The truth is often stranger than fiction.

Oddballs

During the period of Series 2 production, Land-Rover experimented with many different ideas. Customers would specify different applications for the ubiquitous little truck. The company tried to oblige; where they couldn't other companies saw market opportunities converting vehicles supplied by the factory. Some customers even tried their own conversions. Here are some interesting ones. If you have pictures of others, please contact the Webmaster.

Full size picture available here.

A backhoe loader suitable for trenching operations.

This vehicle would have been ideal for light farm use.

A luggage conveyor for remote airfields without terminals.

SMOMOT; Single Machine One Man One Team, a big lawn mower/harvester.

Air cushion supported for work where low ground pressures were required.

Cuthbertson converted tracked vehicle.

This was very effective across marshy ground but lateral stability would have been an issue.

Amphibious Land Rover with aluminium floatation tanks.

Roadless Traction forestry Land Rover; the huge wheels must have provided immense traction.

It dwarfed its 109 equivalent.

Vehicle adapted to accommodated Goodyear Terratyres, designed for low ground pressure work.

Rail Rover, application used to assist work on rail lines. Moden versions are still in use today, based on Defender LRs.

Specialised photo finish camera equipped 109 for use at race courses.

Soil auger or post hole borer running off power take-off unit on LR.

Mobile cinema application. Many of these were used British Forces Broadcasting to entertain troops in the field.

MPV adaptation for safari work in Africa.

Generator vehicle fitted with sound deadening skirts, particularly used by outside broadcast TV crews.

Atkinson snowplough attachment.

This is "Lofty" a massive truck prototype produced by Land Rover for military use. Sadly it never went into production.

There were lots of fire engine applications. Have a look at our Emergency Vehicles page.

This is the Sandtrekker, a specialised 6x6 conversion designed for use in desert applications due to its superior traction over sand.