Attempting To Start 42 Year-old Land Rover Series 3 After 15 Years: Will It Start? [Video]

We all know that maintaining a vintage or classic car is not everyone’s cup of tea. People often buy such cars and leave them to rust when they encounter issues they cannot solve. This mostly happens due to the unavailability of genuine parts or spares. The older the car, the more difficult it becomes to maintain. However, this struggle to keep vintage cars running has attracted many enthusiasts to this hobby. Here, we have a video featuring a 42-year-old Land Rover Series 3 SUV. In this video, the vlogger and his friends attempt to start this classic SUV after 15 years. Will it start? Let’s check the video to find out.

The video has been shared by Thampis Vlogs on their YouTube channel. In this video, the vlogger showcases a 42-year-old Land Rover Defender Series 3 SUV—an iconic and popular choice among off-road enthusiasts. Although older generation Land Rover Defender SUVs were not very common in India, typically associated with India’s automotive history of Ambassadors and Fiats, there exists a village named Maneybhanjang in Darjeeling. This village, located at the India-Nepal border, is known as the Land of Land Rovers due to several well-kept classic Land Rover Defender SUVs used by locals. These vehicles suit the extreme terrain where these people reside.

Returning to the video, the story behind this Land Rover Series 2 is not clear. It seems the previous owner of the SUV neglected it for years until the vlogger decided to purchase and restore it. The vlogger does not specify the exact age of the car but mentions it’s almost 42 years old. The major issue with this vehicle was that it hadn’t been started even once in the last 15 years. The SUV was likely brought to the workshop on a flatbed.

The video shows the mechanic working extensively to revive the engine. However, the vlogger doesn’t give a clear idea of what’s wrong with the engine or precisely what the mechanic is doing to start the car. The mechanic is seen working under the car, checking and ensuring all parts are functioning. Meanwhile, the vlogger showcases the SUV’s condition—the roof, body panels, and interiors were all completely rotten and needed attention.

The vlogger mentions in the video that they will completely restore the SUV in the next 50-60 days. It appears the mechanic has set up a temporary system where the engine is drawing fuel from an external fuel tank. Since the original battery was drained, they also installed an external battery to power the SUV. The mechanic has been working on this SUV since morning, and even after over 6 hours, the SUV was not starting. After almost 6-7 hours of work, the SUV finally started, and everyone was excited.

However, this success brought out another issue: the driver attempted to move the car forward, but the gears wouldn’t engage. Only the reverse gear was functional, as the team discovered. They would need to work on both the mechanical parts and the body to restore this SUV to its original condition.