One of our readers is selling this 1968 Land Rover SWB Series 2A. It has a 2.2L petrol engine, overdrive, free wheeling hubs, heater, hard top and new canvas hood.
In his words…
“I got this car in 2016 to keep on Paxos and persuaded my brother to drive the car out from Dorset, it didn’t miss a beat, but he will never do it again or regain the hearing in his left ear. After two years I gave up trying to get Greek plates and drove it back to London. Again it didn’t miss a beat, but I will never do it again having lost both feet to frostbite crossing the Dolomites.”
It is a tidy and, as the Greek trips demonstrated, reliable car with, I believe, it’s original chassis and bulkhead, though patched in places. Before driving back the local Greek mechanic gave the chassis the all clear so you just KNOW all is well in that department.
The car cruises cheerfully at a heady 53mph in overdrive, the gearbox noise at these speeds does little to encourage conversation but everything works well although it can jump out of second. The odometer reads a believable 94,000 miles, but then 194,000 would be equally believable.
The car is “fully loaded” by 1968 standards – free wheeling hubs, heater (a joke), overdrive, Webber carb (extra 3mph!), fog lights, reversing lights, interior light, rear seats, seat belts, head rests – luxurious. The body panels are schizophrenic regarding colour, some being the original marine blue and others a lighter blue.
There can’t be many 50 year old Land Rovers that can drive to Greece and back with such aplomb.
Before leaving for Greece I had Aston Motorsport Limited of Westbury gave it a thorough once over as, apart from race preparing Astons, the chap there is an off road Land Rover nut. The work included:
– Strip and rebuild front axle swivels, wheel bearing carriers, with new inner seals, new bearings and half shaft support bearing, new swivel bearings and seals, fit new brake slave cylinders, break shoes and drums.
– Strip rear axle and differential, rebuild with new bearings and oil seals, new slave cylinders, brake shoes and drums.
– Replace brake master cylinder and brake lines, fit new stainless steel brake flexible hoses.
– Fit new shock absorbers and bushes, fit new exhaust manifolds, exhaust system and mountings, fit new steering rods and ball joints.
– Remove both prop shafts, clean and rebuild with new uj joints.
– Remove radiator, flush and refit with new hoses and clips.
– Replace water heater hoses and petrol pump.
– Remove engine and repair seized clutch release system, fit new spigot bearing.
– Strip carburettor and rebuild with new operating linkage ball joints.
– Replace spark plugs, plug leads, points, condenser, cap and rotor arm, ignition coil.
– Replace alternator pulley, fan belt, battery, engine and gearbox mounting rubbers, water temperature sensor and new tyres.
– Scrape off chassis and paint with chassis paint
Now it’s ready for a new adventurer. Yours for £8500.00
Contact: robertrawe @aol.com
