Up for sale and ready for completion is the ‘Rat Rod Rover’

Boring history lesson:

In 1970, when Land Rover first introduced the Range Rover, it was only available 2-door configuration. There was a huge demand for a 4-door version, but Land Rover (owned by British Leyland at the time) could not afford to produce the 4-door prototype they had developed in 1972. This left an opportunity for many small companies to produce their own 4-door conversions of the Range Rover. The first company to achieve this was FLM Panelcraft, who had a complete conversion available in 1974. Only the most wealthy individuals could afford to purchase a new Range Rover, and then turn it in for its 4-door conversion, making a 4-door Range Rover Classic as exclusive as any exotic car of the time. This means that the FLM Panelcraft 4-door converted Range Rover is single-handedly responsible for the prestige of the Range Rover marque… all the way to today. The Range Rover name is so prestigious that rappers, pro athletes, Jeremy Clarkson and the Queen of bloody England all drive current Range Rovers despite their massive reliability issues and exorbitant maintenance costs. In 1987 Land Rover officially began selling Range Rovers in North America, but they were plastic-grilled, soft-bumpered, government-restricted versions of what the rest of the world had come to love: The original RANGE ROVER. The United States would never see the pure, and simple 70’s Range Rover… Until now.

Rat Rod Rover:

The idea behind this creation is to apply the Rat Rod idea to a vehicle that no one would EVER dream of… the ultimate in luxury… a Range Rover. This 1988 Range Rover has been modified with all OEM pre-1977 parts to create an homage to the early PanelCraft converted Range Rovers. All parts were shipped from the UK, are genuine Land Rover, and far surpass the value of the vehicle itself. Some of these parts include:

Authentic RoStyle Wheels
Raised bonnet and tailgate lettering
Wingard bonnet mirrors
Aluminum vertical grille
Aluminum headlight surrounds
1977 steel bumpers (most backdated vehicles fabricate look-a-likes)
UK side markers and housings
Aluminum Range Rover badges
Aluminum “By Land Rover” badge
Exposed gas cap housing and gas cap
Rear light housings and lenses
3-spoke steering wheel
Jaeger Gauge binnacle
RadioMobile radio (not hooked up)
Steering cover and signal switches
Headlight and wiper switches
Complete center lower dash with Smiths AUX gauges
correct heater switches and cover
Locking differential instructions

The exterior of the Rat Rod Rover has the perfect amount of patina for a survivor 70s rat rod. All body panels are straight, but the paint has been aged, is cracking in places and has had its fair share of scrapes. The truck looks ready for an African Safari, Polar exploration, desert military offensives or a daring trip to Gelson’s to annoy Prius owners.

The interior is a blank canvas for your imagination to run wild. The carpet and headliner have been removed and ready for the print of your choice. Mexican Blanket headliner? Cheetah fur? The possibilities are endless. Power windows function properly, and all the windows have been tinted.

The amazing part of the Rat Rod Rover is that despite being a Range Rover, it is completely reliable and fully sorted mechanically. The 3.5 Litre V8 was rebuilt less than 20,000 miles ago and runs fantastic. It fires right up, and pulls smooth and strong. The whole truck has been gone through mechanically by a Land Rover Specialist, has new front brakes, spark plugs, coil and all fluids just to name some of the recent maintenance, New oxygen sensors and Catalytic Converters have been installed and, even with its gruff appearance, the Rat Rod Rover passes California Emissions testing. The Air Conditioning has been completely removed in the name of freeing up extra Horsepower and Torque, and is very noticeable. Unlike most Range Rover Classics, you can merge onto the highway without a creating a traffic jam.

Land Rover enthusiasts will applaud you, and strangers will inquire.. as chances are no one in the US has seen a Range Rover in this form. Unless, of course, someone searched for a vehicle subjected to 40 years of wet and salty British winters, purchased it, shipped it across the Atlantic, paid import taxes, fees and dealt with the endless red tape to get a grey market car registered and smogged in the great state of California. Why do all that, when this truck is ready for its new owner right here and now? The Rat Rod Rover demands a special owner and an enthusiasts touch to complete. Do you think you have what it takes? I DARE you to find out.

The Best Part:

Even with all the expensive and hard to find classic British parts on the Rat Rod Rover, the most valuable part of the truck is the descriptive California license plate. This plate sums up the whole of the Rat Rod Rover in seven simple characters. It is the cornerstone, and inspiration for the project and will not be separated from the truck. In fact, if you want to purchase the Rat Rod Rovers license plate, the Rat Rod Rover will be thrown into the deal for only $500 more!

Price:

Licence Plate: $6700
Rat Rod Rover: $500
THE COMPLETE PACKAGE: $7200

Contact:
818.251.0435
RatRodRover@gmail.com

Vehicle located in Chatsworth, CA