Land Rover (Series/Defender)
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The Series I, II, and III and Defender are 4x4 models from Land Rover (except for a few 4x2 variants built for the Dutch Army, Royal Air Force and British Army). The Defender is these early model's descendant, following over 50 years of 'evolution' along the same basic design, and still remaining very similar in looks.
Series models and Defenders are often confused due to their similar styling (many body parts are interchangeable between brand-new models and vehicles nearly 30 years old), although the differences are significant. The principal differences between Defenders and Series models are that the Series models are leaf-sprung with optional two or four wheel drive whereas the Defenders are coil-sprung with permanent four wheel drive and locking central differential.
Series I
Land Rover entered production in 1948 with what was later termed the Series I. This was launched at the Amsterdam Motor Show. It was originally designed for farm and light industrial use, and had a steel box-section chassis, and an aluminium body.
Originally based on the US Army Jeep the Land Rover was a single model offering, which from 1948 until 1951 used an 80 in (2032 mm) wheelbase and a 1.6 L petrol engine. This was a basic vehicle, tops for the doors and a roof (canvas or metal) were optional extras. In 1950, the lights moved from a position behind the grille to protruding through the grille.
From the beginning it was realised that some buyers would want a Land Rover's abilities without the spartan interiors. In 1949 Land Rover launched a second body option called the 'Station Wagon', fitted with a body built by Tickford, a coachbuilder known for their work with Rolls-Royce and Lagonda. The bodywork was wooden-framed and had seating for 7 people. Tickfords were well equipped in comparison with the standard Land Rover, having leather seats, a heater, a one-piece laminated windscreen, a tin-plate spare wheel cover, some interior trim and other options. The wooden construction made them expensive to build and tax laws made this worse - unlike the original Land Rover, the Tickford was taxed as a private car, which attracted high levels of Purchase Tax. As a result, less than 700 Tickfords were sold, and all but 50 were exported. Today these early Station Wagons are highly sought after. There are less than 10 still known to exist, mainly in museums, and they can change hands for as much as £15,000.
In 1952 and 1953 the engine was replaced with a larger 2.0 L unit. This engine was "siamese bore", meaning that there were no water passages between the pistons.
1954 saw a big change: the 80 in (2032 mm) was replaced by an 86 in (2184 mm), and a 107 in (2718 mm) pick up version was introduced. The extra wheelbase was added behind the cab area to provide additional load space.
1956 saw the introduction of the first 5 door model. known as the Station Wagon with seating for up to 10. The 86" model had 7 seats and only 3 doors. The new Station Wagons were very different to the previous 'Tickford' model, being built with simple metal panels and bolt-together construction instead of the comnplex wooden structure of the older Station Wagon. They were intended to be used both as commercial vehicles as people-carriers for transporting workmen to remote locations, as well as by private users. Like the Tickford version, they came with basic interior trim and equipment such as heaters and interior lights.
The Station Wagons saw the first expansion of the Land Rover range. Station Wagons were fitted with a 'Safari Roof' which consisted of a second roof skin fitted on top of the vehicle. This kept the interior cool in hot weather and reduced condensation in cold weather. Vents fitted in the roof allowed added ventilation to the interior. While they were based on the same chassis and drivetrains as the standard vehicles, Station Wagons carried different chassis numbers, special badging and were advertised in separate brochures. Unlike the original Station Wagon, the new 'in-house' versions were highly popular.
With the exception of the 107 wagon, wheelbases moved to 88 in (2235 mm) and 109 in (2769 mm) for the pickup.
Finally, in 1957, the "spread bore" petrol engine was introduced, followed shortly by a brand new 2.0 litre Diesel engine that, despite the similar capacity, was not related to the petrol engines used. The petrol engines of the time used the rather out-dated 'Inlet over Exhaust valve arrangement- the diesel used the more modern Over-Head layout. This diesel engine was one of the first high-speed diesels developed for road use, producing 52 horsepower at 4,000 rpm.
This engine was slightly longer than the original chassis allowed, so the wheelbase was increased from 86 to 88 inches (2235 mm) for the short-wheelbase models, and from 107 to 109 inches on the long-wheelbases. The extra two inches were added in front of the bulkhead to accommodate the new diesel engine.These dimensions were to be used on all Land Rovers for the next 25 years.
Series II
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Series IIA
The Series IIA is, by far, the most common and many consider it the most hardy Series model constructed. It was produced between 1961 and 1971. There were some minor cosmetic changes from the II, and the 2.25 L Diesel engine was introduced. Also the 2.6 L 6 cylinder engine was introduced for use in the long wheel base models in 1967.
To the eye the SII and the SIIA are very difficult to distinguish. The configurations available from the factory ranged from short wheel base soft top to the top of the line 5 door Stationwagon. The Rover V8 3.5l engine was first tested in 1965 in a short wheel base SIIA but not introduced to a Land Rover until the first generation 2 door Range Rovers in 1970 and then later to the Series vehicles in the last of the SIII 109's in 1979. From february 1969 (home market) the headlamps moved into the wings on all models, and the sill panels were redesigned to be shallower a few months afterwards. The series IIa 109 was also the first bonneted Land-Rover to get the 2.6 straight six engine, and to be upgraded to "One Ton" Specification.
Series IIA Forward Control
The Series IIA FC launched in 1962 was based on the Series II 2.286l petrol engine and 109" chassis, but had the cab positioned over the engine to give more load space. Export vehicles were the first Land-Rovers to get the 2.6 petrol engine. These vehicles were underpowered for the increased load capacity, and most had a hard working life. Not many were made, and most had a utility body, but surviving examples often have custom bodywork. With an upgraded powertrain, they can be used as a small motorhome.Series IIB Forward Control
The Series IIB FC produced from 1966 was similar to the Series IIA Forward Control but added the 2.286 L diesel engine as an option. The 2.6 engine was the standard engine for this model. The width between the wheels was also increased to improve vehicle stability, and wheelbase was increased to 110 inches. Anti-roll bars were fitted along side a range of other minor improvements. Production ended in 1974 when Land-Rover rationalised its vehicle range. Many IIB components were also used on the "One Ton" 109 vehicle.Series III
Little changed cosmetically between the IIA and the Series III. The headlights were moved to the wings on late production IIA models from 1968/9 onward (ostensibly to comply with Australian, American and Dutch lighting regulations) and remained in this position for the Series III. The traditional metal grille, featured on the Series I, II and IIA, was replaced with a plastic one for the Series III model. The 2.25 engine had its compression raised from 7:1 to 8:1, increasing the power slightly (the high compression engine had been an optional fit on the IIa model for several years). During the Series III production run from 1971 until 1985, the 1,000,000th Land Rover rolled off the production line in 1976. The Series III saw many changes in the later part of its life as Land Rover updated the design to meet increased competition. This was the first model to feature synchromesh on all four gears, although some late H suffix IIa models had used an all-synchro box. In keeping with early 1970s trends in automotive interior design, both in safety and use of more advanced materials, the simple metal dashboard of earlier models was redesigned to accept a new molded plastic dash. The instrument cluster, which was previously centrally located, was moved to the driver's side. The Series III had the same body and engine options as the preceding IIa, including station wagons and One Ton versions.
From 1979, increased investment by the British Government brought numerous improvements. From that year the more powerful 3.5 L V8 petrol engine as used in the Range Rover, all be it a detuned version (91 horsepower), was used in the [Stage 1 V8 109].
In 1980 the 4-cylinder 2.25 L engines (both petrol and diesel) were updated with 5-bearing crankshafts to increase strength in heavy duty work. At the same time the transmission, axles and wheel hubs were re-designed for increased strength. New trim options were introduced to make the interior more comfortable if the buyer so wished (many farmers and commercial users preferred the original, non-trimmed interior).
These changes culminated in 1982 with the introduction of the 'County' spec Station Wagon Land Rovers, available in both 88-inch and 109-inch types. These had all-new cloth seats from the Leyland T-45 Lorry, soundproofing kits, tinted glass and other 'soft' options designed to appeal to the leisure user.
Of more interest was the introduction of the High Capacity Pick Up to the 109-inch chassis. This was a pick-up truck load bay that offered 25% more cubic capacity than the standard pick-up style. The HCPU came with heavy-duty suspension and was popular with public utility companies and building contractors.
90/110 and Defender
The Defender name was adopted in 1990 as a measure to distinguish the utility Land Rover model from the Discovery and Range Rover, which were moving rapidly up-market - especially in the US. Production of what is now referred to as the Defender began in 1983 as the Land Rover 110, a simple name which refers to the 110 inch (2794 mm) length of the wheelbase. The Land Rover 90, with 93 inch or 2362 mm wheelbase, and Land Rover 130, with 127 inch or 3226 mm wheelbase, soon followed.
Outwardly, there is little to distinguish the post-1983 vehicles from the Series Rovers which had been in production since the late 1940s. A mild facelift of revised grille styling and the fitting of wheel arch extensions to cover wider-track axles are the most noticeable changes. Also the windscreen was changed from a two, to a one panel screen. Defender was, however, a complete modernisation of the former Series platform. Specifically:
- Defenders use coil springs on all four wheels, whereas Series vehicles had leaf springs. This gave a more comfortable ride when the vehicle was lightly laden and improved axle articulation to some degree.
- Series Rovers were not full-time four wheel drive — the driver had to manually engage 4WD when needed. The driver had the option of pushing a Yellow Knob down to engage 4wd, and then if required pull back a red lever, this engaged the Low Ratio gearbox. As they were mostly used in 2 wheel drive mode a common retro fit was free wheeling hubs; these increase efficientcy by isolating the front wheels from the front transfer box when not in 4wd mode. The Defender incorporates a full-time four wheel drive system similar to the early Range Rover, with a transfer gearbox with a lockable centre differential.The very earliest 110 models did retain the series gearbox with a free wheeling front axle.
- The Defender quickly received more powerful, more modern engines than the trusty but old units used in the Series types.
- The interior was modernised, and a one-piece windscreen replaced the traditional split-screen of the Series models. Other details included the removal of the distinctive 'Safari Roof' (see above).
Most of the changes to the Ninety/One Ten models were minor detail changes. The One Ten was launched in 1983, and the Ninety followed in 1984. From 1984, winding windows were fitted (Series models and very early One Tens had simple sliding panels), and a 2.5 L, 68 horsepower (51 kW) diesel engine was introduced. This was based on the earlier 2.25 engine, but had a more modern fuel-injection system as well as increased capacity. A low compression version of the 3.5 litre V8 Range Rover engine was available too which transformed performance at the expense of fuel economy.
From 1985 a new chassis type was available, the 127-inch (naturally officially called the One Two Seven, which mounted a High Capacity Pick Up (HCPU)-style rear load bay to a 'twin cab' 4-door passenger compartmant on a stretched chassis. The One Two Seven was also available in numerous special conversions such as 6x6 types and fire engines. That year the 4-cylinder petrol engine was also increased to 2.5 litres. Eventually the chassis became an "off the line" option and was renamed the 130 do distinghuish it from the 127 which was a conversion of a 110. Early 127s used the "Land-Rover" grille badge in silver take from the stage 1 V8 Series III.
This period saw Land Rover begin to market the utility Land Rover as a private recreational vehicle. While the basic pick-up, Station Wagon and van versions were still working vehicles, the County Station Wagons, with improved interior trim and more comfortable seats were sold as multi-purpose family vehicles. This change was reflected in Land Rover starting what had long been common practise in the car industry - the slight changing of County model from year to year to constantly attract new buyers and to encourage existing owners to trade in for a new vehicle. These changes included different exterior styling graphics and colour options, and a steady trickle of new 'lifestyle' accessories that would have been unthinkable on a Land Rover a few years ago, such as radio/cassette players, styled wheel options, headlamp wash/wipe systems and new accessories such as surfboard carriers and bike racks.
1986 saw an important development. For many years Land Rovers had been criticised for their low-powered engines. The concept of a simple, low-stress, low power engine had worked for decades, but modern buyers demanded more. A turbo-diesel engine, closely based on the 2.5 L 4-cylinder diesel engine already used, was introduced. This unit produced 85 horsepower (a 13% increase over the naturally-aspirated unit, and 150 lb-ft of torque at 1800 rpm, an impressive 31.5% increase. This finally provided a powerful yet economical powerplant for the vehicle. The engine was only intended to be a short term solution to compete with more advanced Japanese competitors, but was quickly adopted as the standard engine for UK and European markets. The engine was marketed as the 'Diesel Turbo' (to differentiate it from diesel-engined Range Rovers, which used out-of-house VM engines badged as the 'Turbo D'). Early engines gained a reputation for short service lives, with problems such as bottom-end failures and cracked pistons. Small changes made in 1989 solved many of these problems, but the engine is still avoided by some. It is ironic that Land-Rover has developed a 2.5 litre 5 main bearing Turbo Diesel engine as early as 1962 for the 129" Truck prototype.
The biggest change to the Land Rover came in late 1990, when it became the Land Rover Defender, instead of the Land Rover Ninety or One Ten. This was because in 1989 the company had introduced the Discovery model, requiring the original Land Rover to acquire a name. The Discovery also had a new turbodiesel engine. This was also loosely based on the existing 2.5 L turbo unit, but had a modern alloy cylinder head, improved turbocharging, intercooling and direct injection. The 200Tdi as it was called produced 107 horsepower (111 in the Discovery), and 188 lb-ft of torque (195 lb-ft in the Discovery), which was nearly a 25% improvement on the engine it replaced.
This engine finally allowed the Defender to cruise comfortably at high speeds, as well as tow heavy loads speedily on hills while still being economical. At a stroke Land Rover removed all the other engine options (now redundant in the face of such a good package in a single engine). Some enthusiasts consider the 200Tdi to be the best engine fitted to the vehicle.
1994 saw another development of the Tdi engine, the 300Tdi. This was the same capacity, and both the Defender and the Discovery had engines in the same state of tune (111 horsepower, 195 lb-ft), and had the same basic layout, but had over 200 changes to improve the refinement and on-road performance of the engine. However, in the process the economy of the engine was reduced slightly, as was the ability for it to be serviced by the owner.
Throughout the 1990's the vehicle climbed more and more upmarket, while remaining true to its working roots. If ordered without any optional extras, the Defender was a basic working tool. If the owner wanted, any number of accessories could transform it into a vehicle that was perfectly acceptable as an everyday method of transport, while still retaining excellent off-road abilities. This was epitomised by the limited edition 50th Anniverary Defender 90 from 1998 which was equipped with automatic transmission, air conditioning, roll-over protection cage and powered by the Range Rover 4.0 litre V8 engine.
The last major change was the fitting of another diesel engine. The Tdi could not longer meet emissions regulations so in 1998 the Defender was fitted with an all-new 2.5 L, 5-cylinder in-line turbodiesel engine, badged the Td5. This replaced the Tdi as the only available power unit. The engine used electronic control systems to provide 11 horsepower more than the Tdi, and much improved refinement. Traditionalists were critical of the electronic systems deployed throughout the vehicle, fearing that these would fail when used in extreme conditions. This was not proved to be the case, but the increased complexity means that repairs and upgrades to the engine have to be done by someone with necessary electronic equipment, which has led home mechanics to prefer to buy second-hand Tdi-powered vehicles.
Another new vehicle is the Defender 110 Double Cab, featuring a station wagon style seating area, with an open pick up back. Although prototypes had been built in the series days, it was not until the late 1990s that this popular and adaptable vehicle got into production.
Despite the misgivings by some, others took to the new engine, and sales began to climb as more and more people found that they could use a Defender as their everyday vehicle. Now, more than ever, there is a strong division in sales pitch between the Station Wagon versions and the commercially-intended Pick-Ups and Van-bodied versions. Modern vehicles can be very luxurious. A new model type, the 'XS' Station Wagon was introduced in 2002 as a top-spec level, while the 'County' package can now be applied to every model in the line-up. XS models come with all 'mod-cons', such as heated windscreen and seats, air conditioning systems, electronic traction control and leather seats. These are popular with buyers in the UK and other developed countries, who either use the vehicle for on-road duties such as towing or people-moving, or simply as an interesting alternative to an estate car.
To such buyers, the fact that the interior will not stand up to the mud and water picked up off-road as well as the plastic, paint and metal trim of the basic versions does not matter. This does not mean an XS vehicle is not capable - it is just as capable in cross-country duties as a more basic version, and many are used 'recreationally', going off-road at dedicated sites and competitive events at the weekends, and returning to road-use at other times.
At the other extreme, 'Basic' models are still popular with farmers, industrial and commercial users, as well as the emergency services. It finds willing buyers in over 140 countries. Land Rover still provides a staggering range of special conversions such as hydraulic platforms, fire engines, mobile workshops, ambulances, breakdown recovery trucks and 'stretched' versions sometimes reaching as much as 180-inches wheelbase.
Land Rover Defender vehicles have been used extensively by many of the world's militaries, including the US in some limited capacity. The Defender is very much an anachronism in today's vehicle marketplace. It is still largely hand assembled, and unlike most modern cars and trucks, all the major body panels and sub-assemblies simply bolt together. A Defender can literally be broken down to its chassis with simple hand tools — there is no unibody structure. This is actually an advantage when used extensive for off road travel - unibody vehicles can weaken over time, but there are no such stress points on a Defender. This feature allowed Land Rover vehicles to be shipped anywhere in the world as "CKD" sets ("completely knocked down" - crated sets of components for later assembly), but has become a liability because of the high cost of labour in the UK where the vehicles are primarily manufactured today.
Other models
Produced 1968 - Approx 1977, covering late IIa and into series III Models. Basically a series IIb forward control built with a standard 109 body, featuring 2.6 L petrol engine, lower ratio gearbox, ENV front and rear axles, (Salisbury front and rear on series III) The chassis frame was unique to the model and featured drop shackle suspension similar to the military series Land-Rovers. 900x16 tyres were a standard feature, and these machines were commonly used by utility companies and breakdown/recovery firms. Only 170 IIa and 275 (approx) Series IIIs were built for the home market. [link]
One Ton 109" IIa - Image : [link]
Military
The Land Rover has been used as the basis for several British Army vehicles including the Forward Control Model 101 in, the "Lightweight", the FV18067 Ambulance and the Land Rover Wolf.The Land Rover is also the basis for the Shorland Internal Security Patrol Vehicle developed by Short Brothers.
Stage 1 V8
Produced from 1979 to 1983 as part of the first stage of the development of the 110. It had a de-tuned version of the range rover V8 and shares the same 4 speed permenent 4x4 drive train.[Stage1v8.org.uk]
Replacement
Replacing the Defender with a new model has been in the planning stages for many years. The current design is over 20 years old in its current form and, in many ways, only slightly updated from the Land Rovers of the 1950s. As modern private and commercial vehicles offer increasing levels of performance, comfort and refinement, the Defender is again in competition with Japanese products. These offer less off-road ability but are much more comfortable.Replacement was due for 2007, but recently new methods of building the Defender have made the model profitable again (since the 1990s, the hand-built vehicle had been made at a loss), and so its replacement has been less of a priority. For the 2007 model year (2006 in calendar years), the Defender will receive a new 4-cylinder diesel engine- probably a 2.7-litre version of the DuraTorq units used in the Ford Transit. Total replacement will be needed by 2012, when new regulations regarding crash safety for pedestrians will render the current design obsolete. Land Rover is keen to sell the Defender in the huge USA 4x4 market. The Defender does not reach the safety requirement for the USA, and only small batches of specially modified (and very expensive) vehicles have been sold there in the past. A replacement vehicle will almost certainly be designed to be legal in America.
External links
General information
- [Land Rover Official website]
- [The Land Rover FAQ]
- [Land Rover News] - Land Rover news all in one place
- [LR4x4.com] - The Independent Land Rover Forum
- [Land Rover Repair Forums] (LRRForums)
Owners clubs and online forums
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