1969 Land Rover Series IIA

Guide price: £15,000 - £20,000

𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀

● One of the last inboard headlamp SIIAs

● IIA is regarded by many as the hardiest ‘Series’ Landie

● Recently renovated and painted chassis

● No structural concerns on fresh MOT certificate

● 14,000 indicated miles from new

𝗢𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄

The fact that you’re looking at this auction listing tells us three things. One, that you’re interested in old Land Rovers. Two, that you’re pretty clued up about them and won’t need any background history on the model. Not many people do, in truth. The original Land Rover was to motoring what Elvis Presley was to rock and roll. It’s probably the world’s most instantly recognised vehicle, a flat-panelled feast of function over form.

The Series II was built from 1958 to 1961, at which point the outwardly very similar but more robustly engineered Series IIA took up the cudgels for Land Rover. That’s what we have here, a very original, sensitively restored and most importantly structurally sound short-wheelbase (88in) SIIA in Pastel Green, first registered on 1 May 1969 when Landie sales were peaking at over 60,000 a year – well over twice the number achieved by the later Defender.

What’s the third thing this listing tells us about you? Simply that if the condition is as good as it looks in the pics and the price is right, you might well end up being its next owner. That’s the pulling power of the old Land Rover – and we’re not just talking about how much weight it can haul out of a ditch.

𝗛𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗱𝗼𝗰𝘂𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻

The current owner has had the car for the last 18 years, which gives you a nice insight into the bond that can be struck up with these iconic machines. It will be supplied with a thick wedge of service and parts invoices, plus two ignition keys.

Vehicles that were built or registered more than 40 years ago are exempt from both road tax and the MOT test, but most would consider it advisable to continue testing old Landies as the MOT provides a cost-effective snapshot on important stuff like structural condition. With this in mind a test was carried out on 22 September 2023. No structural issues were picked up. There were a few advisories relating to oil leaks, but quite frankly we’d be more suspicious of a 54-year Landie with no oil leaks.

The speedo says 14,000 miles but needless to say that’s not warranted.

𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗼𝗿

This SIIA has the desirable bench seats in the back along with lap belts to stop your mates bouncing through the brand-new Exmoor Trim canvas tilt roof that was fitted earlier this year (2023). There’s no interior damage in either of the passenger compartments and all the electrics function as they were intended to.

𝗘𝘅𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗼𝗿

This must be one of the last home-market Series IIAs to have the new-for-1969 look of inboard rather than wing-mounted headlamps.

The owner describes the all-round condition as excellent with just one minor dent on the tailgate and a few very small rust spots around the windscreen. The chassis has been recently renovated with a new rear quarter and front cross member professionally done and painted. The front wings, rear wings, sills and doors were professionally resprayed three years ago.

There’s a towbar fitted so you’ll be all set to make a few bob hauling lesser vehicles out of muddy fields this winter.

𝗠𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹

The petrol engine, a 2.25-litre inline four, is described as strong. Over the last five years the owner has replaced the heater matrix, distributor, starter motor, battery, and exhaust system. An oil and filter change was carried out in June ’23. The windscreen wipers and one front shock absorber have also been replaced.

Some very late higher-spec SIIAs got the all-synchromesh four-speed gearbox that became standard on the 1971-on Series III. Our car has the more character-building box with no synchros on first or second. Later versions of this SIIA ‘box (as here) are considered to be stronger than the first SIII all-synchro boxes which weren’t all that tolerant of ‘racing’ (ie single clutch pedal depression) changes. In practice, having no synchros on 1 and 2 means double-declutching going up from first to second and going down from third to second, or second to first. You’ll learn to love the relaxed and thoughtful driving style that this charming feature promotes. Or indeed demands.

Even much later Defenders wouldn’t be a natural first pick for any long motorway-based trip, and a 1960s Series car could easily be purgatorial in such circumstances, but this one has the useful addition of a Fairey overdrive which clicks in at your command to knock off a useful number of revs for more relaxed cruising. Freewheeling front hubs are present, as are good-condition Camac off-road tyres.

𝗦𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘆

No Series IIA Land Rover is going to be perfect. Nor should it be. For a start, they weren’t perfect when they came out of the factory. On top of that, they were designed to be working vehicles. The foibles and failings that were integral to the build are both part and parcel of the Landie experience and central to their fascination.

You can easily spend much of your spare time chasing down the kind of perfection that was never present on SIIAs coming off the LR production line. Going down that rabbit-hole can be like restoring an old listed house, a never-ending story of tweaking and fettling. That’s a valid Landie lifestyle, and a fun one too. It shouldn’t kill you financially either because spares are refreshingly cheap and the work needed to fit them will usually be straightforward enough for anyone owning a suitable bag of spanners.

There’s another way of course, which is to accept that these Landies are tools as much as they are cars and use them accordingly, concentrating on keeping corrosion at bay and fixing stuff because it needs fixing rather than because it will look better with a new whatever.

Far be it from us to tell you what way to go, but it’s a fact that many believe the best Landies to be the shabby chic ones that are still sticking doggedly to their original mission statement. The beauty of this SIIA is that it gives its next owner a golden opportunity to go down either route: keep it pristine or keep it real. It’s your choice.

To arrange a viewing, please request this in the Q&A section. You can click through to the seller's profile and use the 'Email Me' function to arrange a viewing privately. This seller is located in New Mills, in Derbyshire’s Peak District – classic Land Rover country.