Mahendra Singh Dhoni just bought a vintage Land Rover Series III from an auction that happened at Big Boy Toyz. But that Land Rover was not always like that, it was restored by The Classic Garage. The SUV is 52-year old and it was in a rough shape. Below are some of the images before and after the restoration of the Land Rover.
It is a 1974 Land Rover that the garage received three years back. It took two years to complete the restoration. The chassis was removed and all the body panels were inspected for rust. Then the panels with rust were replaced with new ones. The mechanicals was also redone.
The grille and the front lights were replaced with new ones. The outside rearview mirrors were also replaced with new ones. The plates that we see on the SUV are still original. They were cleaned, polished and repainted.
The restored Land Rover Series 3 is finished in yellow colour with a white roof. Land Rover sold the Series 3 from 1971 to 1985. Around 4,40,000 units of the Series 3 Land Rover were produced.
Abhimanyu from The Classic Garage sold this Land Rover because it was powered by a diesel engine. He was scared that the cops would impound it because in many cities old diesel vehicles are not allowed on public roads. It was powered by a 2.25-litre, four-cylinder diesel engine which is all original.
The restored Land Rover has quite a bit of road presence. It is the station wagon version of Series 3 so it is quite rare. Just like any old SUV, it is boxy and squared-off. Up-front, there are circular headlamps, running lamps and turn indicators. There is a square grille that we have seen on old Land Rovers. Moreover, there is a steel bumper and the spare tyre has also been placed on the bonnet.
On the sides, we can see hinges of the doors and there are also side steps to help the occupants get in and get out easily. There are large windows that ensure that the occupants do not feel claustrophobic. Moreover, we can also see “Safari Windows” that used to be on the old Land Rovers. The manufacturer recently brought back safari windows in the Defender. The tailgate is flat and it opens sideways. The occupants do not get any headrests and it can seat six people at once. Three in the front and three at the rear.
The Classic Garage has done a commendable job when it comes to restoring the Land Rover. It must have been tough for the garage to source parts for such an old vehicle. Moreover, they also made new body panels if they found rust. It is quite understood why it took two years to complete the project.
MS Dhoni also owns a lot of other vintage vehicles. He owns two American Muscle cars. There is a Pontiac Firebird TransAm and a 1969 Ford Mustang. He also owns a Nissan 1 Ton pick-up truck also known as Patrol or Jonga. Dhoni also restored a Rolls Royce Silver Wraith last year. Moreover, he also owns classic motorcycles such as Yamaha RD350 and BSA Goldstar.
Keyword: MS Dhoni's 52 year-old restored Land Rover Series III: Before & After pictures