1961 Land Rover Series II

The successor to the successful Land Rover Series I was, unsurprisingly the Series II, which remained in production from 1958 to 1961. It was available with 88" and 109" in wheelbases, normally referred to as the 'SWB' and 'LWB'. This was the first Land Rover to receive the attention of Rover's styling department - Chief Stylist David Bache produced the familiar 'barrel side' waistline to cover the vehicle's wider track and the improved design of the truck cab variant, introducing the curved side windows and rounded roof still used on current Land Rovers. The Land Rover was the product of continuous evolution and refinement throughout the fifties and sixties with improvements in every area including stability and a tighter turning circle. It was a period in which Land Rover took the lead in the emerging market for four-wheel drive vehicles. As a tough, reliable mobility platform, countless organisations came to depend on Land Rover vehicles to get personnel and equipment into the most challenging situations...and then safely out again.

It's no surprise that that these unsung workhorses should eventually come of age and now, with countless clubs and organizations established to preserve and service them, prices are beginning to rise. This pretty, 1961 Series II SWB, has had a full re-paint in the correct Land Rover Mid Grey, by Halo Land Rover, and a number of sympathetic modifications including the electrical system upgraded to an alternator, before the current vendor purchased the car in 2012. The engine is a petrol unit, which is tuned and has the benefit of an unleaded conversion, and fitted with the desirable overdrive will travel comfortably at 75mph.

The history file contains with V5C registration documents, a file of bills/invoices and an MoT will be completed by the time of the auction. The Series IIA is considered by many as the hardiest model ever constructed, so surely this presents an excellent opportunity, not to be missed?