African Land Rover Graveyard

African Land Rover and Their Bones Lie Everywhere

Castrol Land Rover game rig.

Land Rover has a trick in the tale.

As you will see, it’s not all bad for the African Land Rover. Where were they made? Who brought them to Africa? How come there are so many abandoned? It’s impossible to show you all the photos I have in one article, so please enjoy the ones I have presented.

We all know Land Rover started in 1948 as a copy of the Jeep. As did the Toyota Land Cruiser copy the Land Rover.

I know the Land Rover story fairly well because we lived next door to Maurice Wilks’ daughter in Scotland for three years. Obviously, we spent many happy hours talking Land Rover while viewing the loch after a day’s work. His daughter was very clear on the fact that her father wanted to design a British vehicle that bettered the Jeep and would conquer the 4×4 world. Almost like Jeep conquered World War II. And to prove this, he built his first – prototype – Land Rover on a WW II Jeep chassis on his farm in Wales.

It would be a shame to say he failed because he didn’t. The corpses are there to prove it. The African Land Rover carcasses say nothing derogatory about the vehicle and like the elephant’s bones, rather a testimony to success of a kind. Enough of a success that Toyota (in the 70s) copied them in so many ways and time will tell their story as well. Land Rover definitely met the needs of the people at the time. Are they an icon? You bet!

Let’s face it, the African Land Rover had a fantastic body but lacked the mechanical support it needed, as evidenced by all the corpses; bodies without innards.

I am convinced that Land Rover became so well distributed throughout the world, due to its popularity as a military vehicle. And I’m equally convinced, that was the reason so many survive.

Ready to roll. See the Castrol sign?

When is a tree not a tree?

Big and little brother died together.

That, on the other side, is a ‘Series I’.

Aah… still driving good sir.

A good attitude keeps the Landy going. Something that amazes me is how many Africa Land Rovers are supported by rocks. Do the people keep them in the back?

African Land Rover Organ Donor.

Land Rover shorty.

This heavy lifter says no to rhino poaching and proves its pedigree.

It’s an emergency water delivery.

Never say ‘going like a bomb’ in Africa.

Running repairs.

Where’s a low-bed when you need one?

Why, when they need their wheels to get to the scrap yard, they always lose the wheels first?

Does anyone know why this Land Rover was made with front doors this shape?

Land Rover pickup, picking up the milk, with its rocks intact.

OK, ‘nog a donor.

Is it, or is it not, parked?

I don’t care what you say, Exide did it.

But the mirror should still be in well-preserved condition.

A treat for Land Rover owners.

Does ‘A’ come before ‘B’? They say Toyota motors never die. And it’s not because of horsepower. Well, man has said, ‘Toyota conquered Africa’ and now you know how.

Video Run Time: 6:56 min