A historic barn find Land Rover is making a special journey from Dunedin to Auckland to raise funds for heart research organisation Manaaki Manawa. 

The 1948 Land Rover was the 20th ever made by the British company and the first to arrive in New Zealand.

The vehicle was shipped from the historical JLR factory in Solihull, Birmingham on 16 September 1948 to Wellington Motors Ltd. It was registered in Wellington on 28 October 1948 as a demonstrator vehicle.

The Rover company exported the majority of new Land Rovers to gain government subsidies for obtaining steel which was scarce post-WWII. It also made an iconic trip to the Parliament, driving up the steps to demonstrate its unique 4WD capabilities.

After a tour of New Zealand, it was sold to Taihape’s Kotu Estate Ltd on 3 May 1950 where it worked for four years before ownership was transferred to the Gordon family, then headed back to Taihape in 1959.

In 1984, the vehicle was acquired by Taihape Automotive Specialists Ltd and remained there for 30 years until it was a ‘barn find’ in 2014 by Dunedin’s Peter Marr who restored the 1948 Land Rover.

Manaaki Manawa’s director, and Land Rover enthusiast, Professor Julian Paton, is the new owner and to show its capability, he’s driving it from Dunedin on January 31, with help.

“I was utterly astonished at Peter’s renovation of this vehicle. He has done a magnificent job repairing the car yet maintaining her originality, including original chassis, parts and paint,” said Professor Paton.

“The vehicle sailed through compliance in November of last year, so I’ve decided to demonstrate the reliability and enduring quality of The original Land Rovers. There was really only one way to get her to my home in Auckland, so we’re going to drive her and brave the 1800km from Dunedin!.

“Drive 4 Hearts hopes to raise vital funds to develop a heart valve that grows with the hearts of children, reducing the need for multiple life-threatening surgeries,” he said.

 Paton is also a research scientist at the University of Auckland and has spent the past 15 years developing a natural pacemaker for heart failure.

He hopes that Drive 4 Hearts will raise $300,000 to support the development of a new heart valve for children with rheumatic heart disease (RHD).

“Heart disease is New Zealand’s biggest killer,” he said.“Most of us know of someone suffering from cardiovascular disease such as a heart attack. New Zealand also has one of the worst incidences of RHD in developed countries globally – it’s a national embarrassment. 

“In New Zealand, 1400 children develop RHD i each year, and each are faced with multiple risky and painful operations throughout their lives. The issue they face is that the artificial valves do not grow as the heart develops causing them to leak.”  

Drive 4 Hearts will travel through key locations across the South and North Islands. At each stop, Land Rover clubs, JLR retailers, and members of the public will be welcome to see the vehicle in action and connect with the cause. 

In a bond between past and present, the drive will be supported by a new Defender 110 vehicle, supplied by Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) New Zealand. 

JLR New Zealand CEO Steve Kenchington says, “Julian’s Land Rover is a very special vehicle indeed. We were more than happy to support him and his important cause by providing a Defender 110 that will accompany the drive. 

“We’re sure Land Rover fans and Defender drivers new and old will follow along with the journey online, and possibly even catch a glimpse of the entourage if it passes by their town or city.” 

You can donate here.