In Italy, owned by Roberto Faldi.
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In March 2016, Roberto emailed me — his English is excellent, but I have slightly paraphrased his words.:
My father's company bought SXF100 from the Fire Department of London (or Liverpool) in 1970, when the company needed a vehicle to work near London (or Liverpool). After 5 years in UK the SXF100 was imported in Italy (1975), losing the mark SXF100 to take new Italian licence plate. It was registered with the name of my mother, and I still have (and use) the original circle leather key ring with SXF100 written on it.
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On the top of the soft-top is a metallic plate with the bolt holes for the blinking light. [I assume a conventional amber beacon for use on a construction site.] The originality of the Number of Chassis and of the Engine was certified from Land Rover Italia in 1991.
The 'Green Machine' book gives SXF100 as a Command Car attached to Home Office Fire Service Technical Centre (HOFSTC) at Moreton-In-Marsh, or Washington Hall, Lancashire. The Liverpool connection is confirmed by Roberto's scan of the replacement brown log book issued by Lancashire County Council in March 1972.
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This gives the then owner as the Seaford Docks Project in Liverpool, and is dated December 1970. Roberto also sent some pictures of SXF100 in holiday mode:
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I attach to you some pictures of the period before 1991, when we used the vehicle for our freetime enjoyment. The colour is ivory, as it was painted when it first arrived in Italy. There are few miles on its engines — I do not remember how many exactly as I do not have the vehicle with me in Florence — maybe 30,000 miles? Since 1991 it has been stationary in a shed, in excellent condition, and now I would like to put it back on the street.
It would be good to think of a little bit of Liverpool, once again giving pleasure on the streets of Florence.
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In May 2017, Roberto sent me a picture of the numbered key tag that he still has. He wrote: |
I've received a very excited email from Roberto... he said I am waiting to receive my restored radiator and I take time to do some little work on my Land Rover, for example I took the steering cap off to repaint it and found some etched lettering on the back: "T James HOFSTC Moreton in Marsh" and a unclear sign after that I cannot understand.
What a find! Why T.James signed the back of the cap we'll never know, but I bet he never thought for a minute that his signature would be discovered decades later in Florence! The final bit that puzzled Roberto is, of course, 'Glos', short for 'Gloucestershire', home county of Moreton in Marsh HOFSTC. He has promised that, although he will repaint the top surface of the cap, he will certainly not be painting the underside!
[To add (or alter) information on this page, please contact me on sxf@teeafit.co.uk.]