Automatic Military Land Rover

For the last 16 years or so I’ve owned a Military 90 soft-top automatic, and have never seen its like.

I have often wondered whether there are any other examples of an officially sanctioned auto conversion. My paperwork is slightly incomplete only because fax ink from that era fades to nothing in a decade.

The original 1986 vehicle was transferred to the Director General of Test & Evaluation at the Aberporth Research Range. Qinetiq fitted a 4 speed Range Rover automatic gearbox, swapping out the standard military diesel for a new 2.5lt petrol unit in the process.

Assumedly the conversion failed to impress and eventually it was converted by Jake Wright Ltd for civvy life.

I was the second private owner, having left London for a farm in West Sussex, but with a broken wrist – hence the automatic. For the last ten years I’ve kept it on a SORN, hauling a Sankey trailer, like a glorified UTV.

I don’t think it’s worth much – coincidentally Dunsfold Land Rovers are/ were only a mile up the road, and they didn’t think it worthy of their collection.

My quandary is that while I love being able to hop in the seat and race across the fields to dump stuff on the compost heap, it feels like an indignity. And the truth is it doesn’t have the grunt to pull agricultural machinery out of the mud, and I long ago lost the confidence to drive it on the road. Because she lives outside last year I had to treat her with a new hood.

So should I keep my Landy as a photogenic trailer lugger and investment? Or flog her? On ebay?

My wife and I have argued over the Landy for twelve years or more, so I’d appreciate some other opinions.

Stick up a picture. Suspect an auto would appeal as folks of a certain age struggle with heavy clutch pedals

I’d be interested to take a gander at your vehicle kind Sir.
And welcome to the forum.

Yes a photo. A good idea. I’ve found on from 14 years ago and here it is. I’ll go out tomorrow morning and take a few current.

I do have form on this situation: owning a car that seemed entirely utilitarian, fit for purpose and stylish to boot, that actually proved almost useless. For 25 years I owned a 1966 Mini Moke on a Caribbean island. It was beloved by me, the family and islanders. Supremely practical for bouncing off rocks, sliding over mud and hopping out to a market stall. Only it kept breaking down or bursting into flame, so I spent much of my holidays underneath the Moke or walking home. Parts had to be smuggled in suitcases or imported at 150% duty. My wife worked out the Moke had cost us 18k in hard cash, let alone my days of tropical toil. We repatriated the Moke and replaced it with a Jeep.

I still regret the Moke – but the Jeep is better. I know that using a Land Rover to shift chicken waste is a bit daft, but she does look good.