1983 Land Rover 190
(Featured on 18th December 2011)
Make: Land Rover
Model: Series 190
Year: 1983
Mileage: 11,000
Registration: 0MD 700Y
Sellers original description:
A once in a life time opportunity to acquire the very best of the best remaining original examples of one of the rarest of all land rover series lll production models - the long wheel base 109 high capacity pick-up (hcpu) 2¼ petrol.
Totally standard and original with all of its factory fitted panels and glass plus the vast majority of its original paint to the truck cab.
Never welded and kept under cover for much of its life even its factory fitted tilt with correct side windows remains.
With just 11,000 recorded miles it retains all 5 of its factory fitted tyres each with the same 1982 production date code.
The last new body style ever introduced to the series range and made for less than 2 years only and a hand full of 109 hcpu’s remain, they are very, very rare indeed.
This one, presented today in outstanding condition, with untouched bulkhead and chassis. It is almost certainly the finest, lowest mileage original condition example available anywhere – worldwide.
The land rover was conceived by the rover motor company in 1946 during the aftermath of world war ii. Rover's usual products were luxury cars which were not in demand in the immediate post-war period.
Rover's chief designer, maurice wilks, came up with a plan to produce a light agricultural and utility vehicle, of a similar concept to the willys jeep used in the war.
The proto type land rover had a tractor style central steering wheel and used the jeep chassis. However by the time of its launch in 1948 the steering wheel was mounted off to the side as normal, the bodywork was simplified to reduce production time and costs. A larger engine was fitted, together with a specially-designed transfer gearbox to replace the jeep unit. The result was a vehicle that didn't use a single jeep component, was slightly shorter than its american inspiration, but wider, heavier, faster and still retained the power take off drives.
The bodywork was hand-made out of surplus aircraft grade aluminum, mainly an aluminum/magnesium alloy called birmabright, to save on steel, which was closely rationed. Paint was also in short supply, resulting in the first production vehicles making use of army surplus green paint.
Originally the land rover was a single model offering, which from 1948 until 1951 used an 80 in wheelbase and a 1.6 litre petrol engine. It became known as the series 1.
The successor to the successful series i was the series ii and latterly iia. It came in 88 in and 109 in wheelbases (normally referred to as the 'swb' and 'lwb'). This was the first land rover to receive the attention of rover's styling department- chief stylist david bache producing the familiar 'barrel side' waist. The series ii was the first vehicle to use the well-known 2.25 litre petrol engine.
Introduced in 1971 the series iii was to become the most popular of the series vehicles. The headlights were moved to the wings and the traditional metal grille was replaced with a plastic one. The series iii saw many changes in the later part of its life as land rover updated the design to meet increased competition.
In 1980 the 4-cylinder 2.25 litre engines were updated with 5-bearing crankshafts to increase strength for heavy duty work. At the same time the transmission, axles and wheel hubs were re-designed also for increased strength.
By the early eighties production of the series lll 109 land rover was coming to an end. Its successor, the all new permanent 4 wheel drive one ten was nearing the end of development.
Land rover designers had realised that for the new lwb model there would be a requirement for a larger rear load area. Having decided that there was a market though and with sales of the 109 in decline the need for the bigger rear load bay was pressing.
The new design for the bigger load area which had been intended for and was to be to be used on the one ten could, it was agreed, be added to the 109 range provided that additional strengthening was carried out to the top of the chassis to take the extra weight of the tub and heaver pay load.
In 1982 the great british institution that was the series land rover saw the introduction of the very last new body style. The 109 lwb series lll high capacity pick-up (hcpu).
This was a pick-up truck with a wider load bay that offered 25% more cubic capacity than the standard pick-up style. The hcpu came with heavy-duty suspension, the strengthened chassis with additional steel support welded along the length of the top rails and a pay load of up to 1.3 tonnes. There was a large single plane load area, full width tailgate with single handed release handles, low load height and ladder rack.
All the above made the hcpu very popular with public utility companies farmers, building contractors and paved the way for the hcpu body still in use on lwb defenders today.
The high capacity pick-up was the very last new body style to ever be introduced to the series lll and was made for less than 2 years before it was replaced by the vehicle that saw the demise of the series land rover after its 33 year run, the one ten later to become the defender.
Today, almost 30 years since the last one rolled off the lode lane production line, 109 high capacity pick-ups are very, very rare. It is thought that only about 20 survive and, as with all classics, as they become rarer they become more sought after.
Of the few that have come up for sale in the past year anything half decent has left these shores as, of course, series land rovers are as popular, if not more popular, overseas as they are here.
Of those that do remain the vast majority have been well used and have led a very hard life, as we say they where popular as working vehicles. You will have your work cut out now to find one in original condition. If you do find one though it is bound sure to be tatty, rusty and tired, to say the least.
If you can find any series land rover nowadays that has never had its main chassis or bulkhead welded, or does not need any welding, you will be very fortunate.
To find a rare 109 high capacity pick-up that is totally original, that is in outstanding condition, that’s never been welded, that effectively has only had 3 owners and that has a recorded mileage of just 11,000 miles surely such a vehicle can’t exist. However if one did exist then it would unquestionably be the best 109 hcpu in the world - wouldn’t it?
Well it does exist, we are sure that it is the best one available anywhere - worldwide and offered here is a once in a lifetime opportunity to acquire it!
Omb 700y
A land rover series lll 109 high capacity pick-up 2286cc petrol. One of the last made and first registered on 10th may 1983, around the same time as the first one ten’s began to appear.
Factory extras include “county” seats in grey cloth twill, ¾ hood made by the suppliers of factory fitted hoods for land rover - coventry hood and side screen co ltd and £207 extra at the time, bonnet spare wheel carrier, drop pin tow bar and electrics although the electrics have since been removed.
Believed to have first been registered in the supplying dealer’s name - station motors of queensferry, denbigh it has never been more than a few miles away from there since. Station motors number plate, key ring and tax disc holder remain. Omb 700y was then sold to its 2nd owner a local man for private use.
The second owner clearly cherished and hardly used the vehicle. By the time its third owner acquired it in 1999 the mileage then was just 6,626 according to that year’s mot present in the history file.
The third owner was a horticulture collage just 5 miles away from the supplying dealer. The college was set in 224 acres with a range of commercial horticultural facilities, woodlands, environmental areas, and machinery workshops.
After a prelonged search for the right vehicle they were attracted to omb 700y by its low recorded mileage, its outstanding condition and, of course, its wide load area which suited their specific needs perfectly. Omb 700y was not really destined to be used on the road by the college, although was taxed and mot’ed each year, but assigned to a department that would take a small group of students for specific types of study within the confines of the college boundaries.
The college machinery workshops made up ingenious and expertly engineered seats for the load area which ran the length of each side and had a joining section that ran between them below the ladder rack. The seats where sturdily made from angle iron with vinyl padded seat bases which folded upwards. They did not have padded backrests and the tops of the independent rear wheel arches required some flattening in order to accommodate the seats. This work was also carried out by the workshops although as the arches would be hidden by the seats not with a great deal of finesse. 4 bolts through existing tie fixing holes held the seats in place.
The seats are still with the vehicle if the new owner would like them although we have removed them as without backrests we are not sure of the safety or legal implications of using them on the road.
Maintenance and servicing was carried out in house at the workshop facility, regardless it would seem of cost. The college keep the vehicle under cover when not in use. The annual mileage, supported by old mot’s, was around 1,000 up until 2006 when omb 700y was taken out of use and laid up under cover following financial issues with the college.
A merger with another college followed in 2009 and this year, after 5 years of storage, omb 700y was disposed of following strict procedures set in place by the new management that allowed equipment and vehicles to be sold to college employees before being offered on the open market.
Today the recorded mileage is 11,344 and everything about the vehicle supports this. All 5 tyres are the original factory fitted avon ranger cross plys (radials were a factory extra) they all have the same date code declaring manufacture in 1982. The new owner should be aware that tyres of this age should be professional checked by a specialist prior to use over distance or at speed.
The steering wheel even still has the slight moulding ridge from manufacture. Original factory paint is still present on the pedals. Door and even the tailgate rubbers have not deteriorated, hinge plates and straps are like new even the original land rover factory applied promotional sticker, proclaiming land rover first because it lasts, remains on the drivers door glass.
Omb 700y is presented in outstanding original condition. It is a bold statement, and not one that we make lightly, to declare something as the best of its type in the world but we do believe that offered here is the lowest mileage best original condition 1983 series lll land rover 109 4cyl petrol high capacity pick-up available for sale anywhere worldwide.
Bodywork:
Omb 700y has never been restored, in fact all of the panels and the majority of the truck cabs marine blue paint would appear to be that applied at land rovers solihull factory nearly 26 years ago.
Prior to our acquiring omb 700y no paint or bodywork rectification had ever been carried out and really for a average series land rover none would have been required. However this is no average land rover.
There were a couple of minor light dents to the exterior of the tub and the paint had flaked off in a couple of places. The paint was worn thin on the floor of the inside of the load area where people’s feet would have been.
The truck cab had a few light dents here and there, the worst of these to the driver’s side wing, and we have attended to the majority of these.
A small permanent repair has been made to the passenger foot well and both foot wells and floor have been painted, again just because the original paint had worn thin under foot.
One or two slight dings and a few minor scratches to the truck cab and roof remain but you would be hard pushed to see them.
The paint finish has a superb lustre.
We can find no signs of any welding being carried out or any being required to either the main chassis or the bulkhead, both of which look to be in exemplary condition. We have just had an mot carried out and it was noticed that there was light corrosion on one of the front outriggers this was not bad enough to be a fail or even an advise but as everything else to the underside is so good (in fact almost perfect) we decided to replace it with a new part.
The load area is excellent with the exception of those wheel arches which we have straightened back to shape as best we could but they are far from being as new. The arches could be easily replaced.
Door tops and bases are excellent and remarkably rust free.
There are a few marks, chips, scratches and blemishes that have been touched in with a touch up brush over the years.
The correct for year with side and front and rear windows ¾ hood, which was a factory option, appears to be the original. The coventry hood and side screen co ltd tag is still attached, they have made hoods for land rover for years, and embossed on each window are cleaning instructions. All six windows are in excellent condition remaining perfectly transparent with no splits or cracks. Overall the canvas is good although getting a little thin in places and although we have not tested it we would be surprised if it remained completely water proof.
All the glass would appear original and the side windows do slide open and closed and lock however the bottom door window channels could do with replacement, a quick and inexpensive job.
The chassis number is visible stamped on the chassis in the correct place under the o/s/f wheel arch and, of course, matches that of the vin plate and logbook. So you will not have problems if you want to export/import to germany, holland, the usa or anywhere else for that matter.
Interior:
Factory option of “county” cloth seats are the only extra to the 'commercial utility' (land rovers term in the eighties for very basic) specification of series lll land rovers.
The seats are exceptionally clean for a 30 year old land rover and again support the low mileage. They have no rips or tears and have held their shape well.
No door trims, headlining or sound proofing however in our opinion, and that of many land rover series purists, this makes for an all round better vehicle. All the interior paint finish including that to the roof is excellent.
The dash is good with no holes or cut outs for any extras. No radio has ever been fitted.
Everything tested works including the two speed heater fan. The heater controls move up and down with ease.
Original jack, jack handle with correct wooden attachment, wheel brace and starting handle are present and unused, some still with their part number stickers, and in their correct places behind the seats.
Worthy of special note is the land rover tool roll, these hardly ever remain or if remaining are never complete with series l.R’s today. Omb 700y’s toll roll is there. Not only is it complete but with the exception of the pliers it seems none of the tools have ever been used. Most of them still have their part number stickers in place. The tyre pressure gauge is stamped unipart and the tiny grease gun remains unopened in its original cellophane wrapper with its b.L logo and part number in tact inside the wrapper. Even the lucas feeler gauge is there and unused. Good second hand tool rolls for series land rovers are commanding prices upwards of £200, but an unopened grease gun would probably be worth that on its own.
There is heavy duty period link matting to the front floor, removed for the pictures.
Under the bonnet:
The engine bay is exceptionally clean and the best we have ever seen, with original stickers, no signs of corrosion and presenting only like an extraordinarily low mileage land rover could.
Again of note and again in support of the mileage the original (matching numbers) engine retains all of its redish brown factory paint finish which is not flaking chipped or worn and covers the whole of the lower engine block.
The bonnet sealing strip is original and in near perfect condition – almost unheard of on a series l.R.
On the road:
This land rover drives very, very well everything remains tight and it is obvious from the off set that this is an exceptionally low mileage vehicle that has been well maintained.
It has a fantastic, albeit series land rover, feel on the road and is probably as close to driving a new one as you could get.
Of course they are not the quickest of vehicles and be prepared for a noisier ride than you will most likely be used to, as we say no sound deadening here!
Four wheel drive and low range engage as they should.
There is an mot 12th december 2012.
Summary:
If omb 700y was a standard 109 or any series lll in this outstanding original condition and with this exceptionally low mileage it would be highly desirable and sought after. Of course though omb 700y is not a standard 109. It is a very rare and historically significant to the series land rover - as the last new production model - high capacity pick-up. Furthermore it is almost certainly the very best original example of that model in existence – anywhere.
Our mechanic, who is by chance a series land rover enthusiast and certainly knows a thing or two about them, has just gone over the vehicle from top to bottom checking all levels and that everything works just as it should. Nothing really needs doing just the odd little job like the window channels.
Please remember though this is not a restored vehicle and it has been used as a working vehicle albeit very light work. Consequently it does bear the odd ding and scratch and almost everything is nearly 3 decades old.
Omb 700y is such a proper, honest car and what you see is what you get, no nasty surprises here! It is presented in show condition. If kept this way it is bound sure to increase in value over the coming years.
Photos:
