Description
Land Rover 101 Forward Control
1977 | S Registered | ‘GS’ Soft Top | 6. 5 GMC V8 Diesel | 4 Speed Manual with Overdrive | 12-volt | Bronze Green with Khaki Hood
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Specification:
1977 Ex-MoD ‘GS’ spec body on original chassis. GMC 6, 473cc V8 diesel engine, coupled to an LT95 4spd manual transmission with additional overdrive. 5x 6-stud steel wheels with 9. 00x16 ‘bar grip’ style tyres. Hi/ Lo ranges, with permanent 4wd and centre difflock. NATO hitches front and rear plus civilian rear 50mm ball hitch. Bronze Green/ NATO green paint. Full length removable ‘Khaki’ colour canvas hood. Bench seats to seat 6 people in rear.
Description:
The Land Rover 101 Forward Control was produced by Land Rover from 1972 to 1985. It was designed specifically to meet the British Army requirements for an air portable ‘field tractor’ to tow the L118 Light Gun. Offering a higher payload capacity and better off-road performance than existing Land Rovers in their portfolio, the was driver seated forward of the engine allowing for a longer cargo area.
According to an official Land Rover dating letter, this 101 FC was manufactured in Solihull on or around 16th December 1977. It would have entered service with the MoD soon after, and in 1997 it was cast from B. V. D. Ashchurch via British Car Auctions originally plated as an ‘Ambulance 4 Stretcher’. At a guess; it was likely rebodied with a General Service (GS) rear tub, probably to replace a damaged Ambulance body. The first owner then had Samurai Motor Components Ltd of Devon fit a GMC 6. 5 V8 diesel conversion (the same as used in US Military ‘Humvees’) in 1999 at an invoiced cost of £5, 111. This included a rebuilt block, ancillaries, exhaust, clutch etc. At around 165bhp and 300lbs ft., it offers a good upgrade over the standard Rover 3. 5 unit along with a small increase in fuel economy and reliability.
Clambering up into the cab, the big diesel lump fires up easily from cold after waiting for the glow plug light to extinguish. There’s a small amount of grey smoke from the exhaust when cold (typical for the GMC units), which then clears once warmed up. It pulls very well on the road; all four gears select correctly along with the overdrive, and the low range and vacuum centre difflock work as they should. We have put the vehicle through our workshop so it has received new oil and filters, along with going through the brakes. It has had a brand new old stock brake servo (specific to the 101), so it pulls up to a stop as well as it should. The steering is also in good order, with only a little bit of wander on the road thanks to the big crossply 9. 00 tyres. The front two tyres are still yet to be replaced (due to perishing), but we are waiting to receive these.
Underneath, the chassis is very solid and the bulkhead is in very good order with no welding present. The body work is good and straight, typically for an ex-MoD Landy there’s a few different shades of green but it comes up well and we have given it a once over with a paint conditioner that brings the lustre back. The full-length Exmoor Trim canvas hood is brand new and can be fully removed in the summer months if you so wish. The interior… well what there is… is very tidy; with good black vinyl front seats up front (with belts), plus two 3-man bench seats in the rear making it ideal for carrying lots of passengers. All the lights and electrics work as they should (although the heater unit is missing). The odometer reads circa 52k miles but this is incorrect as we had to replace the speedometer head and cable due to the previous item failing – This item would not have been original either because all 101s had KPH speedos from factory. The vehicle is tax and MoT exempt, and comes with some paperwork including the original engine conversion documents and magazine articles from the time. It can be driven on a standard car license being plated to 3, 143kg GVM.
This fun old truck would make a great investment that can be used, enjoyed and cherished; ideal for those weekend trips to the beach, carrying a shoot party around, going to military vehicle events or even to put to work collecting logs in winter… Work or play (or both!), it’s ready to go!
Conditions:
We have described the vehicle as accurately as we can, but please take your time looking through the photos. Viewing is most welcome, if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us. All funds must be cleared before the vehicle can be taken away. We are happy to take deposits to reserve vehicles, however this is non-refundable fee agreed on point of sale, and is valid for 7 days at which point the full balance must be settled and collection or delivery arranged.
The vehicle must be collected from our premises near Shrewsbury. We can also arrange UK delivery by trailer if you so require.
