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ROVER TESTING!
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From 1948 to 1958 the term "Land Rover" was used for all offroad models built by the Rover Company, the main variants included the 80 inch (80in or just 80), 86, 88, 107 and 109. These numbers are the measurement from the front axle to the rear. This system is still used with todays Defenders...
Until 1958 the term "Series 1" didn't exist. They were all just Land Rovers.
How to identify your Land Rover
All Land Rovers built before the 1959 Series 2 have completely flat doors (no shoulder curve). If it has shoulders, it isn't a real Land Rover! (just in our opinion of course!)
While many parts are the same on all models from 1948-58, there are two basic types of Land Rover:
The 80 inch (1948-53)
The 86/88/107/109 inch models(1954-58)
The original Land Rover is the 80 inch, based on the Jeep concept, but improved in every way, this model was produced from 1948-53, and can be identified by its small instrument panel with several small gauges.
The later type are known as the 86/88/107/109 inch models, produced from 1954-58. These Land Rovers have two large dials, one is the speedometer, the other is the combined instruments.
Your chassis / vin number is the best way to find what YEAR MODEL you have, because there are differences between different year models also in each model range.
Here is a basic list of ROVER MODEL YEARS. Note that many vehicles will actually be several months older or younger, or registered differently to their ROVER MODEL YEAR, as Rover model years do not begin January 1st. The Rover model year must always be used in correspondence.
80 INCH MODELS (1948-53)
1948 Chassis - R860***, R861***, R862***.R863*** (Note: the "R" prefix is an "L" on left hand drive models)
1949 Chassis - R866**** R867**** R868****
1950 Chassis - R0******, 0****** (Note: 1950-55, the first digit is the year)
1951 Chassis - 16******
1952 Chassis - 26******
1953 Chassis - 3*******
86/107 MODELS (1954-55)
1954 Chassis - 4*******
1955 Chassis - 5*******
88/107/109 MODELS (1956-58)
1956 Chassis - 1**6*****, 27*6*****, 87*6***** (Note: 1956-58, the 4th digit of the VIN is the year)
1957 Chassis - 1**7*****
1958 Chassis - 1**8*****
The first production Land Rover was a 1948 "80 inch" model, chassis R860001, made at the Rover factory, Solihull, Birmingham, UK. In 1948, these original vehicles were very basic. The expected factory output was 30 units a week. Passenger seats and doors were optional. Orders were coming in at a rate of 500 a week. The last Land Rover proper was produced in 1958, and it was a "Land Rover Long Wheel Base Station Wagon", as the Land Rover Series 2 Long Wheel Base Station Wagon was the last of the new models to come online.
Land Rovers, nowadays known as the Series 1's,(or, with the Roman Numeral Series I) were discontinued in 1958. The Land Rover Series 2, then the 2a, then the 3, followed by the Stage 1, and the current batch of Defenders all followed the original sucess.
The Land Rover side valve engine (in 1.6 and 2 litre form) was perfect for the vehicle and the times, fast and economical, with a high torque output relative to it's low power. It was discontinued in 1959 (early in Series 2 production), but the engine did live on in 6 cylinder form, and was even fitted to some Series 3's in the 1980's! It was probably the last side valve engine to be produced this side of the iron curtain!
The 1957 Land Rover Diesel Engine, (the UK's first High Speed Diesel), lived on, as both a Petrol and Diesel engine in the Series 2, 2a, and 3 (an improved 2.25 design was used). Even the 200TDI and 300TDI Turbo Diesels, used in Range Rovers and Discoveries, are based on the Original Series 1 Diesel Design!!! Production of the 300TDI ended in the UK in 1998 because of emissions standards, but it is still being produced in other countries for use in new Land Rovers.
A very rough guide to Years/Models...
Always use the Chassis/Vin, but if that is missing....
1948 - 80 inch, flat fabricated dash panel, 3 dial instrument panel, silver painted chassis,no external door handles
1949, pressed one piece dash panel introduced. Green chassis introduced, Bronze green paint introduced.
1950 wide front springs introduced.
1951 Headlights poking through the grille introduced.
1952 Inverted T shaped grille introduced, external door handles introduced, (these handles stick out and have often been removed, but there will be a small hole in the door for them)
1954 86/107 inch models, recessed door handles introduced, 2 dial instument panel introduced
1956 88/109 inch introduced, (107 station wagon continued)
1957 Diesel introduced (UK only)
1958 Diesel introduced.