This is Dan astride his Royal Enfield motorcycle. Dan’s a big guy and the motorcycle is smaller than the big Harleys and BMWs most of the regulars ride. He’s ridden them all and likes the Enfield a lot. More affordable than other brands.
Dropped the pickup truck off at the auto glass place this morning and spotted this beauty. Should have looked around for the owner but Barb was waiting for me. Will try get the story.
Paul Bandelier’s latest project is a 1960 Continental Mark V. The Wikipedia entry confused me because it said the Mark V was made between 1977 and 1979. Car nerd that Paul is, he immediately provided the following explanation:
The 1956 Continental Mark II was it’s own unique car company that was supposed to capture the glamour of the 1940’s Continentals. The Mark II was the most expensive car in the world short of a certain Rolls Royce model.
After 1957 the Continental car company was liquidated and and for 1958 in an attempt to sell more cars the top of the line trim level was a Mark III. The same top tier trim level applied to the 1959 Mark IV and 1960 Mark V. This move may have sold a few more car but it also diluted the uniqueness of the 56/57 Mark II that was it’s own car company.
Fast forward to 1969. Lincoln says, we were just kidding about those big old 4 door boats being the exclusive Mark series. We’re going to start over and make the Mark series a unique 2 door personal luxury car again. Sooo in 69 we have the Mark III. That lasted until 71. In 72 there was a restyled Mark IV until the next body style change over and so on.
These photos don’t begin to capture the size of this monster. The seats are like large, living room sofas.
Paul shared another bit of trivia about these slanted rear windows but I can’t recall it.
I asked who might be a buyer for this baby when he gets it up to snuff and was surprised to learn the Scandinavian countries are the top market. For some reason, they love big old American cars.
Richard Handlen (an old friend who lives in the Bay Area) shares my love for old pickup trucks and shared a couple of photos.
He spotted this beauty (above) at the Green River Brewing & Taproom Car Show in Winters, CA.
And he found this monster at the Napa Porchfest (blocks and blocks of singers and bands, performing from yards and porches.
Chuck Vaughn found this beauty in a field near Lohman, Missouri. Paid $600. These photos don’t do justice to his beautiful restoration. “Before” photo below.
This long-wheelbase 1966 Land Rover Series II-A was restored to accommodate motorcycle transport. It has a Land Rover 2.25-liter gas engine and a Series III four-speed manual. The original truck, a fire engine that had been out of commission for decades, received a meticulous, 1,000-hour, ground-up reconstruction.
“This was His Holiness The 14th Dalai Lama’s personal daily transportation for 10 years between 1966 and 1976 in Dharamsala, India. Although the Dalai Lama never personally drove the car, he did spend a lot of time in the passenger seat. By the time the Land Rover Series IIA was restored in 2006/2006 it had covered almost 70,000 miles. Many of these miles occurred in India, Nepal, and throughout the Himalayas where the vehicle’s low range 4×4 capabilities doubtless came in useful.”
“The Dalai Lama took delivery of his Land Rover fresh from the factory in 1966, as a Series IIA (also called the Land Rover Series 2A) it’s fitted with an inline-4, 2.25 litre petrol engine that was famous for its hardiness and reliability if properly maintained.” (Story)
The truck is due to come up for public sale for the first time in over 10 years with RM Sotheby’s on the 29th of August. The price estimate is between $100,000 and $150,000
Paul Bandelier introduces us to Legacy Classic Trucks in Driggs, Idaho.
Another beautiful discovery for Paul Bandelier.
The following are excerpts from a piece by Calum Brown. There’s no shortage of articles about Land Rovers but I don’t see that many specifically about the Series III.
It doesn’t handle. It’s drafty, unrefined and the heater remains largely aspirational. It’s as basic as a monk’s bedchamber, with a 0-60 mph sprint you can register on a sun dial. […] The interior resembles a rugged cliff face, yet with fewer features. The powerplant isn’t a V8 or even a six-pot; this crude motor pumps out a mere 72bhp via four cylinders. […] In-town driving requires courage and steely determination. Without venturing into the realms of pre-war machinery, this is about as raw as it gets.
On paper, the Land Rover Series III makes little sense. Yet, as an experience and automotive icon, nothing comes close; the undiluted spirit of adventure oozing from the panel gaps is second to none. Taking a Series III 88 in on the shortest of jaunts leaves you feeling like Indiana Jones.
The Land Rover rapidly works through all four forward gears before the wobbly speedometer breaches 20mph. In order to remain in a (relatively) straight line, I find myself swinging the steering wheel from side to side, hand to hand as I sway across my side of the road.
Each gear change takes genuine consideration, as finding the sweet spot within the patchy synchromesh remains the work of a mathematical genius. Attempting a fast corner is frankly terrifying, while relying solely on the slack-jawed handbrake when parking on a steep slope requires bravery; it just seems safer to employ the gearbox as well.
However, gaining cheap access to the classic Land Rover world won’t last forever. Within the past 12 months, asking prices have risen dramatically – not least since David Beckham purchased one for his son for £35,000. As 2018 sees Land Rover celebrate 70 years, we would bet that collectors will soon have their sights firmly set on the once-overlooked Series III.