1961 Land Rover Series II 88 LHD

1961 Land Rover Defender Series II 88" Description

This 1961 Land Rover Series II 88" is a fantastic example for someone interested in a turn-key truck that's ready to be enjoyed. The truck was a recipient of a high quality restoration that began in early 2016 by British car expert, Evan Amaya of Reborn Company, LLC in North Carolina. Some of Amaya's work was featured in Hemmings Sports & Exotic magazine.
The Series II is a desirable Left-Hand Drive model with the dependable, gasoline 2.25L four-cylinder that's powered many of the trucks you've seen pull these early Land Rover's through some of the roughest environments on earth. When recently discovered this truck had sat since 1980, but was remarkably complete and dry, proving to be an excellent base for a restoration.
The truck was stripped and completely repainted during the restoration, which included the chassis being sand blasted and treated with POR-15's Chassis Paint. As mentioned, the truck was very dry when found and only required minor rust repair. Some of these areas included the rear crossmember and lower right section of bulkhead. All replacement panels sourced from Rovers North. The body was refinished using a urethane single-stage paint system in the original Pastel Green. New doors were sourced during this process, as the originals were found to be rough condition. Interior floors and undercarriage were refinished using a rubberized finish that is more rugged and generally wears better than the original finish.
The truck is mechanically strong and engine is said to have good compression and does not smoke. The four-speed manual transmission shifts smoothly and without issues.
Listed below are some of the mechanical details that were carried out during the restoration :
- Front axle rebuilt with all new swivel balls, bearings, etc.- New, correct, cloth-covered wiring harness added from England- Solex carburetor rebuilt- Rebuilt generator- Rebuilt starter- New, correct fuel tank and correct fuel sender (Truck has not seen ethanol fuel since restoration)- Much, much more.
Below are some of the updates performed during the restoration to help make this Series II more enjoyable, as well as safer and more reliable:
- Rocky Mountain parabolic springs (Improves ride quality)- Rocky Mountain all-aluminum door tops- Converted to negative ground 3-point, retractable seat belts added for driver/passenger- Spin-on style oil filter added
The Series II is a 1961 model year, but is incorrectly titled as a 1962 currently. The truck is available for inspection in a climate-controlled garage in Charlotte, NC, 15 mins from CLT. Pre-Purchase inspections are strongly encouraged.
Be prepared to meet new people, as the truck is a charmer and always a crowd pleaser whether at shows or on the street!