Nearside
The nearside is as straight as you'd expect
on an 8000-mile vehicle, with absolutely zero corrosion on the sills or in the
door bottom. This box section sill on the nearside is most prone to corrosion
but the driver side door frame is usually worse. The frame is steel and the
skin aluminum and so suffers dreadful electrolytic corrosion.
The
nearside is as straight as you'd expect on an 8000-mile vehicle, with
absolutely zero corrosion on the sills or in the door bottom
The door is in superb original condition.
The facelift vehicles have Palomino vinyl panels on the top and carpet on the
lower half to match the floor covering. These are both in good condition as
they are prone to buckling if the hardboard backing gets damp. The quarter
light frames are also rust-prone along the lower edge, where they remain damp.
Overall
This immaculate 1980 Range Rover is from
the very first year of series AA (VIN identifier) production, which for the
1980 model-year saw the much- needed introduction of vastly-improved seat
materials, door-mounted mirrors, flat bonnet letters and a whole raft of other
improvements. This model-year also brought in some interesting additions to the
pallet of colors available for Range Rover owners, including the Russet Brown
paint finish on this vehicle. It is certainly a Marmite color - you either love
it or hate it - and it is not as highly prized as most other colors. It is of
the age, however, and is countered by the total originality and ultra-low
mileage of just 8000 miles. As a collector's vehicle, this is just past a watershed
in values, as the pre-1979 facelift specification is more sought after and,
therefore, more expensive.
Underneath
Close inspection of the underside of this
Range Rover shows that it is very tidy indeed, with absolutely no signs of
corrosion or previous repairs. The factory did not list rustproofing as one of
its strong points at the time of manufacture, and so 30 years on it would be
timely to undertake a thorough rust- preventing treatment to protect the
investment.
All the mechanical aspects underneath are
fine and not worn as one would expect, but lack of use can cause seizures in
such items as brake calipers. Everything on this Range Rover has been checked
over and is in full working order Even the exhaust is the original type and
possibly even the original fitment. It is currently in good order, although a
stainless steel one would be a sound investment when the time comes to replace
it.
Interior
While early molded vinyl interiors are
highly prized they are hardly a pleasure to use, and the later stitched vinyl
and cloth ones were not much better. This Bronze velvet trim is one of the
first efforts by Land Rover to move the vehicle upmarket, and the trimmed wheel
arches and floor make it just that bit better (although not as muck-tolerant). It
suffers wear, especially on the outer edge of the driver's seat, and severe
fading with sunlight. But this example is fine, however, and the back seat
looks as if it has never been used. The material used to trim them is
unobtainable, so a good original interior like this is a rare find.
While
early molded vinyl interiors are highly prized they are hardly a pleasure to
use, and the later stitched vinyl and cloth ones were not much better
Offside
The panels line up quite well for a Range
Rover built at this time and have reasonably tight gaps. I doubt if they have
ever been removed. The door does not appear to have dropped yet, as the hinges
have not had that much use, and the frame has not sagged either. They are long
and heavy doors on two-door models, but still ought to open and close easily.
The
panels line up quite well for a Range Rover built at this time and have
reasonably tight gaps
The hard-to-get steel rear window runner is
not corroded. It sits well on its suspension and has not adopted the tail- down
pose of many. The paintwork looks to be original and in tidy condition though
not perfect. This car has never been a rusty old banger and so never needed
restoring like almost every other one of the same age.
Rear
The tailgates are well renowned for rusting
but these are both good and look original. While the lower one has a couple of
small scratches, this is part of the patina expected on an original vehicle.
The upper tailgate has been replaced as it is more modern than the vehicle.
Amazingly, the gas struts hold it up still. The body cross member is another
favorite rust point, but this is perfect - as are the wheel arches and floor.
The
tailgates are well renowned for rusting but these are both good and look
original
Low mileage does not guarantee no rust, as
inappropriate storage conditions can promote corrosion. The inner tailgate is
not carpeted and will bear witness marks to use. This is original and perfect,
and so reinforces the low reading on the odometer.
