Photo: Bonhams (modified)
Are you in the market for a vehicle for the zombie apocalypse? Well, you just found it! I'm kidding; this ugly-faced Range Rover wasn't designed to run over zombies. It was actually created for English actor Peter Sellers. And it needs a restoration and a new home.
Famous for his role as inspector Jacques Clouseau in The Pink Panther series, Sellers was also a car enthusiast. He reportedly drove an Aston Martin DB4 GT and a Lamborghini Miura, among others. While this Range Rover may not be as fast, it's just as special because it's a custom creation by Wood & Pickett.
Not familiar with the name? Well, the company founded by Bill Wood and Les Pickett in 1947 rose to prominence by tuning and offering various conversions of the Mini Cooper in the 1960s. The conversions often included expensive options that only the rich and famous could afford at the time. Notable customers included Elton John, Mick Jagger, and Paul McCartney.
In addition to the Mini, Wood & Pickett also customized Range Rovers. Options included convertible tops, six-wheel conversion, and elongated wheelbases. The slanted grille you here was a distinctive feature of the Wood & Pickett conversion, which the company dubbed Sheer Rover.
Sellers did not request significant modifications to his 1977 Range Rover, but the two-door SUV looks rather exotic thanks to its slanted, Ferrari Testarossa-style grille and two-tone leather seats. The latter are fully-fledged Recaro units draped in Connolly hide. There's also extra soundproofing and deep-pile carpets for enhanced comfort.
On the outside, the SUV isn't very different from the standard model apart from the front grille, wheelarches, and bumpers. But that's actually good news. Since this rig needs a proper restoration, sourcing replacement parts (if required) should be straightforward and not overly expensive.
There's no info on aftermarket upgrades under the hood, but the V8 engine should be stock. In 1977, the Range Rover had a 3.5-liter unit rated 127 horsepower. Even though this vehicle spent decades off the road, both the powerplant and the manual gearbox run and drive thanks to recent mechanical work.
The odometer shows 76,174 miles (122,590 km), which should be authentic. Sellers owned the vehicle until he passed away in 1980. Since then, the SUV has been in the same family.
While it's not the wildest Wood & Pickett creation, this Sheer Rover is indeed an interesting piece of Range Rover history. And it was quite the exotic vehicle back in 1977 when Mr. Seller spent £14,000 for the modifications. That's in addition to the £14,250 sticker of the new Range Rover. In all, he spent the equivalent of around £160,000 in today's money (or about $200,000).
A project vehicle in need of work, the Sheer Rover now has an estimated value of £10,000 to £15,000 ($12,617 to $18,925). Auctioned off by Bonhams, the SUV has a high bid of £5,000 ($6,308) with 26 hours to go. A bargain or too much of a hassle?
Not familiar with the name? Well, the company founded by Bill Wood and Les Pickett in 1947 rose to prominence by tuning and offering various conversions of the Mini Cooper in the 1960s. The conversions often included expensive options that only the rich and famous could afford at the time. Notable customers included Elton John, Mick Jagger, and Paul McCartney.
In addition to the Mini, Wood & Pickett also customized Range Rovers. Options included convertible tops, six-wheel conversion, and elongated wheelbases. The slanted grille you here was a distinctive feature of the Wood & Pickett conversion, which the company dubbed Sheer Rover.
Sellers did not request significant modifications to his 1977 Range Rover, but the two-door SUV looks rather exotic thanks to its slanted, Ferrari Testarossa-style grille and two-tone leather seats. The latter are fully-fledged Recaro units draped in Connolly hide. There's also extra soundproofing and deep-pile carpets for enhanced comfort.
On the outside, the SUV isn't very different from the standard model apart from the front grille, wheelarches, and bumpers. But that's actually good news. Since this rig needs a proper restoration, sourcing replacement parts (if required) should be straightforward and not overly expensive.
There's no info on aftermarket upgrades under the hood, but the V8 engine should be stock. In 1977, the Range Rover had a 3.5-liter unit rated 127 horsepower. Even though this vehicle spent decades off the road, both the powerplant and the manual gearbox run and drive thanks to recent mechanical work.
The odometer shows 76,174 miles (122,590 km), which should be authentic. Sellers owned the vehicle until he passed away in 1980. Since then, the SUV has been in the same family.
While it's not the wildest Wood & Pickett creation, this Sheer Rover is indeed an interesting piece of Range Rover history. And it was quite the exotic vehicle back in 1977 when Mr. Seller spent £14,000 for the modifications. That's in addition to the £14,250 sticker of the new Range Rover. In all, he spent the equivalent of around £160,000 in today's money (or about $200,000).
A project vehicle in need of work, the Sheer Rover now has an estimated value of £10,000 to £15,000 ($12,617 to $18,925). Auctioned off by Bonhams, the SUV has a high bid of £5,000 ($6,308) with 26 hours to go. A bargain or too much of a hassle?
Google News