I had a S2A 109" ex-military, 1 ton payload station-wagon. Had it from about 1998-2007. it was scraped and creased and dented (I bought it originally to 'play with'); I put a rover V8 3.5L engine in to it as the original 2.25 petrol was a bit wishy-washy. I then put a fairy overdrive in, and then ('cos of the cost of petrol) I converted to LPG. It would do 100ish
if you dared! (speedo only went up to 75 so that's a guess)
It was roasting in the summer; freezing in the winter (despite adding a 2nd heater from a rangerover); and when it was wet & windy it would rain on my right earhole, via the gaps around the door!
The one-ton rated leafsprings were lubricated with ground rust - the grease having been washed out years before, so they only started to work once you got a ton in the back.
Had to weld it up for every other MOT
, was always repairing something, or adding oil somewhere, or replacing halfshafts (rear axle wasn't designed for the V8! (or my right foot
) ), and it had a turning circle that would impress the captain of an oil tanker.
But it was still the best vehicle I've ever owned.
then one day in may 2007, a drink driver passed out at the wheel of his Merc and came out of the on-coming traffic at me - Hit me head on doing 60mph and still accelerating!
Crumpled the chassis (except the bits that I had welded - I used 3mm plate), Bent the front axle into a banana shape, smashed the gearbox, and pushed the floor up under the pedals - but me and the dog got out without a mark on us!!
Sadly though there wasn't anything to be done with the landy, except try and get the B******ds at the insurance company to give me anything like what it was worth (their first offer was £300 - excess!!
).
I would like another one, but I don't know if it could replace the original - I'd put a lot of work into it and knew its every nook and cranny
.
mab