Beautifully restored 88’s are great cars, but not everyone wants to spend $30,000 on a nearly perfect one. Some people want to get a healthy, rust free driver that looks great and does what it’s supposed to do. Some people don’t even want perfect paint and an interior that looks like a surgical theatre, because they’re not buying a Land Rover to win shows on golf course fairways. They’re buying a Land Rover to get out and use it like a Land Rover is supposed to be used, in the dust and sand and mud and forests that speak to all of us when we’re forging new paths for ourselves. And for those purists, we present this fantastic and affordable 88.
Recently repainted in its original Bahama Gold with white tropical roof and upgraded Defender wheels, it is structurally rust free and straight as an arrow. Original black galvanized trim and black grille give it a tough, updated appearance, and the oversized Michelins have chunky good looks, elongate the gearing a bit, and improve ground clearance in tough terrain.
Inside, the seats have been replaced with new three-abreast “deluxe” models in the front and twin 2-person folding jump benches in the rear. The dash top is a bit tatty, and there are a few tears in the carpeting on the central tunnel, and other little nits to pick inside and out, but everything works, everything does what it’s supposed to do, and it’s a charming SWB Series III with all the difficult bits in great order inside and out. The little needs? They’re purely cosmetic and can be attended to (or not) while you drive and enjoy it.
Underneath, the chassis is straight and free of structural rust, with none of the dents or heavy abrasions that indicate a life of serious off roading. It looks, inside and out, like what it is. A low mileage 88 that has been carefully driven and maintained, but never restored, with only the fresh paint and seats attended to recently.
WHAT'S IT LIKE TO DRIVE?It drives beautifully. Fires up easily with minimal warming of the glow plugs needed, and settles into a calm, reassuring idle with no abnormal smoke or clatter. The clutch is strong and engages confidently. Gears are easy to find, with only a bit more play in the linkage than when it was new. Underway, the lusty Rover diesel pulls happily from any RPM and makes good power throughout the rev range, and the steering, typically heavy at parking speeds, is light and direct when driving. The brakes are strong and smooth and haul the little 88 down from any attainable speed without drama, noise or vibration.
All the lights and gauges work as designed, and it’s a thoroughly easy and reliable vehicle to own and drive. These 88’s are simply things. There is no great complexity to a Series III 88. They are rugged and spartan tools built to do a job. The job of getting you pretty much anywhere you need go. Not getting there fast, particularly, and not in any great luxury, but getting you there. No matter where “there” is. Perhaps that’s why they have always been such icons. And that simplicity means they are easy to service, easy to own, and easy to keep running, from the Amazon to the Arctic, from the banks of the Yangtze to the dusty Atacama desert, and from the logging trails of the Blue Ridge Mountains to the bustling coffee shops of Portland.
If you’ve been looking for an affordable entry into Series Land Rover ownership, in left-hand-drive form and without the typical worries of rust and mechanical condition, this is a fantastic place to dive in.