There’s no secret to looking good in your 70s — it takes a lot of work. In fact, it takes a team. And it’s worth it.
Earlier this year when Land Rover announced their “Reborn” initiative — which has the automaker restoring 25 handpicked Land Rover Series 1s — we knew they weren’t going to let anything short of vintage perfection leave the lot. But we didn’t expect this level of integrity.
Case in point, the first chapter of that 25-part story, coined Car Zero, is a work of historically accurate perfection. When a yesteryear ride comes into Land Rover’s Solihull shop, the team first, and most importantly, assesses what needs to be replaced and what can be restored.
This particular model is still rocking the 1.6-liter petrol engine with 55 ponies and its original I.D. plate. And as a testament to quality goods, the actual key is an original replacement from its native Queensland home.
When it comes to what needs to be replaced, the Land Rover team taps the engineering and specs archive to ensure step-by-step adherence to the original build and processes. Car Zero, previously an Aussie farm workhorse, came in a multitude of worn colors. But the Reborn crew stripped
Most importantly, Car Zero maintains its genuine controls. Premiere Rovers were built to run with minimal components and the team stayed true to that engineering down to the bonny catchers holding down the hood. Even without bells ‘n’ whistles that are givens today like traction control and locking differentials, the Series 1 conquers obstacles in stride — sometimes with two wheels off the ground at once.
Car Zero comes with a 12-month warranty and the superpower to stop time right in its tracks. Having said all that, we can’t wait to see the next 24 restorations come down the line.
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