2A SWB petrol ex AA recovery truck...

I’m new to the land rover scene but I’m currently looking at obtain a 2A SWB petrol ex AA recovery truck from someone I known for years. I’m 18 just passed my license. Thing is it’s a bit rusty I say, very rusty, been sitting outside for some around 2.5 yrs never being started, was in use before that tho. It has a Harvey frost SWB crane on the back. I’m only too happy with hammers and spanners and related items but need to learn to weld.

number of issues:
insurance ? towing insurance, or standard, would quite like to tow occasionally, some greenlaners are interested in me being there recovery truck. Perfect for me, I’m not a greenlaner to say but I like to get involved just without getting up to my neck in mud. Seems to be about 2.5k for standard insurance. also a hill climb group interested.

resto of a 2A good idea ? people say they are the best of the series?
I’m a live events engineer so the electrics are no problem at all, mechanics I’m ok... got a very large tool kit (including many many hammers) pretty much the only thing I’m missing is a welder... though I feel I may need one.

Welding ? easy? seen it done, any advice? 300£ seems to get you a good MIG welder...

spraying a series ? or do you get a decent finish with a roller?
not a painter but can paint basic stuff ok.

Harvey frost cranes, difficult to restore? looks like nice bit of kit when it came out of the factory though!

do series 2 specialties hold any value? ie nut and bolt 6k resto worth it if i ever need to sell it. (defo don’t plan to!)

I know the petrol consumption is stupidly low but roughly how low? 10mpg?

Use would be most days, main car, and yes I know it’s not a modern polo but I don’t mind the snow rain ect that’s what makes life interesting!

Any advice ect would be grand. Cheers in advance.

No replies after a few hours, humm i must be mad then attempting to do something none of you lot would !?

more info: chassis state medium bad - repair possible.
interiour ok needs repaint and new seats
electrical system totaly chuffed - no problem there tho
engine - runs - no chimney like behaviour
gearbox - seems ok
bulkhead - bit rusty could do with a weld
breaks - non - this could be a steep learning curve...

I forgot to mention what tyre would anyone advise best used on a 2A? Will be used for road recovery and greenlane recovery.

Again any advice or comments ect would be grand. Cheers in advance.

Any Series at least hold their value dependant on condition and specials go for a premium especially if attention to originality is paid......''he wanted 6 grand but it was the wrong shade of yellow....''

I imagine recovery insurance is going to cost you an arm and a leg but PM ratty for good info.

Yes mig weldings easy.....tidy welding not so easy but practice and studying tutorials will get you there.

£300 with get you a decent set-up or a damn good 2nd-hand one......loads of welder buying advice on here if you do a search.

Stick whatever tyres you want on but 7.50's off a lwb are a good idea if it hasn't got them already.

You should get 18-20 mpg out of a petrol 2 1/4 but it depends how heavy your right foot is and yes any pre-plastic Series is the business.....everything else is just pretending

Sounds like a fantastic restoration project. I can't weld and neither can I see what needs doing. Even if you get someone to weld it up, I reckon if you restore as an AA truck you could end up with a sought after recovery Landy and worth a few k's.

I'm sure there would be lots of interesting the truck as a resto project if its not for you.
The Series 2 forum is full of information (and rivet counters!) who may also help with info and advice.

I know the AA would have offered to buy it if they knew about it. They buy up all the Ex AA historic' rust buckets or restored and they are then restored or kept in restored condition by there mechanics who show them for the AA. I know they have two fully restored series 1's...

Currently looking at a resto estimate for somewhere in the region of 6.2k, so my estimate was only 200£ out...

They bought one from around here a few years ago. It had been kept in good nick though and still had some of the tools issued.

Go for it. Just budget to spend more than you think. Rusty chassis and bulkhead are first thing to worry sbout, then bits that leak oil/fluid then the rest of it!
ex AA truck would be cool as though and worthy of a decent resto

anyone any idea how much it would be worth after resto? cos if i do its just about gona give me some change from 10k£ all in...

That will be very original though, paint ect ect. Like it has just come from the production line.

Most of the tow trucks apear to be going for between 2K and 3K online...

I am unaware of any other ex AA series 2, 2A or 3's, in existence. Or more specifically any ex AA Recovery trucks with towing equipment in existence. anyone seen any?
I know some ex RAC trucks are still about. 3 that i know about.

Series ex AA trucks seems to be rare with a capital R.

I know the AA had made a series 3 flatbed recovery truck out of a LWB that was adapted to drop to floor level to recover a car. Sadly i believe it is no longer in existence...

Hmmmmmm, so, have you got it yet?? if not, why not?? You may never have this opportunity again.............:scratching_chin:

And...........................We want PICCIES..

Its a calculated risk, that needs proper calculation investigation and research!

I am very specific about my cars (investments)(ie this landy will be with me for 50 yrs even if i crash it repeatedly... properly re built every ten years) so im in no rush, nor to let anyone know where it is... Sorry everyone! Taken me more than 4 yrs to...

Teach a man to fish... and all that...

Did not get my business to where it is by being nice and sharing my secrets!

Im on tour at the mo anyway so... Just finished taking 500Ks worth of kit out of a well known arena... No landrovers here! All Artics, forklifts and man power. Currently resting in a merc tourismo tour buss...

brec7663 said:

I know the AA had made a series 3 flatbed recovery truck out of a LWB that was adapted to drop to floor level to recover a car. Sadly i believe it is no longer in existence...

Click to expand...

i think you'll find that the truck you describe was possibly a 2a and a short wheelbase one, it was converted with a much modified chassis and hydraulic rams to lower the loadbed to ground level they were also only front wheel drive, i've a feeling there was at least three or four of those vehicles built (one was discussed on the Series 2 forum a few months ago)the same company also built trailers that raised/lowered on the same hydraulic system

the rover gas turbine car was transported on one of these if i recall correct, pretty certain i've seen film

annoyingly i can't remember the name of the company that did these conversions

i really wouldn't get too excited about the final value of your project except possibly for insurance purposes, most landrovers that get rebuilt don't realise the investment that is poured into them when they go up for sale and to consider building it with the expectation of the AA buying it is possibly building your hopes up a little too high (you might get lucky though)

i still can't remember thier name, it's on the tip of my tongue but won't fall off :scratching_chin:

is the truck similar to this one?
1988.Land Rover RECOVERY TRUCK YELLOW.HARVEY FROST FRAME.RESTORATION PROJECT | eBay

thankyou evryone...

The havrey frost is badly dammaged... rendering that unusable (unable to tow) parts are imposiblely hard to come by, if you can find a replacement (long weight for an original SWB version) your looking at 800£ min. Thats not to mention the rust on it ... (structural integrity)

Thats interesting, see what the DVLA say about it...

Just read the description, he thinks its a defender... :rofl:

They seem to have valued it as a defender... got the wrong mirrors too. (mind you I was quoted 300£ 2A mirrors!)

Thank you for the info on the flatbed. I think that means one must still exist!

The low loaders were 2a's made by Ibbett Engineering. It was sold as the Eezion Camel. The AA bought a few of them in 1971. Land Rover Special projects made one before in 1965 to carry a gas turbine racing car.

No im not that clever or knowledgeable, its in the may issue of LRO. Page 15. there is a picture of one in AA colours too.

Thanks for the info. Il get a copy of LRO.

Buy it before it goes!!!, especially if its a fair price as is you cant go wrong really.
If you can do a lot of the graft yourself then that saves a lot of cash as the cliche says "its not the parts guv its the labour that ups ya bill"..

AND get some pics up here! will get loads more help if folk can see what ya describing, more pics the better, inside, out and underneath.
Theres some very knowlegdable guys on this site who will let ya know if its a donkey or a stallion

Here is the picture from the mag, only photographed from my ipod though so not a great copy of

Thanks for the pic. Iv just got one of my staff to go get a copy of LRO right now... Hopefully still some on the shelf.

ahh this is an older one Ive had a few months now, but they seem to pile up next to the sofa for quick access to reference to things and kill some time in the process!

Sounds like a good project though but perhaps best restored and not worked, it would be worth more. If your going to get good money for it attention to detail is essential, and the resto done to a very high standard, at that age it will be hand painted sign writing, period tyres, getting all the tools, accessories etc

If your going to actually recover vehicles with it the chassis and crane would have to be very very good, most modern 4x4's weigh at least 2 tonnes and lift one of those with a ropey chassis patched up by a novice ( no offence meant ) and it will likely half in two, or tear itself apart, unless your going the whole hog and getting a new chassis, but again originality it the key on these things.