1989 Range Rover Overfinch

If you had a new Range Rover back-in-the-day and wanted a bit more oomph, there was only one place to go: Overfinch. 

Hugely respected, the firm was - and is; they’re still open for business and working on the RRC - a genuine one-stop shop for all your needs, offering everything from relatively modest cosmetic upgrades through to the full-fat vehicle you see here.

Because ‘G2 OVF’ had its puny 3.5-litre Rover V8 pulled out and replaced with a fire-breathing Chevrolet 5.7-litre V8 that offered its driver access to around 300bhp when it was new – and it may well offer even more now thanks to some further upgrades fitted in 2017 – and given the ‘Rover’ engine is actually a Buick one, we think we’re safe in saying the changes maintain the Range Rover’s transatlantic heritage while perfecting a British icon. 

Very well maintained throughout its life but now in need of some gentle fettling to enable it to fulfil its considerable potential, this Trocadero Red example is an unrepeatable opportunity to buy one of the rarest and most desirable Range Rover Classics.

The combination of the Brooklands body kit and the change of colour to Trocadero Red freshen up the Range Rover’s classic good looks very successfully, don’t they?

Both were done in the early 1990s, and another respray in Trocadero Red was carried out in, we think, 2015. It’s weathered well and even the tailgate, which aficionados will know always rusts, is good, and the overall impression is of a nicely presented vehicle that has survived the vicissitudes of its 35-year life with impressive aplomb.

It also benefits from good lamp lenses and window glass plus, of course, the all important Overfinch badging that lets those around you know they’re looking at something very special indeed.

Because these are one of the few showy touches on what remains an impressively subtle machine. It still sits on the standard 16-inch alloy wheels, for example, and these are in great shape and fitted with Continental ContiCrossContact tyres, all of which have good tread on them.

We will never get tired of telling you that experience shows that matching high-quality tyres are an infallible sign of a caring and mechanically sympathetic owner who is prepared to spend the appropriate amount in maintaining their car properly. Their presence does not, of course, preclude the need for a thorough inspection - something the vendor would welcome, by the way – but it does perhaps give you a shortcut into their attitude towards maintenance.

The Range Rover’s legendary practicality is further bolstered by a hefty tow bar and a pair of rear mudflaps.

As for faults, there is some corrosion on the offside rear wheelarch, bonnet, offside rear door, and the rear bumper strip behind the Brooklands bumper cover.

There are also some scratches and cracks on the panel at the base of the windscreen, further cracks in the finish on the bonnet, and the vinyl on the nearside C-pillar is wrinkled.

And although the front bumper has been repainted recently, the finish around the headlamp washers could be better. 

Overfinch didn’t stint in the Smokestone grey leather interior either, adding a Momo leather steering wheel, extra wooden veneer trim to the centre console, and a coolant temperature gauge.

The overall condition is pretty good, too. Sure, you’ll probably want to get the peeling carpet on the door cards sorted out but it’s otherwise a nice place to be.

Take the leather seats for example, which are still firm and only gently worn, which is impressive for a vehicle that’s covered such a mileage. They also still adjust at the press of a button, and the electric windows glide up and down.

A set of OE rubber mats protect the (slightly grubby) grey carpets, and a high-end Blaupunkt radio-cassette player has been fitted. 

The boot is in a decent condition, with the hard plastic seat backs being in an especially good condition; we doubt this is a Range Rover that’s ever seen heavy work.

As for things to add to your To Do list, the headlining is starting to sag, and you could also jot down the need to source a replacement offside rear door card to replace the damaged one that’s currently fitted. 

The wooden veneer near the gear lever has plenty of cracks in its finish too, as has the one to the right of the steering wheel. The front nearside wooden door capping is also in a poor condition, but we think these jobs could be kicked down the road for a while yet.

Oh, and there’s an extraneous hole on the far left of the dashboard, and the trim on the nearside A-pillar has come away. 

Sadly, there is no paperwork for the Overfinch conversion but the bonnet slam panel bears a rivetted plaque confirming its status and a previous advert states that it was converted in 1994 at 160,585 miles, or 127,000 miles ago, which is nothing for an understressed engine like this.

It is further thought that this was the point at which its colour was changed from the Clearwater Blue to Trocadero Red, while the desirable and rare Brooklands body kit was fitted a little earlier at around 125,000 miles.

The same advert also says the restoration that was undertaken in 2015 included a new powdercoated chassis as well as the full respray we’ve already mentioned. There’s also a receipt for new inner wings, sills, and front footwells at a cost of more than £2,700 in 2014. 

The engine was fitted with some further upgrades in 2017; the invoice from Roadcraft shows it supplied E-Street cylinder heads (what a great name, eh?), a 350HP camshaft, SBC hard pushrods, and Edelbrock valve covers as well as the bits and bobs you need to fit them. The final bill, including labour and a full service, was almost £5,000.

This follows on from £2,614-worth of work in 2014 by S.J. Cheevers, and there are plenty of other bills for work to the power steering, fuel and coolant systems, and miscellaneous work in the past decade, too.

All-in-all, the invoices on file from the past decade or so tot up to more than £15,000.

The history is good before that, too with the service history booklet recording the following work:

• 24.10.1989 and 1,006 miles – service by Ernest W. Hatfield Ltd
• 28.12.1989 and 6,291 miles – service by Ernest W. Hatfield Ltd
• 19.04.1990 and 12,076 miles – service by Ernest W. Hatfield Ltd
• 04.06.1990 and 17,935 miles – service by Ernest W. Hatfield Ltd
• 12.09.1990 and 25,032 miles – service by Ernest W. Hatfield Ltd
• 04.12.1990 and 31,868 miles – service by Ernest W. Hatfield Ltd
• 31.01.1991 and 36,510 miles – service by Ernest W. Hatfield Ltd
• 09.04.1991 and 42,769 miles – service by Ernest W. Hatfield Ltd
• 29.05.1991 and 46,980 miles – service by Ernest W. Hatfield Ltd
• 19.08.1991 and 54,933 miles – service by Ernest W. Hatfield Ltd
• 19.11.1991 and 63,187 miles – service by Ernest W. Hatfield Ltd
• 11.03.1992 and 72,885 miles – service by Ernest W. Hatfield Ltd
• 21.05.1992 and 81,539 miles – service by Huddersfield Garages Ltd 
• 08.09.1992 and 91,461 miles – service by Huddersfield Garages Ltd
• 07.12.1992 and 103,000 miles – service by Huddersfield Garages Ltd
• 05.05.1993 and 116,185 miles – service by Huddersfield Garages Ltd
• 29.07.1993 and 122,384 miles – service by Huddersfield Garages Ltd 
• 17.06.1994 and 154,208 miles – service by Huddersfield Garages Ltd

More recent work includes a full service by Hilltop Services of Honiton in Devon in January 2022 at 286,837 miles. This comprised fresh engine oil and new air, oil, and fuel filters in addition to new ignition leads, spark plugs, distributor, and an inlet manifold plus a carburettor clean - an Edelbrock, it was fitted new in 2018, we believe - and a check of the ignition system. 

In total, the seller says he’s spent £6,000 since he’s owned it.

The seller is also honest enough to point out there is an oil leak from the engine, but not many of these big V8s are completely leak free in our experience. 

The underside looks decent, and the recent chassis is fending off corrosion very well. There’s evidence of Polybushed suspension too, as well as an uprated front anti-roll bar and a recent Bilstein steering damper, all of which should sharpen things up in the twisties. 

As for jobs, some of the inner wings are starting to corrode, so the winning bidder would be well advised to make halting that a priority.

Oh, and the appropriate car related personalised number plate ‘G2 OVF’ will stay with the vehicle.

The Range Rover’s MoT certificate is valid until October 2024 and the recent Vehicle History Check is clear. The seller bought it in July 2022 and it’s been barely used since then.

The Range Rover Classic’s renaissance has faltered somewhat in the past couple of years; after a period in which the model was achieving what were frankly silly prices, their values have stabilized. For the time being, anyway.

But this probably won’t last because cars like this, an Overfinch-fettled Classic, sell for upwards of £300,000 as bespoke conversions. Yes, that’s right, you can still buy them from Overfinch, albeit at a hefty premium compared to what we think this one will sell for.

And this is a very usable example that could be enjoyed as it is and used without fear because you’re not going to take a six-figure one offroad, are you? (Or even let the kids in it, much less the dog…)

As for its (few) faults, they could be sorted out as and when funds allow - and each job would almost certainly add value as it was completed.

And speaking of value, the seller is happy to offer his Range Rover Classic Overfinch with no reserve, so will sell from the very first bid, no matter how derisory that might be, which is great news for anyone who’s ever dreamed of owning the most desirable model Land Rover never built. We estimate that it will sell for £15,000-£20,000.

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located at the Bonhams|Cars Online HQ. Viewings are strictly by appointment. To make a booking, please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, and read our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.