My dad, Peet de Smet, bought me a Camel Trophy DVD when I was 3 years old. This instantly sparked the love for getting muddy and fixing stuff yourself. A year later, he suprised me by picking me up at my grandparents with his ‘new’ 1963 Land Rover Series 2a, Limestone. This is where he fully infected me, the trips around the local lanes… The times working in the garage.

The story of our legend aSLAn continues and includes many interesting characters including our good friend Sébastien of Land-Vintage.

All wrapped up and a moment for refreshment, we waved a “see you later” to our legendary Land Rover Series 3. What a sight to see, as we think back over the years of its formidable history.

With winter festivities behind us and some early signs of spring, the flowers in our garden blooming, we eased back into our dismantle efforts. Focusing our attention on the rear living space in our legend. 

Alec takes on the bulkhead before the winter season. Once removed the Land Rover surely looks very different.

Alec successfully removes all the old wiring, job done. An interesting comparison with today's modern Land Rover models.

Alec struggles to free the stubborn steering wheel column. Step by step progress gets us closer to our restoration plans.

Alec and Jesse cautiously hoisted the 500lb Perkins out of the engine compartment and rested it on supporting planks of wood, which lay on the exposed chassis.

Removing the headlights themselves was fairly easy to do, as the majority of the components crumbled in our hands after years of corrosion and likely a mixture of Sahara sand.

Working hard on that particular day of our adventure, the gearbox of our Series returned the favour as we shifted our focus on removing it from the bellhousing. Stubborn nuts and bolts refused to budge from all awkward angles.

Our process, whether right or wrong and very much reliant on our energy levels, basically was to pick a spot and start loosening bolts and fasteners. Alec likes to refer to Land Rovers, strictly the original Series models, as big Meccano sets — easily adaptable to bolt on modifications and accessories.

Fifteen years since 2003, when we brought her to our home in the Black Forest, it took us just one day to give her a much needed dry brush and warm water scrub.

It’s true that every aspect of owning a Land Rover can be an adventure, and occasionally, a challenge for the owner. We certainly have experienced this with the now over forty-five years of owning our Series 3 – the same one that took us across the world in the late seventies, followed by many adventures with our family of six.

Alec and Jan Forman recount the epic history of their trusty Land Rover Series 3. The same Landy which took them 40,000 miles across Europe, Africa, and Asia in 1977.