On the way to and from the wharf I would walk past an antique store on Chestnut Street. It had been antiques my whole life.
Then one day I saw what I now know to be a 109 parked in front of the store. As I walked past I could see there was a cabinet built in the LH side and a 2 burner stove sat on the top. It wasn't a Dormobile. I remember thinking how cool it would be to be able to go somewhere and cook inside.
This was before the days of RV's, peoples were pulling trailers if anything. A few years later peoples started to convert school buses and milk trucks into RV's.
Now I'd seen Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom with Marlin Perkins and Jim go driving about Africa in thier Land Rovers and seen a few in movies so I knew the body style and go anywhere ability.
I only saw that Rover maybe 3 times, always wondered what happened to it. Probably melting away somewhere................
Fast forward to 1973, That was the year I got out of the Navy. As of yet I'd never had a drivers license or a car. My town was small enough to walk most anywhere or ride a pushbike and Mom didn't drive. But at age 22 I was ready for wheels, Land Rovers long forgotten.
Looking in the local paper I saw an ad for a 1964 Land Rover 88. IIRC he wanted $1000 for it. My brother drove my out to see it and the owner took us fourwheeling. I was hooked! I bought it! My brother drove us home and to the bank. We returned and I paid the owner. My brother started to drive it home and I remembered I could drive on my learners permit with another driver so I had him pull over and I drove it the rest of the way home :^) That was in August of 73. A 9 year old 88. It was limestone and had Arabic writing on the left front wing. Don't know what it said.
Come January of 1974 I'd by now gotten my license and a job doing my thing. I then learned that there was a Land Rover dealership "over the hill" in Los Gatos. So I went over one day to look at the new model and look for trinkets. Then I fell into the clutches of the evil salesman...........
I traded in my 64 for a new 73 Series 3 88, but, only if they would put a winch on it. They said come back in a few days and the winch would be on!
When I came back sure enough there was a winch on the front bumper. It was a bomb lifting winch with no fairlead and about 30 feet of cable on it. I was expecting a Warn..............but it worked. The 88 had the new plastic dash and syncro gears seats in the back, Brand Frelling New!!! My first new car, sticker priced at $4,800USD
Of course I proudly drove it home the 30 miles and showed my Mom. The next morning I went out to adore it and found a puddle of oil under it. I called the dealership, they said " drive it over and we'll fix it!" Even with limited experience with a car before I knew this was a bad idea.(see I learned something in the Navy!)
So I went out and looked to see where it was leaking....The oil filter cannister was loose! So back on my feet I went the mile to the local Grand Auto Supply where I bought a socket set and hoofed it back home. Once there I tightened the cannister, added oil and cleaned it up. The next week I went over to the dealer and ordered a mechanics workshop manual. Started doing my own repairs and never looked back!
I have owned the 64 88, the 73 88, a 67 109 5 door, a 63 88, a 60 88 diesel, and my 60 109 3 door. All were runners, the 63 went to my son then to his sister and sold last year to a guy in San Francisco. The 73 was hit by a vw bus and broke the frame behind the spring and eventually sold. The 67 had a Chevy 250 in it and went bye bye as I couldn't afford it after the divorce, sold to a fellow in Portland OR.
Black Rock Desert driving out on the playa on a Fourth of July trip.
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