landrover date

[Mike T]

I keep getting asked the age of my land Rover
Built in September 1958 registered in  1959.
Is it a 1958 or a 1959 ?

[Alan Drover]

The year of manufacture counts so it's a 58.

[diffwhine]

In calendar year terms its a 1958 vehicle, but in terms of model year its a 1959 model. The next Model Year started after the factory summer shut down in August, so 1959 Model Year started late August / early September 1958. The same process still happens today and is true for most vehicle manufacturers. For example, the INEOS Grenadier 2025 MY production is just about to start (if not already started).

[autorover1]

September vehicles can easily fall into either model year.  My 1955 LR is a 55 model year (571 Chassis no.)  but was passed to sales  and dispatched in early Sept 1955, after some 1956 model year vehicles were built. 

[Mycroft]

You should be able to tell from the chassis number whether it was a 58 or 59 run - the first 4 digits of the former will end in an 8, the latter 9. Factory records show some of the previous year's runs were still being worked on in September while they often made a start on the next year's chassis numbers in August. As yours was built in one of those 2 months, the fourth chassis number will tell you which it was - an early 59 or late 58.

[Uffddd]

If it was built in 58 then that's how old it is. Date of first registration doesn't matter there.

If someone asks and they turn out to be a complete anorak then you can explain that it's a 59 model year. If of course it is, 4th letter of the chassis number will tell you for certain on that front.

[Exile]

The year of manufacture counts so it's a 58.

It is more correct to date a Land Rover by Model Year.

It is the MY that is on the chassis number. Calendar year is not usually used.


(Except for 1948 Land Rovers for some reason, as those built after the end of the 1948 MY were still given 1948 chassis numbers until early 1949).