1966 Land Rover Series IIA 109" 4x4 Fire Tender
Registration no. GVF 906D
Chassis no. 252130C6C

Inspired by the US Army's wartime 'Jeep', developed in haste and intended for short-term, small-scale production, the Land Rover would defy its creators' initial scepticism. Rover bosses the Wilks brothers saw the need for a tough, four-wheel-drive, utility vehicle to serve the needs of the agricultural community in the immediate post-war years, but the Land Rover's runaway success took the company by surprise. The necessity of using corrosion resistant aluminium panels at a time of severe steel shortage turned into a positive virtue in the Land Rover's sphere of operations, and the use of existing components - including the P3 saloon's engine - kept production costs down and cut development time.

Some ten years after the original's introduction it was felt that the time had come to update the Land Rover's somewhat primitive slab-sided styling. The result was the Series II, which featured the more rounded sides that would characterise the Land Rover to the end. Introduced in 1958, the Series II was available with either the 2,286cc petrol engine or the newly developed 2,052cc diesel first seen in 1956 on what became known retrospectively as the 'Series I'. By this time the original permanent four-wheel drive freewheel transmission had been superseded by the more conventional selectable two- or four-wheel drive arrangement, with a set of low ratios available if required with the latter option engaged. For the Series IIA the diesel engine was enlarged to 2,286cc and a new 12-seater model introduced on the longer (109") wheelbase chassis.

Progressively developed since its launch in 1948, the ubiquitous Land Rover has been modified over the decades to serve countless specialist requirements, both civilian and military.

This Land Rover fire tender on the 109" wheelbase is equipped with the 2,286cc petrol engine and has accommodation for five. Kept stored and showed frequently, the vehicle is described by the vendor as original (apart from a repaint at some time) and in generally good condition, though some of the lights may need attention. A guaranteed head-turner at any gathering of commercial vehicles, this delightful Land Rover fire tender is offered with a V5C Registration Certificate and a hand-written logbook recording all the many rallies attended during the late 1990s/early 2000s.