1969 Land Rover SWB IIA SUV

This 1969 Land Rover Series IIA (88SWB) was offered for sale at the 2007 Christies auction of 'Exceptional Motor Cars at the Monterey Jet Center.' It is finished in Navy blue with black interior. Under the hood is a four-cylinder engine with overhead valve and displaces 2.25-liters. Total horsepower is 81. The vehicle has a four-speed manual gearbox with two-speed transfer box. Drum brakes and semi-elliptic leaf springs can be found on all four wheels.

Maurice Wilks, the younger brother of Rover's Chief Engineer Spencer, was inspired to create a multi-agricultural vehicle while on a family holiday in Anglesea. The Rover proved to be a good platform as it was created from steel and could be constructed by hand. The body panels were created from aluminum with galvanized steel bracing. By 1947 a prototype had been created using a Jeep chassis and featuring Rover running gear and a trans box to give the vehicle four-wheel drive.

The board had approved to create the vehicle even before the prototype had been constructed. After testing the 'Landrover' was born.

This example is a Series IIA that sits on a short wheelbase that measures 88-inches. The IIA was produced from 1961 through 1971. The Series IIA was an improved version of the original design, consisting of a more powerful engine and longer wheelbase plus more rugged construction. In all respects, it was the Series IIA that gave the Land Rover marque its reputation.

The Series IIA were built on an 88-inch or 109-inch wheelbase. These all-terrain vehicles were given the nickname 'Landy'.

It is believed that this example was used for factory advertising brochures and later featured in an article in Land Rover Owner's International magazine. The next 26 years were spent in the car of the same owner. The next owner purchased the car in 1996 and began restoration work. It did not receive a complete restoration, but was updated and fixed where needed. It was given the Navy Blue paint scheme in honor of the British metropolitan police vehicles.

This vehicle was estimated to sell for $30,000 - $60,000. It did find a buyer, though it failed to meet the estimated value; the hid bid was $26,400, including buyers premium, which was fine with the seller, and the vehicle was sold.

By Daniel Vaughan | Feb 2010