1977 Land Rover Series III

This Series III hails from 1977, being first registered in August of that year. Presenting today in 2.25-litre petrol form and 88” short wheelbase guise. Not too much is known about its history although it is thought to have had a military connection at some point in its past.

This 88” was acquired by the current owner in October 2020 with around 70,000 kms registering on the odometer at that stage. Light use has clearly ensued with less than 4,000 kms being added to the total in the intervening five years. Whilst there is no supporting paperwork on hand to provide definitive verification it is thought that the engine has benefitted from a top end rebuild. The Series III runs on unleaded fuel, reportedly, suggesting the appropriate valve seat conversion, at a minimum, has been previously undertaken.
 

Today, this Series III presents with a distinctly military demeanour. The army style green livery was registered as a change with the DVLA in December 2020, shortly after the current keeper’s acquisition. The presence of a black finished grill, headlight surrounds, bumper and snorkel only serve to enhance the “covert ops” character. The currently fitted bikini canvas hood and topless doors mean that this Land Rover might look very much at home on patrol in the humid jungles of Borneo or similar tropical location. For fresher climes a full sized hood in a tan hue is also present, together with the required hoops and door tops.  

The paintwork is generally in good condition and presents in a military style “drab” finish rather than a full gloss. Inevitably enough for this type of vehicle, there are some noted areas of running, cracking and obvious touch ups which can all easily be categorised as “all part of the Land Rover charm.” The underlying, Birmabright body panels look impressively straight and true, however. At the rear a large regimental motif in sticker form is noted. This is marked “Den Kongelige Livgarde” in tribute to the Danish Lifeguards, a mechanised division of the Danish Army.

A seemingly recently painted set of 16-inch steel wheels are fitted. Their black finish is in keeping with the other black accents of this 88”. A chunky looking set of 7.50 x 16 inch offroad tyres are fitted with a fifth mounted, in traditional form, on the bonnet.
 

Although the Series III was a last of the line model, in some ways far removed from Maurice Wilks’ original concept, the interior remained an object lesson in rugged utility. With trim substrates limited to vinyl, painted Birmabright and rubber, a quick dowse with a hose is all that’s needed to return a mud-caked cabin back to factory-spec. 

The Series signature three-abreast seats are still in hard wearing black vinyl but are a set of “deluxe” articles with headrest apertures on the outer pair. The dashboard and driver facing instrument binnacle looks to have been updated at some point. The speedometer is the usual white-on-black Jaeger gauge with it and its and odometer reading in kilometres. This has been joined by a later trio of ancillary gauges possibly from a later Defender. The steering wheel is now an attractive wood rimmed item with three black finished alloy spokes. The other key control interfaces consist of the charmingly dog-leg shaped gear lever, the red-topped range selector lever, and the yellow topped four-wheel drive selector. A highly desirable Fairey overdrive is fitted lending this Series a much more civilised gait on faster roads.

The rear cabin features twin, folding passenger benches finished with square edged, black vinyl cushions. The floor panel is finished in a ribbed and fitted rubber mat and a drop down, suspended tailgate provides access for both people and / or cargo.
 

As mentioned earlier this Land Rover is powered by the erstwhile 2.25-litre four cylinder engine. This unit is thought to be the Land Rover’s original one and, if so, is the earlier three bearing iteration as fitted in 1977. For those that know their Series Land Rovers, the petrol unit is generally the preferred option. It is a little more powerful than its diesel sibling, quieter and hardly any less economical. Some useful work has seemingly been undertaken on this unit, too. An electronic ignition is fitted, and the top end of the engine is believed to have been rebuilt at some point. In any event the keeper speaks of a Series Land Rover that starts easily and runs smoothly and goes about its mechanical duties effectively.

The under bonnet presentation is original looking with some more recent componentry in evidence. It is great to see the original oil bath air filter still present, given how often these are swapped out for something more contemporary, and often less effective. 

The underside looks commensurate with a Land Rover of this vintage with just some minor surface corrosion being in evidence. Signs of the odd replacement panel are noted on the nearside and part of the nearside front wheel arch has corroded to leave a fist sized hole in evidence.
 

Just the V5 Registration Document in the name of the owner is included with the Land Rover. This documents the number of previous owners and classifies the Land Rover as an Historic Vehicle. As such it is considered MoT exempt and zero rated for Vehicle Excise Duty in the UK. The Land Rover was last MoT’d in 2019 at an indicated 69,115 kilometres. An advisory free pass was achieved at that stage.

The Series III was the pinnacle of the Wilks’s original Land Rover concept and, as a result, the most useable and practical to use and enjoy in 2025. The 2.25-litre petrol versions are becoming additionally sought after for offering everything that the diesel does but with more refinement (a relative term, of course) and ultimately surprisingly similar economy (another relative term). Those vehicles with a rugged military aesthetic seem particularly popular and, for road use, a Fairey overdrive is significant boon to both aural comfort and economy.

This Series III 88” offers all this and more. It certainly has the military bearing down pat and has seemingly enjoyed a diligent level of stewardship over the years. There are some nice extras fitted, such as the bikini hood and the wood rimmed steering wheel, and it is reported to run very nicely and start with ease thanks to the electronic ignition and earlier engine work. Given all this it is hard to imagine a more enjoyable way to spend a hot summer and autumn than behind the wheel of this Series III.  

We are happy to offer this car for auction with an estimate in the range of £14,000 - £17,000.

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located at Bonhams|Cars Online HQ. Viewings are STRICTLY BY APPOINTMENT and we are open weekdays between 10am - 12pm or 2pm - 4pm. To make a booking, please use the ‘Enquire About This Vehicle’ button on the listing. Feel free to ask any questions, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.