Clifford the big red fire truck

In 1980, a team of Germans set about to explore and traverse the Amazon basin using three Jeeps. However, it clearly wasn't Jeep conducive terrain since they turned to land rovers for their ease of use and support.

While Land Rovers have been reduced to being referred to as the Chelsea tractor, the lifestyle associated with the humble utility vehicle no doubt stemmed from the Camel Trophy adventures, also known as “the last great adventure”. Photos: Ahbaar Mohammad

This should give you an idea of a Land Rover's prowess judging by the team's decision to switch from a piece of machinery used to win wars (Jeeps), to farming equipment. Land Rovers, as is the case, were at first extensively employed by farmers on their farmlands in the old country. This trekking became known as the Olympics of 4x4, or Camel Trophy.

While Land Rovers have been reduced to being referred to as the Chelsea tractor, the lifestyle associated with the humble utility vehicle no doubt stemmed from the Camel Trophy adventures, also known as "the last great adventure". Think Paris-Dakar rally, but with the entire Land Rover catalogue. And terrains are not just limited to north-west Africa. With sponsorship from Land Rover themselves, teams of around 20 or more would circumnavigate the globe in search of topography unheard of in a Dakar rally, often traversing literal scorched earth. Just watch a YouTube compilation of one to understand the sheer scale of such a cultural event and how Land Rovers proved their mettle.

While some might think a Defender is rudimentary and simple, it's actually quite modern, the Defender is a direct amalgamation and an evolution of the Series Land Rovers that came before it, and is an outright British icon.

An icon of British colonialism too in fact, as the Land Rover made its way to any continent that the Queen set foot on (it's no secret that the queen has a certain affinity towards the marque) as is the case with Bangladesh. Numerous government agencies and departments used the humble workhorse in all districts of our motherland, and typically, they would be the best place to find one, as Afraz Hussain did.

Afraz, besides being a die-hard Land Rover fan is also an avid Alfisti and a Lancisti (classic car aficionado), and a self-proclaimed pro-am off-roader who is no stranger to temperaments and idiosyncrasies of Land Rovers. Having previously restored an ex-military Defender and moulding it into a perfect off-roader, right down to the last bolt (and there are lots of bolts in a defender) it was and still is used for his expeditions to the vast and uncharted territories of Bashundhara and beyond, which is probably no different to the arduous terrains of Borneo, utilising the defender to its full potential, unlike most restored Defenders in Dhaka sitting under covers. 

After roughly four years of Defender ownership, Afraz found a diamond in the rough, a Series III 109 wagon once belonging to Bangladesh fire service and civil defence being reclaimed by nature, in Pabna of all places. 

Months of due diligence were spent making the truck roadworthy and mechanically sound, while the interior was made civil with Afraz's personal touch, my favourite piece being the Marshall amp integrated with the hand rest in the middle, a popular mod amongst the resto-modding Land Rover crown. The patina-clad bodywork is a sight to behold, as the marks of its previous employer still remain on both sides of the doors. 

Mechanically perfect, the fire truck is now a paint job and minor bodywork away from being restored to its former glory days of "the most archaic but sophisticated piece of machinery" although the patina is a sight for sore eyes.

Team Wheels sat with Clifford's owner to learn more

What does Land Rover mean to you?

"Land rover is versatile both in its ability and its purveyors."

You have a defender. Why the need for a series?

"Need is a relative term. My needs were to achieve an experience of the evolution of the most archaic but sophisticated piece of machinery. That's the difficult answer. The easy one would be that since I cannot fathom a range rover, the SIII makes my 90 feel like a range rover after a short driving stint."

How does a series III differ from a modern defender?

"The brakes have no servo, no power steering of any kind, leaf springs instead of coils on the defender, it's just worlds apart. But you understand the lineage, which is important. Remember, Land Rover never made a G-wagen, so it shouldn't aspire to be one."

Tell us the story of finding Private Clifford-the-big-red-fire-truck.

"I was looking for this specific configuration of an SIII, but to be very honest, I had absolutely no clue that there was one existing in a mentally sound place like Pabna. The hubs had been under the warmth of the earth, but now it's here. A long journey, but the patina is enough to show it."

What have you done to it so far and what are your future plans with Clifford?

"Mechanically went over the entire thing underneath. Rebuilt the engine and went through the entire shakedown phase. Still tinkering as always and making tough decisions on eBay. My future plans are to become a happy and content human, and so to be honest I just wanna see where this Land Rover takes me. Just look at her."