The Land Rover 109 S2A first brought to Uganda as a tour car

When you closely look at Hamza Abigaba’s Land Rover 109 Series S2A, you will appreciate that cars manufactured in the 1960s are quite durable. For instance, due to its high quality, strong aluminium body, Abigaba’s 56-year-old S2A is rust-free. Its chassis is also still in the best metallic condition.

According to Abigaba, the Land Rover 109 Series S2A is the second model of the original Land Rovers. The Land Rovers being used as towing cars (series 3), which are locally known as breakdowns were manufactured after the S2A.

Manufactured in 1968, the first import of the S2A was in Kenya, where it was used as a tourist vehicle by Mantana Safaris. The same tour company later opened a branch in Uganda and this is how the S2A found its way to Uganda.

Performance

A 2,250cc four cylinder petrol engine by design, the S2A is a car you can choose to drive either as a four wheel drive or in two wheel mode, depending on the road terrain.

“It has an extra gear that gives it extra power. This is why the original towing vehicles in Kampala are Land Rovers that never fail because they have a high performance extra gear. In case the load is heavy, the extra powerful gear comes in handy. It is also why some Land Rover enthusiasts argue that the S2A is more powerful than the Series three,” Abigaba says. 

Restoration journey

Approximately a year ago, Abigaba bought the S2A from his friend, Isaac, a vintage Land Rover collector. Throughout its lifespan, it has never experienced any engine faults. The only parts that Isaac and Abigaba have replaced were the plugs and engine oil even when the former was using it as a service van to tow trucks that got stuck on the farm.

“As the engine is running smoothly, Land Rovers rarely develop faults that ground them. When I acquired the car, the only part I replaced was the steering rack, plugs and engine oil. Even then, it was still moving. The only disadvantage is that when you change to the S2A when you are used to driving modern day cars, it is uncomfortable. It is typically manual with no power steering.

You will have to sweat a little when manoeuvring, especially on rough roads. Because it has high ground clearance, when you hit a pothole, it bounces a bit. When manoeuvring through corners, you will have to use more energy to hold it firmly,” Abigaba adds. 

Built with a maximum speed of 110km/hr, the Land Rover 109 S2A is a slow car but among those that perform slowly but surely. During experimentation, Abigaba discovered that the S2A covers approximately 10km using one litre of fuel, as long as you do not drive in gears one and two that are quite heavy. In most cases, he increases speed from gear two because gear one is quite heavy. 

Service

Much as it is an old model car, spares are readily available from a Land Rover spare parts garage in Nsambya, Kampala. Abigaba has never outsourced any spare parts, especially since its parts are also very long-lasting.

The car also runs on basic technology, including the wiring system. If you have mechanical knowledge, you can repair the car yourself. Every part of the car is rough and rigid. It has coil springs and this means that you will not have any mechanical issues with its suspension system. The mileage required for service is 4,000km. Fortunately, Abigaba has not covered this distance since he has only owned the car for less than a year.

“I am amazed by this car because being a vintage car collector, it is the only car I have bought and started driving without the need to repair anything. All I needed was fuel and engine oil,” Abigaba says.

Strength

The S2A has a very powerful towing system that can tow up to five tonnes. It has no Antilock Braking System (ABS) but instead, it has the drum braking system, meaning it does not brake instantly. Driving it is an art you learn overtime.