COOL CONCEPTS

1939 Land Rover Roadless 109

- Gareth Dean

Since its inception in 1948, the 'Land Rover' nameplate has become synonymous with vehicular go- anywhere ability, but despite its capable fielding of such diverse roles as agricultural tool, safari steed and numerous military applications, there were callings that were a bridge too far for even the ultra-rugged Series I and II models.

In the 1950s and 60s, the UK's Forestry Commission had seen the Land Rover as the ideal means of negotiating the wealth of ditches, drains, sticky mud and fallen timber that typified conditions on its plantations, and had consequently built up a fleet of Series I and IIs to do just that. The only problem was, they weren't. These otherwise standard-setting off-road vehicles were being devoured by the difficult terrain, and that simply wouldn't do.