Land Rover II A: A vehicle fit for military service

The Land Rover Uganda Club has more than 290 members. Each of these members has a Land Rover brand of different models; from the iconic Land Rover Defender 110, Defender 90, Free Lander and Land Rover Discovery 3 and 4, among others. Ian Parker, a member of the club is a car enthusiast with the oldest Land Rover model in the club; the Land Rover Series II A Lightweight.  

About the car
Parker joined the British armed forces as a military policeman in 1979. In the 1970s, the British army had a twin engine helicopter known as the Chinook which could carry up to 1,200 kilogrammes underneath, including the Land Rover Series II A. At the time, because the Series II A Lightweight was and is still a proper military specification and combat vehicle, Land Rover decided to make the car lighter by removing one fuel tank because there was one tank below the driver and co-driver’s seats as some of the parts that made it heavier.

“It was manufactured with a removable roof and doors to make it lighter for the helicopter to carry to the battlefield. Soldiers on the helicopter could be dropped to the battlefield and immediately have transport. By the time the Series II was designed to be known as the Series III, the helicopter had been improved to carry heavier loads. Thousands of Series IIIs were manufactured but the Series II A was a proper military specification vehicle,” Parker recounts.

Parker’s Series II A Lightweight, was used for 10 years in the army before it was sold to a civilian firm in the UK for airport security at a private airfield. He bought it in 2018 just before the Uganda government imposed a ban on importation of cars older than 15 years. 

The restoration process  
In Uganda, the 51-year old car found its first home at Dream Customs and Restorations Bukoto, a Kampala suburb, where Sam Hooper, a mechanic, restored it to a motorable condition. This involved taking off the whole body, restoring the chassis and brake system and power steering because it was difficult to drive with no power steering. While engine oil and the battery were replaced, the suspension was also replaced spared because it was in a poor mechanical condition.

“It is an all original car that had not been adulterated. Its engine and all functional parts were intact. It just required replacement and maintaining a few serviceable parts for it to get back on the road,” Hooper explains.

Features
Nicknamed Jjaja because it is the oldest car in the Land Rover Uganda Club, the most distinguishing performance feature is the double crash gearbox. You cannot shift or engage from the first to the second, third and fourth gears as you do in any ordinary manual transmission car.

“You go from the first gear, clutch in, change to neutral, clutch out, rev and then clutch into the second gear and repeat the same process into the gear you want to drive in. It is quite complicated so driving in Kampala traffic is hard work. Fortunately, it has got its original engine and has so far covered 94,000 miles, which is approximately 2,000 miles a year since it was manufactured,” Parker says.

The car was fitted with a 2300cc straightforward petrol engine that has never been opened, a performance aspect that shows the reliability of the basic design.
Externally, the doors and the roof of the Series II A can be removed, making it more of an open roof car. When the roof is removed, it allows the windscreen to fold and lean on the bonnet. If you are to drive the car with the roof on, there are bolts you use to screw the roof on tightly. 

According to Parker, the architectural plan by the manufacturer was that when the car was lifted by the helicopter and dropped into the battlefield, it would take the soldiers only five minutes to remove the roof and doors. When you remove the roof, the driving mirror also goes off.
Weighing less than 1,100kg, the car runs on four gears, four for the front and one reverse. On open roads, it is fast and performs between 80 to 90 miles per hour (about 145km per hour).

Maintenance
After restoration, Parker services his car when there is need. It rarely breaks down because he rarely drives it, for instance when he is participating in vintage, classic and Land Rover Uganda Club events. Because it runs on basic technology especially the engine, any competent mechanic in Kampala can service it. When there is need for any spares, Parker imports them from 4x4 By Far a spare parts shop in the UK.

“It is a great on and off-road car but the problem is that Ugandan roads sometimes damage cars much as Land Rovers are known to be cross country vehicles. The ramble strips and potholes are hard work on the car,” Parker says.
“With a basic technology engine, I have to make sure every part is running smoothly if I am to enjoy any drives anywhere. I have no idea how much fuel it carries but Shs100,000 can fill the tank,” he adds.

Versions
The Land Rover Series II A had the arctic version that allowed motorists to drive in ice and snow areas because it was made with extra heaters. There was also the desert version that was made with extra cooling systems, making it favourable to use in hot areas. 

Facts
The Land Rover ‘Series’ has been one of the world’s most iconic off road vehicles since its launch in 1948.

The creation of Maurice Wilks is loved the world over.  The world’s first civilian four wheel drive car is a true British icon.

The Land Rover Series IIA was launched in 1961 and is a perfect combination of classic good looks and rugged capability, perfect for both urban and country environments alike, even in the 21st  century.