How Rare are Series 2s in Canada?

[DrRangelove]

Hi Guys,

A friend of mine has what we thought was a Series 2A sitting in his field awaiting restoration. Upon further inspection, we figure its a Series 2 not 2A as it has the turn knobs for the vents and steering column mounted horn. The chrome around the head lamps has been pilfered long ago and the straight apron is missing but I'm pretty sure its a 2 even though the registration shows it's a 63.

From my understanding and research, the early Series 2s (1958/59) had the single lights in the wings - this one has two as per the 2A so I'm thinking its a 1960/61 model. Going to get him to check the chassis number if its still legible - I should be able to tell form this for sure.

The vehicle itself is sitting on a solid frame with all the body parts there. The motor still turns but needs a lot of work. Gearbox condition unknown and the axles are shot. Everything seems to be there though except seats and sills.

Basically wondering whether this vehicle too rare to be letting sit in a field and slowly deteriorate.

Cheers

Dave

[Bill E.]

There are less II's than IIa's, that's for sure but values are not that different. Your friend's field truck may or may not be a II but a truck with a good chassis and bulkhead is too nice to "let sit in a field and slowly deteriorate". Fans of one or the other may disagree but condition matters most with these early trucks. IMHO

[DrRangelove]

Completely agree Bill - I almost took this project on before I found my 2A which is in slightly better condition and more complete. I have a long way to go on my 2A so am not really in a position to take it on...

I'm going to twist his arm and see if I can't get him to take on the resto, or at least strip it down and get the important bits inside and out of the elements.

[Crs]

I think the II/IIa are the most common series trucks. If nothing else, time has made the SI rare and BL pulled out not long after the switch to the SIII.

However, it's a bit like saying, "Which is the rarest Bugatti?" Yes, there are differences, but none of them are exactly common!

A complete truck from that era with a solid chassis is certainly worth saving, whether it's a II or a IIa. Even if you can't restore it now, getting it under cover, a reasonable wash and splashing some oil around to keep the corrosion from getting worse is worth it.

[Rob]

There was a strong dealer network in western Canada in the 50s and 60 so there are a remarkable number of old rovers out there. The 2 was a short run as they made quite a few changes after a couple of years changing the motor and the front axles (specifically the steering) plus some cosmetic changes so thus the 2"A" designation (plus a new diesel and some other trivia that the Anoraks will be able to add). I've had a couple of 2's and the upside for them is that they seemed to have superior quality chassis compared to the later 2as and 3s. The motor isn't worth keeping as parts are difficult to source for the early 2.25 and the steering/bearings are improved on the 2A so that would be a worthwhile retro-fit to put in the newer system. As far as restoring it, it isn't really any more valuable than a 2A but with that in mind it could be a fun project... or after sitting in a field for years a frustration pile of rust and grease... some degreaser and a ball-peen hammer could help you to decide which it happens to be.

Regards, Rob
PS: If you can find a serial number that will help you to determine its age http://www.clifton.nl/index.html?calvin.html

[oldgravy]

ICBC / previous owner might have effed it up, too. My SII was not registered for decades -- it was an agricultural vehicle -- so when the previous owner started 'restoring' it around 2003 he wrote a letter to ICBC requesting a reg. Had he not done his homework, it could have been registered as... well, anything.

[dangerboy]

Re: one/two lights in wings, my 59 had extra lights added (as evidenced by the somewhat uneven spacing and height), not sure how common this was, but don't let it dissuade you from the age. As mentioned above, get the serials and trace it!
If nothing else, try to get the truck for parts for all the other II's out there!

[pquin]

My daily driver is a 1961 SII but you'd be hard pressed to tell it from a IIA. All of the usual visual clues (Knobs Vs levers for the vents, Steering Arm placment, side exiting exhaust etc) were replaced with IIA style fittings long before it came to me (and I've had it 20 years...).

S/N 144101239. (Do any other Land Rover owners have their S/N memorized or is it just me?)

The 2nd 1 in the S/N (in the fourth digit place) tells you the year. 0 for 1960, 1 for 1961 etc.


Paul in Victoria.

[dangerboy]

Of course we do! 164900126

Here's a breakdown of chassis numbers
http://www.lrfaq.org/FAQ.3.Chassis_Numbers.html

[Gromit Dog]

So is it still there and can I come and get it this weekend ? :D

[Gromit Dog]

As for regie dates, I had a 1962 Mini Traveler that was registered as a 1960... They didn't make Travelers in 1960.... so anything is possible... and yes I'm serious!