Lot Ended
Description
2000 Land Rover (Bowler) Tomcat
Tomcat
100inch hailing from the Bowler era boasting a fruity 3.9 V8 EFi with R380
manual 'box, composite panels over shortened range rover chassis and integral
roll cage; road legal former competition vehicle that goes like stink and seats
4! Great fun for pub runs!
What a
thing.
Hailing from the period where Drew
Bowler had been building Tomcats using shortened 80inch and 100inch Range Rover
chassis for use in the ARC (Association of Land Rover Clubs) events. The Tomcat
name signified use of the shortened Range Rover chassis and then followed by the
Bowler Wildcat which used a tubular skeleton chassis. Post 2001, the Tomcat
rights were purchased by Paul Williamson and Steve Wells in April 2001 to
continue to produce the Tomcats as they had been before the split from
Bowler.
An earlier example built in Yr.2000 it
was built up and constantly honed and improved from the original Tomcat kit by
two chaps one of whom then went on to set up a specialist Land Rover focused
Xtreme4x4 company and the other, a Formula 2 team manager who has owned it since
may 2005. It was originally blue and fitted with a 3.5 carb’d Rover V8 with roll
body and roll cage sat on a shortened 100inch Range Rover chassis as
demonstrated from various images online of the vehicle competing in the Southern
Counties Off Road Club events.
Raced by the
chaps who built it until a few years ago when it was morphed into what we see
here with a more on-road bias. The
original engine was replaced with a later fuel injected 3.9 Rover V8 which we
understand to have been breathed on, driving all four-wheels via an R380
five-speed manual box.
As part of the
conversion for road use, a pair of more comfortable sports seats were fitted
with regular 3-point seat belts up front with the rear seat from a VW Scirocco
fitted in the rear with 3-point race harnesses.
At some point the roll cage was modified to cover the whole vehicle
and looks to be integral to the structure forming the front header rail onto
which the windscreen is set, the side panels and rear sections. All body panels are plastic/composite
including wings and bonnet thus its rather lightweight, with the engine set low
– as a result, this Tomcat really shifts and handles surprisingly well, stopping
with considerable force via disc brakes.
The
history file includes only the V5C showing one former keeper, an invoice for the
new tyres fitted in July this year and another for new LED head light
lenses. The vehicle’s MOT just
expired on 16th August this year, which recorded no advisories.
We did
note, and the vendor pointed out the speedo does not work (hence the phone
cradle for google maps and your speed) nor the odometer, but there is power
going to the digital display, although the rev counter and other gauges do
function. The steering wheel is also a quick-release type although the buttons
on it are non-functional.
The truck goes
particularly well on or off road and looks mean, turns lots of heads and
makes people stop and ask questions. It has the unmistakable V8 rumble with
decent road manners, helped of course by brand new rubber on all four
corners and looks like a lot of fun. Ideal to play with on road, for jaunts
to the beach, or the pub on a sunny day or for playing with down green lanes or
even perhaps competitively again - the choice is yours.
For more
information contact - will.daniels@brightwells.com
* All charges are subject to VAT