1963 Land Rover SERIES II

In the care of the vendor for the past three years, we are delighted to be able to offer this delightful Series II Land Rover. Fresh from a complete nut-and-bolt restoration that took him and a pal eighteen months to complete, it drives as well as it looks and would make the centerpiece in any discerning car collector’s garage.

A large part of its appeal is the fact that he took the time to refurbish as many original parts as possible; buying and fitting new parts might be the easiest way to restore a car but doing so risks stripping it of its character and originality, so we were pleased to hear that he believes that the engine and running gear are the originals, and that lovely little touches like the single motor windscreen wiper system and the floor-mounted main beam dip switch have survived. It is however fitted around a drand new galvanised chassis.

With fewer than 100 miles on the odometer since being completed, this incredible Series II needs nothing other than gently running in over the next weeks and months – and who knows, if we get the snow we have been promised then you’ll have it in time to rescue your neighbours in the neighborhood’s most stylish 4x4.

The green paintwork (is it even a Land Rover if it isn’t green?) is all new and the top of the front wings is protected by chequer plate, which has also been painted. This nod towards modernity makes the front wings the perfect place to stand your cup of tea while you’re out surveying your domain.

Other practical features spring to mind: rural legend has it that the Series II’s wire mesh front grille has been utilized to form an impromptu barbeque grille. This one looks minty fresh and appears to have only ever been used to fulfill a more traditionally decorate and protective role but, who knows? It would be a great boast to be able to make, saying that you grilled freshly caught mackerel on the beach on it, wouldn’t it?

And then there is the new canvas roof. Beautifully finished in an attractive tan colour, open-top motoring is available whenever the sun makes an appearance. Of course, it isn’t quite as weathertight as an MX5’s but then the MX5 can’t conquer Africa, can it? (Although I’m sure a future episode of Top Gear will prove me wrong…)

As is usual, the bumpers appear to have been constructed out of leftover bits of the Forth Bridge, but that’s okay too because no-one is going to bully you on the school run in something like this, are they? And there’s no need to worry about kerbing your expensive alloy wheels and ultra-low profile directional tyres either because a) it hasn’t got alloy wheels, and b) it doesn’t have low-profile tyres, either.

What it does have is a set of beautifully painted steel wheels that you can hammer into shape if you ever dent them - not that you will ever dent one because they are wearing a set of high-profile road-biased tyres that will bounce off even the stoutest of kerbs. And, while you might think you want chunky mud tyres you don’t, not really because they’ll howl on the road, let go at the slightest hint of rain, and pitch you around the cabin like a Tasmanian Devil in a washing machine.

And, as we will never tyre of explaining, our experience shows that matching high-quality tyres are an infallible sign of a caring and mechanically sympathetic owner who is prepared to spend the appropriate amount in maintaining their car properly. Their presence does not, of course, preclude the need for a thorough inspection - something the vendor would welcome, by the way – but do give you a shortcut into their attitude towards maintenance.

A towbar and electrics have been fitted, plus black wing-mounted mirrors which almost completely remove the blind spot we are all used to having to put up with the door-mounted jobbies everyone fits today. Freshly galvanized trim pieces complete the traditional Landy look, and the whole kit and caboodle should stay rust-free almost indefinitely with only a modicum of care.

This is the part where we normally mention inch-perfect shutlines and ripple-free flanks but if we were to do so we would understand your incredulity; this is, after all, a Series II Land Rover and they came looking distinctly secondhand from the factory. The bulkhead looks as though it is the original, you can see where it was shot-blasted and cleaned prior to the repaint.

(The rumour is that when the Germans bought Land Rover one of its senior engineers was boasting of the panel fit across the BMW range to the boys in Solihull: “We lock a cat inside each car overnight, and when we find it suffocated in the morning then we know the door seals are up to scratch.”

An old hand took a drag of his rollup before saying in a broad Brummie accent: “Yes, we have something similar. We lock a cat inside overnight, too. If it hasn’t escaped by the morning then the vehicle is passed by quality control.”)

So, the panels don’t fit like a new Range Rover but they are almost certainly better than they were in period. The flanks are a bit wibbly too, and there is the odd run in the paint and some orange peel, but nothing ages better than a Series Land Rover and a few imperfections and, later, battle scars only add to its character.

The interior is as nicely finished as the exterior, being both attractive and highly practical. Hell, it even boasts a genuine Smiths heater, something that was still an option, back-in-the-day.

Three levers (count ‘em, three!) sprout from the floor and they need a firm hand to muscle them into position; there’s no fancy electronic trickery on offer here, just metal-on-metal analogue controls that can be mended with a bit of wood and a hammer in the unlikely event they ever stop working.  

Three makes an appearance on the seating front too, with triple seating across the full width of the cabin. Newly trimmed in an attractive grey leather, they are considerably more upmarket than they were when new…

As does the rear of the Landy, which sports two bench seats - trimmed in grey leather to match the front seats - plus a very good spare wheel and tyre. Carpeted to add a touch of luxury that was lacking when it left the factory, it’s a pretty nice place to be and should provide enough space for all your mates plus a day’s worth of accoutrements.

Everything else is painted green: the floors, the doors, and even the dashboard. There are no door trims, no padded dashboard, and no air-conditioning. But, there is a full-width flap that can be opened to admit fresh air when you are hot, and grey plastic tubes snake their way up to the windscreen to provide a spot of heat and defrosting when you are cold. 

As we have mentioned, originality was important to the vendor and he took the time to restore and retain the original single-motor windscreen wipers, floor-mounted main beam dip switch, and start/stop button. And, in what might be a first for us, we can see that he even went to the trouble and expense of having the instruments professionally restored and the speedometer calibrated.

Levers, buttons, and random bits of metal jockey for position. It’s all a bit chaotic but charmingly restored and wonderfully refreshing in a time when ergonomics and H&S drive design to the exclusion of individuality.

The hood looks to be new, and even the hood sticks, the bit everyone forgets about, are straight and nicely painted. All-in-all, the owner has done a lovely job in here.

Work to do would seem to be limited to fitting some rubber mats to protect the painted floor, and to tidy up some of the wiring as a couple of the earthing points look in need of a finishing touch.

The engine bay is both neater and cleaner than just about any Land Rover’s we can remember seeing – and it boasts a battery the size of the Bismarck, which should make for easy starting on even the coldest morning.

Beautifully detailed, the worst we can say of it is that the slightly grubby windscreen washer fluid bottle could do with cleaning or replacing. That this is the extent of our legendary pickiness says a lot about the time and effort that has gone into getting into the condition you see today.

As can be seen, the chassis is brand new and the underside is a mixture of galvanised metal and painted surfaces. Many new and shiny objects have been bolted on under there too, and it would almost be a shame to see them covered in mud, especially the ones that still wear their genuine Land Rover parts stickers.

The engine was stripped before being carefully rebuilt, and the work included having the fuel pump and injectors professionally overhauled and refurbished. It now starts and runs beautifully, as well it might considering what it cost.

It drives like an old Landy should, too. Which is to say that it needs driving rather than piloting, but everything operates as it was designed too with the exception of the brakes, which can bind in reverse. The seller thinks this might be down to them bedding in following the restoration.

The online MOT history shows nothing of concern whatsoever and the current MOT certificate expires in December 2020. The car comes with a sheaf of invoices to confirm the parts that were fitted to it during its recent restoration.

Please visit the documents section of the gallery of this listing where you will find photos of this and other paperwork to support our claim that this car has been restored to a very good standard.

If you’d like to inspect the car prior to placing a bid – something we would encourage – then please contact us to arrange an appointment.

The adage that every car enthusiast should own an Alfa Romeo at some point in their life might be a bit of a cliché but there is some truth in it. But, while we are talking about Bucket list cars then we also think that every petrolhead should own and drive at least one of the Ground Zero vehicles, the Genesis and inspiration for all that came after them: cars like the original Mini, the Fiat 500, the Citroën 2CV and, of course, the Land Rover.

Yes, it’s a bit crude in places, and yes, it can be a bit of a handful to steer around a multi-storey car-park but nothing, and we do mean nothing, beats driving along a beach with the roof off and a bunch of mates in the back.

Add in all-weather mobility, super-tough mechanicals that are easy and cheap to repair, and some of the most reasonable running costs in the classic car world and we think that few cars can be rationalised as a sensible investment more easily than a Series Land Rover.

And, the owner tells us that it is, in his opinion, one of the best restored Series II Land Rovers on the market today. Suitable for the collector and enthusiast alike, this is a vehicle that looks as good as it goes and should prove to be a decent investment for the prudent investor looking for somewhere fun to put their money.

As to value, we think it should reach somewhere between £18,500 and £23,000, at which price point it represents good value. No, it won’t be the cheapest Series 2 you’ll see this year, but quality is worth paying for, especially if you’ve got an eye to its future resale value…

Viewing is always encouraged, and this car can be seen here at The Market HQ in Abingdon; to arrange an appointment please use the ‘Contact Seller’ button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.

If needed, please remember we have a network of trusted suppliers we work with regularly and can recommend: Classic & Sportscar Finance for purchase-financing, Footman James for classic car insurance Thames Valley Car Storage for storing your car and AnyVan for transporting it.

BORING, but IMPORTANT: Please note that whilst we at The Market always aim to offer the most descriptive and transparent auction listings available, we cannot claim they are perfect analyses of any of the vehicles for sale. We offer far greater opportunity for bidders to view, or arrange inspections for each vehicle thoroughly prior to bidding than traditional auctions, and we never stop encouraging bidders to take advantage of this. We do take a good look at the vehicles delivered to our premises for sale, but this only results in our unbiased personal observations, not those of a qualified inspector or other professional, or the result of a long test drive.

Additionally, please note that most of the videos on our site have been recorded using simple cameras which often result in 'average' sound quality; in particular, engines and exhausts notes can sound a little different to how they are in reality.

Please note that this is sold as seen and that, as is normal for used goods bought at auction, the Sale of Goods Act 1979 does not apply. See our FAQs for more info, and feel free to inspect any vehicle as much as you wish.