The Registry Of Ex-Military Land-Rovers Au, NZ, etc Land-Rover late Series 2A 10 Seat Station Wagon
 
The B.B.B. Army records show that only 25 examples of the 1971 station wagons went 'in-service' with the Australian Army (ARNs 177-015 thru 177-039) from 1971 to 1990, and these wagons must have done high mileages: 10 had their engines replaced.

The photos below are of David Willis's 1971 ex-Army late Series 2A 109" 10 Seat Station Wagon. The cam paint shows the vehicle was 'in-service' in the early 1990's. The Station Wagon's front guards are unmodified (since the headlights have moved out onto the guards at the end of the 1960's), and the chassis is definitely the civilian design as opposed to the usual Australian Army Series 2A "1 Ton" chassis.

An nice -but puzzling- example of the Aussie Army 2A Wagon appeared in two Land Rover Owner magazine articles. It had the headlights in the 'normal' Series 2A position beside the radiator (between the front guards), and it clearly had the Australian military chassis and 'cut-away' front mudguards (and it was painted olive drab). The Land Rover Owner articles and photos by Thomas Cooper appeared in September 1994 (Cape York trek) and March 1997 (Birdsville Track trip).

The puzzling thing is that we now know (May 2004) that the Australian Army only ever purchased 25 of the 1971 late model Series 2A Wagons that have the civilian chassis ("262" chassis prefix) and they have the headlights mounted in the front mudguards of course.

The puzzle is apparently solved by the B.B.B. ARN records. There had to be a few "262 prefix" wagons suffer the indignity of being pranged up... and they must have been repaired using parts from 'SAL' Series 2A vehicles. The ARN records show at least 2 recorded cases where the "262" chassis number was officially removed from the record and a "253" prefix chassis number written in. Why weren't the pranged "262" wagons just auctioned off? Hmmm, maybe because the variant had a special purpose for special people (officers??), or because it had a higher costed body type or even because a Landy wagon had become loved by someone with influence in RAEME...

 

Make Land-Rover (Rover Australia P/L) Model LWB 109" Series 2A
Manuf. date May 1971 Production CKD RHD export
Army Census 6023 Engine Petrol 2286cc
Nomenclature TRUCK, S/WAGON, 10 SEATER G.S.,
LAND-ROVER SERIES 2A 109 INCH WB
Contract V113544
Chassis 26210952G ARN 177-018

 

Series 2A 109" 10 seater


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Series 2A 109" wagon controls


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Series 2A 109" wagon rear side


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Series 2A 109" wagon side


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Series 2A 109" wagon front


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