1969 Land Rover Series IIA

• The IIA is considered by many to be the hardiest version of the 'Series' Land Rovers
• This is an unusually well ­preserved and original example having had just four owners from new
• The chassis is original and looks to have had some professional attention in recent years
• It still wears the correct elephant hide vinyl upholstery to its three front and two rear bench seats
• Fitted with a hardtop and tow bar and electrics
• Gently-patinated from years of family life, this well-proven Series II is ready for immediate use and is offered at No Reserve

The Land Rover range was given its first comprehensive update in 1958, and the Series II was offered in both SWB (88-inch) and LWB (109-inch) forms. It was given a rounded waistline, cleverly styled by Rover's David Bache to mask the wider-track axles, curved side windows, a rounded roof and was now fitted with the well-tried 72bhp 2.25-litre petrol engine, although early SWB models retained the 2-litre petrol engine from the Series I for the first 1,500 or so vehicles. Other numerous changes included vastly superior steering, which was very welcome at the time.

In 1961 the Series IIA was introduced with many minor but significant improvements which made it, perhaps, the hardiest and reliable of all the Series Land Rovers. It was also the best-selling Land Rover of all time, over 50,000 being produced each year until it was replaced by the Series III in 1971.

Dating from June 1969, this particular Series IIA is an unusually well ­preserved and original example having had just four owners from new. It's finished in Mid-Grey and the hardtop could well be original as it's an early type with no side-windows. According to the old-style logbook, its first owner drove the car until 1981, before selling it to another long-­term owner who kept the Landie until 2009 before he, in turn, passed it on in 2011. An MOT from 1996 shows that at that point it had covered some 99,426 miles. A string of subsequent MOTs indicates that a further 5,500 miles have been added to that total.

The chassis is original and looks to have had some professional attention in recent years, the front and rear bench seats are still covered in the correct 'elephant hide' vinyl upholstery and it's fitted with a heater and a tow bar. This is no Concours restoration but a well maintained, working bit of kit. To use a modern expression, it's