c.1968 Land Rover Series IIA 109" SAS Military 4x4
Land Rover Series II
Land Rover Series II•
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Chassis No.: 25113989D
- Variant: SAS MILITARY 4X4
- Transmission: Manual
- Body Colour: Desert Camouflage Pink
Originally supplied to the British Army, this exceptional Land Rover is correctly identified as a 'Truck, General Service, SAS, ¾ Ton, 4x4, Rover II'. Finished in Desert Camouflage, it retains much of its original military character and presents as an authentic representation of these highly specialised vehicles. A fascinating and highly collectable military Land Rover, this 1962 Series IIA 109” was built to British Army specification for use by the SAS (Special Air Service), its chassis plate identifying it as a ‘Truck, General Service, SAS, ¾ Ton, 4x4, Rover II’.
Presented in period-correct desert configuration, it remains one of the most evocative examples of the legendary military Land Rover and is believed to be one of only a handful surviving today. Originally supplied to the British Army, the vehicle was equipped to an exceptionally high military specification and would have formed part of the elite SAS fleet. We understand that its original specification included armament, pyrotechnics, navigation and camping equipment. The armament consisted of two general-purpose machine guns, a Carl Gustav (anti-tank) weapon, two self-loading rifles, three compartment grenade holders, four sets of three smoke dischargers and a signal pistol.
Navigation equipment would have included a sun compass, magnetic compass and a theodolite. Communication equipment consisted of Type A43 and A123 radios. Extended vehicle operating range was provided for by two 40-gallon auxiliary fuel tanks. Seats were provided for a commander, driver, and rear gunner, with two additional seats above the rear wheel arches. The suspension was strengthened by fitting heavy-duty springs and shock absorbers. Guards were fitted to both differential housings, and the wheels were shod with large-section sand-tread tyres.
The steering was modified by fitting a cylindrical hydraulic steering damper between the left-hand chassis member and a clamp on the steering drag link. Remarkably, this exceptional example retains much of its original military character and presents as an authentic representation of these highly specialised vehicles. It's finished in Desert Camouflage which, for this sphere of operations, was a matte pink as e. xperimentation on desert deployments proved that pink was the optimum camouflage colour to allow the vehicle to lose itself into the desert heat haze.
The current owner acquired the Land Rover in 2020, since when it has formed part of his significant private Collection of historic and collector vehicles. Carefully preserved during his ownership, it remains a particularly rare and eye-catching example, combining genuine military provenance with the enduring appeal of the Series IIA platform. Period-correct equipment includes surface to air radio, ground to ground radio, a Sun compass and new off-road tyres. The only addition during his ownership has been a pair of 7.62mm L7 General Purpose Machine Guns (GPMG) which, naturally, don't fire but do make all the right noises.
Importantly, the vehicle is registered for UK road use and is offered with the registration number ABW 532F, allowing its next custodian to enjoy this unique military vehicle both on the road and at historic military and classic motoring events. Highly regarded for their rugged simplicity and legendary off-road capability, military Series Land Rovers have become increasingly sought after in recent years.
Genuine SAS-specification examples are exceptionally scarce, making this a rare opportunity to acquire a historically significant and wonderfully evocative British military vehicle that would be equally at home in a serious collection, museum display or at military vehicle and classic motoring events.
