Restoring my 1967 SIIA 88" pickup

JackW

Well-known member
Mar 17, 2005
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I'm finally getting started on restoring my 67 Land Rover - its been on a very back burner for ten years and I'm getting the urge to get behind the wheel of my old truck once again. I've owned this truck twice - once back in the seventies for a few years and then again since around 1995 when I tracked it down and bought it back. It's one of the ex-Florida DOT trucks that were originally yellow and came with a rear PTO and a pickup cab.

It's really in remarkably good shape for a forty year old Land Rover - the firewall is perfect and the original frame is in great shape. Here's a shot of it back in 1975 when I was in the midst of stripping off the metallic green paint that was on it when I bought it to respray it Corvette Chrome Yellow. The other pictures show the freshly sandblasted and prepped frame and the first coat of POR-15.
 

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JackW

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Mar 17, 2005
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I'm up to the point where I'm hanging the new Rocky Mountain parabolics on it - trying to get close to the "rolling chassis" stage by mid-January. Lots of "new" parts that I've had stashed in the basement for years are going to wind up on this truck.
 

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Gordo

Well-known member
Jack that is awesome. I cant believe the frame is that nice. Even here in Fl alot of old series are rusted up. That must be you in the back of the p/u back in the day. Keep us posted and glad to see you got it back in the family.
 

JackW

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Mar 17, 2005
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The frame was in great shape for 40 years old - only some light surface pitting in a few areas. The grease pencil marks on the side of the frame from the factory were still visible before I had it sandblasted.

That was me in back of the truck in late 75/early 76 - several inches more hair and several inches less in girth.
 

JackW

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Mar 17, 2005
675
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I'm getting closer to the point where the SIIA will be back on its wheels for the first time in ten years - just need to go through the brakes and clean up the hubs. Its' amazing how much roomier the basement is starting to look as parts are migrating upstairs to the garage.
 

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galen216

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May 2, 2005
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State College, PA
Hey Jack, are you the guy that came around at MAR wanting to photograph every Series truck that was there?

Project is coming together nice. Looks much warmer there than here!
 

JackW

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Mar 17, 2005
675
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galen216 said:
Hey Jack, are you the guy that came around at MAR wanting to photograph every Series truck that was there?

Yeah - that was me....

I brushed one coat of POR15 onto the frame after it had been sandblasted and metal prepped and then followed it up with another coat of the POR15 Chassis Black topcoat. The two 1 quart cans were more than enough to do the chassis and I have enough left over to paint all of the other pieces that attach to the chassis like the bulkhead supports, the axles, and the air cleaner and heater components. I think it cost around $77 for the two cans of POR15 and it cost me $127 to have the frame sandblasted.

It was 70 degrees down here in Atlanta this weekend - good day to be out in the garage.
 

Nomar

Well-known member
Apr 23, 2004
6,078
13
Virginia
JackW said:
It's one of the ex-Florida DOT trucks that were originally yellow and came with a rear PTO and a pickup cab.
More details! Florida had LR DOT vehicles?!
 

JackW

Well-known member
Mar 17, 2005
675
69
galen216 said:
So we are going to see you at MAR this year in your new/old 88" pick-up? Last year I had a red 88" PU.

I don't think I'll have it all back together by then - I'm shooting for Spring of 2009 to have it completed. I'm restoring my 1956 Porsche 356 too and it takes priority over the 88" Land Rover. I would like to drive my 109 diesel wagon up to MAR but it hasn't run in a few years (broken transmission) and who knows what kind of problems it's developed while its been parked.

As far as the Forida DOT goes - I've run into two other folks over the last 30 years or so who have owned one of these trucks. The State of Florida apparently bought a batch of these in 1967 and from what I've been told they were all 88" pickups with the rear PTO fitted from the factory. They were painted yellow, had the 4 cylinder gas motor and were fitted with alternators instead of generators (English Motorolas). I have no idea how many they bought but I'd love to hear more from anyone that could fill in some more information about the trucks. Since 1967 was the last year that the 109's and the pickups were officially imported I'm sure that these were just a small footnote in Land Rover's history. I've been told that the plan was to use these to mow the grass along the interstates but I don't know if that's an accurate statement. I think that Florida sold them all off before 1970.
 

JackW

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Mar 17, 2005
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Well the 67 SIIA is back on its wheels for the first time in ten years. I still need to do some brake work but it's kind of neat to see it as a potentially mobile vehicle again instead of just a pile of parts. Things are going to slow down on it while I do some work on the Porsche but once that goes back to body shop jail in two months I'll be back to work on the Land Rover.
 

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enonz98lr

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Sep 12, 2005
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Powhatan, VA
Gordo said:
Looking good Jack. Neat to see a few series builds on the board at the same time, although mine is technically a series anymore...Gordo

i think this is the only series on the boad that is staying totaly stock, i know mines not:cool:
 

JackW

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Mar 17, 2005
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enonz98lr said:
i think this is the only series on the boad that is staying totaly stock, i know mines not:cool:

Well, if you don't count the parabolics, a few little tricks I have planned for the engine and a possible front disc brake conversion it will be totally stock. I also have a 1966 109 diesel wagon that I need to restore - it will probably get parabolics but that's about it.
 

enonz98lr

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Sep 12, 2005
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Powhatan, VA
JackW said:
Well, if you don't count the parabolics, a few little tricks I have planned for the engine and a possible front disc brake conversion it will be totally stock. I also have a 1966 109 diesel wagon that I need to restore - it will probably get parabolics but that's about it.

im talking about rock sliders, front winch bumpers, roll cage, swingaway tire carryer ect ect;)