Land Rovers - The love of a lifetime

Land Rovers - The love of a lifetime

By Tim Brown - Tea on the Tailgate 

People often ask where my love for Land Rovers began, and honestly, I can’t quite pinpoint the exact moment, but one thing’s for sure: my late father is the financial architect of a love affair that’s left my wallet in tears.

My childhood chariot Back in the 90s, it was my dad who decided that the perfect vehicle for towing our caravan was a late Series 2A. My earliest memory of it? Scrubbing it clean on the first weekend it arrived home. It was a family project, with Mum, my brother, and sister all pitching in to make it gleam. I can’t recall what Dad was up to that day, but I’m sure he was under the bonnet, a scene that would become as familiar as the smell of EP90 or grinding down metal was to our childhood.

Versatile by design Land Rovers are as versatile as a Swiss Army knife, and ours was no exception. I remember the original back seats - they came from a Mini and were bolted in. It was perfect for us as kids to squeeze in simply by clambering over the front centre seat. As we grew, bench seating was introduced, allowing us to cram in six passengers when necessary.

We were very fortunate to have parents who encouraged us to join the scouting movement. Dad often found himself ferrying gear to camps or a rabble of kids, a habit I never quite outgrew.

Making it our own Most Land Rovers are like Triggers Broom - constantly changing parts. One day, ours would be sporting a black hammerite bumper with Hella spotlights. The next was a galvanised one with A-frame and Wipacs. We had overdrive and locking wheel hubs - both notorious for oil leaks, fitted one minute and gone again the next.

This little green (and limestone) box on wheels was a treasure trove of happy memories, making it easy to see where my passion was born. Our holidays were in Dorset, Devon, and Cornwall - although sometimes we'd even venture up north. We’d often return from school to find the caravan hitched up, ready for an adventure.

The little engine that could We had many happy trips spent crawling up Telegraph Hill in Devon, watching the temperature gauge climb with dread or the needle soar as we attempted to gain momentum for the next hill, only to watch it plummet again. But somehow - we always made it! Under Dad’s watchful eye, we almost always made it home under our own steam. There was this one time when returning from Dorset, pulling away from traffic lights, Dad couldn’t find first gear, opting for second instead - no surprise there. Soon, however, second and third gears were unobtainable too. We soldiered on to the nearest lay-by and awaited the RAC, whose response times were under an hour back then, It was quite the adventure for a child.

Our pilgrimage The Billing Off-Road Show was a yearly pilgrimage for Dad, my brother, and me. We’d set off with a full tank and a roadmap, arriving at the petrol station just outside the Aquadrome with an almost empty tank. On one occasion, the starter motor gave up the ghost at the Billing petrol station. I vaguely remember a fruitless attempt of dad hitting it with a big stick this resulted in us being towed by a fellow friendly Land Rover owner - it's a community that sticks together! Naturally, Billing had every part we could need and a repair was soon complete - what is it about an open bonnet that brings a crowd flocking?! As time moved on and childhood turned to adulthood, life goals changed. My childhood dream of owning a lightweight morphed into a mk3 fiesta. Years passed by, but I never stopped admiring their boxy shape and their ‘puddle and patina’ aesthetics - how many other vehicles do you know that just look right covered in mud or a little oxidation?

Van life The COVID-19 pandemic changed the way we looked at our holidays. I wanted to make the most of my free time, so like many others, I considered buying a van (not for long though). My long-standing love for Land Rover finally took hold. Once the decision was made, the perfect Land Rover was found just a few miles from my home; a 1986 Land Rover 110. It had served much of its life in the royal engineers. I'm pretty sure from the marketplace advert this was the best LWB Landrover out there - a large garage bill may have proved otherwise! The timing of this purchase was especially poignant; my father Bob had been diagnosed with terminal cancer. It brought great joy to be able to talk about it with him during the time we had before he sadly passed. Many readers will already know Bob_the_landy and now you’ll know how he came about.

That 1st drive! The first thing I noticed was the driving position - upright, elbows clashing the door, nothing is especially refined. Starting it often comes with a bit of ceremony. The engine, in Bob's case, is a 200tdi. It fired up with a clatter rather than a smooth hum. At idle, it vibrates through the chassis, at speed everything vibrates! Every gear change is deliberate, the gearbox can feel notchy, sometimes vague, and you learn quickly to be patient rather than forceful. On the road, it’s slow. Acceleration is gradual, and higher speeds come with even more noise. Conversations require raised voices. Steering is heavy, especially at low speeds, and there’s plenty of play in the steering wheel. It doesn’t track perfectly straight; but it feels alive, constantly needing small corrections. There’s also a strong sense of involvement. Nothing is automated or effortless. You listen to the engine, feel the gears, anticipate the road. It demands attention, but in return it offers a kind of honesty—what you input is often what you get.

Let the adventures begin. It wasn’t long before the urge to put it through its paces off tarmac became too great. Our 1st foray into green laning took us on a quick jaunt across Salisbury plain. The landy made light work of the terrain just as the pressure washer made light work of removing huge chunks of its black paint. I had always planned a repaint to its original nato green so soon set to rubbing it down and making it my own. Black, Blue, Grey, Red and Yellow paints were all to be found. It was only then that I discovered that the wings on Bomb Disposal Land Rovers were painted red - it seemed like a good opportunity to add a little nod to his heritage.

Is one Land Rover enough? The age old question that only a true enthusiast can answer. Three seems like quite a good number (for now). I’m so pleased to now be the custodian of my dad’s Series 2a. Keeping the oil in this one is a bit of a challenge so I tend to limit this to more local jaunts. Added to our collection is my long suffering wife's 90 (after a short foray into discovery 1 ownership). This had taken Bob's place as the off road vehicle, redefining Bob as an overland vehicle . This lovely 300tdi with mud terrains and a winch has come to the rescue many times (and also got stuck). From assisting in recovery of a council van that got bogged down in the local park, to recovering stuck vehicles on Salisbury plain - this one is the go anywhere vehicle of the collection.

A community sport We are lucky in Dorset to have a thriving and active community on our doorstep. Following the initiative of a local group, I decided to organise little meet-ups called “Tea on the Tailgate” - if you want to know more please check out www.teaonthetailgate.co.uk. This has been a defining moment for me over the last 18 months. It has brought so many people together and created firm friendships that wouldn’t have existed without it. I get so much happiness meeting people and knowing that I played a small part in getting people together. With over 250 meet-ups held to date, there’ll be one near you at some point. It's fair to say that Land Rovers have taken over my life - when something gives so much enjoyment, it's hard not to want to get more involved. I took up a position on the committee of the DLRC club and I would urge anyone who wants to meet like-minded people to join their local club. There's so much to offer - and lots of ways to get involved.

Where do we go from here? So what is it about these incredible vehicles that keeps us coming back? Iconic, versatile and instantly recognisable - it’s truly a vehicle for all classes. Is it because we all crave something a little simpler and a slower pace in this modern world that we are all trying to keep up with? Is it the community? Every owner has their own reasons. Once the ideal farmer's vehicle, Landies are now very much a trendy vehicle to own. Where will the future lead this icon? Time will tell. But it's a story that's lasted my lifetime at the very least.

Tim Brown, Tea on the Tailgate founder.