Curious Questions about IIA identity

[COFFEY76]

G'day

Started rebuilding our old land rover about 12 months ago, while i believe its a 1969 series 2A ive always been put off by the head lights being in the wings.

I know that Series III had lights in the guards but they had a surrounding light mould, mine doesnt its just the head lights flush with the rest of the guard. The indicator and parker lights are also fixed flush with the guard.

The fitment of the lights look neat and there is no evidence of lights ever being mounted next to the grille

Chassis number is 34704247 D

I have heard 68 and 69 have sometimes been described as transitional phases of design and so the lights moved to the wings before they recieved the SIII light surround....

was wondering if anyone could help me out???? hahah

cheers James

P.S. this is an old photo and car looks much healthier now.

[drifter]

I would suspect that someone has put those lights out there.

I have a '71 2a with headlights in the mudguards and they have the full 'recessed' mounting system.

If you look at your 'grill' in that picture, you can clearly see where headlights could have been mounted.

My '71 grill/radiator support doesn't have those holes - but my '63~66 2a does.

This is the '71:

http://kiwi-in-oz.com/pictures/photos/800/1D320601.jpg

[series3]

Are there any 'bugeye' series 2a's in Australia?

[drifter]

Are there any 'bugeye' series 2a's in Australia?

What do you call 'bugeye'?

[series3]

I think the 'bugeye'was some kind of transitional model when the lights moved from the rad support panel to the guards. Fairly rare model..

http://www.landrover.vlothuizen.nl/images/bugeye/brochurebugeyeklein.GIF

[BigJon]

Yep, someone has retrofitted the lights into the wings, and don't they look shocking! My Series I has had that particular "improvement" and I hate it!

[COFFEY76]

Yeah i see how next to the grille there are clearly holes for the lights. but lookin closer i cant honestly see how lights could ever fit in there cos the battery covers up the right hole and the catch can covers up the left side.

(of course that could be because not original engine and has 202 and different radiator)

ive heard of 'bugeye' and thats what i had thought mine was. along with the lack of evidence that the lights were mounted anywhere but the wings (not bolt holes or rubber seal left over on grille)

[Mick-Kelly]

Your original lights would have been in the radiator support grill area. The holden motor has caused some bodging of this grill and the battery etc. were not there from factory. I much prefer the lights in the original position.

[COFFEY76]

did SIIA utes ever come out with an extra petrol tank in the rear right of the tray? as ive noticed faint outlines of bog overing what i would assume to be a petrol filler. i was under the impression this petrol tank only come out in station wagons......

[JDNSW]

As said, you can see where the lights originally were. The "bug-eye" Landrovers were NAS (North American Spec) Series 2a, to meet US light positioning requirements, and looked quite similar to yours. They were sold in the late sixties, before the setup introduced in 1969 and continued into the Series 3.

The rear petrol tank is not listed as an option for the four cylinder models but is standard for the six (and station wagons), so there is no reason why it could not have been fitted. However, I would guess that you have an original four cylinder chassis, but it has had the tub replaced with one from a six.

John

[mikesolo]

Hi

Its amazing, how the old land rover series vehicles can be built up from so many different vehicles. Mine has many different breeds.
Series 2 front wings, 2a Ex Army body, series 2 chassis with an ex army 2a rear bar and a motor made up of anything that they could find.

Mike

[Sideroad]

Yes they did, my 1968 109 6cyl has a rear filler (and lights in guards similar to S3), but the same filler type as the wagon. Mine is a 'home market' shipped over built to customer order.


did SIIA utes ever come out with an extra petrol tank in the rear right of the tray? as ive noticed faint outlines of bog overing what i would assume to be a petrol filler. i was under the impression this petrol tank only come out in station wagons......

[COFFEY76]

Yes they did, my 1968 109 6cyl has a rear filler (and lights in guards similar to S3), but the same filler type as the wagon. Mine is a 'home market' shipped over built to customer order.

Do you also have a tank under the drivers seat? or only the tank at the back?
im certain that i used to have one cos there is a crude aluminium plate covering where the tank would have been in the back.

[Sideroad]

yes, also have a tank under the driver seat, but looks to be added after factory (not the neatest cut out), possibly to suit customer order. If it did have a rear tank, the floor will have some access holes to get at the fuel sender etc.

[Mick-Kelly]

yes, also have a tank under the driver seat, but looks to be added after factory (not the neatest cut out), possibly to suit customer order. If it did have a rear tank, the floor will have some access holes to get at the fuel sender etc.
That vehicle is my idea of perfection.

[COFFEY76]

I believe ive asked the stupidest question in History. i just remembered the old fuel line still sticks out of the tray in the back....

im a nong

[Lotz-A-Landies]

<snip>

The fitment of the lights look neat and there is no evidence of lights ever being mounted next to the grille

Chassis number is 34704247 D
<snip>The suffix letter says it all.

The wide headlamp models were Suffix G and Suffix H.

As someone has said, the holes in the radiator support (grill) panel in the attached image is correct to the suffix D "crosseyed" headlamp models.

The "Bugeye" models were issued in countries where changed legislation required the headlamps to be within a relatively small distance of the edge of the vehicle. Places like the NADA (North America) specification vehicles. I don't believe we had any "bugeye's" sold here new! While Australia did change the ADR's they had sufficient timeframe to introduce the suffix G without having to resort to the bugeye configuration.

I always wonder why the CJ JEEP, its successors and it's clones get away with the headlamps so far from the side alignment of the vehicle? :confused:

Diana

[Sideroad]

if you can see the the fuel filler hose in the rear then it is an after market addition as the 'wagon' style is much lower. (and a much more of a hassle to fill as a result of being lower)


I believe ive asked the stupidest question in History. i just remembered the old fuel line still sticks out of the tray in the back....

im a nong

[Sideroad]

I did convert to a flat tray but am going back to the original style side. I think it just looks so much better. I run without a roof now, though I do wuss out on rainy weeks and put the canvas on.


That vehicle is my idea of perfection.