What got you started in Land Rovers?

[ThorH]

I have done the VW thing, I've done the Jeep thing, I've done the Land Cruiser thing. Now I have my '73 SIII. It must be a natural progression!

[westcoastkevin]

I was hooked by shows such as The Leyland Brothers and Alby Mangels - Australian Adventure shows that featured them from time to time.

I totally wanted to be Alby Mangels when I was a kid...... I still do really. He should be in some kind of hall of fame.

[LaneRover]

My older brother had a '66 88 and he rebuilt over a summer home in Maine. I loved driving around in it without the roof off it. I bought my first ('65 109SW) back in the late 80's from an estate in Biddeford Pool Maine, so I am its 2nd owner.

[keithg]

It was Wild Kingdom for me as a kid. They just looked so cool to me!

[deezgunz]

I first saw a 109 with the top off and the windscreen folded in the summertime when I was a young lad. Love at first sight.

[n_maher]

In 1991 my dad and I went halves on a '68 Series IIA. We found it while bringing my older brother to college. The hope was to work on it together and while we were successful at getting it back on the road in time for my 16th birthday ultimately a swiss cheese frame and persistent electrical issues forced it out of my life in the fall of '93. I've missed it ever since. I've toyed with the idea of picking one up again for about the last 10 years and with 90's and 110's finally reaching an importable age I hope to bring one back into the fold in the next couple of years.

[Sputnicker]

I bought my 60 Series 2 88 in 1975 on a lark and still have it. A friend of mine who worked at the Land Rover dealership in Phoenix told me about an elderly couple who were selling a well-cared for Land Rover for $600 (which they had bought new). I jumped on it. Maybe the best $600 I ever spent.

The Wild Kingdom and a few old movies probably planted the seed when I was a kid. I was also a British car mechanic at the time and the old timers I worked with had a pretty high regard for Land Rovers.

[artpeck]

My grandparents essentially retired to east Africa when I was growing up and came back a few times a year with pictures. Most had landles in them. In the early 80s I lived in southern Africa and landies were part of the experience. In the mid 90s we took our kids on extended safari and once again, landies were everywhere. I then got involved in (RED) focused on eliminating HIV, TB and malaria on the African continent (work in progress but huge progress made so check it out if you are interested. http://www.joinred.com/red/ )and that took me back again many times. A theme here...the amazing place that Africa is became intertwined with Land Rovers so my interest was probably bringing a bit of that home. Started with a 98 Disco, then a 2006 RR, a 1995 D-90 and now the 1973 S3. Sorry for the long answer but they are special and have an emotional lure that few other marques have...at least to me.

[smukai]

The Rover passion probably extends back to around the first time I saw "The Gods Must be Crazy" around junior high ('89?). Then came the BF Goodrich ads I saw with the AT's mounted to the Defender.

Tried to get an 88" back in the mid-'90's. My Dad and I took one for a test drive and assumed something was wrong with the tranny when 2nd would only grind. Dad just laughed the entire time.

Finally got my 109 in the end of '99.

10 years to realize a dream...not so bad!

[1971Series88]

I totally wanted to be Alby Mangels when I was a kid...... I still do really. He should be in some kind of hall of fame.

Dude....remember all the hot chicks in bikinis he always traveled with!!! Not to mention his boat....holy crap I lived vicariously through him as a teenager!