Land Rover® Lightweight *High Specification* (RFC)

For sale, Land Rover® Lightweight in Drab Olive (1981). 

Petrol 2286cc. Long MOT with no advisories until 3rd November 2020. Released from forces in 1994. Overdrive. New 750 tyres with matching spare. New Canvas. Pioneer Tools. 12v. Free Wheeling Hubs. Weber Carburettor. Shortly due for MOT & Tax Exemption under the 40 year rule. Twin Tanks.

We are delighted to present for sale this high-spec Land Rover® Lightweight.

The exterior of this lightweight has all the period features one would expect – the front and rear bumperettes, military bridging plate, bonnet mounted spare, correct military lighting all round, front and rear lifting eyes NATO hitch and pioneer tools with split tailgate. This is simply great to see, and uncommon in most lightweights in todays market. There are some nice modern additions – the brand new set of 750 military chevron tyres, new canvas and defender-style door mirrors. Combining all of this makes a very fine machine indeed – it stands tall and looks even better than if it were still in service! The bodywork has survived in good straight order and has just the correct level of finish that one would expect from an original period lightweight.

The interior houses a pair of front seats, with deluxe matting to the footwells. The heater, including the front demist is still fitted. The rear houses a load mat to the floor, with bench seats making room for six seated including the driver. This is a very standard place to be – the wiper motor cover, interior passenger handle and military flyscreens all survive – even the passenger footwell fire extinguisher is in situe! A pair of gun clips are fitted to the rear of the bulkhead as would have been used during military service. It has been a long time since we have had a lightweight with such an original dash – even the twin fuel tanks are still in situe and on changeover both fuel gauges work exactly as they should, so that you get the correct fuel reading from the tank in use at that time. This is so unusual to see these days, and is a really useful and welcomed feature, giving a 500 mile range. Another rare surviving feature is that the hand throttle and manual tick over adjustment lever still survives and functions perfectly. This was originally used in the military to give more power on tick over but is still useful in civilian circles for increasing the revs slightly when cold for a better tick over in the winter.

The battery is housed in the middle seat position rather than under the bonnet – this is due to the fact that many lightweights were 24v in service to operate radios, and then consequently converted back to 12v when decommissioned. In a 24v lightweight, a pair of batteries would be housed in this middle seat to power the radio equipment. The vehicle now runs 12v for simplicity of maintenance.

Out on the road, this lightweight is a joy to drive – we believe this is due to a combination of low mileage, superb maintenance, late release and low owners. This lightweight was manufactured in 1981 and released from service in 1994, meaning it is of later build and later release. The mileage on this lightweight shows 14,400KM. There is paperwork which runs back to 2004 where the mileage was 208KM with a gentle rise every year since then. We therefore can’t be sure whether the mileage is circa 10,000 miles or 70,000 miles, but in any case this would be low for the year. The engine sounds superb and Steven, our ex-military mechanic came off test drive raving about the manner in which it drove. All systems feel “light & tight” and it drives supremely well. The coupling of free wheeling hubs, overdrive and 750 tyres give far better gearing ratios for modern motoring and a top speed that would be illegal in the UK! It really is a well set up example.

The servicing schedule pack which comes with this vehicle is extensive – there are many receipts for regular annual maintenance and some large bills for replacement of the braking system and recent clutch. This vehicle has been very well looked after and is ready for the next owner to enjoy. The under-bonnet is extremely tidy and one can see the very recent uprated weber carburettor that has been fitted plus the shiny new brake master cylinder. There is the feeling that this vehicle has been well loved and cared for.

In summary, if you are looking for an original, well sorted, cared for and high specification lightweight, then look no further – this one is for you. With the period features intact and impressive driving experience, this should prove to be both a solid investment for the future whilst being fun to own, cheap to insure and is soon to be MOT & Tax Exempt too.

SOLD