Not your traditional-bodied Land Rover Series 1, this particular model was developed by coachbuilders Tickford of Newport Pagnell as a more ‘luxurious’ – and we use the term strictly in the 1950s sense – off-roader.
Constructed in the traditional way with alloy paneling over a wooden frame, the Tickford Land Rover Series 1 was unfortunately ill-fated from the minute it left the factory. Tax laws in the UK meant that its seven-seat configuration made the it subject to Purchase Tax, from which the original Land Rover was exempt. The tax increased the price of the car to ten times the average annual salary in 1950 – an unrealistic amount for a great deal of Britain’s war-weary population.
As a result, production was limited to 650 over the course of its three-year lifespan. The Tickford Series 1 had not been a commercial success but the idea behind it, a luxurious SUV, would live on some 20 years later in the form of the Range Rover. Tickford have even been credited with the creation of a split tailgate, a feature still seen on today’s Range Rovers.
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This particular model was first registered to Charles Hurst Ltd of Belfast in May 1950 before being shipped to England and acquired by a well-known Land Rover enthusiast in 1981. In good condition and reportedly running well, this car is believed to be one of only a handful of road-going Tickford examples.
This car will be offered at Silverstone Auctions The Restoration Sale on March 6 2016.
Guide Price: £35,000 – £40,000
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