Thread: Series III SWB Soft Top Rear Seats - Advice Needed

Originally Posted by mick88

Check with the Hohars on here as they have a Series 3 88" soft top registered in Qld.
It may have rear seats.


Cheers, Mick.

Mine didn't come with rear seats. The imported UK one the same as Alistair's here has no rear seats. The owner of the 90, as they are called in the UK, it is the change over from series to defender, so go somewhere else and call it a Defender. Yes Alistair I have found your post

Mrs hh

Originally Posted by The ho har's

Mine didn't come with rear seats. The imported UK one the same as Alistair's here has no rear seats. The owner of the 90, as they are called in the UK, it is the change over from series to defender, so go somewhere else and call it a Defender.

Thanks very much for getting back to me. I will keep on asking around for someone who has a SWB Series III Soft Top with (legally installed and registered) rear seats who I can use as a reference for WA DoT.

I promise you though - it is a Series III not a 90. It just has a 'rearranged' front end to make way for the V8(!) The rest of it is pure leaf-sprung series... mostly.

Originally Posted by Alistair

Thanks very much for getting back to me. I will keep on asking around for someone who has a SWB Series III Soft Top with (legally installed and registered) rear seats who I can use as a reference for WA DoT.

I promise you though - it is a Series III not a 90. It just has a 'rearranged' front end to make way for the V8(!) The rest of it is pure leaf-sprung series... mostly.

Interesting the 90 we have here is a V8 also, well was, has now a 3.5 chevy motor in it

Mrs hh

Originally Posted by The ho har's

Interesting the 90 we have here is a V8 also, well was, has now a 3.5 chevy motor in it

Mrs hh

I have posted the link before, but there are a couple of representative photos here:

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/5mdvolusp...YaAKa'dl=0

Cheers

Alistair

These vehicles are complicated sometimes. Our 101 when registered in QLD was a first, 1978 101 forward control on gas, never heard of in QLD, so the supervisor punch in the details and bob is your uncle Registered

Mrs hh

Originally Posted by The ho har's

These vehicles are complicated sometimes. Our 101 when registered in QLD was a first, 1978 101 forward control on gas, never heard of in QLD, so the supervisor punch in the details and bob is your uncle Registered

Mrs hh

I didn't think about 101s.

I assume that your's is a soft top. How many people is it registered to seat and what is it registered as? UTE or Tourer or something else?

Thanks

Alistair

Originally Posted by Alistair

Hi everyone - advice needed on Series III SWB Soft Top rear seats.

Some of you may have seen my thread on my recent importation of my Series III SWB Soft Top from the UK and the problem I had with the factory fitted rear inwards facing bench seats at the roadworthy.

To cut a long story short, the car started off life in the UK as a hard top with rear inwards facing bench seats (2 x people each side) fitted as factory standard. By the time I imported it to Australia it was a soft top, retaining the inwards facing bench seats.

At the initial Roadworthy the WA DoT inspector objected to the rear seats in the cargo area of a UTE as he perceived it. The only way ahead was to remove the rear seats for the re-test. I did this and the vehicle passed and is now successfully registered and on the road as a 2 seat UTE.

That is great, however it doesn't meet my seating reqirement (4 occupants mimimum) and I now want to (legally) put at least two seats into the rear. Side or forward facing. This is proving an unexpectedly complex problem in terms of getting the required modification permit past the WA DoT.

I do have a number of possible options but I need some advice and evidence to strengthen my case for my basic option which is to simply put in the two original bench seats in their original position.

Does anyone own an original Australian specification Series III SWB soft top (any age but circa 1982 ideally) with factory fitted rear seats (and belts)? Any configuration of rear seats would do, be it bench seats or 4 x inwards facing single seats (which was also a UK option). It does need to be a soft top however as that is the current sticking point...

If so, could you send me some photos of the rear seating arrangement and a description of how the vehicle is registered?

I have just sent 2 emails to Land Rover Australia customer services.

In the first one I asked them if they have any historic records or references as to what Series III vehicles were sold in Australia and in what configurations. I am not holding my breath about the answer to that one.

In the second I asked them what this is going to be registered as when it actually becomes available in 5 months time (UTE, Tourer or something else):

Build your Range Rover Evoque - Models

Only really 34 years and $100K or whatever difference! Overall dimensions and the green oval badge are about the same. Wonder if the DoT chap will buy that argument!

Originally Posted by Alistair

I didn't think about 101s.

I assume that your's is a soft top. How many people is it registered to seat and what is it registered as? UTE or Tourer or something else?

Thanks

Alistair

101 is 2 seats and a Utility. Series 1 80" 3 seats utility. series III 88" 3 seats Soft Top. Go figure. We have Timj here ATM in his Pinzgauer, soft top, inward facing back seats, 10 seater and he thinks it is a wagon.

Mrs hh