Sacred Oz
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- Category: Series II
- Last Updated on Wednesday, 19 October 2011 17:24
- Written by Site Admin
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Sacred Oz Productions are a small, independent self funded documentary film company. The two people behind and in front of the camera are Michael Butler and Samantha Martin, they both have now produced several broadcast documentaries around the World over a period of 10 years. Their chosen mode of transportation is an ex-military 1961 Australian Series II 'cutwing' Land Rover Ambulance, dubbed 'The Message Stick Vehicle'.
The Message Stick Vehicle at Victoria Museum
The production team have produced a documentary 'The Message Stick' which follows the story of the Land Rover vehicle that was transformed into a modern-day message-stick as it traveled to Aboriginal communities around Australia. By the end of the 10-year journey in the Australian outback, the vehicle had now been painted by well over 200 traditional Aboriginal Artists, re-enacting a 50,000 year-old story of traditional message sticks that were taken around Australia on foot by young Aboriginal warriors.
This unique vehicle has become a “one of a kind” piece of art and has now been exhibited in 5 major museums in Australia, showcasing the diversity of different styles of Aboriginal art. The significant elders in the film are continuing to preserve what has been passed down to them form generation to generation through self-determination.
Michael and Samantha with the Land Rover
Samantha Martin, Production Manager of The Message Stick and a traditional Gidga Woman from the Kimberley’s in Western Australia said,"As a collaborative work of art, my view would be that this traditional and contemporary painted vehicle is a cross between a sculpture and an installation. Art spanning two mediums. Ultimately it’s a piece of cultural history for the world to experience".
Michael sorts out some running repairs
For more details of Sacred Oz Productions latest work, visit their website at www.sacredoz.com.au
Land Rover Sandtrekker
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- Category: Series II
- Last Updated on Saturday, 10 September 2011 14:56
- Written by Site Admin
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Information and pictures shown here have been gleaned from the interweb and loosely reconstructed.
May contain some inaccuracies!
The Sandtrekker, a modified ex-War Department 88 inch Land Rover is believed to be the world's first 6 wheel drive Land Rover, the modification having been completed in 1966.
The vehicle, registered EOM 306 C when cast from the military, is a short wheelbase Series II model of around 1960 - 1962 manufacture. It cost £200 to purchase and was soon under the knife for it's new role as an expedition vehicle, which the team - Graham Trueman, John Baker, Roy Wheale and Tony Brown, all in their early twenties at the time, took to Africa in 1967, covering 12,000 miles through 14 countries.
They gave up their jobs and left their families with the intention of escaping a nine-to-five existence and seeing the world. They went through rain forests, picked their way around 5ft deep holes filled with mud and covered 75 miles on a road laced with mines.
The vehicle cost another £600 on top of the purchase price to modify, even with some companies providing technical help. After a bit of trial and error, and with some help from Land Rover, the third axle was eventually powered from a specially modified transfer case with a second output shaft complete with high range gear and low range slider gear that meshed with the intermediate gear at about the 7 o'clock position. Girling provided support for the new braking setup.
It is still around and is believed to be under restoration by enthusiasts on Jersey.
Any further information on the Sandtrekker would be gratefully received.
Maxwell Morris Wrote:
Hi, re the above vehicle. I was a policeman stationed in Langley, Bucks back in 1969. Being a Land-Rover owner/enthusiast even then, I saw this vehicle on the A4 at Colnbrook , where I stopped it for a "routine" check. During the conversation the driver a man of Asian (indian?) origin said he had built the vehicle and had all the copyrights etc.
The vehicle was a very faded greyish purple and had sandtrekker on the side. I remember advising the driver about very worn bushings on the rear springs etc, he said he had driven it overland from Uganda. He further said in conversation that he was looking to sell it together with the "copyrights" etc, he said he was an engineer and had done the conversion himself with mods to transfer box etc, he did seem to know what he was talking about re landrovers! but he looks like he may have been telling a few porkys, with a view to me being a potential customer. If I remember correctly it had freewheel hubs on 1st and 3rd axles.
Max.
Series II and IIa
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- Category: Series II
- Written by Site Admin
To maintain the Land Rover's market-leading position, the original Land Rover needed an update. This came in 1958 when the Land Rover Series II was launched, with new body styling and new engine options, although the first 1500 or so series II 88" models retained the 2 litre petrol engine from the Series I.
The new petrol engine was based on the recently introduced 2.0 litre diesel engine. The engine's capacity was bored out to 2.25 litres, and since it was based on a diesel engine design, it proved to be a reliable unit since the petrol version was much less stressed. The extra power produced from the 2.25 was enough to keep the slightly heavier Series II at reasonable speeds when on-road. The new gearbox was similar to the Series I gearbox, but incorporated synchromesh on the 3rd and 4th gear. Rear wheel movement was improved by moving the rear springs, and the turning circle was reduced by improving the steering lock. The new body styling was still conservative, but added rounded corners and sills to the Land Rover design. Window Perspex was replaced with glass.
Available in 88" (2235 mm) and 109" (2769 mm) wheelbases, the Series II sold well, with 28,000 being sold in its first full year, and 34,000 in the year after. In 1961, the diesel engine was bored out from 2 litres to 2.25 litres to match the petrol engine. Although the change in diesel option was the only significant change, the Series II was renamed the IIa. The 2.25 litre petrol and diesel engines became the standard Land Rover units until the mid-1980s, with the end of Series production and the advent of more powerful diesel engines.
The first 12-seat station wagon was introduced in 1962. Twelve adults would have been a tight squeeze, but it allowed the vehicle to be classed as a bus and therefore avoid purchase tax. The cheaper price hit sales of the more expensive 10-seat 107" station wagon in the UK market, and the 107" was finally dropped from the product range.
The Buick designed Rover V8 3.5 litre engine was first tested in 1965 in a short wheelbase IIa, but this was merely as part of the development of the upcoming Range Rover, which was launched in 1970. Indeed, the V8 was not seen in a production Series Land Rover until 1979, and then only in the 109" V8 'Stage 1' model.
The next major change for the IIa occurred with the introduction of a 2.6 litre 6-cylinder petrol engine option on the 109" models in 1966. This engine had been developed for the Rover P4 and P5 cars, but was introduced into the Land Rover range to supply extra power for the heavy Forward Control IIb. The dashboard was re-designed in 1967.
Export models had their headlamps moved from the grille area to the wings in 1968. This change was reflected in domestic models in February 1969.
Another change in 1968 was the introduction of the "One-ton" Land Rover. Externally, this looked virtually identical to the standard Series IIa 109" (3/4 ton) Land Rover, but was upgraded in a number of areas to handle heavier loads and towing. The most notable upgrade was the use of heavy duty transmission components from the Forward Control models. The larger wheels were also carried over from the FC model. Overall gear ratios were lowered to aid with towing.
As with the Series I a decade earlier, by the late 1960s it was clear that significant changes were required if Land Rover was to keep its edge. Hence in 1971, the Series IIa was replaced by the Series III.
If you can help us out with more information about Series II Land Rovers, please do so.
You can contact us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
Series II/IIa pictures
Series II © Dave Neeson (LATP 2008).
1962 Series IIa Ceremonial Vehicle © Dave Neeson (Dunsfold 2009).
Series IIa © Dave Neeson (LATP 2008).
Demobbed Series Ambulance © Matthew Carey.
Dennis's Ex-Military Series IIs
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- Category: Series II
- Written by Site Admin
Dennis has a preference for Australian Ex-military series II Land Rovers. Being lucky (or patient) enough to have a well equipped workshop, and patient (or lucky) enough to have gained the skills to use this equipment, he has now restored a fair few vehicles to a very high standard. Dennis is now the proud owner of ten Land Rovers, which he does use for driving pleasure, but also to help out Australian veterans who want to participate in a parade but cannot due to some form of disability. His daily driver is a 1984 County 110, factory fitted in Australia with the Isuzu 3.9 Diesel.
Dennis's 109" Workshop Truck and 1/2 ton Platform Trailer.
These items were built only for the Australian military. The next five pictures below, show the workshop truck and the trailer in various stages of it's rebuild.
'Cutwing' Series II Workshop Vehicle.
1/2 ton workshop trailer before restoration.
The 1/2 ton workshop trailer stripped to the chassis.
1/2 ton workshop trailer chassis gritblasted.
1/2 ton workshop trailer.
The pictures below (not of Dennis's vehicle) show how the vehicle was deployed. The frames on both the vehicle and trailer extend upwards and outwards, and be fully enclosed and made so that no light escapes either. The trailer shown is a machine shop type.
The workshop vehicle / trailer combo as used.
The trailer contents.
'Lady' - The Series II Comm./recon car.
Below are two pictures showing 'Lady' before and after. This lady was almost a basket case, but she has come up nicely, only needing to finish the door tops to complete.
Lady The Series II Land Rover, before a full restoration.
Complete.