Motodrome offer for sale ‘Lily’ as this gorgeous low mileage 1961 example of the ever-popular Land Rover Series II 88in petrol hard top is known, finished in Satin Bronze Green with limestone roof.
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Motodrome offer for sale ‘Lily’ as this gorgeous low mileage 1961 example of the ever-popular Land Rover Series II 88in petrol hard top is known, finished in Satin Bronze Green with limestone roof.
Lily seems to have been christened as such by the Berkshire and Reading Fire Brigade, with whom she served from new in 1961 for 10 years, before moving to serve at Heathrow Airport until entering civilian life in 1983.
Because of it’s provenance, and supporting history, we think Lily’s odometer reading of just 27000 miles is likely to be genuine.
Lily is in lovely condition, and retains her early features including original horsehair front seats, sprung steering wheel, deep modesty covers, flat front panel etc.
She’s also fitted with: a matching set of Avon traction mileage 600×16 tyres, and freewheel front hubs.
Inside she has twin rear bench seats making her a 7 seater at a pinch, Smiths round heater, original Pyrene fire extinguisher, and inertia reel front seat belts.
She’s fitted with a sweet-running 151-prefix 2.25 petrol motor, which, whilst we can’t be 100% sure, is period-correct for the year and hence is likely to be the original.
Lily is an original UK-supplied RHD Series II. The dealer plate on the passenger seatbox shows she was initially supplied by Marchants Garages in Newbury, to the local Fire Service. Correspondence in the file with the modern-day Fire Brigade indicates she was based at the Cookham Road Maidenhead Fire Station as their P-car, or personnel car. There’s even a photo of her in service in the file, albeit with a damaged NSF wing and front panel following a collision.
As above, Lily moved to Heathrow Airport in 1971, before coming onto the civilian market in 1983. We have the sales invoice from 1983 showing she was sold for the princely sum of £920.00.
Thereafter every owner she’s had seems to have loved and cherished her and appreciated her rarity, and we have a good selection of bills and correspondence in the file, and old MOT’s back to 1987 and 15638 miles. She last had a service at the end of April 2022 at 26757 miles, which was pretty comprehensive in it’s scope, and is now ready for more adventures.
Lily is tax and ULEZ exempt, and is one of the nicest-driving Series models I’ve encountered. Whilst she’s also MOT exempt, I’m pleased to say that she’s MOT’d to June 2024, with no advisories.
It’s rare to find a Series II (the rarest of all Series variants) that hasn’t lead a hard early life, as that’s what they were originally bought for. Lily’s rear tub and van sides are in unusually straight condition, adding credence to her life of being pampered.
Whilst it’s fashionable, and very straightforward, to convert hardtop models into soft tops, I think Lily is best left as she is, but ultimately that’s up to the new owner.
We have a pedal lock as per the pictures that wil come with the vehicle.
Scroll down to the bottom of the page and you’ll find our usual 2 videos: a walkaround appraisal, and driving impressions, which form part of the description.
The photos show the Fire Service badges temporarily tacked into position on the doors. Subsequently they have been fitted properly, the drivers door rubber has been replaced, and the drivers door adjusted to fit better.
I don’t think you’ll find a better Series II, unless it’s a nut and bolt rebuild.
viewing by prior appointment
E & OE
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