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Range Rover Classic

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Range Rover Classic
Overview
ManufacturerLand Rover
Production1970–1996
DesignerDavid Bache
Body and chassis
ClassSUV
Powertrain
Engine3528 cc, 3947 cc, and 4197cc Rover V8
2393 cc and 2499 cc I4 VM diesel
2495 cc 200TDi turbo-diesel
TransmissionFour- or five-speed manual
3- or 4-speed automatic
Permanent 4WD on all variants
Dimensions
Wheelbase2743 mm (UK-specification LSE/US County LWB)
2540 mm (all others)
Width1780 mm
Height1800 mm (1970-1980)
1780 mm (1980 onwards)
Chronology
SuccessorRange Rover "P38A"

The Range Rover Classic was a luxury off-road vehicle built by Land Rover from 1970 to 1996. It was the first generation of vehicles produced under the Range Rover name. For most of its history, it was known simply as the "Range Rover"; Land Rover coined the term "Range Rover Classic" for the brief period they built them side-by-side with the P38A successors, and applied it retroactively to all first-generation Range Rovers.[1]

Design

While it was designed under the Rover aegis as an upmarket version of the Land Rover of its time, the Range Rover was a radical break from its nominal "little brother", sharing almost nothing in either components or design. The chassis was suspended by coil springs, and because of the Range Rover's hefty weight, hydraulic disc brakes were fitted on all four wheels, rather than the then-common drum brakes.

Transmission-wise the Range Rover used permanent four-wheel drive, rather than the switchable rear-wheel/four-wheel drive on the Series vehicles (this became the norm for all Land Rover vehicles), and had a lever for switching ratios on the transfer box (called "high/low box") for off-road use. Overdrive for use with third and fourth gears was an option on the early four-speed manual boxes. The engine was originally a detuned (135 bhp) version of the legendary Buick-derived 3528 cc Rover V8 engine.

Like all Land Rover vehicles, most of the Range Rover's bodywork skin is constructed from lightweight aluminium, save for the two-section rear tailgate, and the bonnet on earlier models.

History

Early history

Rover had been experimenting with producing a "big brother" to the Land Rover as far back as the 1950s, with the Rover P4-based two-wheel-drive Road Rover project. This was shelved in 1958, and the idea laid dormant until 1966, when engineers Spencer King and Gordon Bashford set to work on a new luxury off-roader.

In 1967, the first Range Rover prototype was built, with the classic Range Rover shape clearly discernible but for a different front grille and headlight configuration. The design of the Range Rover was finalised in 1969. Twenty-six Velar engineering development vehicles were built between 1969 and 1970 and were road registered with the number plates YVB 151H through YVB 177H.[2]

It is commonly thought that "VELAR" is an acronym for Vee Eight Land Rover, however the name is derived from the Italian 'Velare' meaning to veil or to cover.[3] Range Rover development engineer, Geof Miller, used the name as a decoy for registering pre-production Range Rovers. The Velar company was registered in London and produced forty pre-production vehicles that were built between 1967 and 1970.

Earlier Range Rovers (this one being from 1979) only came in two-door form.

1970-1980

In June 1970, the Range Rover was introduced to the public, to much critical acclaim. It appeared that Rover had succeeded in their goal of a car equally capable both on and off road -- arguably, better than any four-wheel drive vehicle of its era in both environments. Road performance (a top speed of 95 mph and acceleration from a standstill to 60mph in less than 15 seconds) was as good or better than many family saloon cars of its era, and off-road performance was staggering owing to its long suspension travel and high ground clearance. Notable off-road feats were winning the 4-wheel drive class in the first Paris-Dakar Rally in 1979 and 1981,[4], and being two of the first vehicles (along with a Series IIA) to traverse both American continents north-to-south through the Darién Gap from 1971–1972.[5]

Little changed in the decade after its introduction, save for the addition of power steering in 1973,[6] small mechanical alterations,[7][8] and various, very minor, cosmetic alterations.[8][9][7][10] In 1980, the suspension was changed to reduce ground clearance by 20 mm.[11] While such a change might have been noticeable in heavy off-road use, this served to reduce the colossal body roll that early Range Rovers suffered.

From 1979 onwards, Land Rover collaborated with Perkins on Project Iceberg, an effort to develop a diesel version of the Range Rover's 3.5-litre V8 engine.[12] Both naturally-aspirated and turbocharged versions were built, but in both cases problems were found with the all-alloy engine blocks failing under the much greater pressures involved in diesel operation. The project was later abandoned, in favour of the VM diesel engines from Italy.

1981-1985

One of the first significant changes came in 1981, with the introduction of the four-door body.[6] Until then, Range Rovers only had two doors, which made access to the rear seats rather difficult, and were very large and heavy. The four-door version solved both these problems, and was received well by the public; the four-door became popular enough that the two-door was discontinued in the United Kingdom in 1984[13], although the two-door continued to be produced to the end, mainly for the French market.[14] Concurrently, the compression ratio of the V8 was increased and the gear ratio in the transfer box was upped for fuel economy. Land Rover also introduced a lower-spec two-door Range Rover called the Fleetline, aimed at the commercial and police-force market. The interior was less luxurious, and had an option to remove the power steering equipment.[15]

In 1982, the Range Rover was given automatic transmission as an optional extra (initially a 3-speed Chrysler box, but uprated to a 4-speed ZF in 1985) coupled to a LT230 transfer box.[11] The other major transmission upgrade in the Range Rover's lifetime was the switch from the LT95 combined four-speed manual gearbox and transfer box to the LT77 five-speed gearbox and separate LT230 transfer box in 1983.

The post-facelift Range Rover, such as this early 1990's four-door example, had front skirts and a plastic grille with horizontal slats.

1986-1991

The biggest cosmetic change came in 1986, with a revamped front end. This included a more pedestrian-friendly plastic grille with horizontal slats and front skirts with two driving lights. In the same year, Lucas electronic fuel injection was introduced[11], improving both performance and fuel economy. Some export markets retained carburettors, however the original Zenith/Stromberg manufactured units were replaced by Skinners Union (SU)-manufactured items.

1986 also saw the introduction of the Range Rover to the United States, when Land Rover set up their first headquarters in Lanham, Maryland in 1986 (the first US-specification Range Rovers were sold in 1987). Range Rovers had already proven themselves popular with Americans in the grey market. A more efficient 2.4 litre (2393 cc) VM diesel engine was made available as an option for the heavily-taxed European market.[6]

In 1989 (the same year in which the Land Rover Discovery, heavily derived from the Range Rover, was introduced[16]) the 3.5 litre engine was bored out to a displacement of 3.9 litres (3947 cc) for the 1990 model year[11], and the interior was revamped. The Range Rover gained anti-roll bars (rather belatedly solving the problem of body roll that had plagued Range Rovers for two decades, at the expense of off-road capability) and the VM engine's displacement increased to 2.5 litres (2499 cc).[16]

1992-1996

The Range Rover lineup underwent its final revamp in 1992, when the venerable Rover engine was stroked to 4.2 litres (4197 cc), coinciding with the introduction of the luxurious LSE and County LWB models. In the UK, these models had a wheelbase of 108 inches (2743 mm)) and the 4.2-litre engine, while LSE models in the US all had the usual 100" wheelbase and the 3.9L engine. The longer wheelbase and larger engine were introduced to the US with the name "County LWB".[17] The 4.2-litre engine used crankshaft castings from the failed Iceberg diesel engine.[18] Land Rover replaced the VM engine with their own 200TDi turbocharged diesel lump and introduced air suspension on high-end models.[6]

The death knell for the classic Range Rover design sounded in 1994 with the introduction of a completely new Range Rover (nicknamed P38A). However, production of the old-shape Range Rovers continued under the name "Range Rover Classic" (a term now used to refer to all pre-P38A Range Rovers).

In 1996, the final Classic rolled off the assembly line at Solihull, 26 years after the first went on sale, still looking very much like its 1970 ancestor.

Special Range Rovers

The "In Vogue", a more luxurious special edition of the Range Rover, was produced in 1983. This proved so popular that it went into full-fledged production as the Vogue.

For a time, Carmichael produced a six-wheeled fire engine based on a two-door Range Rover. These were lengthened considerably and fitted with an extra undriven axle to bear the extra weight. Carmichael also converted the chassis for several four-door Range Rovers of this type by Land Rover for the British Ministry of Defence.[19]

In 1990 a special 20th aniversary edition of the Range Rover was created - the Range Rover CSK (CSK being the initials of Charles Spencer King). Only 200 CSKs were ever made, all of which were two-door vehicles, and are now highly sought after vehicles. For a while, Spen King owned number 200, but this has since been sold on.[20]

One of Pope John Paul II's popemobiles, used on his visit to Scotland in 1982, was a Range Rover and truck hybrid built by British Leyland. The vehicle weighed 24 tons, and was said to be both bullet- and bomb-proof. It sold at auction in 2006 for £37,500.[21][22]

File:IMGP5201.JPG
Modified 1992 Range Rover created for the rocks of Colorado and slickrock of Moab, Utah.

The Range Rover Classic today

Like other Land Rovers, an unusually large number of early Range Rovers have survived in the hands of Land Rover enthusiasts, largely due to parts being plentiful and cheap, the rust-free aluminium body skins, the durability of Rover V8 engines, and (in no small part) the characteristic fervour of Land Rover enthusiasts.

Range Rover Classics are popular vehicles for off-roading; modifications for off-road use (such as winches, snorkels, suspension lifts, and larger wheels and tyres) are common. More drastic measures include a modification commonly known to enthusiasts as 'Bobtailing', which entails removing the rear overhang of the vehicle by cutting the body and chassis off, removing a section and re-fitting the ends. A vehicle that has had such work on it is usually known as a 'Bobtail'.[23] Even more drastically, a Range Rover Classic chassis is often used as the basis of a specialised off-road vehicle; many old Range Rovers are enjoying a second life with different bodies fitted. These can take the form of a 'buggy',[24] or body panels from a Defender or Series Land Rover can be modified to fit.[25]

Most of the early Velar pre-production vehicles have been accounted for and have survived into preservation.[26]

Notes

  1. ^ Official Land Rover documentation collections for both 1970-1985 (LHP1, v1.1) and 1986-1994 (LHP2, v1.1) Range Rovers, for example, refers to the vehicles as "Range Rover Classic", despite never being called that when they were originally built.
  2. ^ Shephard, Dave. "The History of the Range Rover Marque". Retrieved 2006-03-16.
  3. ^ The Range Rover Register. "Velar History". Retrieved 2006-03-16.
  4. ^ MotorSports Etc. "Dakar Rally Winners (Car Category)". Retrieved 2006-10-26.
  5. ^ 4WD Internet Magazine. "Darien Gap 4x4". Retrieved 2006-03-24.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  6. ^ a b c d Allison, L. (1994). "Range Rover I (1970-1995)". Retrieved 2006-03-16.
  7. ^ a b "Land Rover History 1977". Land Rover Monthly. Retrieved 2007-01-21. Changes made were a new twin exhaust system, optional overdrive, mirrors relocated to the doors, and modified gear ratios.
  8. ^ a b "Land Rover History 1972". Land Rover Monthly. Retrieved 2007-01-21. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help) "The ratio of the, still manual only, steering was altered to address the complaints of heavy steering especially at parking speeds."
  9. ^ "Land Rover History 1973". Land Rover Monthly. Retrieved 2007-01-21. "The back end got vinyl covering on the rear quarter panels and there was the option of a rear window wash and wipe. Inside, the front seats had an extra handle to allow them to be tipped from outside more easily, and the blanked out holes in the dash now had the option of extra gauges."
  10. ^ "Land Rover History 1979". Land Rover Monthly. Retrieved 2007-01-21. The changes were wing repeater lamps, new decals, black-painted bumpers & mirrors, and a better-looking steering wheel.
  11. ^ a b c d Methuen, P. Range Rover Service and Repair Manual. Haynes Publishing. ISBN 978-1-85960-274-4. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthor= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  12. ^ "Land Rover History 1984". Land Rover Monthly. Retrieved 2006-10-26. Photos of the engine available from bobuilt.co.uk
  13. ^ Smith, Benjamin. "How to Identify A Range Rover". Land Rover FAQ. Retrieved 2006-11-01.
  14. ^ Cutting, Andrew. "Buying a Range Rover Classic model year 1984-1995". Land Rover Monthly. Retrieved 2006-11-01.
  15. ^ "Land Rover History - 1981". Land Rover Monthly. Retrieved 2006-11-01.
  16. ^ a b "Land Rover History 1989". Land Rover Monthly. Retrieved 2007-03-20.
  17. ^ Ford Motor Company. "Land Rover North American Historical Landmarks". Retrieved 2006-12-05.
  18. ^ As did the 4.45-litre Rover V8 engine for the TVR Tuscan. See Hammill, Des (2004). How to Power Tune Rover V8 Engines for Road and Track. Veloce Publishing. p. p. 12. ISBN 1-903-706-173. {{cite book}}: |page= has extra text (help)
  19. ^ "Late 1980's or 1990's Range Rover 6 wheeler Carmichael Commando truck Airport Fire Tender". Retrieved 2006-11-26.
  20. ^ See rangerovercsk.com for more on these rare vehicles. Retrieved on 2006-12-19.
  21. ^ "Popemobile for sale - one careful owner". Scotsman.com. 2006-08-21. Retrieved 2007-04-04.
  22. ^ "Bidding brisk as Popemobile sold". BBC News. 2006-10-02. Retrieved 2007-04-04.
  23. ^ See, for example, "Making The Bobtail Rangerover (sic)". Retrieved 2006-10-27.
  24. ^ Such as the Dakar 4x4, rather famously driven by Anneka Rice. Retrieved on 2007-03-20.
  25. ^ See, for example, "Lightweight Hybrid Project". Retrieved 2006-10-27.
  26. ^ The Range Rover Register. "Velar Models". Archived from the original on 2006-04-30. Retrieved 2006-03-16. Only three of the 'YVB' pre-production prototypes remain unaccounted for, although many are in need of, or are undergoing full restoration.
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