Land Rover is offering a new Defender tour at its Solihull manufacturing plant in the U.K., honoring the marque as it enters its final year of production. The new attraction, dubbed “The Celebration Line,” opened to the public on Jan. 27, and showcases a handful of replica models in different states of manufacture.

The display emulates a production line from the 1940s, using only original tools and a draftsmen’s drawing board. Visitors even have to wear authentic Land Rover overalls colloquially known as “cow gowns.” The display has an area that tells the story of the Series I featuring previously unseen video footage.

Land Rover tapped one of the world’s leading Land Rover enthusiasts, Phil Bashall, to help with the display.

"It's been a struggle at times,” said Bashall, “but a real labor of love to source all of the original parts needed for vehicles that stopped production so many years ago."

The ‘Defender Celebration Line’ re-creates in detail how the first Series I Land Rover was built at the Solihull manufacturing plant just after the Second World War. Land Rover

Bashall had many of the parts stored in his own collection, over 8,000 in fact, but it took a long time find some of the brakes, clutches, gaskets and pedals for the collection. He got help from the Land Rover Series I Club with a replica chassis.

It took Bashall and his mechanic five weeks to build the five Series I models necessary for the exhibit. He was helped, both spiritually and physically, by Mr. Land Rover himself, Roger Crathorne. Crathorne joined LR in 1963 as an apprentice and retired just last year.

The tour lasts about three hours, and begins at the body shop. It costs 45 British pounds, or about $68. To arrange a visit, go to Land Rover’s driving experiences page here, or call +44 (0) 121 700 4619.

Below is a timeline of Land Rover milestones celebrated at the plant tour.

1947 Land Rover project approved

1948 The Land Rover is launched at the Amsterdam Motor Show on 30th April

1948 First Station Wagon introduced.

1953 Long-wheelbase version introduced

1958 Series II Land Rover unveiled with more refined styling

1959 250,000th vehicle produced

1966 500,000th vehicle produced

1971 Land Rover Series III launched; 750,000th Land Rover produced

1976 1,000,000th Land Rover built

1984 Land Rover Ninety introduced

1990 Land Rovers are re-launched and renamed Defender 90, 110 and 130 with new 2.5 litre turbo-charged direct injection diesel engine

2007 Major Defender evolution includes addition of six-speed gearbox

2013 LXV Special Edition celebrates 65 years of Land Rover

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