RE: SER1 Land Rover Name Plates

[prev] [thread] [next] [Date index for 2004/10/24]

Can I claim the easy first question and then give up?


Ouestion 1 Introduction:
The earliest 80" had cast metal badges with the words Land-Rover the holes
on either side were at different heights.
 
Question 1:  What was/is the purpose of these differing heights?

Because artistic design of the badges including the hyphen between Land and
Rover means that symmetrically placed holes would be too close to the
letters and would be inelegant and would damage their readability. This is
the opposite effect to the way People use coloured bolts to modify the
reading of current number plate letters. The civilised engineers in the old
time would not permit such crudity.
 
Question 2/3 Introduction:  The parts manual for the 1948 - 1953 models
shows both the cast version of the name badge and also a pressed aluminium
(aluminum for those in the George W sphere of influence (not that anyone is
out of Dubilya's sphere of influence)).
 
Question 2:  When was the cast version superceeded by the pressed version?

Not quite an answer: The vehicles before 8660000 (commencement of 1949 model
year) had two small cast badges 300999 and after they had the small cast
badge on the grille and a larger cast one 301462 on the rear. 

At some point – not specified in the parts lists but roughly between 1950
and 1953 - the rear badge 301462 disappears and is replaced by 302361 which
I presume is the pressed type. The small front badge is replaced with the
same pressed part 302361 as well. 

I believe, without much evidence, that the badges change roughly with the
change from lights behind the grille to lights through the grille – Mid 1950
model year. The part numbers near to 303361 are all associated with the body
panel changes in the first half of 1950. 

I bet your 1951 vehicle should have pressed badges but cannot guess which
type.

Nick. 



To change subscription see www.landrover.net/series1/mail