Thinking about getting a 1970 Series 2a. Need help

I'm driving up to check out this 1970 Series 2a and don't know much about Land Rovers. It looks beautiful, the guy states that it starts right up and has no rust. It was painted a few years ago, original gasoline engine. Mileage 99,000, so he thinks it's probably 299,000. Not sure. Selling for $18,000 american, or 13, 900 pounds. What should I look for? What questions should I ask him? Is this a good price or should I let it go?

Thanks for any help

That paint job won't win you many friends over here. It does look in good condition though. 99k might be the proper mileage, my 1977 series 3 has about 25,000 and is original, landrovers never tended to do big mileage because of the lack of comfort. Take an engine compression tester with you to do a test and look very hard at the condition of the chassis and bulkhead, especially around the windscreen area. If the chassis is covered in thick underseal, suspect a cover-up. For that money it should drive perfectly with no excessive transmission noises or clunks and it should change gear smoothly (for a landrover) make sure it drives in four wheel drive as well as two. There shouldn't be much exhaust smoke. If the engine is warm when you get there be suspicious of the "starts first time" comment. If you have no knowledge of landrovers be prepared for a bit of a shock. They are relatively slow, not much room in the driving position, noisy, heavy steering and brakes that like some planning. They are great fun though. Also check for oil leaks.

Col

jtw1974 said:

I'm driving up to check out this 1970 Series 2a and don't know much about Land Rovers. It looks beautiful, the guy states that it starts right up and has no rust. It was painted a few years ago, original gasoline engine. Mileage 99,000, so he thinks it's probably 299,000. Not sure. Selling for $18,000 american, or 13, 900 pounds. What should I look for? What questions should I ask him? Is this a good price or should I let it go?

Thanks for any help

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You need to get underneath, and go over the chassis, bulkhead, and footwells with a small hammer, looking for rust.
Not sure what area of the USA you are in, but some places are very dry, so it may be rust free. On the other hand, if it has been parked by the coast or driven through rivers, it may be extremely rusty.

As Col says. ^^^^^^^, that paint job is not very original, and examination reveals a few bits that may, or more likely may not, have come off a Series 2a.

Main thing is to be realistic. You will not get the standard of comfort, driveability, or performance, that you will get from a modern 4wd, and it is unlikely to be completely trouble free. There is a good description on the Glencoyne website of what owning and driving a Series is actually like.

Not sure what they sell for in the US, but that would be all it's money in the UK, and maybe a bit more than most would pay.

If you have never driven one and have no experience of land rovers, you are in for a shock.

Also that paint job is awful sorry but it is :/

Seats are not standard and if you are tall you will find looking out not easy. As a 2a there will be no syncro on 1st and 2nd gears but that is just something to learn to handle.
I go with what others have said with regards check's
Paint job is

Unanimous guilty verdict from the jury on the paint!

Paint is very retro, but in the usa it will fit in nicely with trumps hair do!

Chequer rash on the rear panel, what is that hiding? Try and see the panel from the inside.

Spend most of your time either drving it to find out if you could live with it, or underneath where any problems will show. Value, very tricky as its a left hooker and in the US and they are not easy to import so its a diferent market. They are easy to work on which is good because you will be working on it a lot!

Thanks everyone. The paint is different. Might try to hold out for a more traditional one, more original. This one is looking more like the Suzuki Jimny's from the 90's with panoramic roofs.

jtw1974 said:

Thanks everyone. The paint is different. Might try to hold out for a more traditional one, more original. This one is looking more like the Suzuki Jimny's from the 90's with panoramic roofs.

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I like them little suzukis, the new one looks pretty cool as well.

lynall said:

I like them little suzukis, the new one looks pretty cool as well.

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Same here. Can't get them in the US though. Even the 1990s ones are tough to import into California with the laws. Would cost me an additional $5-8000 to make it legal

jtw1974 said:

Same here. Can't get them in the US though. Even the 1990s ones are tough to import into California with the laws. Would cost me an additional $5-8000 to make it legal

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So you cannot get the new model either?
Excellent cars off road, used to see a Standard (apart from tyres) Jimny run rings around defenders/discoveries off road.

It was the dirty tricks dept of so called vehicle safety types [ consumers union ] that got the Suzuki jeep banned in the US. It was found that even their video of a Suzuki going over was a fix, despite whanging it around cones at silly speeds it only went over at the fourteenth attempt.
Suzuki took them to court and after some eight years a settlement was reached. But by this time sales of Suzi's had plummeted.
The mud still sticks so while the rest of the world can enjoy the new Suzuki those in the US can not.