Passing Inspection

Kenneth carey's ex-MoD Ninety was in an 'orrible state when he bought it, but after a rigorous ground-up restoration he can parade it with pride

- Mark Saville

The cold war of the late 20th Century may be a distant memory for some, but when you see an immaculately turned-out Ninety like this, bristling with aerials and

stuffed full of radio gear, charging across the landscape, the sight is both powerful and a little chilling. With tensions between east and west now apparently on the rise again, images like this are captivating and evocative, which is why I’m in Kent to see Kenneth Carey’s terrific restoration in the metal.

Enlisted for active service

Kenneth had owned the Ninety for about eight years when he found a flyer under his windscreen inviting him to a local military vehicle show. ‘I hadn’t thought about shows, but it was only 20 minutes down the road, so why not? We went along and it was great fun. With the market stalls there selling lots of military accessories, before you know where you are, you’ve bought all these props and you’ve got a fully dressed-up vehicle.’

At another show in 2013, the Ninety won first prize. ‘I thought: right, now I’m really going to go to town on a full restoration,’ he says. It’s Kenneth’s first Land Rover, but in the past he’s restored a Triumph 2000, so he has experience of dealing with older vehicles.

The day they came back from the show, Kenneth’s wife went to put the kettle on and by the time she came to the garage with the coffees, he’d got the Ninety on axle stands and all the wheels off. ‘I just started unbolting panels and parts and made a pile of bits next to the Ninety. I got down to a rolling chassis and began checking and refurbishing.’