1962 Land Rover Series 2a 109" - safari roof 2. 8L Isuzu Diesel engine.
MOT, tax and ULEZ exempt. Mid Brunswick green body, limestone roof, Avon Rangemaster tyres, NATO towing hitch, trailer available, spare parts, manuals etc. This Land Rover has 3 previous keepers.
The reason it sports an Isuzu engine is that the original broke and the owner at the time (a man I've met and spoken to at length) wanted to modernise! At the time, the 200 and 300 TDI engines were not available so at great cost, with considerable correspondence, all of which is chronicled in the history folder, a BRAND NEW Isuzu 4JB1 engine was sourced and fitted. The detail available for the conversion is incredible! You could probably find what flavour crisps the mechanic ate for lunch every day he worked on the vehicle.
The engine conversion is not the only aspect of this Land Rover's life that is recorded in such detail. Every bit of maintenance ever done is hand written in a maintenance log. Even every fuel fill-up is detailed with date, number of gallons and latterly litres bought, which tank it went into and the price. I have, of course, maintained this record to the present day.
Underneath the vehicle is very solid indeed. When the insurer had the vehicle assessed for an agreed value, they commented on the integrity of the chassis and the outriggers. It isn't a galvanised chassis, just a very good old one.
Inside, every switch is labelled and works. There are more comfortable seats, strong interior lights, secret compartments, locking compartments and the whole of the inside is comprehensively and expensively sound deadened.
This is not a heavily patinated vehicle, nor is it a fresh restoration you'll feel guilty using. It is a very well maintained, well used and eminently usable Land Rover with a better engine that is conveniently ULEZ, tax and MOT exempt. This vehicle shouldn't be saved for special occasions. It should go to someone who thinks their life fits a Series Land Rover. You can use it on the motorway. It can tow a trailer. You can sleep in it. It can be a wedding car. It can do tip runs. You can visit clients in it. Whatever you do with this vehicle, car people and non-car people alike will want to talk to you about it and once you've completed the not insignificant task of learning the vehicle, how it works and it's history, you'll be able to talk at length about it.
For balance, here are some bad bits: it is slow and it is slower than it used to be as the worn fairey overdrive was removed and sold at an autojumble for £20 before my ownership (bugger). If you're over 6'2" it will feel small inside. Despite all of the sound deadening, you still know you're driving a diesel. You can hold a conversation but you won't be listening to a faultless rendition of moonlight sonata, if for no other reason than there is no radio! It isn't a purist's dream vehicle, nor is it a beaten up, patinated mess that looks like it has been dragged through a hedge backwards. To make it an everyman vehicle, power steering might be nice as the steering is heavy compared to modern vehicles. The history is so comprehensive that It might feel a bit bewildering to keep up but the ethos seems to have been 'record everything'; keep that up and you'll be fine.
I am selling this vehicle not because I am bored of it or that I need to. I love cars and motorbikes and want to own a few more special vehicles whilst I am able. I am selling this vehicle confident that it will serve the new owner well. I will have another one day, hopefully one as good as this.
This is a truly unique vehicle with a wonderful, well documented history of adventure and extraordinary care.
The vehicle started its life in military service in 1962 as a radio communications vehicle, it still wears it's FFR (fitted for radio) grill. It was discharged from military service in 1975 (hence the 1975 P plate). From there, the vehicle was converted to 12v and began life as a civilian vehicle.
This vehicle has been all over Europe: up the Alps, behind the iron curtain whilst it still stood, into the atlas mountains etc. It has been used properly and to achieve this, it has had proper, regular and preventative maintenance.
Every last bit of work that has been done to this vehicle is recorded in chronological order. It goes without saying that it has it's heritage certificate and it is not an exaggeration at all to call this Land Rover a collector's piece; this very vehicle was once a part of the Dunsfold collection.
You've never seen a collection of documents pertaining to a vehicle like it. Every quirk and foible is listed somewhere. Every key is serial numbered and recorded. Wiring diagrams are hand written and modified. Every manual, workshop guide, Haynes, accessory catalogue is included.
As an idea of just how detailed the history and documentation is, the pile is 260mm high and weighs 10kg!
