Land Rover Madness

The Shorland MK 5 Prototype

Shorland Mk5 Prototype : CWK42Y

This vehicle was the first Shorland built on the 110 land rover chassis.
The chassis was received by Shorts as a complete 110 pick up vehicle in July 1982 complete with road tax and registration. A Mk4 body was then modified and fitted, and the vehicle was allocated with the serial No AC00 Mk5 PROTOTYPE VEHICLE.

This was then tested by Land Rover to determine the suitability of the Mk4 body when fitted to the new 110 chassis. Tests were carried out at Gaydon H.I.D.E. course, With a total of 1033 miles travelled. On completion the vehicle was returned to Shorts for evaluation of wear and tear. In 1985 it was stripped of anything that Shorts could reuse i.e. seats and shutters, then sold as scrap to be destroyed under contract as it was a prototype. The scrap dealer decided that it would be better to send the whole vehicle for scrap and not to cut it up. He sold it to a Land Rover dealer from the west midlands, who bought it back on a transporter with some other Land Rovers and stripped it of any parts that he could sell. The vehicle was then turned upside down and all the remaining bits were put inside (like a skip) where it sat waiting to be recycled. Paul went to the dealer to buy some bits and saw the skip and the registration number and that the body had had wheel extensions fitted. Realising it was a Land Rover 110 Prototype he purchased the Shorland and bits for £350. Paul then spent years researching and rebuilding it.

Now it is used for fun film and Professional photo shoots. He does Tanks as well, and recently did a shoot with David Jason for 'Diamond Geezer'. A recent photo shoot required the Shorland to be a current Light armoured Reconnaissance Vehicle, and that's why it has a wolf front end.

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