Everybody remembers the first Land Rover they fell in love with that changed their lives. Our first ever Landy is a 1973 Land Rover Series 2A that my dad bought new. I thought I had the receipt but we can’t seem to find it. What I did find was the original quote that he used at the time of purchasing. It shows it was a six cylinder Safari, with the roof windows and a tropical roof, as extras. A petrol tank was fitted and freewheeling hubs. The total cost came to a whopping R 4115!
Original Series 2A 2.6 litre
This vehicle is still largely standard. It hasn’t got any major modifications, still running a 2.6 liter engine. Not the original engine as it was replaced by another one from a Forward Control. Then it’s got forward control rims on just to make it a little bit wider. The other upgrade is on the back diff which is a stronger ENV axle. But the rest is original.
Taking a Look Inside
This is a series 2A so it has the still has the steel dash but with the front lights in the wings since its a late 2A. Bought in 1973 just as the Series 3 came out. I know at the time my parents were not too keen on the more expensive Series 3 with the plastic dash. They thought no that was too soft, doesn’t that sound familiar. Even back then people were complaining about Land Rovers becoming too luxurious and soft.
The vehicle has travelled alot and has the scars to prove it. But it spent its whole life in the dry inland regions of South Africa and was always kept in a garage. So the firewall and everything. The dash is is still the same, but the only difference is the indicator switch. The original on the steering column broke so it was replaced with a little toggle switch on the dash
The old Dash came black and is still original and unpainted. When it was a camper the whole inside was carpeted and you can see where it was stuck down but since it was converted back to a pickup. The manufacturing plate and the original chassis plate show it’s a South African assembled vehicle. It was originally bought with a hard top on with a door.
Overlanding Camper Conversion
The reason my parents bought this Land Rover was for overlanding. They could no longer get to the places they wanted to go with their normal sedan car and so Land Rover was the obvious choice. The first few trips were done with the trailer which didn’t prove very successful and they soon got rid of it. After that they just modified the Land Rover into an overlander vehicle for the four of us to travel in.
When it was bought it was fitted with and extra fuel tank under the driver with a filler on top of the wing. Together with the main fuel tank it was was that could be pumped across with a switch inside.
On the front bumper they had a 20l water tank mounted. There was also one like this on the back of the vehicle and that carried all the water that we needed
For sleeping we made a double bed in the back for my parents made with a basic frame at the bottom. With hardboard that could fold over and would become a double bed to sleep on. My brother and I would sleep in the cab. Brian was the youngest so he would sleep on the on the front bench seat. What we did is we just had a two blocks of wood that we would put under the back and that would level the seat. I slept on a stretcher that ran across the the top width.
Kitchen and Storage
For additional storage my mom cut boxes into the side of the vehicle on either side and into the floor behind the front seat. This was kind of dead space inside the body of the vehicle. On the one side we could pack extra food and on the other side I remember my dad used it mainly as his toolbox.
The kitchen unit was called the silver box. This thing literally also must be like 40 years old. My Mom made it almost straight after we got the vehicle. For travelling it would be strapped down on the wheel arch. The really clever thing was that it was made to be taken out. Using two screws fixed to the side of the vehicle it could be hung on the side of the vehicle. The you could open it up and you’d have a kitchen with a working surface.
This little kitchen unit had the pots and and cups and plates and then some other basic food stuff. I’m still using almost exactly the same system today. I’ve got a kitchen unit that’s similar to this and used it in all my Defenders and currently use it in my Discovery.
Land Rovers come and go but it’s really amazing to see that this very first Land Rover that we ever had is still in our family. It has created so many memories and experiences for us. We don’t have any plans to get rid of it anytime soon in fact it’s just waiting for that day when we can restore this amazing vehicle back to its former glory.
Watch the full video at The Overland Legend on Youtube
