Land Rover Land-Rover 88 (Serie IIa)

Vehicle Description

– iconic Land Rover Series IIa from 1965
– over half a century old, but because it’s a Land Rover, many wouldn’t have a clue
– licence-built by Santana, Spain
– in regular use until 2013, then decomissioned and imported into Germany in 2016
– major traces of use, as these vehicles were proper work horses, not meant to look pretty
– 2.3 litre Diesel engine starts up, rendering the Land Rover conditionally driveable
– not roadworthy, many components will have to be addressed
– being offered as restoration project

After 68 years, Land Rover production finally came to a close, with the last “Defenders” rolling off the production line in Solihull, West Midlands, on 29 January 2016. By this time, just over 2 million of these trusty, iconic vehicles had been built. Their story had commenced in 1947, when Maurice Wilks, chief designer at Rover, harboured the idea of a simple, rugged vehicle that could be field-serviced, a farmer’s car, a rover for the land. The name had stuck.
In the early post-war economy, steel was in short supply, so the body was made from an aluminum alloy. The basic construction with its ladder frame chassis meant that the Land Rover was very versatile, and indeed it was adapted for countless uses, military and civilian likewise.
Even though ownership of the brand changed rather frequently – from Rover to British Leyland to BMW to Ford to Tata Motors – the shape and basic principle of the Land Rover remained pretty much unaltered, continued technical improvements notwithstanding. As much a classless as a timeless car, the “Landy” has always been popular with her Majesty, the Queen, who is said to have owned Land Rovers since 1952.

Vehicle Overview