Up for auction is this 1970 Land Rover IIa, finished in Poppy Red with a white removable hardtop, with black vinyl front seating and tartan cloth in the rear, powered by a 2.5-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine with a four speed overdrive manual transmission, with 7100 miles showing on the odometer.

This is a very clean and original example of Land Rover’s iconic IIa. It was not used as primary transportation, and after close inspection, it appears that the 7100 miles showing on the odometer is accurate, though true mileage is unknown. It is with its second owner, who has an extensive history with Land Rovers from this era, and has performed a mild refresh on this IIa for proper daily use.

Both cosmetically and mechanically, the IIa appears to be original, down to the relatively rare Poppy Red finish. Currently in Santa Barbara, California, available records indicate it has been in California for its entire service life - and in covered indoor storage, unused, for the last seven years.

After purchasing this IIa early in 2022, the owner changed engine oil, differential fluid, and other mechanical work to bring the Land Rover up to spec. After that fine tuning, it resulted in an excellent and reliable IIa - a great example to drive, with patina and character impossible to recreate.

The exterior of this IIa is in very good condition. The Poppy Red finish appears to be original, with consistent color and depth across all body panels. It does lack some depth, but is free from damage or repair. Unpainted metal parts like bumpers and trim show some patina and a duller finish, but are straight and clean with consistent appearance.

The electric winch mounted to the front bumper is period-correct and in proper working condition. The removable white hard top is also in very good condition, fitting properly and snugly to the truck. Doors open and close easily, though the back cargo door can be harder to open and close. Side and rear windows are all clean and, while both the driver and passenger windscreens are brand new and properly installed.

The interior of the IIa is in very good shape. Overall, there is evidence of fade and patina on some surfaces, but everything is still intact and free from excessive wear or damage.

Front seats are covered in a black vinyl, and seating surfaces have little evidence of use or wrinkling. Some edge seams are seperating, with foam exposed.

The rear facing jump seats are covered in a red and white tartan base pattern cloth in excellent condition. Most of the interior is the same Poppy Red finish as the exterior, and in very good condition, with some paint chipping and missing in the rear floor area, but mostly intact and completely rust free.

Touch points like the steering wheel and shift knobs are clean, with some shine to the black finish, but no cracks or breaks. All interior switchgear is in proper working order, and the manual air vents operate smoothly.

The 2.5 liter four cylinder engine is in excellent operating condition, with no drivability issues noted, running smoothly both from cold start and when properly warmed up.

The four-speed manual transmission is also in optimal operating condition, with linear clutch engagement and clean accurate shift throws.

Underneath, the chassis is clean and free from damage, with some mild surface corrosion from age visible, but otherwise in solid condition.

A mechanical service was performed in July 2022, to bring the car up to proper operating specification after seven years of storage. Work performed during this service includes -

• New head gasket
• Cylinder head mating surface machined and cosmetically cleaned and polished
• New valve cover gasket
• Rockers and valve adjustment
• New spark plugs
• spin off oil filter canister conversion
• fresh engine oil and transfer case oil change
• Gas tank dropped, emptied of old fuel and fully cleaned out

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