Looks very similar to my late Series IIA. Nice article about it here:
https://www.fourwheeler.com/news/features/craigslist-find-1973-land-rover-series-iii/
Barn Find 1973 Land Rover Montana Ranch Truck
Searching Craigslist scores a cool vintage 4×4
Christian Hazel AuthorOct 6, 2020
Although it is true Craigslist has lost a lot of its former luster, it can still be a great tool to find neat automotive deals from all over the country. With a decent search engine that makes it simple to find keywords and (unlike Facebook Marketplace) the ability for sellers to accurately describe what they’re selling in the ad title, we still find ourselves preferring Craigslist as our go-to source for auto browsing.
Today’s cool find is this 1973 Land Rover Series III for sale. Unfortunately, killer deals on vintage iron seem to be a thing of the past, but even with the somewhat hopeful $22,500 price tag hung on this little orange ranch truck, it’s nice to dream.
It’s hard to tell, but it seems the paint could be the factory Bracken BLVC93 color faded to a slightly duller orange. The ad says it still has the original 2.25L four-cylinder, which was factory rated at a fully adequate 70 hp at 4,000 rpm and 120 lb-ft at 1,500 rpm. Backing the little carbureted four-banger would be the fully-synchro’d four-speed manual and two-speed T-case. Unlike many American T-cases of the era, the little Land Rover’s T-case featured a 1.148:1 high range rather than 1:1, and low-range was 2.35:1. The high range helped overall gearing with the 4.70 axle ratio, for a final drive of 5.39:1 in Fourth Gear, High Range or a crawl ratio of 40.70:1 in First gear, Low Range. That’s plenty given the advertised weight of the aluminum-bodied SUV of less than 3,000 pounds.
With an 88-inch wheelbase, some cool aftermarket upgrades like an early Belleview 6,000-pound winch, a home-built roof rack that could no doubt double as a mobile deer stand, and (according to the ad) two interior vertical gun racks, this little survivor might be the ultimate cool ranch truck and hunting vehicle find. Check out the ad while it’s still up here.
If you decide to buy it – let me know, and I’ll tell you where to get parts. Read my articles on the easy fixes right here on my website!
Have an adventurous day!
Mike