This Range Rover Classic 1973, leaving the factory as a normal, ‘Suffix B’ Range Rover. Finished in Masai Red with Tan interior, it had a roof at this point. In the late 1980s, ‘Special Vehicle Conversions’ removed the entire roof, and transformed the RHD Range Rover into a convertible. Because why the hell not?
It was in 1982 when James Bond (Roger Moore) used a range Rover convertible in the film Octopussy. The car in question was built by Rapport and they called it the Huntsman.
Move forward into the Nineties, and ownership of the rare Range Rover transferred hands: the previous owner won the car in a card game, and owing to a lack of space in his garage, stored it in a lock-up. Then the new owner, having heard this three-decade tale, eventually found the car using Land Registry records, and uncovered it six years ago.
It was apparently still in immaculate condition, but late in 2014 was nevertheless subject to an eight-month restoration job costing £20,000, including restoring it to the original SVC-spec, and reconditioning the 3.5-litre petrol V8.
“Not only does this convertible conversion have unique provenance,” but it’s based on a truly superb early right-hand-drive Range Rover ‘Suffix B’, and has covered a mere 65,500 miles.
The car was purchased by Amiacan Gentleman who made a number of changes to meet his requirements on his farm in California and they were not just a change of colour to Tuscan Blue and make up a hood covering for the rear, a hard top for the driver and passenger were manufactured.
A side facing bench, with seat belts and a wash down floor, but the most beautiful hand-built food and wine cabernet was installed and nothing was left out.
The car has served its purpose and is going to be sold and where better the UK being still in its original right hand drive format.
I doubt you’ll find one like this now or in the near future, it is stunning in every way.