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Richard Hammond on the greatest barn find of all time
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- Published on Jul 11, 2025
- Find out more about the INEOS Grenadier: ineosgrenadier...
We all know Richard Hammond loves a 4x4, and they don’t come much more legendary than the first ever road-going Land Rover, known affectionately as ‘JUE’. Richard takes us through the story of rediscovering this piece of automotive history in a barn, restoring him back to working order, and then taking him on a truly amazing journey to one of the most hostile environments in the world. In partnership with Ineos, JUE was accompanied by the brand-new Grenadier 4x4 to complete a legendary adventure.
A huge thank you to Julian Shoolheifer who restored the vehicle www.shoolheife..., Martin Port who documented the restoration porterpress.co..., and Revelstoke films www.revelstoke...
Paid partnership with:
@INEOSGrenadier 
Autos & Vehicles
This is exactly how automaker marketing budgets should be spent. Kudos to everyone involved, drivetribe and hamster included, of course.
I'd rather they spent the money making the product better instead of creatively BS us.
@@brianwelch1579
Well, duh, yeah, in theory they should be spending the money on engineering better products that sell themselves, but that really only holds true in economics textbooks.
My point is that, if they _are_ going to spend the money on advertising, I'd rather see it spent supporting either a racing effort or an incredible idea like restoring the og Land Rover and going on an adventure, than have it spent on Brie Larson trying to convince me there is anything redeemable about a Nissan Ariya.
well said!
He's not a real hamster
Hear, hear.
If your going to promote something, be constructive with it rather than wasteful like most are.
I love that they didn’t restore it to show quality. They did just enough to bring it back to life but left all the imperfections that it had earned from its long hard life.
Totally agree! a perfect restoration would've made it a museum piece, something you wouldn't want to take off road again
Exactly
Yet it still able to do something really harsh flawlessly
That was my thought. You have to leave the history in place for it to be a historical restoration. As i saw the final result i wondered if they soft brushed off the loos paint and then top coated it to seal it in. Or if like Painting restoration they had a technique to rejuvenate the old paint and reseal it.
Truly
I have so much respect for reviving it the way it was and then going on such an adventure with it. I would gladly watch every second of a dry, boring, 24 1-hour episodes series detailing the restoration.
Actually, yeah I'd do this for bedtime for 100 nights :)
I love how they kept the car's original purpose: to go adventure. I'm really happy with that.
they went like many brands: from somewhat affordable to bloated and only affordable for rich. then wonder why chinese are taking up market shares
yeah it was like, c'mon friend, you've been standing still long enough. Lets go on an adventure.
It was fitting.
Does anyone know how much the farmer got for the OG Land Rover? I hope it was quite substantial.
Definitely but all this was a promo, I mean that car must be worth quite a lot, to fix it and take it on a trip exactly when you're building a company based on another very well-known brand, they probably started receiving offers mid-trip.
More tribute videos like this! This feels like an episode right out of the old top gear and grand tour format. Love it.
Respect to all those involved in the resurrection of JUE 477 and undertaking it's remarkable journey. I thank Hammond and Drive Tribe for bringing us the story. Love you guys!
Love this storytelling. Reminds me of the old Top Gear days....bravo, team!
The original Top Gear hosts are absolute legends in my book.
Greetings from Australia.
Before it became just stupidly fast cars and destroying things!.
Especially of a certain red pickup that could...
i find it interesting that since most brits can't own guns, they focus their masc affinity for machinery into things like cars instead. all the while missing the irony that cars end more people than guns.
@@cagneybillingsley2165 Same deal in Australia,sorry ro say.
This has to be one of the BEST videos Drivetribe has done so far 🤩. Very much enjoyed this and Hammond as always.
yeha definitely my favorite episode as well
@@matthewmoore7447 What is a Grenadier! I know what JUE is 😎
🧐🧐🧐😅😅😅
I'm really glad they kept the whole thing together instead of doing that car-builder thing of "just remake/replace [whatever]" instead of just fixing what's there, even if it's more effort. That makes this restoration all the more impressive and beautiful. Sterling work by all involved.
As an ex serviceman that used to drive these, and knowing what these vehicles can do, and having these vehicles get us out of the shit on more than one occasion, this brought a tear to my eye. I'm glad she was found. And, I am glad she was restored, and not stuck in some dusty old museum. Thank you Land Rover.
Indeed. Most soldiers are extremely appreciative of not having to walk and sit inside a vehicle when it's raining. Sure, there are tanks and stuff.. but for 99% of the guys, a vehicle like this is a life saver.
When I was in the army we had the Volvo C303 which is a insanely capable little vehicle.
Land rover or grenadier !?!
@@06howea1 Credit goes to Landrover for developing these cars and to Ineos for getting it back off the road
@@06howea1 Landy 109, 110, defender...
The Land Rover was basic and affordable, Ineos Grenadier is not.
Always love some Hammond car journalism. His piece on Jim Clark with the Hacksaw Ridge music was especially excellent
I'm so glad that this vehicle is in the hands of proper Englishmen! The English have given the world so many great things, and this machine is no exception.
@archangel2781 5 minutes later we get news he's rolled it down a mountain
I agree. NONE of these so-called car RUclipsrs can top the trio's journalism.
@@latch9781 Not possible. Hammond wasn't driving it.
@@archangel2781I hear it was Jezza.
A remarkable restoration that breathes new life into a timeless legend.
I love the fact that instead of a museum. It went on a real road trip. Too many of these are restored and hidden away.
Having driven a lot of km in Mk2 Landrovers, I wonder how the rich guy"s backside felt after that trip!
Seating comfort was not foremost in the thoughts of the LR designers. :-)
@@bryanwheeler1608 It did just look like a bench in there, similar to Hammond's Burma pew
How is it being in a museum hiding it away?
Wouldn't that more be a private collector that refuses to drive it?
@@bryanwheeler1608 Yup - many years ago three of us drove a Series 1 across Africa and then across South, Central and North America. Who can ever forget how uncomfortable the middle seat was straddling the transmission tunnel!
@@jammygamer8961 Museums rotate their displays annually, so after so many months on the floor they get put in "the vault" and will not rotate out again for many years or decades later. Depending on the museum and their trust of the public, they may not let you into "the vault". Also not every museum will showcase their collection on social media or do "start and drive" videos like other museums do. So yes - they do get hidden away. There's one of one ferraris and fiat prototypes that virtually nobody knows about sitting in random little car museums across italy in little villages of only a few hundred people. if you do not know about them, you will never see them. Likewise here in the USA in a tiny town in Wisconsin there is one of the only microcar museums in the USA. Guess what? It's run by an elderly couple and they are only open 2 days each year to the public and by appointment only elsewise.
That wasn’t a restoration..that was giving that Landy it’s soul again. great job.
Its a car it does not have a soul
@@brain8484 well neither do you then.
@@kramshironWell said... to both your comments haha!
@@brain8484You don’t understand cars.
Its* soul.
It's = "it is" or "it has."
Its = belonging to it.
As an American, I can't help but seeing the Willys Jeep heritage in this car. Its nice to see the it restored and actually being used instead of a museum piece. Nicely done.
Yeah, quite funny to hear them refer to this as the "grandfather of all 4x4s" when it was a Jeep copy.
@@alittlebitgoneright on
As I've read about it, the guys that made the prototype Landover built it on a willys/ gpw chassis after the original tub rotted out in the English salt air.
You are correct.
It's a redesigned Willis Jeep.
No credit is given to the Willys jeep here, which the Landrover was copied from.
It's been quite the time since I've watched a well documented & told car story like this. Love the way they restored and drove her in the way she was meant to be. Glorious.
With an American Buick engine!
This video seriously feels like it's a film off Top Gear or the Grand Tour. One of those what us proper car lovers really really enjoy watching. Top work everyone!
exactly this
Makes me feel almost emotional the way the story was told.
Absolutely brilliant.
Bit like the top gear episode where they stood on the white cliffs with a spitfire and hurricane 😢😢
This was a fantastic little tribute/mini documentary. Almost fought back a tear and I'm not even a Landrover guy. Drivetribe is seriously turning into a powerhouse of a car channel.
The fact that at the end they used the same music to show Richard in the Grenadier as they did to send off the Ford Cortina in the final episode of the Grand Tour really speaks to the importance of this car to Richard.
from the film "Dunkirk" I think...Hans Zimmer
Grand tour isn’t over they put out a special a few weeks ago
@@jameson1239 I think he means The Grand Tour/Top Gear as we know it. With an audience, the news, the reviews, etc.
@@Derek-pressno its Enigma by Edward Elgar right?
@@Derek-pressit’s Elgar.
Such a treat. I grew up on a farm in the mid 1950s to 1972. There where several Land rovers, they did a fantastic job...This restoration looks amazing and I love the trek across Mongolia...
What a great find and history of JUE 477 Our family owns an early Series 1 R8600347, which was sold (along with R8600346) in October of 1948 to Shell Oil Company and shipped to Ecuador. My grandfather bought both around 1950. Only 347 survives to this day.
Easily the best drivetribe film so far, I love Hammonds passion for the Land Rover too, i met him at a Land Rover show when i was a kid and he was so kind and took time to chat shite, he was great.
i just cant get past the fact theyre pretending like theyre going on this harrowing journey to the most inhospitable lands of the world... and then all of the footage is driving on a groomed gravel path, they brought antique sportsters that are 4" off the ground... most of us drive worth paths to get to work everyday
My uncle Arthur Goddard would’ve been proud to see this achievement as he was one of the chief engineers on the production of the series one he died in Australia at over 100 years old and I will dearly miss him.
We need so much more of this type of video... hammond, may and clarkson do so amazingly well with this sort of content and documentaries in general its fantastic and there just isnt enough of it 🫡
theres 1000 youtube channels doing great stuff
Yes! Every video where Hammond or May have just talked, driven and shown us some special cars, has been excellent videos. Richards has this grandiose way of presenting special vehicles and the way James talked about and describes cars is just fantastic (thinking of the buggy video, it was excellent).
@@AVest421Not to mention Clarkson, when he talked about the Lancia v Audi rivalry in Group B.
@@PazinPortugal But there's only one Richard Hammond?
Fair play to the guy who restored it but kept it as original as possible it's the way a car like this should be done. It keeps its story alive and as they proved if it's still a bit beaten up and tatty you're not afraid to use it the way it was meant to be used 😊
Exactly my thoughts too. That was an awesome piece of restoration and the fact that it performed so well is an indication of the craftsmanship that went into recreating something from what was essentially an assemblage of rust flakes.
How do you repair a chassis than is half gone and half thin as paper without replacing large parts of it? Just wondering. Because they said they decided not to replace and yet they did this amazing journey with it, which obviously requires structural strength and reliability. Do you bond the old rusted sheet metal to new ones? Did they mimick the patina on new metal? So many questions.
@@caleidoo I would assume that they did replace large parts of it, but by fabricating it and welding it on to the existing parts, rather than a complete replacement.
@@caleidoo As you say, surely very little of the original chassis remains! Perhaps the normally oily bit below engine and trans, but that's about it. Same for the bulkhead as well
@@maxtorque2277 I would say so too, but then how many cars around can say they are 100% original, probably none, the fact so much has been kept original is amazing, love the way they haven't ruined it by painting it !
For sure one of the best Land Rover videos I've ever seen!! Fantastic!! Long life to JUE and all involved in his restoration!! Cheers!!
I'd forgotten just how much I miss these pieces from TG/GT.
I know one can never go back, nothing lasts forever, blah blah... but this scratched the itch brilliantly. Thank you Richard, Mike, and all of DriveTribe. 🚙 ❤
As a classic defender owner, this was absolutely incredible. The fact that they kept it original, then took it over landing is just so perfect. Great job. May have to take a look at adding a ineos to the lineup now!
Oh wow, as a classic Defender owner this is the best little documentary I’ve seen in ages! I had no idea of this story and seriously astounding at the perfect restoration of the first ever Landy! As for its owner, I’m so glad in went into the right hands as JLR would have no doubt ruined it in some way like they have the new Defender/Pretender! A real heartwarming story of keeping a dream alive..
Every video where Hammond or May have just talked, driven and shown us some special cars, has been excellent videos. Richards has this grandiose way of presenting special vehicles and the way James talked about and describes cars is just fantastic (thinking of the buggy video, it was excellent).
That’s amazing, I love that they took Jue on a road trip instead of just making it a museum piece. Congrats to everyone who worked on it and was a part of all of it !!
I have often asked , on other channels, where a restoration ends and a remake begins. I'm delighted that this was genuine. Also the correct use of the Grenadiers as support vehicles. One further point, Jim Radcliffe is a very rich man, good for him he earned it, but when they talk about tough decisions, well it isn't really. He, and others involved, clearly have enough money to be able to afford such an endeavour. It involves very hard work on the part of Julian, who has to get his hands dirty. Actually doing this restoration must have been incredibly difficult. Kudos!
I lived in the UK for 13 years, this fella is one of the best people Britain has to offer! I really wish him all the best and many thanks for making me laugh so many times. This story is actually absolutely beautiful and heartwarming for anyone who understands our love for cars. And very emotional indeed.
😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
Agree
👏🏻
@@steveluckhurst2350What's with the dramatic overuse of emoji's what's funny?
@@ThatCarGuy1983 the idea than Hammond is "one of the best people Britain has to offer". And that the story was "very emotional indeed".
To,
The team at Drivetribe and Richard Hammond.
This video made me emotional. Not because of the story (Story is exceptional btw) but this reminded me of the videos that Jeremy, Richard and James used to make in the Old Top Gear. It was one of the best parts of my childhood and to listen to Richard's voice in the voice over narrating the story made me remember how I used to wait for new episodes and the excitement and happiness that I had whenever a new episode began. Loved it then, miss it now.
My deep and humble request to you guys is to make more videos like this. I know it costs a lot to make something like this and revenue from RUclips won't cover it. Please find a solution and make it. There is a big void left by the three. Please cover it.
Thank you.
listen this guy
Totally agree ...
Well said karthik shaji. I too share these EXACT sentiments and the demise of Top Gear - & regardless of the rights/wrongs of the case - Top Gear died when our three intrepid heroes left - that void has not been filled despite The Grand Tour's decent attempts. Richard Hammond continues some of that spirit and of course he is the most beloved of the trio for his overall sweetness of character.
Have you check "The grand tour"?
Agreed but they had best do it sooner rather than later as they're getting on in age. Grand Tour was nice from what I've seen of it. I'll watch anything with either of these 3 guys in it regardless.
getting JUE out on the open roads of Mongolia is the best outcome I could imagine, didn't look out of place for a single moment. brilliant work.
They did a brilliant restoration . I had a terrible feeling it would roll out shiny and new . But it’s a perfect job
Yes it is. I'm glad to see it being enjoyed and not sitting in a museum
Geez they really tested it didn't they and all the other old rigs. Should have brought them to the land down under, with extre heat and corrugations that would destroy the mightiest Japanese vehicles. That would be a test.
@@Muckinhellx4Na the cruiser is and always will be the best at home in our land it was designed for it that's why it's still here and still cruising around for many more years to come 😊
@@Muckinhellx4want to test it, not destroy the thing
Richard, THIS is what we miss. This is what we remember from Top Gear of old, and from The Grand Tour in its earlier days. This sort of work. May's work on the Ferrari/Ford rivalry. Just wonderful stories. I do wish that you three could do more of this and do it as a new show that is more of this and not as much of the hamming-it-up (no pun intended) stuff.
Top Gear boys breaking off and doing their own/shows documentaries would be a great way to wind down their acting careers for another couple decades. James May's Toy Stories and "Our Man In Japan" were immensely fun, funny, and very educational to watch.
From start to finish, astounding. So happy it was reassurected and put back off road. My warmed heart is with you all.
I had the privilege of caring for the gentleman who was chief engineer who developed the Landy right from the beginning. Lovely man and I will always remember my brief time with him.
@Hello there, how are you doing this blessed day?
Did anyone else get a tear in their eye or was it just me? Because this video is one of those videos on RUclips to give you goose bumps
Been watching this man since the 2010s
Man has he aged but thats the beauty of life
It's nice to be reminded how much I enjoy hearing Richard (and James and Jeremy for that matter) speak.
Me too
Finally... Some car history journalism I've missed since the traditional grand tour ended.
There’s still another special coming next year, that might be last one
@@royalwave15 Since Clarkson was fired by Amazon during the filming of that one, I think it actually is going to be the last one.
There is for sure 1 more on the contract.
@@bigt4135 clarkson confirmed it was a camping special in a RUclips vid recently about his Range Rover I believe
I bought a Series 3 for my 25th birthday..... I'm still driving it today. All original apart from the usual parts replacements etc. I turn 75 next March. Its a toss up which one of us 'dies' first.
I've seen a lot of Richards presentation work, and this is genuinely one of the best I've ever seen from him, so much emotion and history within the story itself combined with the sheer quality of the DT Production! what a video lads! what a video!
Surely you don't think this is better than his review of the Suzuki WagonR?
"They've sold over one and a half million of them, and that's a lot of Rs sold."
"There's now an immobiliser and double door locks, so there's no danger of getting your R swiped."
I am Finnish and I have never driven a Land Rover or hardly seen one on the roads, but this made me almost cry. Great work guys.
Scoot over to the Baltics for a looksie.
We use them in the Finnish Defense Forces! They fit our backroads well.
@@murmenaattori6 Kyllä niitä intissä näkyi, mutta vanhoja malleja harvemmin teillä.
To be honest, they are pretty bad to drive on normal roads. Noisy, uncomfortable and shaky. It's an acquired taste. Once you get it, then people just love them.
You should drive one. You'll cry some more.....
This is such a beautiful story! I admire every single person that was involved in the process of finding, restoring and driving once again this magnificent car.
I love that the soul of the Land Rover #1 was kept and that it still get used for whaz it was built! We have a 1943 Willys MB at home, also unrestored but in perfect working condition. I love to drive around with it and feel the the pure, mechanical rawness. We even took it motocrossing with a trailer for the bikes. The look of the people when you drive up with a 80 year old vehicle is amazing.
As someone from the North East it's really cool to see that the first Land Rover was up this way this whole time tucked away. Amazing to see it making easy work of such a tough trip.
Gosh, that was actually emotional! I do love passion and it was that which restored this land rover and put it back where it was meant to be.
Amazing how a short film about a single vehicle built over 70 years ago can make you emotional. Please keep doing videos like this, very well done. May JUE live forever ❤
i think the life JUE had is the perfect one. it encapsulates what a land rover once was. it was a workhorse that gave it's all, in a way it's a bit of a shame to see where land rovers are today - imagine the state one of those would be in after living the life JUE has!
It would’ve probably been scrapped long before it ended up in the farmers hands.
They will always be 2nd place to a Willys Jeep.
@@williamd1891 I'm a Rover fan; have bunch of them currently from Series 2's, RRCs, D1s, D3, RR L322.... but yeah, Willys will always be first.
@@williamd1891 Really? So how come Land Rover is still going and Willy's are long dead!
@@NorthernMouse53 You can actually buy a brand new 2023 Jeep Wrangler Willys edition.
Oh dear! Did anyone else tear-up as the Elgar comes in at the end of the piece?
The sheer emotion and inspiration you feel while watching this story. Hammond has been one of the three voices fueling our internal combustion. Much like JUE-477 the spirit of automotive adventure lives on. God speed little truck.
If that story didn’t bring a tear to your eye and feel how special that little landy is you can’t be a true petrol head. These are the best automotive stories where the old car gets a second life 😊
Had some wet cheeks myself when that little truck was going side by side by his newly adopted caretakers... 🇿🇦
You lot are nuts lol
@@EresirThe1st
😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
We are sometimes called
"Landy Nutcases", dunno why.... 🤷🏻♂️🤷🏻♂️🤷🏻♂️
I thought it was rather silly
I'm a die hard Toyota fan and always said I would NEVER own a Land Rover, until this video. Really great documentary and story.
Whoever chose the music for this video brought on tears towards the end, fantastic
A story like this is what proves cars are more than boxes of metal ❤
This iconic vehicle went through all that and came out punching, it's genuinely emotional.
I love cars for this exact reason.
Brilliant! The restoration was just right.... she proudly carries her years on show, and the scars of long and hard use. Perfect! 🙂
I like how it's not just a dusty old barn, but a barn with an insulated roof en extra pressurised tents to keep everything in top shape!
Which barn?
Which video did you see?
Would have loved to see more of the actual restoration, bringing back that bag of scrap to a useful machine is quite impressive and perfect compromise on the bodywork. Turning to the Grenadier, it’s ironic that it’s built in the old SMart plant in France, I can see it following the same fate. Superb video, if only there was a TV Show made like this…….
There is, it's called Drive Tribe...
Yep
@jimmychristensen498 not a TV show is it tho
This is what car passion is really all about. not just machines but something else.... Hats off to all involved
What a lovely story, again, beautifully told by The Hamster. He really is a great journo (can't say THAT very often!!).
@Hello there, how are you doing this blessed day?
My absolute favourite pieces on Top Gear and Grand Tour were like this. The trips were fun, but Jeremy's bit on the Audi vs Lancia, for example, is what I love. Cars are mostly about stories to me. Loved this.
What a wonderful story - I always see such beautifully restored cars that were meant to be driven just sitting in museums or taken out to car shows to just sit there rather than be driven like they were originally intended to be driven. Also glad they didn't replace everything in an attempt to make it like new again. Well done!
What an absolutely terrific story. I love it when an old machine shows it can still do what it was designed to do. It is such a short little thing too. I am thinking I am not the only one hoping it trundles on and on and on for a very long time.
I love the fact that the most recent chapter of this historic 4x4 was not left to a biographer, it wrote it itself, with help from its many friends.
It's so cool to see that jue got repair with the original stuff not turnt into a "triggers broom", incredible to see it brought back to its former glory
The older Landrovers are the most solid 4-wheeler I ever drove to do ranch work. I towed 600# to 700# dead cow carcasses up & down steep hilly terrains of the ranch without any strain to the engine or clutch. But, the only problem was that, first and reverse gears were really close, so you had to be aware of the shifting pattern. You may think you’re in first gear, but you may be in reverse gear and if you throttle it? Well, my cousin found out and luckily the dead carcass of a cow was already dead when he ran over it! One thing I have to mention is that the Landrover belonged to Charles Lindbergh the Aviator, who happened to live on the Eastside of Maui back in the 70’s and he was our neighbor, he took ill and died that summer of 1974. He was the nicest man you could ever meet.
@99iwaena Thank you for that interesting story from Maui! I am here in Puna on Hawaiʻi island with my last two Land Rovers, one a 1966 109" originally from Saudi Arabia (I believe) that I have owned since 1990, and the other a 1967 109" I've had since the late 90's which was one of the original "Waipiʻo Valley Shuttle" group. Unfortunately, they are both in a terrible state of repair now as the years and weather in Puna has not been kind to them at all. I just can't bear to send them to the scrap yard. Aloha.
@@KalikoTrapp Yeah also, back in the 70’s, Ulupalakua Ranch on Maui also had the Land Rover’s truck body type. Even though it was an all wheel drive and smaller SUV, it was a very strong solidly built all wheel drive vehicle for hills and rough off-road terrains. My family had 2 Ford Bronco’s (smaller cab types) those were no comparison to the Land Rovers. Hana Ranch ended up with Charles Lindbergh’s green Land Rover. I wish I had it now, like today! 🤣
horrific electrical issues in the new ones unfortunately
I wonder if Lindbergh’s Land Rover is still out there somewhere? That would be an interesting find.👌
I first “met” my 1966 Series2A 88”, at a British car meet near Fresno, Ca. last spring. There were several Landys all shiny and restored, and a rancher pulled in with manure on his tires. He had coincidentally just pulled a dead cow out of his field, then without benefit of a wash brought it to the show. ( the Land Rover, not the cow). Lol. I bought it last fall.
It can be seen at the end of a video;
LandyAndy4X4 Castle Air Museum part 2.
700 dead cow carcasses? Were you feeding the cowas at all?
The fact they actually found the first one is staggering. The fact that it still existed to find is a miracle!!
I think the aluminum body panels are the main reason it’s still around. Had they been steel it likely would have been scrapped due to corrosion.
I think it's more odd it got lost. The first jeep is still in mint condition and was always tracked.
@@morstyrannis1951 No, it's because it was on a farm. It would be far too expensive and senseless to scrap it, farmers always have money from their crops and don't need the pittance from an old vehicle, and they have plenty of land and "I might need it someday". Drag it out there and leave it sit.
There's a farmer near where I live that has build up a collection of combine harvesters, and when one breaks down he just buys another one because he has to have a working one always available with no downtime for each harvest and planting season. The years are too close together I think he is just buying them used. He's got about 10 of them all parked in a row behind the barn, the oldest-parked ones with entire tree saplings sticking out of the blades. and wheels.
This story has every single thing that is good about life in this world, all in one place; history, problem solving, fabrication, adventure.... wonderful.
Jue looks so happy being again on the road and travelling the world. He has soul.
Beautifully done. Not overbearing, a lovely story, and now a desire for a Grenadier….
i was not expecting a car to make me cry this morning ;)
An incredibly reserved and fitting restoration. Done with such care to preserve the essence of the original. And that's not an easy thing to do. To know where to stop before you start to take away more than you add. Oh, and any video that plays the number 9 variation at the end, gets a thumbs up from me.
It's akin to the way that the guys restore WW2 aircraft. Wonderful and so very respectful.
This knackered old thing is perhaps the perfect metaphor for the British motor industry. And entrusting the telling of the story to the Hamster is simply hilarious.
And the state of Britain today..
Thou in true British spirit rises from the ashes like a phoenix - with an engine, a gearbox, final drive....
I absolutely love stories like this. where old forgotten vehicles are brought back to life and do what they are built for. and in this case conquering the untamed land of our world!
And to do it with the original Land Rover that has been lost for so long it's truly one of the best experiences in your life.
let's hope he keeps running for a long long long long time
How could Land Rover have let this opportunity pass them by. In one move Ineos have shown the Grenadier is the true spiritual successor .
Well put that ..typical bloody Land Rover ..don’t give a damn .
I was thinking the exact same thing.
Because they make cars for rich housewives now.
@@tmarritt Yep, and the quality sure ain't what it use to be that's for sure!!
Yep. Top quality french, German & Portuguese engineering.
Mr. Hammond is really is such an entertaining, educated, and story-telling bloke, it is fabulous seeing him presenting this story.
Even more fabulous when Jezza and Captain Slow get in to tell this story together meanwhile comparing with the John.
I'm no British but seeing the old car have been restored and even used to what they were doing back then is astonishing. And, what's more proud it is that the very first car to be built in the history of that marque. Such a rare things to do it because the first car probably ended up being another product.
The Japanese, German, French, Italians, Swedes, South Koreans, Chinese, Americans, etc. marques probably not going to expect the very first of their car is restored back to live and then driven by the owner.
The Russian has done it with the KamAZ-5320 truck, the chassis number 1 is still preserved and sometimes driven around the factory complex.
But, this is more than that, it is fabulous.
Wow after all these years it is amazing to watch this magnificent vehicle back on the road
Richard, in the mid 60's, at the age of 5 I learnt to drive in a 1953 Series 1 Land Rover so this story has whipped me back in time and made me feel so... nostalgic. At 6 years old I would drive across the field, hide our Land Rover behind the hedge, climb over the gate and get on the bus to infants school.
Must have been loads of fun! We share a last name too
What, Hammond or Barwick?
@@jezzbarwick3082 Barwick!
Not a popular name.
I used to do that at the age of 4 in a Lincon Continental in England. I would park in the disabled parking space and hopped to play group.
This was absolutely a master class in documentary making. Wish we could get a longer full hour version! This was incredible!!
Master class in infomercial making.
@@heiner71 exactly.
Fantastic restoration to look exactly like it should for its years.
What a remarkable video, very rare to come across these types in the sea of RUclips videos. Had me smiling all the way through. If ever there was a winning advertisement for Land Rover, this would be up there, if not on top.
Sometimes you see something that’s just right, properly right. This is one of those rare occasions. If this extraordinary piece of of automotive history had been unearthed twenty years earlier, I suspect every inch of its soul would have been lost with a heavy full blown ‘better than new’ restoration. A big thank you to all those involved for doing exactly the right thing! (I wonder what JLR would’ve done to this Land-Rover had they ended up owning it?)....... Anyway, very well done!
And 20 years later there would be nothing left to restore! If nobody knew where it was or what it was, it really would have just been sent for scrappage and nobody would have had any clue.
This is the 2023 video of youtube for me. I adore cars of any description, and this video made my day watching it. Thank you to all involved.
Just brilliant. Love that the original patina has been kept allows JUE to wear her age with pride. So impressive she has been able to return to doing what she does. Congratulations to everyone especially for that thoughtful renovation. Gladdens the heart 🙂
You guys need to do more like this please!!!
Amazing the way Richard tell the story it’s special!!!
@scotyount9885 of course I know that…
My comment says “the way he tell the story” not “the way he write the story”
Wonderful. To another my generation, weatherbeaten, scared, bloodied but not bowed still plugging along. You’re a reminder of what we are still capable, 75+ years after we first saw the light of day. Thanks.
By far the best DRIVETRIBE video ever produced
That is one of the best videos I have ever watched on RUclips. Congratulations to everyone who put it together. What an amazing story and a superb restoration, just the perfect balance of restoration and conservation.
Totally awesome. Hats off to Jim for his vision enthusiasm and bulldog spirit. And all involved.
I love the way this car was restored. Character, flaws and all. What a remarkable vehicle and what a remarkable story.
Love this! As an owner, and enthusiast of classic Land Rovers this is one hell of a story! We love a great story of heritage and adventure, and this was just absolutely fantastic.
I'm glad it wasn't a complete restoration and ending up tucked away. This deserved the adventure.
This little film is nothing short of magnificent!!! A wee tear in my eye watching that genesis Landy.
Stories like these, are why I'm delighted to be a petrolhead. There's something quite emotional about finding such a weathered, beaten and almost defeated looking machine and almost instantly connecting with it's soul, like those barndoors open, you lay your eyes on it and theres this feeling, deep inside you that makes you think, that old machine is looking back at you saying "I KNEW someone would find me eventually". You just feel this unwavering sense of mechanical sympathy looking at them in that state and it's a totally different feeling when it comes to modern cars, it's not the same. You wince when you see an expensive motor being written off, but it's nothing like watching a classic getting "hurt". I love my car, don't get me wrong, but I love it in the way you love a favourite food, where as an older car, you'd love it like it was your pet or your friend. In the same way Richard cares for Oliver. These older machines have lived a life, they could almost tell you stories. When you jump in and start them up, it feels like you're entering an agreement with it, "I'll keep YOU safe, if you keep ME safe" and it just feels like theres a spirit behind those headlights. To anyone who isn't a car enthusiast, that will probably ALWAYS sound absolutely mental, but there is real beauty to be found with older cars that you just have to be into, to truly understand. I would love to see more videos like this on Drivetribe, it gave me such a massive dose of wholesome and I'm all for it. Thank you for sharing this story with us :)
Absolutely totally agree, there is something so special about cars that have lived a life. They feel like when you put your hand against an old tree and contemplate all the changes that tree has witnessed. Getting into an old car just feels like an old friend that you've only just met but already are so close to, and just has this unbeatable spirit to keep going and to get you home. They've seen so much and been through so much of people's lives before, it just feels wrong to have them sitting around not moving. You can just feel the moment you start them up they just want to go somewhere. I absolutely love cars, and I think it's just because of how complex they are. Computers might be complex machines, but they're built by other machines, all just repeated parts in a sterile environment. Each part in a car has a purpose, and in the best cars has been cleverly thought out by somebody to make sure that part is reliable and well-made. You put that much complexity in a machine together, it's more than just a machine!
The transition at 0:35 is INSANE!!!
Unbelievable blend of emotions, story and cars!
its like hearing an old best friend again.
welcome back mister Hammond ❤
I love the direction they took to how it should look like after restoration.