussie-speak for candy).

The thing that first caught my attention when we drove up to their property was the glimpse I got of a Land Rover under a shed. Land Rovers have always held a special place in my imagination; John Wayne & Red Buttons drove them in the movie “Hatari!”, and Marlin Perkins & Jim Fowler of Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom were always tooling around in one. I never had a chance to buy a Land Rover but I'd lusted after one most of my life.

Land Rover 2.JPG

The best Land Rovers have a spare wheel mounted in a slot on the bonnet (Aussie-speak for hood), and they had no boot (Aussie-speak for trunk), and nothing much to keep the rain out. The best model year for this look was probably 1948, so when I found out Phil's Land Rover was a 1948, my eyes jumped open, then he took me out to the barn to see his collection of 1948 Land Rovers; my Impressed meter pegged. Phil shouldn't be traveling, he should be home sitting in his Land Rovers.

Land Rover 3.JPG

[DrYouth]

...then he took me out to the barn to see his collection ... my Impressed meter pegged.

Whatever turns your crank Marty, you eccentric old coot!

[C-Mag]

Marty, buy one and ship it home. It would be a great restore project...... you'd even score points with Lefty outdoor enthusiasts in the greater PRP

[TheReal_ND]

Dude yes. I almost bought a '42 Willis years ago. It still ran on the devil four or whatever it's called

[C-Mag]

This could be you
https://goo.gl/images/7LjFW6

I restored a 53 Willys, I had same feelings you do about land rovers. DON'T PASS THIS UP

[C-Mag]

Dude yes. I almost bought a '42 Willis years ago. It still ran on the devil four or whatever it's called

It was called the Go Devil
Cranked out 67 HP all day long, it was replaced in 53 with the 76 HP Hurricane or F Head.

[Martin Hash]

Dude yes. I almost bought a '42 Willis years ago. It still ran on the devil four or whatever it's called

It was called the Go Devil
Cranked out 67 HP all day long, it was replaced in 53 with the 76 HP Hurricane or F Head.

I had a '53.

[C-Mag]

Dude yes. I almost bought a '42 Willis years ago. It still ran on the devil four or whatever it's called

It was called the Go Devil
Cranked out 67 HP all day long, it was replaced in 53 with the 76 HP Hurricane or F Head.

I had a '53.

Did you buy a Land Rover

[Martin Hash]

It was called the Go Devil
Cranked out 67 HP all day long, it was replaced in 53 with the 76 HP Hurricane or F Head.

I had a '53.

Did you buy a Land Rover

I did have a '48 Willys-Overland Jeepster. Next best thing.

[C-Mag]

I had a '53.

Did you buy a Land Rover

I did have a '48 Willys-Overland Jeepster. Next best thing.

That actually fits you very, very well.