BOUGHT in 1990 as a temporary replacement for a car that had been stolen, the 1962 Series IIA Land Rover quickly found its way into the affections of the Arthur family.
“I loved the Landy from the first day my parents brought it home,” says Ian Arthur. “It had a push-button starter, and you could even operate each of the windscreen wipers individually — to a young boy, these features were almost magical!
“When I was about six years old, my dad took me to a private airfield close to where we lived. I can still remember the excitement as I sat on his lap, grasping the huge steering wheel and peering through the ventilation flaps, as I wasn’t tall enough to see out of the windscreen. He even put it into low ratio and let me drive up and down the grass on my own.”
Throughout his childhood and into his adult years, Ian says the Land Rover has been a constant companion. “I learnt to drive in it, then it was my first car. Even today, when there is bad weather, it becomes my daily drive. Now it’s my son Nathan who loves to climb all over it, pulling the switches and bouncing on the seats.”
Advertisement
When his father passed away in 2011, ownership of the “Red Landy” passed to Ian, of Milton Keynes. Using knowledge from his job as an insurance agent, Ian did some research and was surprised to find the vehicle wasn’t all it seemed.
“We’d always thought the Landy was a 1977 Series III, but when I checked the chassis number, we found it was a 1962 Series IIA that had been ‘upgraded’ in the 1980s to look like the newer model.”
This year Ian intends to refit the original Series IIA nose. “I’ve no plans for a full restoration. I just want to get it back to the way it should be, and put on a fresh coat of paint. I’m really just looking after it for Nathan anyway. I want him to share the experiences I had when I was growing up.”
Tell us about your classic motor
If you own a classic motor and have a story to tell, let us know about it via classic@sunday-times.co.uk, or write to Driving, The Sunday Times, 1 London Bridge Street, London SE1 9GF. Please include photos of the car as well as your contact details.