Land Rovers have an undeniable charm. In America, we often think of them as little more than status symbols, cars practical only for those who can afford the high running costs. Elsewhere, however, the Land Rover name is synonymous with off-road capability and durability. No model exemplifies that better than the Land Rover Series II.
-The Land Rover’s birth, much like that of the Willys Jeep, came right after the end of World War II. At the time, Rover’s car sales were struggling, so the British company explored the option of building a roadgoing truck that had the off-road capabilities of a tractor. The resulting vehicle was the Land Rover Series I. Initially, the truck was supposed to have a short production cycle, one just long enough to provide working capital for Rover’s other projects. Sales boomed, however, and the Land Rover brand was born.
In the late ’50s, the model saw several improvements, such as short- and long-wheelbase variants, revised exterior styling, and a new 2.25-liter gasoline engine that produced 72 horsepower. These models were called the Series II and Series IIa.
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This particular example, which is currently for sale on eBay, is a short-wheelbase 1966 Series IIa. The owner doesn’t state its mileage but does claim that it’s nearly rust-free and has been daily driven for the past six months (!). That’s the kind of commitment we love to see. And while a Series II Land Rover can go a lot farther afield, you could also take it to Whole Foods if you wanted.
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