One of my close friends owns a Series II Land Rover, and I’m not sure I’ve witnessed anyone simultaneously love and hate something so passionately. The breakdowns are endless, the ride agricultural, safety non-existent, fuel economy abysmal, and brakes—well, who needs them!? Nevertheless, the Series II was the workhorse of its time, easy to fix, and proved a fantastic all-terrain vehicle. My buddy once told me, “It’s only good for 40 mph, but it’ll do that on any surface.” This begs the question, what if a company rebuilt the Series II from the ground up, retaining the good and replacing the bad? Well, Legacy Overland has done exactly that.
From Legacy Overland:
“History and timeless ruggedness, enhanced by off-road hardened technology—a true best of breed. This vehicle took over 3,000 man-hours to break down and carefully build up to better-than-new.
Through water or land, this fully restored 1961 Land Rover Series IIA 88 is outfitted to overcome any road or challenge thrown at it. The meticulous transformation includes a swapped drivetrain, including a Land Rover 300TDI turbo-diesel engine from a Discovery mated to an R380 5-speed manual gearbox from a late model Defender, with an adapter for the original (but rebuilt) transfer case.
Legacy Overland spared no expense in preserving the visual lines of the Series IIA classic while selectively upgrading internals throughout. Some of the major upgrades include a two-channel brake system ported from a Defender, parabolic leaf springs, aluminum radiator for enhanced cooling, front and rear disc brakes, extra-strength rear half-shafts, power steering, and [an] all-galvanized chassis.
A generous set of options were added to further enhance the off-road credentials of the build. Notable ones include an ARB compressor, air tank, and lockable differentials, Warn M8274-70 winch, custom-fabricated rock sliders, heated windshield, lift jack on mounting in rear, axe and shovel holder, underbody armoring (skid plates, diff guards, etc.), and a full set of new main and auxiliary gauges and numerous other tweaks.
Creature comforts were not forgotten. The seats were upgraded to newer Defender seats, the car is fitted with an air conditioner ensconced in a custom-made protective box, [and a] radio and two speakers [were] mounted in the seat box. This Series IIA 88 rolls on 16-inch Defender modular steel wheels painted classic Light Ivory with rugged, old-school Michelin XZL 7.50/R16 tires.”
Specifications
Completely rebuilt and upgraded 300Tdi 4-cylinder turbo-diesel engine
Rebuilt R380 5-speed gearbox mated with custom-made transmission tunnel with short bell housing
Rebuilt transfer case and gearbox adapters
All-Rad aluminium radiator with electric fan
Five 16-inch modular steel wheels painted in Land Rover Light Ivory
Michelin XZL 7.50/R16 tires
Stainless steel wheel nuts
Galvanized body mounts, bolts and screws, windscreen frame, corner and edge cappings, window edge and frame, door and hood hinges, as well as steering guard, and double ends
Galvanized front and rear differential guards
Solid disc brake kit upgrade, front and rear
Defender brake system upgrade, including aluminium brake lines, braided stainless flex hoses, and brake booster
Power steering upgrade
ARB RD127 differential lockers front and rear
ARB CKMTA12 compressor, plus tire inflation kit, manifold, and air tank in custom under-floor compartments
Rear half shafts upgrade in high-strength steel
Front and rear axle ARB breather tubes
Custom-built larger diameter stainless steel exhaust with heat shield wrap
Custom rock sliders with lift points
Rocky Mountain door tops and glass
Hand-hammered panel rivets
Warn 70th Anniversary M8274-70 Self Recovery winch
Spare front tire Michelin XZL mounted on top of the hood
Removable black snorkel with custom fitting and quick-release fastening
LED headlights (split style) with protective grille guards
Round glass-colored Lucas lamps front and rear
Rear Land Rover utility lamp
Heated windshield
Galvanized front bumper with tow hooks and bumperettes
Black fold-down step on sides and rear
Hitch hook and tow ball
Cargo tie-down loops in cargo area
Custom black mohair canvas soft top with safari windows and sunroof
Galvanized soft top hoops and hardware
12-volt vintage auxiliary power outlets on gauge cluster and in rear
12-volt restored vintage classic Lucas auxiliary lamp
Custom Defender-style seat box lid fasteners
Pangolin hand throttle
Electric cold weather engine heater
Engine battery kill switch
Black Defender seats
New instrument gauges with tachometer, oil pressure, oil temperature, and voltage gauges
Vintage-style gear shifter knob (5-speed)
Emergency hazard light switch with classic pull knob
Rubber mats on front and rear cargo mat
Land Rover embossed badge front and rear
Anti-burst door handles in black metal
Custom fabricated galvanized gas tank and skid protective plates
Rear door converted to Defender side-swing out door with locking pins
20-liter yellow jerry can on the rear door with mount
3840 Hi-Lift jack mounted to rear wheel arch with mounts and chained pins
Smittybilt axe and shovel mount (galvanized)
Custom-built lockable steel cubby box with 12-volt USB charger port, radio and relocated AC, window (etc.) buttons
Parabolic leaf spring suspension
Old Man Emu shocks with 1-inch lift
Pioneer MVH-290BT installed in cubby box and four speakers (two front and two rear), plus a KACPS702EX Kenwood amplifier
Custom-made air conditioning system with heat/cold core
The final price for this 1961 Land Rover Series IIA 88 is TBC (Legacy Overland stated a similar Series IIA was priced at $130,000) and is currently located in Ridgefield, Connecticut. Check out the full vehicle specifications on their website.
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