1994 Range Rover Classic LWB
Cornish Cream Restoration
Introduction:
Break into the Fall Rovering season with this lovingly restored ’94 LWB. She is assuredly one of the finest of the season with my thorough mechanical overhaul, luxury 5-Stage Cornish Cream Re-Finish and of course: Brand New Light-Stone factory leather seating front and rear!
She is as stunning and unique as she is a pleasure to drive. If you have wondered where I have been over these long summer months, here friends is your answer. If you have waited in hopes of finding a Classic that is simply peerless over other examples offered, you are looking at her!
I hope you enjoy the following summary of her entire restoration programme with me!
Service:
As a Land Rover technician whose career began with the Range Rover Classic nearly 20 years ago, I always use expert fitment and skill combined with the best quality parts and upgrades available. On top of all this, many of you know I race Range Rover Classics and it is with this breadth of experience that I can offer upgrades and vision that just can’t be found any place else! Here are the highlights:
1. Complete 3-Angle Valve job including all new top end gaskets and fittings, block level check, cleansing and prep, new assembly hardware and parts detail. $2250 VALUE
2. Radiator Service, waterpump, racing thermostat and fan clutch $995 VALUE
3. 30K Mile interval service including STI Wireset, new sparkplugs, all new ancillary drive belts, new air and fuel filters, new cap/rotor (including distributor advancement service), new differential and swivel fluids, new transfercase fluid, new transmission fluid, oil change w/GENUINE filter, cooling system flush and refill. $995 VALUE
4. Brand New Oxygen Sensors. $250 VALUE
5. Brand New VCU fitted. $1200 VALUE
6. Brand New upgraded 150A Alternator, Battery and High-Powered Starter. $750 VALUE
7. Brand New GENUINE brake pads & rotors in all 4 corners. $1495 VALUE
8. AC Service $400 VALUE
9. Brand New Leather Seating with factory vender supplied Connely Light Stone Leather. $4500 VALUE
10. 5-Stage Luxury Cornish Cream refinish. $3500 VALUE
11. Brand New GENUINE Fuel Pump. $500 VALUE
12. Newly Fitted Bilstein Shocks and GENUINE Spring Conversion. $995 VALUE
13. Newly Fitted All Season Tires $800 VALUE
14. Brand New Headliner, Brand New Upper Quarter Panel Covers $650 VALUE
15. Concourse Detail. $400 VALUE
16. CLEAN AND CLEAR CA TITLE, excellent CARFAX!
Driving & Performance:
From the moment she arrived, I knew I had something special – and I knew that I had to make her feel as wonderful to drive as she would also soon appear. She fires right up and the steady pulse of the fully serviced V8 begs to be thrown into “Drive.” She does not overheat, she does not have oil pressure issues, she does not hesitate. Blip the throttle and the kid turned loose in the candy store feeling is very apparent.
As with any of my overhauled vehicles, much continues to bed-in and with every hour put on her, all of the newly fitted assembly materials are hitting their stride; from green light to green light she feels better and better all the time. The transmission meets all of this tuning and power with effortless shifting that has no slippage, shudder, or wind-up. The Borg Warner transfer case works excellent, now with its VCU service you can count on your Range Rover working for you without you knowing it – under the most adverse conditions. This dynamic piece of equipment, paired with its traction control (also a Range Rover break-through) is the forebear, in my opinion, of what is now offered as terrain response. In the Discovery and even Defender models of the same year, the LT230 transfer case was fitted. Utilizing a mechanical differential lock where driver input was necessary. …and forget about having traction control in those vehicles. The Pathos of Range Rover construction here is evident: A vehicle that can handle itself, regardless of driver input and skill. And now, I’m pleased to say, this system is restored!
She is as comfortable around town as she is at home on the motorways. 75mph feels more like a Sunday stroll than anything else. I have been commuting with her during her overhaul in varied LA traffic – in what’s also been an unusually hot, dry summer. She operates unperturbed by ambient heat and the abuse of a heavy footed technician - a function of the overhauled cooling system and my own personal touch – the 160 degree, triple bridge, single bypass thermostat. It’s the same one I race with and really takes care of the motor under the most demanding conditions.
The Bilstein suspension system paired with GENUINE springs keeps her agile and comfortable. Crowned roads and railroad crossings are nothing to fear and long stretched of freeway driving have a railroad like quality. Steering is agile and responsive ZERO shimmies or shakes.
I wasn’t going to leave all of this power and agility unchecked – the balance here is the GENUINE parts fitted with the overhaul of the brake system. Included in this service is also the repacking of wheel bearings, and resealing inner and outer hubs. Torque values are restored and the result is a smoother ride that makes a difference at the pump… and of course under braking pressure. She does not pull or lurch. You can even brake with your hands off the wheel and she stops dead in her tracks with little help from you!
I have also upgraded the alternator to 150A. This is in anticipation of you’re potential power needs. Whatever you want to put in it – upgraded entertainment, food storage, lighting – your power needs are COVERED.
Overall, this particular example evokes a sense of British Stateliness that surpasses any others recently in my collection. Yes of course, the confidence that comes from reliability and performance that you can feel instantly… but more perhaps… from its encasement in one of the most aesthetically pleasing Classics that I have had the pleasure to have. On to that bit, then!
Aesthetics & Operation:
This truck makes me remember my very first RRC. We’re stretching back a very long way, but in any event she was a 91 County. I remember my first trip home with her very well – through open country 2-lane driving. Rolling hills and infinite horizons in front and behind. 18 hours behind the wheel with the duality of the Range Rover becoming crystal clear with every mile that rolled on from that near 400mi trip: the feeling of indomitable capability and the almost understated but opulent luxury. This was all the car I could have ever hoped for… and this Cornish Cream 94 offers that feeling every time I’m behind the wheel. This to me is attributed here to the color combination as well as the more open hard-dash front windscreen view.
Exterior color aside for the moment, the brand new leather seating front and rear appeal not just to your eyes, but to your sense of touch and smell. There’s nothing like that first touch of new leather. A wallet. A Jacket. A pair of gloves. But surround yourself in it in a vehicle – you are home sweet home. The interior of the vehicle smells fantastic and enhances that British luxury feel lost in other examples without it. The cabin is EXCEPTIONALLY bright and luxurious and this new leather and smell is an indulgence that you have the privilege of breaking-in and making your own!
The Cornish Cream paint is an exact factory match – done in water base formula that has been triple polished and clear coated. It is a refreshing break from the typical array of RRC colors and adapts playfully in changing light. I remarked to a friend who came to see her recently that I felt like I could almost eat it, it looked so good. Somehow it takes on the tonality of a decadent holiday treat… yet is rich enough in appearance to hold its own arriving at some grand banquet…
The OEM bull bar has also been refinished and the low profile cross-member roof rack is period correct and an option in 94. The factory carpets are original and the Range Rover embroidery is still clean and tight. Brand New Range Rover wheel center caps have been fitted and it compliments the color matched 5-spoke wheels.
Almost as much as the rest of the truck, the underbonnet environment is equally as impressive. All of the new service parts bristle as they once had. The bulkhead, seams, joints and corner unions are all rust free. To that point, please see the detailed photos of additional common stress areas – they are factory fresh and rust free: The rear upper tailgate, rear tray, frame welds, arches and jambs… all clean and tight.
The OEM Audio is crystal clear and powerful and the digital display on the head-unit is clear and displays numbers correctly.
The headliner, new leather and concourse detail create that new car smell and to that point, she has never been a smokers car and there are no lingering odors in the cabin or ventilation system. The smell of the interior is awesome.
The AC is serviced and is biting cold. Thankfully, the heating works just as well.
All lights, horns, blinkers, windows, handles, power latches, etc work perfectly too.
A little gift from my collection of Range Rover literature – a 1994 Showroom Sales Brochure. 6 folded pages in all. Nice photgraphs. Equipment high lights. Perhaps most interestingly – the Discovery is not featured. The Defender is. Maybe just maybe this was a bit of forecasting to the current rebirth of the RRC… where the crown jewel of the vintage Land Rover was always the Defender… if you look close at the cover of the sales brochure, the RRC is the one out in front, leaving the Defender behind… as I believe they soon will be in the collectors market.
The jewel of the LWB model, as many would argue, is seat memory. And yes, it works perfect too. A little trick I have – I set position 2 to my driving taste. Position 1 is fully lowered, fully back – to create space for effortless vehicle exit and entry.
Purchasing, Perspective & Why Buy From Me:
Please read my outstanding feedback from folks like you! No one sends off a Land Rover or Range Rover better than me, PERIOD. It’s the vehicle I drive, and the vehicle I RACE. Nearly two decades of Rover ownership and service are poured into every Rover that I see into new hands.
The commitment to service here is a commitment to my own passion and to a shared bond between enthusiasts. You won’t find that anyplace else – although more and more of late, many try to copy. Beware of any vintage Rover that does not share the same service points as the ones I list here with my collection. I am not a Land Rover tech that drives home in a Honda Civic. I come from a long line of British Car technicians and Live, Breathe and even RACE the green oval. I understand ALL of your concerns and needs and do my best to ensure that you will be happy based on a simple, yet powerful concept: DOES THIS VEHICLE MAKE ME HAPPY? WOULD I PUT MY FAMILY IN IT? WOULD I LOVE TO HAVE IT? The answer is always yes. And that’s when I know they are ready. I care. I know you do, too.
To that point - watch out for my copy cats. It has come to my attention that people claim they work with/partner with me. This is not true. If you aren’t buying one from me… its, well, NOT from me!!!
THE IDEA OF "NEW TO ME VS. A NEW CAR"
New cars have warranties because… new cars break! What currently lines the service bays of Rover dealerships around the world? I’m willing to bet a lot of you know! While I am VERY proud of each and every Rover that I hand select and hand-craft, the vast majority of them are 20+ years old. As amazing as all of them are, i wouldnt ever say any of them are "perfect." None of them are and I have only used the term museum piece ONCE – and I am well aware of the qualifiers for that monicker. These trucks, as refreshed as they are, are assemblies of new parts, used parts, remanufactured parts and ORIGINAL parts. They are all, to quote a mentor of mine: “Ships of Theseus.”
With each and every listing, i try to capture the flavor of what strikes me about each vehicle. I try to capture their essence. I try to make the description feel like a conversation between you and I, or even a phone call. Covering the general and intimate details that stand out to me. That said, we all know that while they are all Rovers, all made in the same place, each one is different.
It is not possible to discuss every nut and bolt, but I have done my best to list and discuss what would matter to ME. Let me know what matters TO YOU. If you feel like I have passed by something, I hope that it’s evident I have no problems with expounding on details. While she may soon be “new to you” she is “not new” and you should be prepared for all that is involved with owning a used vehicle. She is sold as-is without warranty or exception and there are no refunds. That said, there are not any GROSS ISSUES that concern me about her overall reliability, cosmetics and functionality. To list but some of her foibles and flaws they would be: CRUISE CONTROL NOT WORKING, CLIMATE FAN SPEED WORKING ON OFF AND HIGH SPEED ONLY, REMOTE HANDSET NOT WORKING (ALTHOUGH POWER LOCKS DO). I invite you to ask ANY AND ALL QUESTIONS NOW!
PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE – ASK AWAY!
Your satisfaction is the goal here. Additionally, eBay offers a 3rd party inspection service to verify ALL of your acquisition needs IN PERSON. In fact, I would insist, pending any substantial investment that this service be taken seriously. Purchase of the vehicle = SATISFACTION. Once this auction is over, the winning bid and purchase imply that satisfaction has been achieved and will be understood as such.
This is a NO RESERVE AUCTION so you are bidding to win! Please make sure that you bid ONLY what you are prepared to pay. This means, when the auction is over, and the winning bid is placed, this becomes THE SALE PRICE of the vehicle. Under no circumstances does it open the door to negotiate or back out of your commitment. The people bidding for this vehicle actually want it. Do not spoil their chances at ownership by arm-chair bidding. Yes, everyone joins eBay at some point, and there is no prejudice against lower transaction numbers here – HOWEVER – if I suspect and/or become aware of any insincerity on the part of said bidder, I reserve the right to cancel all bids from and block that insincere bidder from this auction.
Completion of this transaction is fairly straight forward. Once the auction is over, I will be contacting the winner immediately and we can discuss sending ownership materials and payment. YES – I can help with shipping – I will make some phone calls at your request and then connect you with the provider. Please recognize there is no financial interest on my part with shipping. I am just happy to help connect you with people that I work with – who will often extend to you the same pro-rates that I would get.
Who is this truck for?
Refined enough to be an exceptional holiday vehicle, she is original enough to also attack a green-lane weekend and local Rover Club function.I think she speaks to the collector and the new-comer alike.But perhaps more to the latter, looking to capture their first moment of British luxury and heritage - in a league certainly above "entry level!"This is most certainly the truck that will set the standard and cast a very long shadow for others to follow.That said, as a collector myself – I understand that at some point one must simply have one in every color. For the veteran Rover owner, she would be a most welcomed addition. They are all the same.And they are all different and each can be appreciated for their uniqueness amongst the status quo.Admittedly, I have envisioned throughout her restoration, that she’d somehow end up chasing the fall foliage somewhere where abundant green is turning Van Gogh; over long stretches of country road – some paved – some not.Pushing the limits of the weather until the last possible moment until hibernating ‘till Spring.Whatever the goal, whatever the final destination, I know she will be enjoyed and also cherished.This vehicle calls for that and I hope that she is calling out clearly to her soon-to-be new owner; I trust that she is.Good luck, happy bidding, and as always, HAPPY ROVERING!!!