****Unusual Land Rovers****

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Portugese Army Truck

The Portugese army also had a prototype made. This very rare car also belongs to the Dunsfold Trust, shown here at the open days in 1998.

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The XD-Wolf

The projected minimum in-service life is 12 years. Only the chassis, rails and external body panels are identical to the civilian models. All-new crossmembers were fitted as well as a new subframe under the load bed and the fuel tanks are better protected. New axles were designed including Range Rover differentials and new wheels added that wear G90 tubeless tires. The bulkhead, cab top rails and sills have been reinforced and new watertight Jerrycan lockers incorporated in front of the rear wheels. Additional reinforcements to the body allowed fitting of a large diameter tube canopy that doubles as rollcage and seat belt support. Those rails are designed to be unbolted quickly for stripping the vehicle. The spare wheel can be bonnet- or side-mounted. The radiator is better protected and quicker to remove.

The vehicles are so similar to standard production vehicles that they can be assembled on the same line.

Wolf MRCV on Defender 110 XD chassis with a heavy machine gun

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Perenties of the Australian Army

The Perentie, named after a lizard known for it's camouflage and his ability to survive in harshest conditions was developed by Jaguar Rover of Australia in 1989. Over 700 are in regular service together with 3000 110's

All Perenties are 6x6 with disc brakes all around and Adwest power steering. About 400 of them also have a Thomas T9000 winch. The engine is an Isuzu Turbo-Diesel of 90 KW @ 3000rpm and 253 Nm of torque at 2500 rpm.

The rear axle's diff is offset to the left to allow any axle full wheel travel. The driveshaft enters the transfer box at the PTO output and is actuated by a vacuum-operated clutch system.

Wheelbase is 140 inches, departure angles front is 37, rear 25°. The spacious cab has overhead controls and is built on a steel spaceframe. Seats, fibreglass dash, trim and large windscreen are made in Australia as is over 70% of the vehicle.
The most spectacular are the Long Range Patrol Vehicles of the Australian SAS. They have tanks of 365 litres which makes them capable of driving 1600 kms in desert conditions without refueling. An Suzuki 250 cc motorcycle is attached on the back for those tight spaces. Remember, that's a bloody big country and walking is no option. The enormous payload of the vehicle lets the crew use the vehicle as base for long periods of activities behind enemy lines.

The ambulances (above) are equipped with fibreglass bodies, air condition and a full isolation. Personal gear is stowed in the compartment over the cab.

General maintenance and Electronic repair vehicles carry a similar body as the ambulances. The GMV's have opening side sections that form a covered work space complete with bench and vice.

All bodies have common mounting points so if the base vehicle breaks down the body can be easily (?) shifted to another Perentie

Currently the Australian Army tests new versions like crew cabs, command posts and fire fighters.

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The Minerva

Minerva was a well-respected belgian car builder but after the second world war it was as far down as it could get. After the war they were determined to get military contracts but the FIAT-based 4x4 vehicle did not impress the Belgian army. So the head of Minerva contacted Landrover in 1951 to compete together with Willys for 2500 lightweight vehicles for the Belgian army.

A 1951 80-inch model registered LNX 406, chassis 1613-5179 was sent to Belgium for trials. It later returned to the factory and was sold on through Macrae and Dick of Inverness.

In May 1952 Landrover got the contract for 2500 vehicles in form of CKD vehicles and Minerva was to assemble them under licence and with assistance from Landrover. Chassis, axles, transmission and other parts were supplied but the contract stated that 63% of the parts should be of Belgian origin. The body was made of steel and it's believed that also later chassis were built in Belgium as they differ in many ways from the originals. Also civilian models were made but in a smaller number.

The total number of military delivered Minervas were 8440. The records of the Heritage Trust show 9905 Minervas CKD were delivered, so the missing 1456 vehicles went to the Police and Gendarmerie and also to some civilians.

All vehicles were left-hand driven 80" models with 2-litre engine. The front wings were squared off and sloping (easier to produce), the bodywork was made of steel and the front grille was smaller and had the Minerva badge. Other modifications include lights position and size, exhaust coming out under the driver's door and external door hinges on the civilian models. The police and military versions had an spare wheel carrier on the right and an jerry can holder on the left. The front middle seat was replaced by a steel toolbox.

The army did not put them immediately into service but stockpiled them so almost brand new vehicles entered service until recently. It's even rumored that you can get still vehicles by surplus dealers with only a couple of kilometres. Imagine- a brand-new Series I at the price of a well-used Ford Fiesta.

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The Shorland Armored Cars

The Shorland is an armored car based on long wheelbase Landrover chassis and built by Short Brothers of Belfast. The first units were developped in 1965 for the Royal Ulster Constabulary. The basic vehicle is still available today based on the 110 chassis.

Buying a surplus Shorland is difficult due to restrictions the governement imposes on armored cars (at least on exports).

Those early versions are replaced today by the more modern versions based mainly on 110's.

There were several types: the Simba (Lion), based on the last 109" and the Tangi (Tank) as well as couple of Tenbas, a mix of the Simba bodies and the 110" coil sprung chassis. In the picture above a row of Tangis in Belfast in summer 1995.

For their reporters the french channel (Antenne 2) bought some five years ago a Shorland. It was first used in war-torn Yugoslavia and looks rather used but is still dispatched regularly.

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The 101's

The 101's were specially designed for the armies all over the world. Sadly only the british and the luxembourgish army ordered them.

Land Rover developed these stout 4x4's for the British Army. I'm really no specialist on these but if I get some time I will fill up my knowledge on them. Above left is the first prototype on an early cold morning at Dunsfold. I parked behind it but quickly moved out of the way- somehow I felt uneasy to have that big cannon pointed at me at arms lenght. The one to the right was owned by a fellow clubmember and is currently being fitted with a 200+HP engine and 20.5"

In 1999 the last bunch of 101's were released from the British Army.

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Vampire

This one's a "Vampire", a very rare Land Rover, also remained in Army's Use and later sold of as Surplus.

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Llamas

The vehicle intended to replace the 101's were the Llamas, also built by Landrover. But somehow the deal did not work out as intended so only 5 (?) were built.

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Hi-Cap Desert Patrol Vehicles

This is what the modern version of the Pink Panthers look like. Called the Hi-Cap Desert Patrol Vehicles these 110's have proven invaluable in the Gulf War where the american Hummers, although designed for this sort of terrain, died by hundreds. Only the Rovers kept going to the point a Special Division of the american army ordered them as assault cars.

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The Amphibian Rovers

This Series IIA conversion has arms on the side which hold inflatable rubber bags, The Drive is by a propeller mounted between the rear diff and propshaft but steering is done by the wheels.

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All used by British Military but lately they have been using hummers in Afghan and Iraq

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The Forest/Swamp Rover

Only 3 of these were ever made, The one shown here is owned by the Dunsfold Trust.

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The Cuthbertson Conversions

Intended for use on marshy terrain those conversions by the Cuthbertson & Sons in Biggar, Scotland should have been an all time great. However the real world use was somewhat reduced. The vehicles worked very well on soft ground but did have some problems climbing banks. Steering might have been a problem too...

A long wheelbase Series II was taken, wheels removed and a subchassis dropped in complete with bogeys and tracks. The front end is stearable in the usual way and the selectable 4-wheel drive was retained.

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The Carawagon

In the 1960's the Sunburry-on-Thames based Carawagon International entered scene with sleeper conversions for 109's.

The 109 based vehicles had factory approval and when the 1977 sales brochure for Switzerland arrived it had a Carawagon pictured and named it Land Rover Camper- but didn't mention any relation with Carawagon. Later sales leaflets however pointed to Carawagon.

Orders came from different official sources as well as companies as the BBC. Even the army ordered 34 of them and called them Tactical Command Post.

The 109's were called Ultimate (2/4 bed Station Wagon with elevating roof) or Continental (2-bed Station Wagon). On the shorter 88inch wheelbase the Safari 88 was offered, a sleeper conversion for Hard Top or Station Wagon.

When the 110's arrived in 1983 those conversions were called Continental (2-bed Station Wagon), Ulysses (2/4 bed Hard Top with elevating roof) and Ultimate (2/4 bed Station Wagon with elevating roof). There was also a derivate of the army's Tactical Command Post on 110's base.

Carawagon closed down in the mid-80's. Some of it's design was briefly revived in 1990 by Woodflaire of Teddington, Middlesex.

The Range Rover conversion

From the 1960's on the Carawagon International had offered seating and sleeping conversions for a number of Land Rovers but mainly the 109" Station Wagon. In 1971 they transformed a Range Rover on the base of an existing vehicle EPK800J which was examined by the engineers of LR in March 1971.

After that it was road tested by "Autocar" and the test was published in the issue of June 24, 1971. It had some shorts compared to the 109's. Internal space was shorter by 7" and the spare wheel was carried inside. The standard full roof could not be fitted and so a smaller roof with only 5ft4inches standing height was fitted (the 109 had 6ft2inches). Apart this everything was on board: Water tanks, a stove a dining table and 2 beds- enough for 2 people.

However only very few Range Rovers have been converted probably due to the price of £3040.- compared to the £2450.- for a 109 conversion with 4 beds. They were still available in lists until 1980.

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The Dormobile

Dormobile is another variation of the Camper. The Dormobile conversions were a fascinating part of Landrovers history. The conversion was factory approved and built by Walter Ltd. of Folkestone, Kent.

This early Dormobile was based on a 60's IIA shown here.

Dormobile based on a Defender 110.

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i should point out that according to "land rover monthly" the vampire is the 2nd rarest FC101 variant, the hard bodied Vampire electronic warfare version was up for auction at GSA, wiltam last autumn.

the vampire is instantly distiguishable from other FC101 variants by its forward raking panel above the windscreen.

for details contact sales@wiltham-sv.com

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The Foers Ibex

The Ibex is one of the most unusual and rare transformations of the Land Rover's workhorse 90. The running gear is retained, overhang shortened etc to make an already capable vehicle really outstanding off road.

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The Defender SVX

Project SVX is based on the Defender 90 but has been heavily modified by Land Rover design and engineering inspired by the concept of the "urban adventurer", who wants to break away from the city to enjoy the wild open spaces. It is powered by the all-new TD5 five cylinder direct injection diesel engine using Electronic Unit Injectors (EUIs).The chassis is derived from military vehicle specifications and is hot dipped galvanised for durability. Full underbody plates protect the underside of the vehicle. A detachable electric winch is supplied for self recovery.Ther vehicle also features 4-channel ABS with full off-road capability and Electronic Brake Distribution (EBD) as well as 4 wheel Electronic Traction Control (ETC) and Hill Descent Control (HDC).

'99MY Defender 90 - topless · TD5 manual engine torque increased from 300Nm to 375Nm (+25%) · Galvanised chassis with strengthening plates and webbing · Four-pin locking cross-axle differentials - quick release centre mounted switching with ETC disable built-in · Modified suspension - gas discharged shock absorbers, uprated coil springs for improved articulation and vehicle height.

Unique 20" alloy wheels · Unique tread pattern off-road terrain tyres · ABS brakes · Ventilated front disc brakes · ETC - Electronic Traction Control · HDC - Hill Descent Control with centre mounted quick- release switching · Heavy duty protection cage · Raised air-intake integrated into protection cage · Detachable winch with front rear mounting points and in-board stowage · Flow through mesh intake grille · Long range fuel tanks protected by Rock Sliders (underbody protection) · GPS (Global Positioning System) - detachable · Full underbody protection - sump, diffs, gearbox, steering · Modified Side sills (rock sliders) · Modified utility fascia with contact breakers in lieu of fuses · Recovery hooks · Off-road Recovery kit · Fire extinguisher.

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The Roadrailer

The specialised firm Right Track Construction of Atherton, Lancashire owns 2 special Landrovers built by Permaquip of Giltbrooke, Nottimghamshire, worth about £100000. One is a 110 high-cap pickup, the other a 130 crew cab.

Using the "Hy-Rail" conversion, the Rovers can be quickly made to run on railway tracks. They can tow 2 loaded trailers and may travel at a speed of 15mph on rails. They have proven worth every Penny, sad a spokesman of the company. In fact many places requiring attention can only be reached by rail. So you either have to dispatch a work train and by this blocking the whole line. Or you can run those Landrovers, drive them clear off the tracks close to the woking place and have the tracks free again.

The vehicles carry standard British Rail safety devices including front and rear lightning and an air horn. When driving on tracks the steering is firmly locked in the dead-ahead position.

However this is not the first conversion of Landrovers using railway tracks. In the 1960's a diesel-powered 109 was capable of hauling a train weighing 50-60 tons. Stopping was another problem, however.

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Fire Fighters

Since it's very early days Land Rovers were used as fire fighting vehicles. They bridged a gap between the portable extinguishing equipment and the heavy lorry-mounted fire fighting material.

Two early Series I

Series IIA Forward Controls lend themselves good for medium-sized enterprises or small villages. They had much better payload than the other Series vehicles and also more space for the load.

A very rare example of an conversion carried out on a Series M on 88inch FC base. This was based on an prototype made by Land Rover in 1960 but which did not make it into production. 2 of those conversions are known to exist.