Land Rover Series 3

The Land Rover Series III succeeded its predecessor, the Series II, in 1971. Initially, this newest generation vehicle was very similar to its predecessor. That being said, as the years went by a number of changes were made which opened up the Series III to leisure users as well as commercial.

Series III At Launch

Much like the Series IIA, the Land Rover Series III was available in 3 body styles: 2-door off-road vehicle, 4-door off-road vehicle and 2-door pickup. It also featured the same engine options as the Series IIA. These were the 2.25 L ADO 23 petrol engine, the 2.25 L diesel I4 and the 2.6 L IOE I6.

Very little was changed in the move from IIA to Series III. At least in the beginning The grille, which was metal on previous iterations of the Series range, was replaced with a plastic one. The 2.25 L petrol engine also had a slight upgrade with he compression being boosted from 7:1 to 8:1 as standard, where previously this increase in power was an optional fit on the Series IIA.

In relation to its interior design, more advanced materials were used to boost safety of the vehicle as well as appearance. The metal dashboard was switched out for a moulded plastic dash. As well as this, the instrument cluster was relocated to the driver’s side.

Evolution Of The Series III

While the Land Rover Series III very much resembled its predecessor in earlier models, it did undergo changes as its production wore on. These changes largely came about as a response to Land Rover’s competitor vehicles stepping up their game in similar markets.

While some of the later SIIA models had used an all-synchro box, the Series III Land Rover was the first to feature syncromesh on all four gears. Also known as ‘synchroniser rings’, this addition made gearshifts both easier and smoother. As the years wore on, a series of updates were applied to the transmission to address common faults, these included the addition of five main bearing crankshafts to both the 2.25 L petrol and diesel engines in 1980.

A series of new trim options were ushered in for the Series III. This was in a bid to make the interior of the vehicle more comfortable, should the buyer wish it. Given that the Series vehicles began life as utility and agricultural vehicle, the addition of comfier interiors very much signalled plans for the Land Rover to continue to transition into a private vehicle in the future.

1982 County Station Wagon Land Rover

In April 1982, the County Station Wagon Land Rovers were launched. An evolution of the previous Station Wagon, these vehicles were available in both SWB (88”) and LWB (109”_ types. They also featured plusher interiors and more high end specifications including cloth seats taken from the Leyland T-45 Lorry, soundproofing kits and tinted glass. A range of other soft options were also available, the majority of which were formulated to appeal to leisure users over commercial.

High Capacity Pick Up

Another variation of the Series III was the High Capacity Pick Up. With a LWB of 109”, it was bigger than standard pickups and featured a heavy-duty suspension. This vehicle was more of a commercial addition to the Series than the County Station Wagon and was very much favoured by commercial businesses such as utility companies and building contractors.

Series III in the Military

By the time the Series III was released, the British Army was already using both Series I and II vehicles in a wide range of capacities. Towards the end of the 1970s, the British Army had a fleet of around 9,000 series III models, all with 2.25L four-cylinder petrol engines. These were mainly modified heavy duty versions of the LWB soft top. Modifications to these included improved suspension and a different cross-member design to the commercial versions.

The Series III Land Rover was also used by the Australian Arm, Royal Australian Navy and Royal Australian Air Force. Most of these were General Service mobility vehicles converted to patrol vehicles, ambulances, command reconnaissance cars, fire tenders and ceremonial vehicles.

The New Zealand Army took ownership of over 500 Series III vehicles in the early 1980s.