Headlight location by year

Gord Wedman · Feb 22, 2020

We were told the engine was Dutch military. It has dual fan belts and an oil cooler in front of the rad. Otherwise seems typical for a 2.25

Gord Wedman · Feb 22, 2020

It Does have some odd switches including one labeled Infra Red with a safety lockout. Does the straight shifter lever suggest anything in regards to year?

minecab · Feb 23, 2020

The maltise grille was fitted to the last couple of series 2 production at the same time as they moved the headlights to the wings. The bumper looks like it was from a ex military ambulance. .the gear lever looks like a series 3 if the clutch slave cyl is above the bell housing the box is proberbly series 2 but if its low down its series 3.The sills are the deep series 2. It looks to me to be aprox 1968/69 series 2A ex military.

wireman · Feb 23, 2020

You do have chassis plate, I can see it on the bulkhead inside the cab just to the left of the heater. I can nearly see the number stamped on it. Get your brother to get a close up of it or send you the number then we'll know how old it is.

Gord Wedman · Feb 23, 2020

I thought that plate was just giving info on the High and Low ranges but after zooming in on it I can see this number
164000541
Mean anything?

wireman · Feb 23, 2020

That number indicates it is a Series 2 made in 1960. See here:

https://www.defender-landrover.co.uk/p/chassis-numbering-where-is-your.html

Gord Wedman · Feb 23, 2020

Thank you Wireman. Mystery solved I guess. Does that suggest the front wings and grill are from a newer vehicle?

minecab · Feb 23, 2020

the wipers should be individual motors on each screen. I think it is more late series 2 than early

wireman · Feb 23, 2020

Gord Wedman said:
Thank you Wireman. Mystery solved I guess. Does that suggest the front wings and grill are from a newer vehicle?

Yes they are, or possibly only the front panels on them have been swapped. Is there a hole for the heater intake on the passenger side?

wireman · Feb 23, 2020

minecab said:
the wipers should be individual motors on each screen. I think it is more late series 2 than early

I agree, the dash panel is late 2a as well, it has toggle switches on it where the earlier ones had the charge, oil and cold start lights. Those lights are incorporated into the speedo on the later 2As

It certainly is a 'bitsa' but at 60 years old I would expect a few parts to have been swapped by now

wireman · Feb 23, 2020

Also the vents under the windscreen should have a twist type operation rather than the lever you have there.

Gord Wedman · Feb 23, 2020

So the levers indicate late Series 2 or ?

wireman · Feb 23, 2020

Gord Wedman said:
So the levers indicate late Series 2 or ?

Series 2 had the twist type, 2A had the lever.

rob1miles · Feb 23, 2020

Yes that's ex-military. Don't forget the military crash everything and repair with what ever parts they have. There is no concept of "originality", they will up date / modify anything to extend the service life. Mine has had a crown wheel burst through the rear axle casing and its clearly been welded up in situe and the passenger side footwell has been replaced using dozens of solid rivets that could only be done by someone with a lot of time to use up.

Gord Wedman · Feb 23, 2020

So it sounds like a very early 2a even though the 1960 registration would make it a 2. Plus the front wings and grill are newer, 68 or 69.

wireman · Feb 23, 2020

See if you can find the chassis number stamped on the dumb iron, if it matches your chassis plate in the cab, you have a Series 2, which has had a lot of replacement parts added over 60 years. If you find a different chassis number on the dumb iron you might have a '68/69/70 series 2A that has had a different ID attached to it for some reason. But lets see what is stamped on the chassis before we go off at a tangent.

Gord Wedman · Feb 24, 2020

A bit too much rain for my brother to do much looking under the vehicle but he sent the following after I suggested he read this discussion:
"There is a hole on each side of the heater.
Cant see the wiper motors.
Cant see clutch slave from below so must be on top under floor boards."

tottot · Feb 24, 2020

It's a Series 2/2A Bitsa. All the front including bulkhead are late 2a military, The wide sill skirts are early 2/2A.

Gord Wedman · Feb 24, 2020

I should probably change the title to something like De--coding My Series. Seems to be a real dogs breakfast. Here is the engine number:
951 260 73E
Still too cold and wet to get look for number on frame.
Thanks again for the comments and insights.

wireman · Feb 24, 2020

Your engine number shows its a 3 MB engine 8:1 compression on military spec which ties in with your Dutch Military theory however it is a Series 3 Engine so it's obviously had a replacement unit at some point. As mentioned above the military fix them regardless of cost but also regardless of 'originality'.
See here for engine codes:

https://www.lrukforums.com/resources/series-engine-numbers-3-or-5-bearing.113/

Headlight location by year

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