Thread: Series IIA - Bega barn find - 'Southern Cross'

Landrovers were available from the start of S2 production, if not earlier, as cab/chassis. These were originally intended for the installation of special bodies such as cranes, cherrypickers etc rather than flat trays, but trays became more popular than ute bodies in Australia from the early sixties, possibly as rural suppliers started to use forklifts.

Until the late sixties, the trays were invariably made locally or at least at the state distribution centre. For example the one I owned had a rather heavy steel tray made in Adelaide, although the vehicle was sold new in Alice Springs.

Somewhere either in late S2a, or early S3, Rover Australia started to fit their own trays at the factory in Sydney. These, or at least the one I have, were rather lightly built steel trays. These never completely replaced locally built ones - the 1981 S3 I disassembled here had an owner-built steel tray.

The trays usually mounted on the same attachment points as the standard tub, with some way of transferring load in a more distributed fashion, although this varied - my 1961 2a had the straight bearers of the tray resting on lengths of wood, flat on top, but shaped to follow the chassis profile on the bottom, and held on by four large U-bolts.

Typical trays on 109s were about six inches (15cm) wider than the Landrover body, and overhung the rear crossmember by about a foot (30cm), but some were wider and longer. Trays were occasiionally fitted to 88s, but these were always quite rare - 88s were mostly soft tops where cost was a major concern, or for government departments etc hardtops. Primary producers normally bought either soft top 88s or trayback 109s by the sixties. Industrial users such as exploration or mining companies etc usually bought trayback 109s by the sixties. (Very few Series 2a Landrovers were bought new by private owners - most of these, like myself, bought second hand! Private owners buying new 4x4s did not really start until the late sixties to early seventies. And even then, they tended to buy Rangerovers.)

Hope this helps

Originally Posted by JDNSW

Helps to have been driving and/or owning Landrovers for nearly sixty years - and collecting books!

Thanks very much for such a detailed write up JDNSW. I've just ordered a couple of books online, am awaiting their arrival and looking forward to reading them.

Land Rover Series I II IIA Gold Portfolio 19481971 by R. M. Clarke and a Maintenance and Upgrade Manual for Series II, IIA and III by Richard Hall.

trim over chopped off back.JPG Here is a pic of the way our cab has been finished off at the body. Looks like the trim you usually see on the back end.

cheers
Veronica