1981 Land Rover Series III 109 Station Wagon

As you will see from the photos in the gallery below, this August 1981 registered Marine Blue Land Rover Series III 109” LWB Station Wagon, with a 2.25-litre (2286cc) petrol engine, has recently come through a full nut and bolt restoration and rebuild, taking hundreds of hours and retaining as many original parts as possible.

Although it displays around 15,500 miles on the odometer and has probably been around the clock at least once, this Series III effectively begins life again at zero as it is more or less factory spec like new.

Since its rebuild was completed last year, this classic 109 has only been driven around 1,000 miles and was taken in part exchange for a modernised Defender model.

As you’d expect from a recent and very thorough restoration, the Marine Blue paint and bodywork across the vehicle is superb. Although there are those who want their Series Land Rovers to be battle-scarred and carrying the odd donor panel from a different coloured vehicle, this 109 appears pretty much as it did when it left Solihull nearly 40 years ago.

All external trims and appendages, such as the galvanised cappings and framing, hinges, catches, badges, vents, lights, mirrors and grilles also show in a very good condition, having been either restored or replaced.

The limestone coloured double-skinned “Safari Roof” looks in very good condition too, designed to keep cool in summer and to reduce condensation in the cold, and something unique to the Station Wagon model.

The vehicle sits on refurbished and period-correct limestone-coloured steel rims with new and practically unused General Grabber all-terrain tyres. The front wheels are fitted with Fairey free-wheeling hubs for increased efficiency in 2WD mode. As befits (and really suits) such an expeditionary vehicle, there are two spare wheels mounted; one on the bonnet and one on the rear door - both having new Kingpin Advantage retread tyres fitted.

One of the key features of the Series Land Rovers was the almost total absence of interior trim. Inspired by the wartime Jeeps, the Land Rover was designed as a true utility vehicle that could be taken anywhere then hosed down inside and out to clean it.

What trim there is in this Series III appears new and in a really super condition, from the same Marine Blue paint which adorns almost every fixed surface, to the dashboard, controls, seating and heavy duty rubber floor mats. The only flaws we can see are the damage to the lower right hand corner of the dashboard and the corresponding corner of the door trim.

The “Deluxe” style black vinyl front seats (introduced for the Series III) look in good order, as do the more austere standard seat pads in the middle and rear. There are a few small splits on the driver’s seat but nothing that couldn’t be easily replaced or repaired. All have seatbelts or lap straps, but these appear to be of the period static style rather than more modern inertia reel belts.

Those new to Series Landies will notice the abundance of centrally placed levers - a conventional black gear stick for selecting reverse or 4 forward gears (in either range), red knob to transfer drive between the low and high ratio gearboxes, yellow knob to select four-wheel-drive in high range (applied automatically in low ratio) and finally the handbrake which unlike most cars operates on the transmission rather than the wheels so should only be used when the vehicle is stationary.

In the rear, black rubber “checker plate” covers the floor. Up above, the headlining is the original and is in a good condition, albeit with an overall patina.

The engine bay on this Series III is still pretty simplistic and has the original engine. It presents like a textbook in basic mechanics with easy access to all components thanks to the empty space that nowadays would be computer-designed to be filled with all manner of electronics and modern ancillaries.

The Land Rover’s ground clearance makes it a lot easier to get photos of the underneath without using a ramp, and the gallery also has plenty of shots of the vehicle during the build-up phase of the restoration which all show the superb condition of the undersides and running gear and the attention to detail which has been paid.

The original re-galvanised chassis and cross members are clearly visible and everything attached to them can be seen in immaculate, clean and freshly painted order, with just a little surface rust on things like the rear leaf springs.

The Land Rover has a current MOT valid until June 2021, which it passed first time with no advisories. There has been no previous MOT in the last 15 years.

Around 18 months to two years ago, this vehicle underwent an extensive nut and bolt restoration and rebuild by Williams Classics of Abergele, North Wales - a well known Land Rover specialist - and has been driven only around 1,000 miles since.

No expense was spared on this vehicle, and there is too much to list everything, but the rebuild included:

- Engine, gearbox and axles overhauled

- Brakes including wheel cylinders, brake pipes, shoes and drums

- New fuel tank

- New shock absorbers

- New lights all round

- New clutch, slave cylinder, master cylinder

- New wiring loom

- New carburettor, coil, points and HT leads

- All galvanizing stripped and reapplied

Additional extras fitted include a Fairey overdrive and free wheeling hubs, which improve the driving experience on faster roads.

The Series III 109” Station Wagon is a popular and desirable variant of Series Land Rover - able to seat 12 people; we won’t say “in comfort”, but certainly they’ll get an entertaining ride. The 2.25-litre petrol engine on this example starts and runs well, and there is little more that a new owner needs to do to this Series III besides just splashing in some fuel and, when restrictions allow, getting out and about in it.

We’re estimating that this superbly rebuilt matching numbers vehicle will sell for between £26,000 and £36,000. That may sound absurd to those who still think you can pick up old Landies for four figure sums but this Station Wagon has been expertly preserved and restored to a fabulously original condition by a renowned marque specialist.

Given that these older Land Rovers can be repaired and maintained by someone having only the most basic skills with an adjustable spanner and a pocketful of loose change, it makes them ideal for both first-time classic owners and marque enthusiasts alike. Factor in their rock-solid residuals, low cost of insurance and iconic classless status and you’ll be wondering why you haven’t already placed a bid.

Inspection is always encouraged (within Govt. guidelines of course), and this particular car is located with us at The Market HQ near 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’.