There are all manners of vintage cars and trucks that are slowly becoming too costly to restore, at least relative to what you can do with them afterwards. For a hot minute, I thought old Land Rovers might be headed this direction, but I no longer believe that. In fact, if I were a betting man, I’d wager that old Land Rovers and Range Rovers like this 1960 Series II pickup listed here on craigslist will fare better over the coming years as a vehicle that will continue to enrich restoration shops and those owners lucky enough to have a preserved example in the barn. The seller is asking $11,000 for this truck which he claims is a rust-free North American Spec (NAS) example.
I realize there are people who get paid a fair wage to predict where the classic car market is going, but my sense is that old-school Rovers will be supported for some time to come. At the end of the day, if you can’t easily get parts for an old-school car or truck, you’ll see enthusiasts pull away from the brand and values will likely drop as a result. In the Audi world, there’s been plenty written about the lack of support from the factory for the old-school cars despite the fact that all of those parts resident in the Audi Tradition catalog in Germany – they just don’t want to ship them to U.S. customers. As a result, plenty of people I know have chosen to invest in different brands with reliable parts supply.
Land Rover is one of those companies, even if your local showroom looks nothing like a place that could help you put this truck back on the road. There are numerous U.S.-based companies specializing in parts sourcing, and actively have what you need sitting on the shelf. In addition, you don’t have to look too far to find a restoration specialist that can help bring this truck back to good health if you’re an open checkbook kind of guy. Finally, there’s also plenty of parts sharing between different models, and old trucks were always fairly rudimentary in their construction – meaning nothing from the factory was perfect, so if you have to bodge it together, it’s not the end of the world. Heck, you could drive this Land Rover without a dash for years to come!
The 2.25L gas engine produced around 73 horsepower and 120 lb.-ft. of torque. It is known for its reliability and I suspect it will come back to life with relative ease considering it still turns over. The seller is correct that this truck will not likely last long at the asking price considering its supposed rust-free condition. There must be some paper trail or other supporting history given he knows it was imported through Los Angeles when new. The European-market license plates are a tad confusing if this truck came to the U.S. in 1960, so I’d for clarification there; regardless, if the condition is as-described, it’s worthy of in-person inspection. Thanks to Barn Finds reader T.J. for the find.
Should be rust free, the body is aluminum. If the frame isn’t rusted through or bent, it could be an interesting project.
*Most of* the body is aluminum. IIRC, certain panels and parts are made of steel, and of course, rotten frames are the bane of Land Rover’s existence.
I had one years ago. In high range, floored, top gear 50mph. Engine blew a piston but kept running for several miles until I got home. Found a scrap engine and it continued to run until the frame gave up the ghost.
The bulkhead are metal and tend to be rotten. This vehicle requires close inspection from someone familiar with Landrovers
Galvanised replacement frames available very reasonably priced.
I’m not sure how much the seller knows about old Series Rovers. This would have been designated “NADA,” for “North American Dollar Area.” “NAS” wasn’t used until Land Rover returned to the USA in 1987.
The one decent picture with any frame indicates a lot of surface rust — so much that it’s flaking away like a philo-dough pastry. So there’s a good chance that there are indeed some holes and other weak spots in certain areas like the outriggers that will need some skilled welding.
As for driving it “without a dash”… that IS the dash. In its entirety. They didn’t get soft(ish) plastic dashboards until the Series 3 started production in 1971. As far as Land Rover in the US not supporting these vehicles … can you walk into a Ford dealer and get a carburetor for a 1965 Mustang? Would anyone there even know how to TUNE the carb? Uh, no. But most Land Rover parts are still being manufactured, and those that aren’t are usually available used. There are several UK-based parts companies that will happily ship to the USA, even with the new tariffs.
Yes, Atlantic British was my go to parts supplier but I’m not sure if they are still in business.
You can get pretty much every part for this truck on RoversNorth.com. Including new galvanized frames and bulkheads, which are really the only non aluminum body part.
This would be a great restoration project for anyone. They are very simple to work on, no computers or plastic parts.
Wish I could take on another project, would love a truck!
Only the sheet metal is aluminum. The frames that support that flexible aluminum to keep it in the desired shape and position — like around the edges of the doors, the tub supports, the hood supports, etc, etc are all steel. Yeah the aluminum won’t (usually) rot. But everything else does! Ask me how I know…
If this is a genuine NADA (not NAS) 109 Regular it is a fairly rare beast. Only 200 or so were imported during the 60’s into the USA because at that time, imported pickup were subject to a 25% tariff. If it spent most of it’s time in Alaska (plate on seat) any rust issues should not be serious. Surface rust is nt a problem. To really know you need to take a ball peen hammer and tap the entire frame. You want a ring not a thud. A picture of the floor boards on the drivers side would also give you an idea of rust issues. The bulkhead is steel. Asking price is reasonable in my opinion assuming it has no structural corrosion on the frame.
Atlantic British is very much alive and what ever they might not have Rovers North or about a half dozen other places will have. I’ve owned 6 of these Series Land Rovers all 2A’s except one Series 3. Most were 88’s but had one 109 station wagon and still have a 109 pick up a couple of years newer than this one.I’ve taken apart and put back together just about every part on them and driven them all over northern New England – Iron Mistress is right, they might, with an OD, go a little faster than 50, but they won’t like it and neither will you. But here’s the thing, they are a hoot to drive, will go just about anywhere and always attract a crowd – plus, I’ve never had one leave me stranded.
I would be suspicious of the frame on this one. Yes, you can weld patches on them, replace the outriggers and rear frame, etc, but it’s still just postponing the inevitable. Buy it, buy a new frame for it (about $4000) and rebuild it from the frame up, you’re going to have to redo the axels, brakes, etc anyway – it’s a project, but the mechanics are about as simple as you can get and think of the pride that you’ll have in it when you’re done.
My dad had a ‘65 Land Rover SWB station wagon. He only had it for about a year and he sold it. He used to get parts from Rovers North in Vermont (which is still in business). About 13 years ago I bought a ‘62 Willys Wagon. I have been restoring it for the last 12 years. Parts availability is very good but not as good as for Land Rovers. Almost every part (including galvanized chassis) are available in high-quality reproduction.