how can i be sure

hi all
got a landrover 2a 88 how can i be sure she is what she is .
has an early rear rover axle but later series 3 wings sitting on cart springs
plate says 2a in cab and on log book
she has military spec light control and bumper .
1971 on log book so tax exempt .
will get some pics on here cos have other issues .

:doh:

Cart Springs...giggle.

Easiest way is check chassis number on the landy register.

Enjoy...i do like the 2a.

Ask BoB our resident expert in such matters.
But I feel his diagnostic will be possibly "BURN" and "IT" !
But p[lease don't quote me on that as I am sure his input will be invaluable.

*Disclaimer: this is no way meant as a factual post and should be ignored forthwith*

hmm might be a bit dim cant find the landy reg . can send me a link

Land Rover VIN Checker Land Rover One Ten: Land Rover One Ten Blog

If you dont want to type yours in just work it out yourself with the guide.

:doh:THANKS, will check in the morning and let you know what horror story ill find

Later 2a vehicles had the headlights in the wings a la series 3. A simple guide is the heater - if it's in the cab it's definitely s2, if it's got the hole and motor in the wing it's probably s3. The dash is also correspondingly different 'cos the S3 has the heater ducts and controls and the clocks and switches behind the steering wheel. But the chassis number should be definitive - if you've still got one.

think it use to be a cab as its now a station wagon . rear has the hinges at the bottom that are now redundent . but the hardtop is early s2 has the fins?

Could have just been upgraded... mines a 2a with 3 wings and bulk head...

One giveway that it is a 2a rather than a 3. On a 3 the door stays are quite different. On the 2, the slider part of the door stay is on the bulkhead. I guess it could have had a later bulkhead even if this is the case! Also related to the bulkhead you can tell by how the door hinges are mounted.

tried link no joy . Maybe to old says not enterin enough digits . 12 on gearbox and 9 in the cab

From one of the online FAQs

1962 - 1979
An eight digit chassis numbering system with suffix letters

The first, second, and third digits indicate the model and specification.
241-258,260-324 = Series IIA 88" & 109"
325-339 = Series IIB (110 Inch Forward Control)
340-354 = Series IIA 109"
5424 = Series IIA 88 Station Wagon (US Model) 259, 901-950 = Series III
951-955 & 895 = Lightweight
956-965 = 101 Inch Forward Control
355, 356, 358 = Range Rover
The remaining five digits starting with 00001 indicate the serial number.
The suffix letter indicates design modifications.

The engine and gearbox numbers aren't all that relevant as they have often been changed - it's the chassis number that appears on the V5.

Series 3 numbers start with a 9. (except the 1 ton models)

think mine goes 27113693G

Ssshhh! don't tell everyone!

Put your chassis number in here:
Clifton Scientific Text Services, the Netherlands

tells you a bit more about it.

thanks
should be ok seems to check out ok

. thanks everone.

I don't know if this isof any help to you, I dated my future station wagon from it so it might be of some help.
ALAN
Sheffield S25
https://landroverparts.roversnorth.com/WebsiteInfo.aspx?fc=22

the chassis number in your logbook/v5 and screwed to the bulkhead mean nothing where the model of landrover you have is concerned

just going on external appearances i'd initially assume that it is a S3, S3 bulkhead, screen and wings being the obvious signs, now these could have been replacements due to rot and damage as it's not impossible to mix and match parts between the S2/2a and S3 although the wiring harness and switches generally only fit one or the other bulkhead

so where do we look to get a better idea ??

we start crawling underneath the bodywork and check out the chassis design differences along with the axles and engine/gearbox numbers to see if any of those match it's registered age/model

again a complication can arise from the early/mid seventies when if the vehicle was accident damaged and a determined person could have rebuilt it onto a new factory chassis which would have been a S3 chassis so there would then have been the loss of tell tale design differences, axles could have suffered damage/rot and so got swapped (it's really easy to lose the original parts)

the accurate description (IMO) of this vehicle, is that it's a Bitsa that no-one should get too worked up about, don't go try digging into it too far and accept it for what it is, "just" another 88" landrover that does it's job

i've a Bitsa that i've been driving and replacing/repairing parts on for the last five years, in my ownership i've replaced both dumbirons, welded up a crack in the chassis, changed the engine (that was originally a replacement), fitted three gearboxes, changed the front axle (so wrong serial number on that), changed both diffs (did you know diffs have thier year stamped on them ?? ) and finally changed the springs for parabolics, the chassis number counts for nothing in identifying it now

anyone that wants a "genuine" detail correct S2/2a needs to do thier homework before buying (hinges on doors is not homework), even the rivets to assemble the tub are different between an original S2/2a and a S3

i knew absolutely nothing 5 or so years ago about old landrovers and i'm far from being an expert now, it's just that i've slowly learnt odds and ends whilst i've been tinkering and spending time with folks that do know more than me, plus i do have two genuine 2a's along with my Bitsa

Nitemare where can on diff can you find the date stamp?

they're on the edge of the diff flange that bolts to the axle casing