Southern Tablelands Heritage Automotive Restorers Club Inc.

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10^th Anniversary Dinner July 2011	Car of the Month

Lawrie and Jane Nock’s 1977 Range Rover

Article and photos by Lawrie and Jane Nock.

1977 Range Rover Classic

It is interesting to look back on childhood and try to understand how we got to where we are. I grew up as part of a motor business in rural New South Wales. Well, I actually didn’t grow up, I just got older.

We sold among other things Rovers and Land Rovers. During the mid 1950s Rover put out some of the nicest brochures, with glossy colour photographs of their vehicles. We didn’t actually sell many Rovers and I don’t even remember us having a new one on the showroom floor but I do remember the plush interiors of the ones which came in for service. I also remember the problems the mechanics had carrying out maintenance and repair work on Rovers. They were not designed to be worked on. We sold a few Land Rovers which at the time were about fifteen hundred pounds and well beyond the expectations of the normal man on the land for paddock transport. On our family property we had a Blitz.

In my early teens, I was staying on a property with a friend when I experienced my first solo run in a motor vehicle, driving a short wheel base Land Rover. All those wonderful gear levers and the open touring sensation added immensely to the feeling of greatness attached to the experience. About the same time the Rover 2000 was released and when the York Motors representative brought the new release around on its demonstration run, I went for a magic carpet ride too. These things were then, and continued to be, beyond my budget and needs and I therefore stuck to Volkswagens.

The first time I saw a Range Rover it was parked in Bouganville Street Manuka. It was magnificent. There was nothing else quite like it. Some diplomat had managed to get one for himself. Not long after that the Range Rover was released on the Australian market. By that time I no longer had a useful association with the motor business but I was quite excited at the presence of such a vehicle in the market. At over $7000 I couldn’t justify having one and I had absolutely no need for one at the time, but I couldn’t help being impressed.

Soon after one of my colleagues returned from a posting in the UK with his Range Rover. The vehicle was then sold to one of our former colleagues who used it extensively in his stock and station agent role. I never ceased to be impressed by its classy appearance when I saw it go past. In 1981 Jane and I travelled to Malawi for a holiday. Anglo American had substantial interests in Malawi and were well equipped to deal with the marginal road conditions in many parts of the country. When we decided to visit to Nyka plateau, the company offered the use of one of its Range Rovers to make the journey. Without a 4WD vehicle the trip would have been impossible. In any lesser vehicle it would not have been so enjoyable.

Ever since that time I have had a fondness for the Range Rover. I have often looked at second hand Range Rovers advertised in the paper or in driveways. The number of Range Rovers sporting other than Rover motors was a bit of a worry and the fuel requirements to get from point A to point B were frightening – but what a way to go. Last year when I laid hands on the Dog and Lemon Guide I frightened myself by first reading the section on Rolls Royce. Then I moved to the article on my secret love the Range Rover. The authors are not very complimentary about most vehicle marques and have no reluctance to call it how they see it. Their quick summary of the Range Rover from 1972 to 1995 is no exception and is worth quoting.

“The world’s first yuppie four wheel drive. Built like a tank, very thirsty and now very long in the tooth. Possibly the only vehicle in the world, where the newer models were less reliable than the old.”

And the overall rating - “AVOID like the PLAGUE”

What a fantastic challenge. After removing the rear stub axles from the Rolls for wheel bearing replacement, I was truly prepared for a bit of masochism so I went to my computer and had a look at the listings for second hand Range Rovers. There in Tasmania was a beauty. It was in Tasmania so even getting to look at it was going to be a challenge. Getting it home might also pose a bit of a logistical problem if I bought it – was sure that they don’t float. It was only twice the price of similar models I had previously seen – yes I admit to looking previously, some people go to the adult shops at Fyshwick, I look at the used car listings.

Being a 1977 model, the vehicle met the age eligibility criteria for historic registration. Unlike many older Range Rovers this one was still pretty original. The owner claimed to have owned it since new and that the same mechanic had serviced the vehicle since new. It still had its original wheels and had not been retrofitted with suspension lifters and other things used for bush bashing or off road 4 wheel driving. The correct groundwork was in place. I had to see this vehicle.

It turns out that the former owner is a steam boat fanatic. He had just finished a new steam boat which at over 2 tonnes on the trailer, he thought would be a bit of a handful for the Range Rover. He had already bought a Landcruiser and had decided that he should move the Rangie on to someone else. A couple of phone calls and I was certain that it was worth a look. Jane was very supportive. She reasoned that since she has never been to Tassie this excuse was good enough for her. I reasoned that Jane was off to see her parents in South Africa soon thereafter, so the visit would have to be a short one.

Within 48 hours we had our travel in place and a spot for the vehicle on the ferry back to the mainland. We flew out of Canberra in the dark, but at least we could leave, unlike the travellers in Sydney on the day. Bruce met us at Launceston and we drove the Rangie back to his house. It turns out that the mechanic doesn’t work full time keeping just this Range Rover on the road he was actually employed by the originating dealer and serviced the vehicle there until he went out on his own. Bruce moved his business with him. The vehicle seems to be very genuine, well maintained and the seller is a nice type of bloke so we finalised the deal.

Not only has Bruce built a beautiful huon pine steam boat but he has also raced in the Tasmanian Targa on many occasions. His toys include a 911, an E-Type and a Ferrari which is the one he smashed during the event some years ago.

But back to Range Rovers. The first Range Rovers came out with a 3.5 litre aluminium block V8 motor. The engine was fed, in huge volumes, by two SU carburettors. The drive train was permanent all wheel drive with a transfer case and differential locks. The gear box is a four speed manual which was subsequently upgraded to a 5 speed, I think. The model range included the “2 door Classic”. In fact this model was the only variation offered.

Trim and body variations were limited to choices of colour. Other than a few add-ons such as radios, tow bars and bull bars, I don’t think there was much available. I don’t think they understood the need for air conditioning in the UK, so it was a case of get it fitted after you own the vehicle – which my former owner had done.

The five speed gearbox would have been a nice improvement but it didn’t come until later along with the four door and automatic transmission options which were not released until after 1977. Bruce made a very nice little folding picnic table which fits onto the bull bar and the vehicle has a tow bar which had some appeal since we do not have any other club car which is suitable for towing the club’s BBQ trailer and it is nice to be able to spread this job around.

We bought the vehicle and then took a few days driving around Tasmania to get the feel of it and some additional value out of the trip. We then brought it back to the mainland on the ferry.

The high seating position and excellent all round visibility make touring very enjoyable. The fuel consumption was a bit of a shock. This is a nice vehicle but can it drink? I knew it wouldn’t be very economical but the Range Rover’s 3.5 litre engine drinks fuel at at least the same rate as the 6.75 litre engine in the Rolls and perhaps even greater. I am trying to keep my calculations in the kilometres per litre configuration because numbers approaching 20 per hundred kilometres are too frightening to contemplate even when I have other vehicles with similar bad habits.

Driving the Rangie up the Hume Highway was a delightful experience. It has impeccable road manners and the seats, despite their limited adjustability are extremely comfortable. I think that the anti sway bars fitted by Bruce helped by removing some of the rock and roll I remembered from my previous Range Rover encounter.

We have used the Range Rover on a few club outings. It has also been to a few static display days such as Wheels. It is surprising to many people that a Range Rover is eligible for historic vehicle registration. It is nearly forty years since the original Range Rover was released and the design has weathered the years quite well I think.

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