The dusty corner of an auto shop might not seem the typical spot for hidden treasure, but for Peter Marr, Taihape Automotive Specialists proved an unlikely home for a piece of national automotive history – a 1948 Land Rover with chassis number R860020. The very first Land Rover in New Zealand. The lifelong Land Rover enthusiast and collector has been restoring Series One Land Rovers since he was 12 years old. Now owned by Julian Paton, it has become something of a talking point as Paton took this unique piece of automotive history and drove from Dunedin to Auckland in 17 days, with no breakdowns. All while raising funds for Manaaki Manawa – The Centre for Heart Research.

An unlikely home for a piece of national automotive history – a 1948 Land Rover with chassis number R860020. The very first Land Rover in New Zealand.

Paton is a research scientist at the University of Auckland, and the director of Manaaki Manawa and has spent the past 15 years developing a natural pacemaker for heart failure. He is hoping to raise $300,000 to support the development of a new heart valve for children with rheumatic heart disease (RHD). His Drive 4 Hearts Land Rover campaign kick-started his efforts – with more to come!