Restoring my 1966 S2a 109 diesel

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prensel

Member
Posts
39
Location
The Netherlands
Hi all,

A few years ago i have bought a non-runner s2a 109 (1966) from a guy who had started a rebuild but lack of time caused him to sell it to me. It has a safari roof and although painted in military green it is a 12V version. I have checked the VIN (251xxxxC) and it says it was for the home market and has a petrol engine. The v5 says its a diesel (heavy oil) though and there is also a diesel engine in there. Under the military green paint it is clear to see that it was been darker green before. On the dash they have mounted a gun rack and it has a heater also under the dash. I have checked the VIN on the front right chassis member and the VIN plate inside and they all match.

Until yesterday i havent touched it but today i thought i give it a go and got it running :)
I have just wired the startermotor and glow plugs and although it been standing still for several years (last MOT was from 2007..) it started after 2 tries. It runs and drives but without brakes (no brake fluid) i didnt got too far on the first run. Topping up and bleeding the brakes doesnt show any leakage. At the rear they have renewed the brake lines but probably never got to fill and lbeed it.

The engine has no grease or whatever, I think it is overhauled before or at least repainted because it looks really clean. Some tiny bits where missing like retraction springs on the injection pump, loose engine-kill cable and all hoses and rubbers are dried out or cracked.

I havent decided yet what to do with it, a total restoration or just get it ready to drive and MOT and doing a full restoration later. I'm also thinking of converting it from RHD to LHD (with PAS) or not.
 
Having done a RHD to LHD on a series for a mate for import tax reasons I have to say it is not as straight forward as it looks.But at least with a 2a center dash you do not have to move the instruments and wiring. One problem is no hole in the left side of the front cross member for the steering relay,although some export chassis had both mounting holes. Some pics of your truck would be nice.
 
Some pics when i found it...

IMG_5030.JPG

After just a quick wash...

IMG_5073.JPG
 
It may well have been a military model given the various fittings and lack of sills,not all military were 24v.Strange non standard rear wheel.
 
Ok, I thought all military were 24v but i'm no expert on that, It does have a heater which i believe was also standard on the millitary models. There's for sure i different green color under the current visible color, more like 'british racing green'. I'll see if i can make some pics about that. The safariroof wasnt standard either, I believe the last owner had it added and painted it green, underneath it is lime/white. There's was also the lower model rear door included and some millitary cases and other millitary stuff.

At this time I really think someone wanted to have the millitary look and added all this to the standard version and probably changed the engine from petrol to diesel also.
I have requested an Heritage Certificate from the Britsh Motor Museum to see when it was build and to which dealer it was delivered.
 
There is also a fuel selector valve for twin fuel tanks mounted inside in the footwell but it is not connected in the engine bay any way, there is just one fuel tank.
 
The military chassis is different and even if someone wanted to make a standard vehicle look military they are unlikely to modify the chassis. The military chassis rides 2" higher and so there are two holes in the front shackle mounts for the rear springs, the front dumb irons also have two holes and the gearbox cross member unbolts. The rear crossmenber is flat across the bottom not angled up at the sides. Some military vehicles were on standard chassis but so far as I'm aware if its on a military chassis it is military. Looking at the photos I would say its military, it has the high ride height, the hooks on the tub for the canvas and the military style bonnet with the large reinforcing plate.
 
Ok so i need to look underneath to see if the gearbox crossmember unbolts or not and if the other things match up.
Apart from being military or not, what are the big differences compared to civilian ?
Is it better or not, cheaper or lesser wanted then civilian versions ?
Is it better/more valuable to keep it military or just go for a civilian outfit ?

I did check the Merlin records last night though and its is not on there with the VIN.
 
prensel said:
green color under the current visible color, more like 'british racing green'. I'll see if i can make some pics about that.
Click to expand...
Mine was in the MOD too. No twin tanks, though there's a weird third switch that seemingly does nothing, still 12v. Seems someone also changed out the wings on yours and the radiator panel to make it look more like a late 2a/3.

The colour you're referring to, is it like this?

22900002A.jpg


If so, it's the bronze green paint. I've got a similar thing happening, mines bronze green with a black rear crossmember, which the rubbing of the cover has shown some nato green underneath lol.
 
Those chassis pictures are a standard chassis which is a real puzzle as it has the hooks on the tub. Mine (1970) is ex-Army and was delivered in Bronze-Green gloss then at some point overpainted in matt drab-olive. This was standard practice in the 1970s when they camoflaged the vehicles. Later they were overpainted again in NATO Green. Are the hooks on the tub spot welded or rivetted?
 
rob1miles said:
Those chassis pictures are a standard chassis which is a real puzzle as it has the hooks on the tub. Mine (1970) is ex-Army and was delivered in Bronze-Green gloss then at some point overpainted in matt drab-olive. This was standard practice in the 1970s when they camoflaged the vehicles. Later they were overpainted again in NATO Green. Are the hooks on the tub spot welded or rivetted?
Click to expand...

I don't think the hooks on the tub can be used as a reference. Didn't all series vehicles have these fitted as standard? Certainly the two swb series 3 tubs I have had (one on my vehicle, one aquired with lot of parts) both had the hooks spot welded on despite the vehicle initially being fitted with a hardtop.
 
Not all Landy's in military service were to military spec, some basic civilian spec ones were purchased for " base " duty's. Yours looks to be a standard late 2a model except for the series 3 wings.
 
So its a standard civilian version but someone added the military items.
Could that be done by the MOD or were they already ordered with these items by the MOD ?
 
It would not have had those series 3 wings when new if it was military or civilian. Some one perhaps even the MOD may have put those wings on for damage repair prior to disposal. But equally could have been fitted post service.
 
Could it be that the late s2a and the s3 have the same type front fenders/wings ?
The hood hinges look like the early s2a model, not like the s3 has.

What wonders me is that there is also this twin fuel tank changeover tap installed but it is not connected to anything.
If this was indeed an MOD altered version of a civilian vehicle why on earth would they install this tap without connecting it to anything ? It doesnt make sense to me.
 
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