MOTOR CARS | 113223
Rare Rolls-Royce Engined
1950 Land rover 81” ProToTyPe
Registration no. TAB 767
Chassis no. RO61 04618
Engine no. 596
Inspired by the wartime Jeep, the first Land Rover inherited its 80”
wheelbase from the American 4x4 but the early example offered
here has a wheelbase of 81”, the ‘stretch’ being necessary to
accommodate a 2.8-litre Rolls-Royce B40 engine. This unusual Land
Rover variant resulted from the Army’s need to evaluate alternative
designs of 4x4 vehicle alongside what would become known as the
Austin Champ. The latter used the B40 engine and Rover was asked
to provide Land Rovers fitted with this power unit for testing together
with standard 1,595cc models. Rover commissioned Hudson Motors
Ltd to perform the conversion and approximately 34 B40-engined
Land Rovers were completed.
As well as the 1” increase in wheelbase, achieved by moving the
rear spring mounts, the transplant involved extensive modifications
to the chassis, transmission and cooling system. It was also found
necessary to raise the bonnet slightly and cut a hole in the front to
clear the radiator cap. In the event, the B40-engined Land Rover
did not enter series production and of the 34-or-so made only that
offered here and one other are known to survive with the Rolls-Royce
engine still installed.
Chassis number ‘RO61 04618’ was constructed in January 1950
and in 1953 was sold by the Ministry of Defence to renowned
compressor manufacturers Belliss & Morcom (still in existence today)
for use at their factory in Birmingham. In 1957 the vehicle was
bought by a Birmingham garage owner and given the Worcestershire
registration ‘TAB 767’. Used very little, it next changed hands in
1977, passing to Ian Sparks of Birmingham who painstakingly
restored it over the next year-or-so. At this time a total of only 5,756
miles was recorded on the odometer.Over the next two years ‘TAB 767’ won numerous concours awards
and was the subject of two articles written by Tony Hutchings (East
Hampshire Post and Off Road and 4 Wheel Driver, copies on file). It
was acquired by the renowned Patrick Collection in 1985 and placed
on long term display, with occasional visits to rallies and shows. It
was acquired by the present owner – a serious Land/Range Rover
Collector – in 2012, when Bonhams dispersed a selection of motor
cars for the Patrick Collection. The car was then re-commissioned
for road use. At the time of acquisition, a total of 6,905 miles
was displayed on the odometer, and it has seen minimal since.
Accompanying documentation consists of the aforementioned press
cuttings, sundry invoices, a quantity of expired MoTs and Swansea
V5 document.
£45,000 - 55,000
€56,000 - 69,000