Unusual Series IIa grille - anyone recognize?

[timdbacon]

Hi, I am new, and just purchased a 1967 Series IIa. It has a very unique grille that looks legit rather than a "custom." Anyone recognize this, or have any ideas?

Thanks - Tim

[ArlowCT]

Could be Santana, not sure. What's the rest of the truck look like? What year?

[east high]

Google image search came up empty. My first thought was Santana, too, because if it's weird it's Santana, but most Santana s3 grills I found look like your average s3 grill.

[ArlowCT]

Google image search came up empty. My first thought was Santana, too, because if it's weird it's Santana, but most Santana s3 grills I found look like your average s3 grill.

Just did the same thing too and came to the same conclusion.

[I Leak Oil]

Does look very Santana'ish...except the big "Land Rover" at the top. Could just be some obscure after market IIa grill. Hang it on the wall behind your basement bar and put on a proper wire mesh bbq grill style part!

[Momo]

It looks similar to the grille on Queen Elizabeth's Series II... so it could be from a parade vehicle of the same vintage but lesser importance. Is it one piece? Plastic or metal? Dunsfold may know something...

[Partsman]

I asked on the Series 2 forum, got these responses:

Is that one of them 'state review' grilles? 58paul would be the chap to ask!

Commonly known as a State review grille, but also I seem to remember a chap on this here forum who had taken pictures of Land Rover's in a scrap yard in Greenland and they all had them grilles!

Commonly known as a State review grille, but also I seem to remember a chap on this here forum who had taken pictures of Land Rover's in a scrap yard in Greenland and they all had them grilles!

A prototype S3 plastic grille - lucky Americans ...


:RHD

you can see Pauls grill in the second or third picture in this thread

http://www.series2club.co.uk/forum/forum/index.php/topic,63788.0.html

Isn't that a grille off a royal review vehicle - should come with a set of matching chrome hub caps ... yum yum

:sheep_skip

[stomper]

Now that it has been suggested, I knew I had seen that style grille somewhere. Land Rover Enthusiast Magazine did a piece on review vehicles with photos. I just searched through the collection, and yes, these were on the Review vehicles. Another piece they did on the Queen's Series II 109 did not come with this type of grille, but there may have been a grille like this on some of her other series vehicles, I just have no verifiable proof. Someone must have found it, thought it was cool, and placed it on your vehicle.

Since these were rare, maybe 10-20 review vehicles being made, It might be worth something.

[timdbacon]

Wow! Royal is *much* more interesting than Santana. Yes, it is in one piece, and seems all metal. Not sure about the hub caps (from are FWH anyway) - will check that out but they are pretty toasty.

Thanks to partsman for link from S2 forum - yes, that is the same as in the pics.

Thanks so much everyone - really helpful!

Tim

[timdbacon]

Stomper - Any possibility that you could either post that article, or scan and send it to me? Or at least give me the publication date so I can contact them to look it up?

[Partsman]

I've got some more information for you

Thanks guys, that was just what we were looking for over on RN, the pic is of one of our member's truck, is it possibl it could be a review vehicle that was imported to the States? Or is it more likely to just be a grill someone found and put on the truck? Any way to find out from the chassis number? ???

Tricky - there would have been quite a number of "royal review" vehicles scattered around the empire. There would have been more made than you might think.
I think tracing the chassis numbers would have to be done "the other way round". I don't think there would have been a special series of numbers for royalty.
But given a chassis number, the Gaydon factory records will have recorded where the vehicle went to - someone may know if "a special" dealer was involved - or whether Land Rover sent batches out to a body builder/customiser. The Royal review vehicles had a special rear tub and lots of extra trimmings - the grille and hub caps being just a few. There is a Royal Review vehicle in the Gaydon museum.

Likewise, I bet LR made a large batch of grilles up (as spares if nothing else).
And thinking how many grilles seem to have ended up your side of the ocean, it's possible they were an optional extra on the NADA models ???

:RHD

I have studied these grilles for sometime as we bought a 1961 SW with one on back in 1997. The one in the pics above. It turned out to be a ex factory engineering vehicle, used by cl Jack Pogmore, chief assistant engineer.

It was built as a bronze green station wagon, then painted limestone when it more than likely recieved it's grille. The original on WD was not alloy but a resin. It's also very slightly different in shape to the later big batch of alloys they must have made. The resin version also has a stamped chrome lower mesh, exactly the same pattern as the one on the review vehicle in Gaydon. all the others have a wire mesh section.

I believe mine was part of a early group of factory 2's that were converted for some show/s. these were all done in the early to mid 60's. there are the two below, mine 4289 WD and 4157 AC, all 4 are exactly the same, grille, spare on the bonnet, limestone etc. mine and NX were originally green. AC and NX had prototype engines. Of these 4, 3 survive, WD, NX and AC (now unfortunetly re-registered)





The one in the top picture is going to be part of the Icelandic batch from 67/68.

I have no idea why the Icelandic station wagons in this year were fitted with them?!

[stomper]

I don't have the ability to scan the article, but I will look up the issue date so you can keep your eyes open for it. Land Rover Enthusiast is out of business now, so you won't find anyway to contact them. I collected these for about 4-5 years, and kept the issues that had good articles about series rovers.

[timdbacon]

Thanks Partsman. According to Calvin (thanks!) it was a native LHD made for export. No other information yet. I have emailed Dunsfolds and will be writing to Eric Pagan / Tracability at Land Rover in UK for history if available (is there a quicker way of getting in touch with him?).

Thanks for the great help everyone - will update once I know any more.

[timdbacon]

Just to update Phil at Dunsfolds confirms it is a "Ceremonial" grille.

Thanks all!

[landrovercarawagon]

Hello,

I have been 5 times to iceland for holidays, and overthere you ]see a lot off those special grilles. The middle off the grille is exactly likes a series 3, without the " wings" because of the lamps. The underside is with steel mesh,
I think it is not mentioned for ceremonial Land Rovers as somewhere mentioned ,but has to do with a time period or the want to get there warehouses empty