1976 Land Rover Series III Lightweight

This “Truck Utility FFR 1/2t 4x4 Rover Series 3”, with 2286cc petrol engine was delivered to the Army’s central vehicle depot at Hilton, near Derby, in March 1976 and registered as 45 GF 24.

The FFR designation suggests it was a 24-volt “Fitted For Radio” vehicle which would have included front wing pods sprouting long whip antennae and a radio equipment cage mounted behind the front seats. There is evidence of mounting holes in the front wings but none of the equipment remains and it has since been converted to 12-volt electrics.

Within a few weeks of arriving in Hilton it was issued to the MT Officer at the Royal School of Artillery at Larkhill on the edge of Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire. After nearly a year in the garrison’s motor pool it was assigned to the Equipment Officer of the school.

In March 1982 the vehicle was transferred to the 1st Battalion Staffordshire Regiment (now part of the Mercian Regiment). According to records they were based on Gibraltar at the time but as the vehicle was reassigned to Ashchurch vehicle depot the following month it is unlikely that the vehicle made it onto the Rock.

February 1984 saw the Land Rover get its final posting to a TA unit based in Bradford; 272 Field Support (West Riding Artillery) Squadron Royal Engineers. It was then discharged from military service there to an auction house in Leeds in late 1990 and was registered with the DVLA in January 1991.

Little is known of its civilian ownership until 2009 when it was subject to extensive recommissioning and renewal over a two year period thanks to an aptly named Mr Goodlad in Devon. We can then trace it to Essex in 2013 and then to a military vehicle enthusiast in Yorkshire from 2019.

The vehicle carried a Q plate until January 2020 when the owner, with the help of Military Vehicle Trust, convinced the DVLA to grant it historic vehicle status and an age-related registration number.

The current owner bought the vehicle from John Brown 4x4 of Thirsk in June 2020 and had the rear bench seats fitted. However, over the last couple of years the Land Rover has been used sparingly, covering just 300 miles.

The current owner bought the vehicle from John Brown 4x4 of Thirsk in June 2020 and had the rear bench seats fitted. He has owned other classics including an E-type which he restored to concours condition, so he has an eye for a well-sorted vehicle - which this one surely is.

The Land Rover was a surprise birthday present for his wife - who was thrilled by the way - whilst they were in lockdown in the West Country. They named it “Olive” and used it around the field near the house with their teenage children who learned to drive in it.

Returning to London, it sadly was all too obvious that Olive wasn’t a city vehicle and needed to find a new owner.

The odometer currently reads around 58,300 which, given the nature of the vehicle and time spent in military storage, could well be the Lightweight’s genuine mileage but we cannot validate it. In any case, vehicles such as this should be judged by their current condition rather than by the numbers on the clock.

The bodywork is hand-painted as it should be, in the standard NATO olive green drab and looks as though it has been done relatively recently - perhaps in the last 3-4 years. It has the blemishes and show-through brush marks that you’d expect of a military vehicle and the odd bit of scuffing, particularly on top of the bonnet around the spare wheel.

You sometimes see ex-military vehicles restored with smooth, glossy paintwork but what you have here is total authenticity, much more in keeping with a utility vehicle and still a very well presented example of the type.

The bumpers, with military bumperettes front and rear are painted silver to mimic a galvanised finish, and the visible chassis members painted black. Fitted to the rear is a NATO-style tow hitch.

The exterior body also features period-style union flag stickers and the bridging plate on the front grille. In military use, this yellow disc would display figures for the weight of the vehicle and any load, so that engineers or MPs could check that the vehicle was light enough to cross a bridge.

The canvas tilt again looks fairly recent with no obvious damage aside from a buckle missing on top at the rear. It does have water or sap staining across the top on the outside and the inside also has some white water staining, possibly from condensation.

The Land Rover sits on 16-inch steel wheels, painted green, with 750 military style Michelin 4x4 off road tyres. The rubber looks in good condition and has plenty of tread - probably around half an inch in fact!

As you would expect, the interior is almost as utilitarian as the outside, painted olive green with thick black rubber matting in the footwells and the rear load bay.

There are three standard front seats - which means that each has a thick vinyl-covered foam cushion to sit on and a thinner one to lean back on. Seat belts have been retrofitted. The rear is fitted with side-facing seat benches, giving seating for 7 in total. All upholstery appears in good order with no damage.

The lockable metal trunk bolted to the floor in the rear carries the NATO stock number of a Racal Clark telescopic antenna mast box, which is most appropriate to this vehicle’s FFR past and now performs a useful secure storage function.

In terms of equipment, there is a huge diameter steering wheel and the transmission controls but little else and not much in the way of luxury. A heater is fitted, complete with front screen demister ducting but ventilation comes by way of two hinged panels above the dash - at they do at least have flyscreens.

Another military feature not commonly retained is a 6-way light switch with “Convoy” light setting. This was a low power bulb illuminating the rear diff (usually painted white) to allow vehicles to follow with reduced lighting at night.

Those new to Series Landies will notice the abundance of centrally placed levers - a conventional black gear stick for selecting reverse or 4 forward gears (in either range), red knob to transfer drive between the low and high ratio gearboxes, yellow knob to select four-wheel-drive in high range (applied automatically in low ratio) and finally the handbrake which unlike most cars operates on the transmission rather than the wheels so should only be used when the vehicle is stationary.

The most obvious nod to civilianisation is the JVC stereo - with DAB, Bluetooth and Spotify - fitted below the dash above the passenger footwell, feeding through speakers either side. We can only imagine this is for use when the vehicle is stationary, unless the volume knob goes up to 11.

Under the bonnet, the engine bay appears in good order mechanically and despite the low level of use has been regularly serviced and maintained, never failing to start first time.

The engine bay has been cleaned further since the video was shot; the appearance of rust in the video is because of a past radiator malfunction - now fixed of course - and further cleaning will bring it up even further.

The undersides are relatively clean considering the type and there is a thick coating of underseal across the vulnerable surfaces which is now starting to crack and succumb to the inevitable surface rust.

The vehicle is fitted with a Bosal exhaust system, which is likely made from aluminised steel to reduce corrosion. There is some surface rust visible on the back box and pipes but no holes that we can detect.

Despite being exempt from annual testing, the Lightweight has a current MOT certificate valid until September 2023 which it passed with an advisory on a slight oil leak - pretty much standard for Series Land Rovers - and a missing spare wheel. Well, the wheel is most definitely there for all to see atop the bonnet. Its first test attempt revealed an issue with the electrics preventing a number of lamps and fittings from working properly but everything was resolved prior to the retest.

There is an invoice in the gallery from 2021 for over £1,000. This included pre-MOT checks, new boot rubbers, belt, strip down of window frames, removal of rust from lower channels and a handful of other small but very necessary jobs.

We like to see historic vehicles still being put through testing despite their exemption. It is always worth getting a documented, professional opinion on a car’s roadworthiness should it be required.

The history file includes a number of MOT certificates and invoices for parts and work done dating from 2009. Also present is a BMIHT heritage certificate and a copy of the military vehicle history card.

The petrol engine starts well and runs very smoothly with little need for choke. The transmission is verbal, and the knobbly tyres start to sing when up to speed.

It is very much a utility vehicle and drives accordingly, with a little wandering needing corrections on the steering and no caster so any turning inputs need to be physically reversed to return to straight-ahead. The canvas tilt makes it a little dark in the back but on a warm, sunny day, you can roll up the sides or take it off completely, along with the doors, for a stripped back look.

We think this great-looking, well-maintained and sorted example, with interesting history and many original features will sell for between £11,000 and £16,000.

Those of you still reading will have scrutinised the detailed photographs, will know what you are looking at and will understand the raw nature of a military Land Rover. In all likelihood you will also know its simplicity and frugality when it comes to maintenance and repair.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located with us at The Market HQ near Abingdon; we are open weekdays 9am-5pm, to arrange an appointment 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 or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.