Anyone for a Land Rover Series 2?
Discussion
Well thats slightly misleading, its not for sale. This has been in my family since 1965 and I have so many memories I dont know where to start. Thought I would share the photos just in case there are any other Series owners out there who may like to join in. It was the 75th anniversary of Land Rover earlier this week, hence out and about. Long live the Landie.
Always up for some Series Landys.
They were my first true automotive enthusiasm (closely followed by Minis). A tatty Series III 88 diesel Station Wagon was my first car (welded the chassis, replaced the springs, rebuilt the gearbox and gave the engine an overhaul in preparation for slapping L-plates on it).
Had two more Series IIIs (diesel 88 truck cab and petrol 88 Soft Top) before upgrading to a Series IIA 88 Soft Top. Which turned out to be terminally rusty but had the sweetest 2.25-litre petrol engine I've ever encountered and the only Suffix-B gearbox to run without any whine. So I transplanted most of the mechanical bits into a later lights-in-wings Series IIA which had a thoroughly worn out drivetrain and axles with so much slop that when you put the handbrake on the Landy kept rolling forward for several feet.
Then I fell to the lure of coil springs and five-speed gearboxes and permanent 4WD and turbochargers and got a Ninety CSW. And Citroen 2CVs which are exactly like Series Land Rovers but much more comfortable and slightly faster.
Had a brief dalliance a few years ago with a Series IIA 109 12-seater Safari, simply because it was a bucket-list car, and that's my Series Landy journey over.
I'll try and find some digital pics to add to the thread later.
And yes, the Gipsy was a far better product in many ways. Had the BMC/BLMC merger been a true merger where they combined the strengths of each product line, then the Series III Land Rover would actually have been the Gipsy but with a Birmabright body and the Rover four-cylinder engines, teamed with the BMC gearbox and axles, plus retaining the option of Flexitor suspension. Alas the real Series III was just a very lightly warmed-over Series II, in anticipation of a Range Rover-based Series IV that wouldn't arrive for over a decade.
They were my first true automotive enthusiasm (closely followed by Minis). A tatty Series III 88 diesel Station Wagon was my first car (welded the chassis, replaced the springs, rebuilt the gearbox and gave the engine an overhaul in preparation for slapping L-plates on it).
Had two more Series IIIs (diesel 88 truck cab and petrol 88 Soft Top) before upgrading to a Series IIA 88 Soft Top. Which turned out to be terminally rusty but had the sweetest 2.25-litre petrol engine I've ever encountered and the only Suffix-B gearbox to run without any whine. So I transplanted most of the mechanical bits into a later lights-in-wings Series IIA which had a thoroughly worn out drivetrain and axles with so much slop that when you put the handbrake on the Landy kept rolling forward for several feet.
Then I fell to the lure of coil springs and five-speed gearboxes and permanent 4WD and turbochargers and got a Ninety CSW. And Citroen 2CVs which are exactly like Series Land Rovers but much more comfortable and slightly faster.
Had a brief dalliance a few years ago with a Series IIA 109 12-seater Safari, simply because it was a bucket-list car, and that's my Series Landy journey over.
I'll try and find some digital pics to add to the thread later.
And yes, the Gipsy was a far better product in many ways. Had the BMC/BLMC merger been a true merger where they combined the strengths of each product line, then the Series III Land Rover would actually have been the Gipsy but with a Birmabright body and the Rover four-cylinder engines, teamed with the BMC gearbox and axles, plus retaining the option of Flexitor suspension. Alas the real Series III was just a very lightly warmed-over Series II, in anticipation of a Range Rover-based Series IV that wouldn't arrive for over a decade.
Edited by 2xChevrons on Sunday 5th May 19:46
vanquish spirit said:
Well thats slightly misleading, its not for sale. This has been in my family since 1965 and I have so many memories I dont know where to start. Thought I would share the photos just in case there are any other Series owners out there who may like to join in. It was the 75th anniversary of Land Rover earlier this week, hence out and about. Long live the Landie.
Beautiful. Like to see lots more photos of that.I have a dream of buying myself a 2 or 2A as a retirement present. A green canvas top 88" is just what I imagine.
Not for me thanks.
A mate got a DR10 ban many years ago and the day he got his licence back two of us had a day out in his Series 1 around Surrey and Sussex and it was the most miserable car experience I've had!
Cold, noisy, slow, bouncy - I could go on.
We sat in the car park at Beachy Head an hour and a half waiting for the AA to turn up and replace the coil that had failed.
It would have been a hateful experience if I hadn't been sharing banter with a couple of good mates.
f
king hateful things - I can't see the appeal!
A mate got a DR10 ban many years ago and the day he got his licence back two of us had a day out in his Series 1 around Surrey and Sussex and it was the most miserable car experience I've had!
Cold, noisy, slow, bouncy - I could go on.
We sat in the car park at Beachy Head an hour and a half waiting for the AA to turn up and replace the coil that had failed.
It would have been a hateful experience if I hadn't been sharing banter with a couple of good mates.
f
king hateful things - I can't see the appeal! I missed the anniversary, so thanks for the heads up.
As a brand they infuriate me on a regular basis but I am currently on number four and will probably buy a fifth at some point.
I still maintain that the L322 is a simply superb machine...even though the current bill for servicing mine is at about £2k!
As a brand they infuriate me on a regular basis but I am currently on number four and will probably buy a fifth at some point.
I still maintain that the L322 is a simply superb machine...even though the current bill for servicing mine is at about £2k!
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