Have I bought an ex=military Land Rover 80"?

[rustyaustinchamp]

Afternoon all,

I have always liked Series 1 Land Rovers and bought this example recently. I assumed it was civilian. Also went and bought a book by James Taylor, Original Series 1 and he says that military examples were fitted with guard rails on the rear tub. Mine has a pair of holes on either side where these were. The author also says these were an option on civvy models as well however.

But on the inside of the nearside wing, it has 4 small holes where a plate has been. This is the same size as the Ministry of Supply plates that you see on MVs of various types. I'm happy for my 80 to be military or civilian but I just wondered what people thought.

The chassis number confirms it is a 1952 2 litre model.

If it is military, can I trace any of its Army history with just the LR chassis number? Probably not but any comments welcome

Thanks

Martin

[robin craig]

Have you tried contact the British Motoring Industry Heritage Trust and paying for a serial number search?

I did that a number of years ago and got a down to the day build history for mine.

That would tell you for who it was built.

 

 

 

 

[10FM68]

If you look in James Taylor and Geoff Fletcher's book on Leaf-sprung British military Land Rovers you will find that army chassis numbers for 2 litre 1952 models were in the series:26100001 to 26100200. There were, of course, further RAF ones in the series 26100520 to  26104027 and 3610019 to 36103109.  There were also a few in RN service.  So, have a look and see whether yours is among that pretty large batch of, what, 1100 vehicles.  Not all of those RAF chassis numbers are from 1952, though, and even the army ones, which have BD registrations, will overlap from 1951.

 

10 68

[rustyaustinchamp]

10FM68: I don't have the Fletcher book but of the ranges you quote, the 26100520 to 26104027 is the closest but my vehicle is chassis 4345 so I'm a good 300 vehicles beyond this military contract so I suppose I must have a civilian Land Rover after all.

My Original Series 1 book by Taylor gives the 1952 2 litre from chassis 2610001 to 26105569 as being 'Basic vehicle, home' so this is all that I know about my 80"

Robin: It is quite a costly fee but I'm going to have to bite the bullet and write off to BMIHT.

 

Thanks to both for your replies

Martin

[10FM68]

Well, if your chassis number falls in the sequence 26101191 to 26104942 then, according to the same source it could be one of 1,900 Mark 2s with a contract date of 13 June 1951, but in the registration range 00BH01 to 19BH00 BH was for vehicles registered in 1953-1954 - I only gave you details of the 1952 batch.  But, according to the registrations, there were only 1,900, but the chassis batch includes 3,751 numbers - so 1,851 of them aren't accounted for.  Whether yours is one of the 1,900 or the remaining 1,851, I couldn't say.  Or, of course, there may be a mistake in the book.  So, don't give up yet!

10 68

[ruxy]

Within  26100001  (on)  , there was a RAF  Contract  6/VEH/7188  -  Mk.2 (1997cc)  Cargo . 472  qty. Rovers -  so it would pay you to enquire at the RAF Museum - where the £fee = nil / or contribution.

Edited January 29, 2018 by ruxy

[wally dugan]

The OO BH OI to 19 BH 00 is for the contract  6/V/7711

[10FM68]

1 hour ago, ruxy said:

Within  26100001  (on)  , there was a RAF  Contract  6/VEH/7188  -  Mk.2 (1997cc)  Cargo . 472  qty. Rovers -  so it would pay you to enquire at the RAF Museum - where the £fee = nil / or contribution.

I mentioned that in my post above, but that sequence runs out at 26104027 which is prior to the PO's 26104345, so if the book details are accurate, it shouldn't fall into that sequence.

10 68

[rustyaustinchamp]

Thanks chaps, I've just sent off for the BMIHT certificate (they say allow 28 days) and I will update here when I hear from them. Fingers crossed its a military contract vehicle.

[ruxy]

On 29/01/2018 at 9:48 PM, 10FM68 said:

Well, if your chassis number falls in the sequence 26101191 to 26104942 then, according to the same source it could be one of 1,900 Mark 2s with a contract date of 13 June 1951, but in the registration range 00BH01 to 19BH00 BH was for vehicles registered in 1953-1954 - I only gave you details of the 1952 batch.  But, according to the registrations, there were only 1,900, but the chassis batch includes 3,751 numbers - so 1,851 of them aren't accounted for.  Whether yours is one of the 1,900 or the remaining 1,851, I couldn't say.  Or, of course, there may be a mistake in the book.  So, don't give up yet!

10 68

In the early years only , you can date from the chassis No. - different rules apply for chassis No. , prefix 261  =  manufactured 1952  (hence the ref. to  26100001  on) , so included both  larger + smaller engine size (differentiated by  Mk.1  +  Mk.2), civilian. Ministry of Supply  etc. (all build variations, much later on the prefix was a solid guide to the build variation - such as wheel ctr's , station wagen ) 1952 , still well mixed up in the years total build number . ISTR including within the same contract,  the number 'range'   from/to  - is always just a guide to a contract 'block'  even in later Series years.

[rustyaustinchamp]

Have now heard back from BMIHT. Supplied not to a civilian dealer but to the War Department. No contract number quoted but does say colour 'light stone' so I assume Middle East. There is evidence of this paint on the chassis, first stone (very thinly applied), then deep bronze green on top of that, then black.

No military plates remain on the vehicle so no way of tracing its military history.

 

 

[ruxy]

3 hours ago, rustyaustinchamp said:

Have now heard back from BMIHT. Supplied not to a civilian dealer but to the War Department. No contract number quoted but does say colour 'light stone' so I assume Middle East. There is evidence of this paint on the chassis, first stone (very thinly applied), then deep bronze green on top of that, then black.

No military plates remain on the vehicle so no way of tracing its military history.

 

 

 

[ruxy]

BMIHT   ,  if it had been we , then I would not have bothered.   As I see it - you have the full chassis No. branded ,  your appeal may have been fruitful if you had stated it in full  (as far as I am aware the only danger is if the vehicle has never been registered at DVLA Swansea).

You have the book co-author by Geof Fletcher,  I understand he runs  FMW that provides a  'full' history report for abt. £28  ,   that is where I would have gone.     The truck would have been fitted with a nomenclature plate at Solihull stating chassis No. and the WO vehicle registration number.  Also at the Series One time-line - there are photographs in books of vehicles whilst on the assembly line fitted with the military road registration plates (to spare argument , my understanding is that this was not always the case for subsequent MOD contracts). So - as I see it no great problem to cross-reference chassis to WO Reg. No.  - that would make the search easy  + AFAIK that X ref. is a standard feature of the service offered by FMW.

Edited February 26, 2018 by ruxy
spelin