Hello and good evening...I am relatively new on the forum so any help would be appreciated...
Ok..I and my son have bought a 1971 swb series 3 landrover...6 weeks ago....the landrover or shall i say the registration was registered on the 24/2/71 and the reg plate, v5 and metal plaque inside the cab in front of gears...all match. But, the metal plaque says it is a series 2 a, as does a site that you type your vin/ chassis number into....it Also states that the colour was green...and yet there is not an ounce of green on the vehicle anywhere..it is blue throughout....everywhere.
The Landrover looks wise is series 3 , in every aspect, wings, dashboard layout, grille etc etc, and today, my brother in law and I have searched everywhere for the real chassis number on the vehicle to see if this matches up on the v5 and metal plaque number and we cannot find any chassis number..in fact a website said it is to be found on the rhs, on the spring hanger/ chassis and when we looked this piece has been cut away and a new piece looks like it has been welded in.
The landrover is in beautiful condition, but, this was to be a small project for my son before he is 17and I am not sure that I have the right vehicle....
Is anybody able to help me out please.....the last mot which passed was in 2013 and I am worried that the reg plate doesn’t actually relate to that vehicle, plus the plaque in the cabin looks newly riveted on and doesn’t look like it has been there since 1971...
Look forward to hearing from anyone that may be able to put my mind at rest...
Spencer
 
Hello and good evening...I am relatively new on the forum so any help would be appreciated...
Ok..I and my son have bought a 1971 swb series 3 landrover...6 weeks ago....the landrover or shall i say the registration was registered on the 24/2/71 and the reg plate, v5 and metal plaque inside the cab in front of gears...all match. But, the metal plaque says it is a series 2 a, as does a site that you type your vin/ chassis number into....it Also states that the colour was green...and yet there is not an ounce of green on the vehicle anywhere..it is blue throughout....everywhere.
The Landrover looks wise is series 3 , in every aspect, wings, dashboard layout, grille etc etc, and today, my brother in law and I have searched everywhere for the real chassis number on the vehicle to see if this matches up on the v5 and metal plaque number and we cannot find any chassis number..in fact a website said it is to be found on the rhs, on the spring hanger/ chassis and when we looked this piece has been cut away and a new piece looks like it has been welded in.
The landrover is in beautiful condition, but, this was to be a small project for my son before he is 17and I am not sure that I have the right vehicle....
Is anybody able to help me out please.....the last mot which passed was in 2013 and I am worried that the reg plate doesn’t actually relate to that vehicle, plus the plaque in the cabin looks newly riveted on and doesn’t look like it has been there since 1971...
Look forward to hearing from anyone that may be able to put my mind at rest...
Spencer

Remember most series parts are interchangeable, and vehicles can be painted.
Are there any engine numbers?
A replacement chassis may not have any numbers on it.
A series 2 should have a metal dash in the middle, series 3 have a plastic dash with clocks behind the wheel.
Did you try and verify provenance before you bought the vehicle?

And some pics might help people to comment accurately.
 
Hi thanks for the speedy response...I do have a clear engine number...how does that help. ( excuse my ignorance on this) and yes I have the plastic dash with the dials/ clocks behind the steering wheel and re provenance..I bought the vehicle from a well known landrover series restoration company in Suffolk....but took their word for what I was presented with....
 
It may be a ringer be careful what you identify on an open forum.....Though series 2a were last produce in 1971 and perfectly feasible that chassis rotted and was changed. As has been said, they are very interchangeable.
 
Hi Giggsy...what is a ringer??? Sorry! And yes I am pretty nervous about giving details but equally keen to get to the bottom of this...
Spencer
 
Hi thanks for the speedy response...I do have a clear engine number...how does that help. ( excuse my ignorance on this) and yes I have the plastic dash with the dials/ clocks behind the steering wheel and re provenance..I bought the vehicle from a well known landrover series restoration company in Suffolk....but took their word for what I was presented with....

It should be recorded when, and into what vehicle, the engine was fitted.
The very last Series 2a's had the headlights on the wings, and many other features later found on Series 3.
 
Giggsy
Thank you..are there any other ways of checking this vehicle out...I have an engine number but as turboman has suggested , some of the very late 2a’s had lights in the wings and new dash layouts
 
Giggsy
Thank you..are there any other ways of checking this vehicle out...I have an engine number but as turboman has suggested , some of the very late 2a’s had lights in the wings and new dash layouts

Why not ring the garage where you bought it? If they are a reputable Land Rover specialist, they should be able to give you chapter and verse.
 
Have a look on the online encyclopaedia, that sounds like encyclopedia, some info. on there and other resources online. I'd probably just accept it for what it is and enjoy it.
 
Thank you..I will ring tomorrow and see what their thoughts are...really appreciate all the comments from you and turbofan....thanks again
 
Apologies!!! Hey, what do you really think...is this something tricky or should we just let’s sleeping dogs lie and enjoy it..both the project and on the road....?
 
Apologies!!! Hey, what do you really think...is this something tricky or should we just let’s sleeping dogs lie and enjoy it..both the project and on the road....?

Personally, I wouldn't be worried. A garage with an address is unlikely to be selling ringers. Not like you bought it from someone in the street.
And as a running landy, and something for your son to work on and enjoy, it makes no difference.
But do talk it through with the place you bought it, most genuine enthusiasts will be happy to pass on Land Rover info to a novice. :)
 
Thank you...we are at the bottom of a steep learning curve...but enjoying it...it is 95% complete and we are working on the electrics...all done by us properly bar the wretched wiper motor......I have installed a new motor but, the switch is the rotary one and I can only see this as a straight on/off..but it has 4 wires from the back of the switch and I don’t see why we need 4 as the switch only does on/off when the knob turns...I don’t suppose you know about these to do you...?
 
Thank you...we are at the bottom of a steep learning curve...but enjoying it...it is 95% complete and we are working on the electrics...all done by us properly bar the wretched wiper motor......I have installed a new motor but, the switch is the rotary one and I can only see this as a straight on/off..but it has 4 wires from the back of the switch and I don’t see why we need 4 as the switch only does on/off when the knob turns...I don’t suppose you know about these to do you...?

I have changed them, but it was years ago. If there are four wires on the one you took off, I would guess there is a reason for them to be there.
 
Washer pump for one of them. There is a discussion on series 3 wiper motors on here but my work phone won't let me cut and paste. Maybe someone else can help.
 

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