CLASSIC DRIVE: 1956 Land Rover Series 1

Fitted with a slightly more modern drivetrain, this Series 1 Land Rover blends possibly the best combination of a truly classic Landy experience with a touch of modern convenience. 

Words and pictures: Wilhelm Lutjeharms 

As I point the Land Rover down the road from the property I picked it up from, it is less than 800 metres down the road when a fellow Land Rover driver flashes his lights and waves at me. That doesn’t happen with a lot of cars, but with Defender drivers it does and it is only right to wave back. It's as if driving a classic Land Rover immediately makes you friends with every other Landy owner, and it goes along with a sense of humour... A number of owners have told me you need to wave to show the other driver that your hands are clean and that you haven’t recently had to work on your Land Rover!

Jokes aside, within the first few hundred metres of driving this Series 1 I already felt part of the "club" and was enjoying every moment of it. 

Upgrades

Four years ago this Landy was not in this great condition though. The car arrived in different stages of disrepair at the guys from Land Rover Worx. They soon started to restore it and piece it all back together. Stefan from Land Rover Worx explains: “The engine is the later 2.5-litre petrol engine that was fitted to the Defender from around 1987 onwards. The synchromesh gearbox is from a Series III – just to make it a little more driveable. The brakes, wiring and body were redone and it was also completely painted. Often when we receive these cars there is so little you can use of the original sample.”

The team kindly removes the roof, which makes the Land Rover just seem even more appropriate and ready for action. Even though it is a chilly 14 degrees Celsius, I am wearing "long johns" underneath my denims and am triple layered at the top with a beanie. The cold won’t affect me today and I’m thoroughly looking forward to the fresh air.

If you really want the full al fresco experience, the windscreen can be removed (or folded flat when the spare wheel is removed). Needless to say, you have a near 360-degree clear view from the driver’s seat.

Behind the wheel

The more modern engine and gearbox are indeed welcome and perfectly fits the car, and also make it more driveable. Originally this Landy was fitted with a 2.0-litre engine, as was the case with a lot of later Series 1 Land Rovers, together with the 2.0-litre diesel that was offered. The upgraded gearbox removes the hassle and challenges of a non-synchronous (crash box) gearbox. The updated gearbox still feels its age, but is a very direct-shifting gearbox, with a short and mechanical, vertical shift action while the horizonal action from second to third gear takes slightly longer.

There is some play in the steering wheel, which is also the case with most cars I’ve driven from this era. The larger engine makes a significant difference as it easily accelerates past 60 km/h and onto 80 km/h. Keeping up with traffic in town is thankfully not a challenge. The original engine would have struggled much more in terms if acceleration and it would clearly have been more of a chore to drive.

Make no mistake, there are rattles, and fitted with these off-road biased tyres, it is also a noisy affair. But I wouldn’t want it any other way. As expected, you need to start lowering your speed and apply the brakes earlier when you want to come to a stop – again, as with cars from that era and aligned with my expectations.

I head along the beautiful Clarence Drive and, thankfully, it being a cold, winter’s week day, there are no high-performance cars or motorcycles that are in a rush, wanting to pass. The massive swells of the ocean coming from the south make for a picturesque sight while the knobbly tyres make their way around the bends. It is quite strange to have the spare wheel in front of you, but after a while you forget about it and it becomes part of the scenery. 

There is no rev counter, but knowing that the engine is a low-revving unit, you tend not to hang on to a gear for too long and quicky change up into fourth to potter along.

Once parked, there is no mistaking this vehicle for anything else but an off-road Land Rover. There is ample space in the short loading bay for passengers to sit during an off-road trip, or to load equipment and camping gear.

If you are ok with sitting close to one another, there are three small seats up front, while the driver’s seat can easily be removed to access the fuel tank underneath it. Embarrassingly, the fuel attendant had to teach me this fact!

Half way along Clarence Drive I turn around and head back to Gordons Bay. I first pull over at the now well-known Pit Stop Lodge. It doesn’t come as a surprise when a few visitors make some positive comments about the Land Rover - after all, it is not a car you often see on the road.

• Find a classic Land Rover for yourself here.

The final stretch back to Gordons Bay again reminds me how agricultural and military-like these vehicles are. That was what they were built for originally and is far removed from the luxurious and soft creature comforts of modern Land Rovers. At the same time, I could have easily driven another 200 km with a stop or two along the way and enjoy other, off-road-oriented talents this Series I offers. It is a back-to-basics experience, and the appeal that you can head off-road with confidence makes it ever more alluring. 

Specifications:

1956 Land Rover Series I, 86-inch (with upgraded drivetrain) 

Engine: 2.5-litre, four-cylinder petrol

Power: 83 kW at 4 000 rpm

Torque: 265 Nm at 1 800 rpm

Transmission: 4-speed manual, RWD with transfer case

Weight: ± 1 100 kg