L19MUD Posted June 11, 2015 Share Posted June 11, 2015 As per the title. I have just picked up a 1976 Series 3 109 SW At first glance it is normal spec and looks as though it has been the standard petrol blue with white door tops and roof all its life. No sign of military drab There are a number of things which point to it being military though - Metal plate on LHS front wing top (for radio aerial?) - Hand throttle (is a petrol so unusual) again for radio? - 4 Oval Holes in the centre of the roof with caps over them. No idea of the purpose of these About the size of a 6x9 speaker. - Towing electric's. 1 Military socket like fitted to a sankey. Also an aluminium box on the crossmember around 20cm wide, 10 com deep and 15 cm high. There is a normal 12 pin trailer socket on here plus another socket that I don't recognise of a similar size to the standard trailer one. Not a caravan style socket. - Engine/gearbox/transfer box are all 'duck egg blue' pointing to military reconditioned units Do I have something strange here? or are there loads of them? Sam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete3000 Posted June 11, 2015 Share Posted June 11, 2015 Pictures? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mickeyw Posted June 11, 2015 Share Posted June 11, 2015 The four oval holes make me think it had a tropical or 'Safari' roof (double skinned with four openable vents) fitted once. Sounds like this may have been removed and the holes covered over. You should be able to find numerous bolt holes in the roof that would have held this second skin in place. The duck egg blue was the standard colour for a 3 main bearing 2.25 litre engine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L19MUD Posted June 11, 2015 Author Share Posted June 11, 2015 How can I add a picture? I always forget/struggle to do that on here Safari roof is a good thought. I think you are right. I will have a look on the roof for holes where it was bolted. I didn't know that re the colour of the engine. Would that apply to the gearbox and transfer box though? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L19MUD Posted June 11, 2015 Author Share Posted June 11, 2015 Picture quality bad as from the ebay add for two of them- will take some more when I get time in the daylight. It is surprisingly solid underneath and the bulkhead is very good. Can't say the same for the two front doors though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
western Posted June 11, 2015 Share Posted June 11, 2015 looks like a bog standard 109SW to me, a previous owner may have either rebuilt the engine & painted it or bought a ex-military engine as a straight swap from the likes of Jacksons or WithamSV. [both ex military equipment dealers] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mickeyw Posted June 11, 2015 Share Posted June 11, 2015 That sure has stood for a while. I was given a 109" pickup many years ago, that had a similar level of grot on it. I struggled to find anything worth salvaging! Hopefully this has fared a little better. Re colours and paint, one way to detect a military recon engine is that they will have painted EVERYTHING, rather like this LR never did this, just the block and heads got some paint. Later 5 main bearing engines were painted a deep red, similar to red oxide colour. If the transmission has paint all over it, it could well be military recon. However that is no guarantee of any military heritage. My own 110 V8 CSW was fitted with a duck egg blue 3.5 engine when I bought it. My guess is that a previous owner needed another engine for it, and that is what was available. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L19MUD Posted June 11, 2015 Author Share Posted June 11, 2015 I think everything is painted although I will have to check. I agree that anything could have been put in by an owner wanting a new engine though. Roof holes I think are v likely to be vents from a previous safari roof Just leaves metal plate on the wing for an aerial/hand throttle (option anyway)/and the strange towing elecs. I will take a better picture of those next time I am at the workshop. Unfortunately that wont be for a couple of weeks She certainly has a certain 'patina'!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve b Posted June 11, 2015 Share Posted June 11, 2015 ...some interesting rusty metal in the background of 2 of those pic's Sam cheers Steveb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SWB Posted June 11, 2015 Share Posted June 11, 2015 Standard civilian bumpers fitted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L19MUD Posted June 12, 2015 Author Share Posted June 12, 2015 unfortunately not at my yard though Steve. I picked it up from Webb skip loaders in Acton. They had some really cool stuff there! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FridgeFreezer Posted June 12, 2015 Share Posted June 12, 2015 Standard civilian bumpers fitted. But the MOD are not above buying civvy-spec vehicles for certain roles, especially non-fighting / auxiliary vehicles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve b Posted June 12, 2015 Share Posted June 12, 2015 Ah I thought I recognised the yard , been there a few times for a mooch around the used kit , lots of different stuff The 109sw looks alright by the way , clearly the best LR model in the range ...biased? moi? cheers Steveb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pollywog Posted June 12, 2015 Share Posted June 12, 2015 Does the date first registered and date of manufacture add up? Can you get the previous keepers history from DVLA? The electrics box on the rear crossmember looks more like something found on an ex utilities vehicle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xychix Posted June 19, 2015 Share Posted June 19, 2015 Metal plate on LHS front wing top (for radio aerial?) - Hand throttle (is a petrol so unusual) again for radio? - 4 Oval Holes in the centre of the roof with caps over them. No idea of the purpose of these About the size of a 6x9 speaker. - Towing electric's. 1 Military socket like fitted to a sankey. Also an aluminium box on the crossmember around 20cm wide, 10 com deep and 15 cm high. There is a normal 12 pin trailer socket on here plus another socket that I don't recognise of a similar size to the standard trailer one. Not a caravan style socket. - Engine/gearbox/transfer box are all 'duck egg blue' pointing to military reconditioned units my LHD 109 series III has: - 4 oval holes + caps + the safari roof - a metal plate on the LH wing close to the window, gives my perfect access to my clutch fluid, thought it was ment for that. - hand throttle (is a 2.25di.) though no towing electrics, no painted gearbox or otherparts. specials it does have: 3 diesel tanks. under both front seats and in the back (main). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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