Wishing to have an appropriate vehicle for our retirement move to the countryside from London in 2009 I bought the LandRover magazine. After seeing one advertised on the front cover, I bought Larry, fully restored, from a well known gentleman in Harrogate for £5,000.00, which included a new galvanised chassis, a new Exmoor trim hood and a respray in my choice of colour, I chose limestone. It was a wonderful, long, albeit non-eventful drive down from delightful Yorkshire to deep darkest Dorsetshire. He wasn't to be an everyday driver but I enjoyed taking him to some local shows and he appeared at a few country weddings.

Only recently, I was sorry, but not sad, to discover that he's not a 2A but indeed one of the very early Series 3's (no 867) and, even though it has the obvious Series 2A type fittings such as steering wheel and metal grille, I should have looked more carefully at his hinges 🙂  Thanks to Vehicle Database Officer, James Thomas, for letting me know and also informing me that Larry was built on the 8th November 1971 then despatched on the 10th to the Freshwater Biological Association (in Ambleside by Lake Windermere) in Bronze Green, a pretty cool destination eh.

I am disappointed (actually, more disgusted) with myself, to say that Larry spent a couple of years, around COVID time, outdoors, unprotected, in all weathers. It was only after a local friend's daughter asked me if she could use it for her Wedding Day the following year, that I was galvanised into action. To begin with, a new petrol tank et al, four new drums, brakes, pipes etc were ordered and replaced, Larry was given a fresh new look with a bikini top plus a rear tonneaux and finally fired up, just in time for her wedding in the summer of 2025.

He'll still be an occasional driver but he's now sitting comfortably in the garage (where he should have been placed 5 or so years ago!) and will be used, with Toylander Lewie, on Wedding duties.