Skytop Land Rover - Your Source for Series Land Rovers.

Why buy a military Rover?

The main reason for considering a military Land Rover is maintenence. An ex-military Land Rover will have been extremely well maintained throughout its life. In addition, all work will have been documented. Military maintenence is supervised carefully, and problematic parts are replaced rather than repaired. Individuals must sign off on each repair, and a detailed log is kept for each month the vehicle is in service. Moreover, maintenence will have been carried out at prescribed intervals, without regard to cost. Remember, these vehicles were expected to perform under exceptional circumstances, and while lives were not always at stake if they failed to live up to the task, they were perpared as if they were.

The bulk of the military Land Rovers that have been released recently are Series III's, which were brought into service from 1971-84. Up until 1997, most of the series III's released were beyond economic repair, or had reached the end of their service life. However, the Ministry of Defense decided, in 1997, to "cast", or demobilize, all Series III Land Rovers, in favor of contemporary 90's and 110's. What this means is that the current crop of Series III's were in current service and maintained in readiness up until the day they were released.

Another important factor is the mileage. Most of Skytop's military Rovers are very low mileage, with an average of about 45K on the clock. We just sold an ambulance converted into a 109" GS with 14K original miles. If you have ever driven a very high mileage Rover, you will immediately feel the difference, in every respect when driving a low mileage military Rover.

What are some of the differences between a military and civilian Land Rover?

Military chassis are undercoated from new, and the original black chassis paint is can be exposed by a bit of scraping. Generally, they are much sturdier than their civilian counterparts, and have the added convenience of a removable gearbox crossmember, which makes repair and replacement of the gearbox a snap.

Most military Rovers have twin, 10 gallon fuel tanks, which can be manually switched on the fly, and individual senders, so the guage will work on both tanks, and the 2.25 liter gas engine has twin fan belts.

They are also fitted with "bumperettes", which are smaller bumpers, which sit above the main front bumper, and stick out from the rear crossmember. Which generally protect the front and rear lights.

Military land Rovers also had leather gaiters covering the axle swivels, so corrosion is unlikely. The suspension is of a sturdier construction, with heavy-duty leaf springs, and heavy duty shock absorbers.

The light switch is also unique, and was designed for convoy situations. There are six settings, and the front and rear lights can be turned on or off independently of each other. There is also a small convoy light fitted on some models, which is a small lamp under the cross member. It shines down on the rear of the Salisbury rear axle, which would be painted white for visibility. It would allow a following driver to guage the distance between the vehicles; i.e. if you can't see the diff, you're too close!

Why are many MoD Land Rovers 24V? What are the benefits?

Many military Rovers were used as bases for communications, and as such, needed a powerful electrical system to run all of the ancillary equipment nescessary for the task. These vehicles, usually 109" soft tops, were referred to as "FFR", or "fitted for radio". The 24 volt system is based on a huge, 90 amp alternator, which would have powered the two 12v batteries located between the front seats. The 24V system is far superior to the 12V variety, as is is fully shielded and "screened", with a special sealed coil, distributor, and spark plug wires. They are impervious to damp, cold and moisture. Generally speaking, we recommend the 24V system to anyone who will be offroading regularly, or will be in a very damp climate.

Are 24V spares more expensive than 12V spares?

As a rule, yes, 24V spares are more expensive than 12V, but they are sturdier, tend to last longer, and are not as prone to corrosion from moisture and dampness. We are getting in all of the parts unique to 24V systems, from bulbs and spark plugs, to military reconditioned starters and 90amp alternators; our prices will be very competitive, and should not be any more than list price for 12V spares from U.S. suppliers. We will also give heavy discounts to customers who purchase a 24V Rover from us.

What if we don't like the "camo" look of the military Rover, but like the idea of a well-maintained, low mileage Series vehicle?

Most customers prefer to leave their military Rovers as authentic as possible. However, Skytop can prepare any Rover to any specification you require. Feel free to come down and pick a vehicle, and tell us what you want. We will prep and paint the vehicle, in any color you choose, and fit any accessories or equipment you desire, within a strict time frame for delivery.