1968 Land Rover Series 2A

Finished in the ever-popular period colour of Marine Blue, this ex-dealer demonstrator is fitted with the venerable – and recently refurbished - 2.25-litre petrol engine. Made at the very end of 1967, its purchase in March 2010 by a chap called Barry as a retirement present to himself marked the start of an epic restoration project.

You can see the invoices and a summary in the ‘Documentation’ section, along with a couple of articles in classic Land Rover magazines, there was more to it than merely bringing an old Series IIa back to life.

Barry used to work for Morton’s of Coventry (later Henley’s) and he discovered this was one of the demonstrators the garage owned – and that he was the very chap who’d undertaken the pre-delivery inspection as you can see from his signature in the service history booklet!

Fast-forward to 2021. After a decade of being used by its subsequent owner as a daily driver, it was a little tired. Our seller, a Land Rover Series 2 Club official and recently retired Director, recognising its special provenance and potential, decided to bring it back to its original former glory.

He set about the task with enthusiasm and after far too long – and too much money, no doubt – he finished it. Bits of it were “a real pig” he says, primarily sorting out the roof vents, which we’ll talk about later.

But, it’s done and it looks terrific. 

With the chassis being rotten, all the panels had to be removed to fit a new one, which gave Barry the opportunity to assess their condition and replaced where appropriate. The car is presented in full Station Wagon livery, including sliding side windows, a full dual-skin Tropical roof with openable roof vents, deluxe interior trim and headlining and an original and rare Station Wagon rear door with extended internal lock handle, allowing rear passengers easy external egress.

Wheels from the long-wheelbase model were fitted, filling the arches in what is regarded as more aesthetically pleasing, as well as more suited to off-road work than the original skinnier 6” wheels. Painted in Limestone to match the roof, they’re fitted with tough-as-old-boots, Avon Ranger MKII tyres, all of whom still have sufficient tread left on them to outlast us all.

We will never get tired of telling you that experience shows that matching high-quality tyres are an infallible sign of a caring and mechanically sympathetic owner who is prepared to spend the appropriate amount in maintaining their car properly. Their presence does not, of course, preclude the need for a thorough inspection - something the vendor would welcome, by the way – but it does perhaps give you a shortcut into their attitude towards maintenance.

Other nice touches include a trio of spot lamps on the front bumper and superlative Fairey Free Wheeling Hubs, allowing the driver to switch between one or two driven axles, thereby improving fuel efficiency when the front axle isn’t engaged. The rest of the glass – lamps and windows – is undamaged and in a good condition and all windows are security etched.

The galvanised cappings are all good too, as is the front bumper, which sits straight and true. The numberplates and badges are as good as everything else.

A rear step has been fitted in addition to a pair of substantial – and rare – original Land Rover mudflaps. A matching wheel and tyre are bolted to the rear door; both are excellent.

The ride benefits from a new set of parabolic springs, supplied by GB Springs, which gives the vehicle a more usable car-like feel. The underside of the car is in excellent condition throughout.

As for flaws, the rubber seals on the bulkhead vents look to be past their best, but work well. In any case, the seller will include a new set of replacements with the sale.

The interior, while sparse by modern car standards, benefits from many additional comfort and safety features and is vastly more comfortable and usable than most, and a lot of effort went in to get it this civilised. 

Replacement County Moorland Houndstooth cloth front seats, all three of which are in great shape, are the main feature. Far more comfortable to sit on than the flat, vinyl-covered items it would have left the factory with, they’re also more supportive. Each is fitted with its own seatbelt for additional safety and the outer two have headrests.

The rear bench seats give space for another four people and a mixture of carpets and rubber mats protect the floor panels.

The two-part headlining, which the seller imported from Badgerworks in the United States at great expense, has four vents in it that channel cool air from underneath the twin-skin ‘Tropical’ roof. 

The vents were heavily corroded but experimentation with electrolysis in his kitchen freed them up “after an embarrassingly long time”,  leaving them spotless and functioning perfectly. 

Reassembled with new seals and reinstalled in that freshly imported headlining, we’ve never before seen them working as they should - and after talking to the vendor we can see why so few people go to the effort and expense of getting them functional.

A period Smiths heater provides instant directional warmth during the winter and the sliding rear windows help with visibility while also flooding the cabin with light. 

Additional instrumentation by way of an oil pressure gauge, volt meter, and Smiths clock have been fitted, mounted on a matching, period-correct auxiliary dash panel. 

The car also features a roof-mounted interior light, an original and rare chrome dipping rear view mirror and a discretely mounted, covered USB power socket.  

The interior also benefits from two under-seat  storages box for secure storage, useful for housing the full tool roll and towing rope supplied with this car. 

The fourth lever that sprouts from the gearbox tunnel indicates the presence of a Fairey overdrive on the gearbox, which have been recently overhauled and works in concert with the Fairey freewheeling front hubs to help fuel economy and overall civility at speed. The overdrive allows the driver to cruise at 10-15mph higher than the usual fourth gear, enabling the vehicle to keep up with modern traffic on all roads with ease.

Speaking of the aftermarket’s civilising effect, the steering wheel is a luxury, bespoke wood-rimmed affair. It’s in great shape and feels enormously comfortable to hand, however the seller is also including the original steering wheel in the sale.

A hidden Tracker is fitted along with a discrete engine immobiliser to maximise vehicle security.

As for work to do, the interior looks great and benefits from many new parts. It is still patinated in the right places with only the occasional scuffs of light usage, which adds to the authentic feel of a car for which over-restoration can feel jarring and characterless.

Regularly serviced by MiD Engineering, Oxfordshire’s leading independent Land Rover specialist  most recently in July 2023, the 2.25-litre petrol engine starts well not least because the old and inefficient dynamo has been replaced with an alternator – and brilliantly, this looks like a dynamo, so you keep the period looks while benefitting from modern reliability and an improved charge. The car also has electronic ignition, again improving cold-start efficiency.

As you can see, it also idles with a good oil pressure and battery charge. These petrol engines are sweet little things and are so much nicer to drive than the diesel engine you might think you want. This particular engine is a 5-bearing, 8:1 compression Series block, delivering a far smoother drive than the earlier 3-bearing unit.

We are told that “everything works properly”, including that freshly overhauled gearbox and overdrive. A direct quote from the engineer at MiD Engineering is “Our favourite Series to work on – the engine’s incredibly smooth, the brakes just work, the gearbox is sound – it’s just lovely”

The engine bay is in a decent condition although those of you with an eye to showing it at a concours classic car event will no doubt find things that can be tidied up a fraction. A K&N Air Filter supplies the carburettor, in theory allowing improved throttle response, although the original Oil Bath filter remains in situ and the seller includes the original connecting hose with the sale, giving the new owner their own choice between period looks and modernity.

As we hinted at earlier, the original chassis was too far gone to be saved, so a new one was fitted, along with refurbished axles, suspension, and braking systems. 

The underside has been given regular protective Lanoguard treatment, most recently earlier this year. As can be seen in the photographs, it is in excellent condition. Given how easy and pleasant this stuff is to apply, the new owner might like to consider adding an annual top-up to the maintenance schedule.

The Land Rover’s MoT certificate is valid until April 2024.

The recent Vehicle History Check is clear and the Series IIa comes with the book pack plus a thick wad of invoices, many of which relate to the vehicle’s recent refurbishment as well as its historic restoration.

Everyone loves an old Land Rover because, like the family’s elderly border terrier, while they might occasionally be a bit set in their ways, they are members of the family and you forgive them their foibles.

They’re faithful and reliable, too; while most modern cars won’t tolerate standing for weeks at a time without flattening their battery, a Landy can sit in a corner for months ready to spring into life at the turn of a key. This makes them ideal for anyone with a need to keep mobile in the foulest of conditions.

Being 55 years old, this car benefits from ULEZ charge-free motoring, as well as full MOT and vehicle tax exemption. Nevertheless, the seller has kept up annual MOT testing on the vehicle to ensure its roadworthiness.

This popularity is starting to be reflected in their price.  While you used to be able to pick a scruffy Land Rover up for a few thousand pounds, we’re starting to see even barn-finds going for silly money, which makes our guide price of £16,000 and £20,000 for this freshly refurbished example look like very good value, especially when you factor in what it would cost you to do the work yourself.

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located at the Bonhams|Cars Online HQ. Viewings are strictly by appointment. To make a booking, please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, and read our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.