1963 Land Rover Series IIA 88 LHD 4x4 Overland Build, $47K invested

1963 Land Rover Defender Series IIA Description

Up for auction is my IIA 88 which has been a labor of love for me.This is a day I certainly thought would never come. This truck is well documented and began life in Warwickshire, UK. It was shipped to Land Rover North America Retail here and met its first owner in Alabama. A few years later it was sold to a farm in WA where it spent most of its life ambling around, regularly serviced. The truck went in for a major service in 2008 where the owner also decided to opt for a rather wild paint scheme. Shortly thereafter, I found and purchased the vehicle. My plan was to keep working on it as a hobby, which has been great and enjoyable for the past few years. Unfortunately, short term monetary circumstances now force me to sell. Here's the current state of affairs:
This particular Rover is remarkable (besides the build) in that the mileage has been very low & there is very little to no rust. Some very light surface underneath but not much. Any lingering rust was repaired in 2010. I'll be happy to send any additional pictures you like. The body is in a primer & paint. I was planning on doing my own body and paint work. I have completed most of what I wanted to do to the truck besides that. The body has a few light knocks from its time on the farm. Charm points, if you will. The worst of this is on the rear driver quarter, where a little bandaid has temporarily been applied and resprayed to prevent further damage & rusting. The body could use work but the rest is very solid.
Remarkably for an early 1960s English rig, it has never not started on me in all the time I've owned it. The powertrain is extremely dependable and has been since I purchased it. It has been well cared for over its life and it shows. Some of the wiring has been patched, which is another item I was planning on tending to, but it all of it functions perfectly. Please be aware if you wish to do this work on it in the future it is a reverse polarity system. All the electrics run well, however, and the winch load / LED load has been no problem. The only running problems ever encountered were from a clogged fuel pump. The pump and carb have both been replaced in the last year and it runs beautifully. Overdrive, parabolic springs, and noisekiller sound deadening have all added hugely to the drivability. I have PDF documents for all the work done since 2009.
The labor totals 30K USD and the parts total 17K USD. 47XXX USD invested thus far in total. I cannot attach PDFs of receipts here as per eBay rules, but would like to message them to anyone interested. Please just sent me question to receive them. Some of the larger ticket items include . . .

(4) New Rocky Mountain Rover Parabolic Leaf springs & Poly Bushings

(1) Rock Mount Rover Front Disc Brake Conversion & Calipers

(5) 6.5"x16" Original vent wheels with LT255/85R BFG Mud-Terrains

(4) Bilstein FXP Shocks

(1) Roverdrive Overdrive

(1) Full front Defender-style wing conversion

(4) Truck-Lite LED Headlights

(1) New Aluminum Top, Aluminum Doortops, and rubber weather seals all around

(5) Seat Belts, including shoulder anti-sub up front and lap rear

(1) ARB On Board Air Compressor

(1) Full Noisekiller Underhood, Driver Cabin, and Rear Bed Soundproofing

(1) ARB Full Bull Bar for Series IIA

(1) Smittybilt X20 10 000LB Winch and Mounting Plate

. . . with various external accessories, such as the Front Runner spare tire BBQ grate, Front Runner jerry cans, a HI-LIFT 60 inch Jack & Mounting plate, Rovers North rear tow hitch mount, Rovers North pickaxe & shovel w/ wing Mounts, Front Runner hood spare mount, Interior Rubber matting, rear light & turn signal replacement, etc. There's a ton not listed here. The truck is also wired for a Luna Powerpack Auxiliary Battery system in the bed. I need it in my other truck--always swapped back and forth. The pack isn't bad. Installation or wiring was by far and away more expensive.
This IIA also recently came out of a very intensive service. Over the last four years, the following has been replaced or serviced: all fluids, springs, brakes, bushings, shocks, fluids, fuel tank, total transmission rebuild, overdrive, differentials, distributor, radiator, frame, steering box, heater, wipers, timing, fuel system, oil pan, drive shaft, tie rods and rear brake shoes amongst others. Just had a once over with all fluids last month. Against, just message me for a full, itemized PDF of receipts.
Currently the truck runs and drives beautifully. I've been taking it out on weekends--mostly around the city with occasional trails--and loving it. Starts every time and drives beautifully. Could be a dependable daily, although (I think this goes without saying) it is a bit slow. It's a great truck and well suited to trail use. If I were able to go back, I'd probably choose smaller rubber. The tires have never actually rubbed on me, because they sit well inside the arches (especially when articulating), but aesthetically it would be an improvement. Functionally fine. I would also recommend bodywork & paint eventually, that's next on my list. Its just a little shouty for my taste now, but to each their own. Overall this is a very solid, dependable and awesome truck. One of the things I love most about driving it is that the public seems to adore it. Next to Lotuses, old Bentleys, and Panteras, it still always draws a loving crowd. It is by far and away the most complimented & thumbs-upped car I've owned. I'll be sad to see it go.
The auction will end Sunday. A 1000 USD deposit is due 48 hrs after auction's close, the remainder is due in the following week. I accept wire transfer and cashiers checks. The truck is located in Boulder, CO. Any shipper is buyer's responsibility, though I am happy to assist as best I can. If you have any questions, please feel free to send me a message. I'll be monitoring nightly throughout the auction. Otherwise, thank you for looking and good luck bidding!