Wanted: Discovery 1 with no Sunroof

RustyAutoholicGuy

New member
Jul 6, 2021
2
0
Martinsville VA
Hey Everyone,

I'm new here and looking for a Land Rover Discovery 1 for my brother. Him and I have been doing a bunch of research and we are trying to find the following:

Discovery 1
No Sunroof (required)
7 Seats (preferred)
Cloth Seats (Optional but preferred)
Tan Interior (required)
White or Green body
As close to stock as possible
Rear Ladder on the rear hatch
Automatic Transmission
Air Conditioning (I just need it there, I can fix it if it's not working)
Cruise Control (I Just need it there, I can fix it if it's not working)

If it's already a diesel that is a huge bonus as well as we are planning on diesel swapping the Discovery 1, not sure the engine yet, we are looking at 3 different setups currently.

My brother has a healthy budget for the correct Discovery 1. My brother lives just north of Greensboro NC and I'm close to Martinsville VA as well, travel is possible for the correct Discover 1 however if it's far enough away we would get it shipped/transported out to us as well.

I realize the no sunroof is oddball, most of the Discovery 1 I have been looking at have sun roofs, a really nice one was just in my area but sold while we were both on vacation.

Any and all help would be great and thank you so much.
Thanks
Grant
 

mgreenspan

Well-known member
Feb 28, 2005
4,723
130
Briggs's Back Yard
All US spec should/will have air con and cruise. Most will have tan interior. Most will have sunroofs. Most will have auto boxes. I think all US 7 seaters will have sunroofs. Most without sunroofs will have cloth interior. Rear ladder is easy to buy aftermarket. Most are green. White will have a premium.
 

discostew

Well-known member
Sep 14, 2010
7,706
1,015
Northern Illinois
The closest thing your going to find is a SD trim level Disco. He's probably not going to find 7 passenger seating at the lower trim levels. The seats are probably going to be leather. Like mentioned its going to have a/c and cruise, but if its any consolation the cruise probably won't work. I would really like to have another 99 SD. They made both the Disco1 and Disco2 in 99. Disco1 VIN will start with SALJ the other will start with SALT. I'm totally on board with no sunroofs. There's no good reason to cut a hole in a perfectly good roof.
 

terryjm1

Well-known member
Jan 23, 2011
1,486
375
I recently purchased a 7 seater, cloth seat, bahama beige, SD (no sunroof) that is almost exactly what you are looking for. So, it’s not impossible to find. However, I had been looking for years and had to go to the west coast to find it. I suggest searching Facebook Marketplace in various cities in CA and Nevada. I have seen a handful in those areas over the past few years. Also, because rust is uncommon there people don’t usually ask a premium price. None of the ones I considered were over $3000 but did need some attention, thankfully mostly just mechanical. I saw one in Nevada that had a Mercedes diesel installed, factory 5 speed, and was under $2000. The aforementioned one I purchased was $1500 and came with an overheating problem and ratty interior. However, it had next to zero rust. I also previously purchased a very similar one in the Midwest. It’s nice too, but has rust. I won’t buy another one that spent much time at all in a climate conducive to rust unless it is as a parts donor.

If you find one close to what you are after and in budget, don’t futz around. Make the deal.

Also, if the 2 extra rear seats are something you really want, they are not too hard to find and install. I have a couple extra sets I’d be happy to part with.
 

discostew

Well-known member
Sep 14, 2010
7,706
1,015
Northern Illinois
I recently purchased a 7 seater, cloth seat, bahama beige, SD (no sunroof) that is almost exactly what you are looking for. So, it’s not impossible to find. However, I had been looking for years and had to go to the west coast to find it. I suggest searching Facebook Marketplace in various cities in CA and Nevada. I have seen a handful in those areas over the past few years. Also, because rust is uncommon there people don’t usually ask a premium price. None of the ones I considered were over $3000 but did need some attention, thankfully mostly just mechanical. I saw one in Nevada that had a Mercedes diesel installed, factory 5 speed, and was under $2000. The aforementioned one I purchased was $1500 and came with an overheating problem and ratty interior. However, it had next to zero rust. I also previously purchased a very similar one in the Midwest. It’s nice too, but has rust. I won’t buy another one that spent much time at all in a climate conducive to rust unless it is as a parts donor.

If you find one close to what you are after and in budget, don’t futz around. Make the deal.

Also, if the 2 extra rear seats are something you really want, they are not too hard to find and install. I have a couple extra sets I’d be happy to part with.
What year trucks are they? I don't even look at pre GEMS engine management trucks. I might now that I'm thinking about doing a diesel conversion.
 

terryjm1

Well-known member
Jan 23, 2011
1,486
375
The 2 I recently purchased were both 96. I don’t recall seeing any earlier than that. I believe the more regular finds are in and around the Reno, NV and northern CA area with LA and Vegas close behind.
 

mgreenspan

Well-known member
Feb 28, 2005
4,723
130
Briggs's Back Yard
The 2 I recently purchased were both 96. I don’t recall seeing any earlier than that. I believe the more regular finds are in and around the Reno, NV and northern CA area with LA and Vegas close behind.
Also in those areas the ppl aren’t as special and didn’t pay out the nose for one already, finance it, and assume they’re high purchase price means that it has increased in value. Don’t buy one from the Bay Area or LA. NorCal and Nevada all the way. Don’t discount Oregon and Washington, though you may need to look for rust if it’s coastal.
 

nickhand

Well-known member
Jan 18, 2018
47
14
Oklahoma
Also in those areas the ppl aren’t as special and didn’t pay out the nose for one already, finance it, and assume they’re high purchase price means that it has increased in value. Don’t buy one from the Bay Area or LA. NorCal and Nevada all the way. Don’t discount Oregon and Washington, though you may need to look for rust if it’s coastal.
I recently purchased a 7 seater, cloth seat, bahama beige, SD (no sunroof) that is almost exactly what you are looking for. So, it’s not impossible to find. However, I had been looking for years and had to go to the west coast to find it. I suggest searching Facebook Marketplace in various cities in CA and Nevada. I have seen a handful in those areas over the past few years. Also, because rust is uncommon there people don’t usually ask a premium price. None of the ones I considered were over $3000 but did need some attention, thankfully mostly just mechanical. I saw one in Nevada that had a Mercedes diesel installed, factory 5 speed, and was under $2000. The aforementioned one I purchased was $1500 and came with an overheating problem and ratty interior. However, it had next to zero rust. I also previously purchased a very similar one in the Midwest. It’s nice too, but has rust. I won’t buy another one that spent much time at all in a climate conducive to rust unless it is as a parts donor.

If you find one close to what you are after and in budget, don’t futz around. Make the deal.

Also, if the 2 extra rear seats are something you really want, they are not too hard to find and install. I have a couple extra sets I’d be happy to part with.
Over the last three years I've purchased 3 1996 SD Discovery's . One is from back east and has some rust, I use it for a daily driver . One from Texas and one from California ,both with no rust, no sun roof , manual seats and manual transmissions. They can be found ,just takes a lot of looking
 

stu454

Well-known member
Dec 15, 2004
5,407
61
Atlanta, GA
I have a Willow Green '97 SD7. Beige cloth, seven seater, no sunroofs. Auto. Stock, save the aftermarket radio. Could use paint as the clear coat is failing. Not rust free, but pretty close. Right at 89000 miles. Clean title. PM me with an email and I can send photos. Located just northeast of Atlanta.