Grandad's photos

I always wondered what owning a V8 was like, now we have one in a 1983 Land Rover 4WD. No doubt fuel consumption will be the first lesson.

This one is described as a Series 3, 109 inch wheelbase, V8 station wagon. They are known as a Stage 1 in UK because they were produced as stage 1 of a multi million pound capital injection into Landrover. A Rover 3.5 litre V8 is installed, detuned to about 93 HP by the addition of restrictors in the inlet manifold which are easily removed to immediately get 150 HP. But I don't intend to do that, all the power would be at the top end, the fuel bill would go up and the brakes would not stop it.

This vehicle was originally owned by the NZ Government. They were used by Lands & Survey, Ministry of Works, etc. Similar ones are ex-Army radio vehicles, they have 2 batteries and some other additions. The last owners let the rego lapse and it cost them $3K for a full compliance inspection including sandblasting the chassis to bare steel, looking for rust. It has 93,000 km on the clock, and that appears to be right from the ownership papers. In 7000 km it will read 00000 so there may be a hidden "1". The body is all aluminium.

It runs full-time 4WD, with selectors for high/low ratio and diff-lock if wheel spin occurs. We will use it for some 4WD club outings as well as transport to camping grounds.