This was the vehicle I learnt to drive off road in the Royal Marines in the mid 80s. Fantastic go anywhere rover. Remember on my cross country driving course driving down a near vertical hill face, being instructed to place into 4 x4 low and both feet firmly on the floor plate away from pedals and let the vehicle control itself down. A lesson that proved very valuable in my later years driving off road. I still have a photo complete with helio lifting strops in the spare wheel well and overloaded trailer on a mountain road in N. Iraq. I had an opportunity to buy a properly restored one a few years back, but passed as too many other things going on. Great memories of these though.

We had a lightweight back in the 80's, we used it for the out of the way areas on our milk round, up at the crack of dawn, get the deliveries done, then to school.

@MattKester

3 жыл бұрын

Sounds like it was quite the workhorse for you!

Land Rovers in general are such a very different kind of beauty. Here in UK pretty much all Landies old and new are well loved. Older ones while are old, loud, uncomfortable and such, have such an imence amount of charm, quirkiness and character that no one cares that they are loud, uncomfortable and all that stuff, they add to the beauty of these cars. Land Rovers are a British classic, and I would give anything to spot one when I next come over to the states, cause having them as a rarity in America makes them just that little bit more special

@MattKester

3 жыл бұрын

Thanks! We've definitely come to appreciate ours and most of its numerous quirks!

These were still in service when I served in the British army in the 1990's Great fun little trucks.

@MattKester

3 жыл бұрын

Oh wow, yeah they look like they’d be a real blast to drive off road in!

What a lovely story!!

@MattKester

3 жыл бұрын

Thanks! I’m so grateful the Alex shared it with us. This was definitely a treat to have stumbled upon!

Yes! Very cool Land Rover!

@MattKester

3 жыл бұрын

Definitely!

My favorite Landrover besides the 101fwd radiowagon

Nice story and truck. I used to live by Catterick Garrison as a kid. Got into a few scrapes being somewhere we shouldn’t have been playing in the old parts of the base with service kids. I think many of us have had to loose wheel problem and it is quite reassuring when the landy just leans over a bit and carries on once the wheel has left. I drove a s3 lightweight off-road once when I had my discovery - nearly lost my teeth the ride was so hard. Gotta love those long soft coil springs to make the ground seem so much smoother. I have heard stories my neighbour who worked in Africa about his company asking Land Rover for the old series leaf sprung trucks when the 90/110 coilers came - out as the drivers were damaging so many due to the extra speed they could do.

@MattKester

3 жыл бұрын

Thanks Gavin, I figured you'd enjoy it, although I had no clue it was from the same part of the country as you! It's been so long since I'd seen leafs all the way round in a passenger vehicle, I forgot how rough they could be. I think I'm gonna get the chance to find out in the next week or two, as Alex let me know it's up and running strong and invited me to come take a spin in it. I'm a little nervous to try rowing gearbox with my left hand though, been doing it for too many years with my right, should be interesting!

Nice...been in an old land Rover in North Borneo that lost its wheel ..yup, the wheels do take off.

@MattKester

3 жыл бұрын

I'm beginning to have this feeling like you're not truly a Land Rover enthusiast until you've had that happen to you, Laurence!

I have a 1973 Land Rover and I wouldn’t change it for nothing.it been in my family From 1973 and is like new everything is original with no dust.I just wished I could bring it to US From Iran !!

@MattKester

3 жыл бұрын

They sure don't make them like the used to, that's for sure! I can't even begin to imagine how hard that import would be! The only vehicle from Iran I've ever seen is a beautiful old Bugatti that the French government gave to the Shah as a wedding present which currently resides in the Petersen Museum in L.A.

@Foltyn444

3 жыл бұрын

@@MattKester thanks for the info I didn’t know that!!how cool is that

@MattKester

3 жыл бұрын

@@Foltyn444 it’s pretty cool. It’s probably the most beautiful car I’ve ever seen, and they are pretty proud of it. It was one of the first cars we saw when we stepped off the elevator into their gallery. Apparently it had been abandoned and forgotten somewhere and then was found and restored by a collector here stateside. I’m not quite sure if it made its way here before or after the revolution though.

@alwynvanwyk1851

Жыл бұрын

Maz 80, I've seen an abandoned Series 3 SWB left in the desert close to an as abandoned filling station.. There were no Iranian, or bird, or dog, or camel to be seen, and you could see there hasn't been a living soul for years... The Landy looked so sad out there...one thing did flash through my mind though... Should I liberate ( save) the Landy badge, written in Farsi, from the desert elements, or how would I find it's owner to buy the badge from him... ( no space in my suitcase for the Landy 😢 ) It's now 15 years later, and I wonder if she is still there, waiting to be rescued... Regards from RSA.

@Foltyn444

Жыл бұрын

@@alwynvanwyk1851 You need help

Nice story and cool old vehicle. Thanks for posting!

@MattKester

3 жыл бұрын

Thanks, I'm glad you enjoyed it.

You're wrong. The coolest Land Rover is the 101FC. ;-) Ironically, both the S3LW and 101FC suffer the same problem; they both LOOK hard as nails but they're both shonky 60's LR products underneath. A 101FC has got to be THE vehicle every Landy' fan who's also an overlander lusts after though. Maybe one day I'll get to graft the body of a 101 onto a TD5 Disco chassis and mechanicals?! But yeah, that S3LW is a lovely vehicle.

@alwynvanwyk1851

Жыл бұрын

Si Crewe. You are so right.. My 101 Ambulance body is a stunner.. They're not very well known in South Africa, and you don't see them here, sometimes the odd one at Landy Festivals... They were never exported this way, although Botswana, our neighbours, did have some... My 88" series 2 SWB, 1960,....mmmmm, the love of my life, must be happy with 2nd place...

Awesome story, seems like a really nice guy with a very cool Land Rover!!

@MattKester

3 жыл бұрын

Definitely. He even sent me a text today to let me know he's got it back up and running and invited me to come go for a spin. I'll try to make that happen this week for sure.

@MrSpeedysChannel

3 жыл бұрын

@@MattKester Awesome!!

Those seat covers are old school. My papa had those in his jeep.

@MattKester

3 жыл бұрын

Heck yeah, definitely a tasteful "period correct" accessory!

Fed. Really historical story from the owner of this Lightweight Landy dude ! What did you guys get up to over this Memorial long weekend 4wding ? V.

@MattKester

3 жыл бұрын

Thanks, Vincent. We didn't get into a whole lot of anything, we hung out around home. We got started building a rack for the Disco and we had some friends over to grill yesterday. I hate going out on holiday weekends anymore, it just tends to get a little too crowded for my liking!

He has a Jack Nicholson look about him. Very cool story.

@MattKester

3 жыл бұрын

Right! He's a very cool guy. He even invited me back over yesterday to drive it!

Fantastic, it must be a Lightweight tradition for new owners as my rear wheel fell off whilst doing 60mph on my 170 mile journey home from buying it! 🤪 I really wondered what on earth I’d just bought 😬 I’ve owned it about 14 years now and love the thing 😎😎😎 Clearly people selling Lightweights don’t really want to part with them so they sub consciously loosen some wheel nuts 🤔 Great video, thank you 😎

This is a beautiful vehicle!

@MattKester

2 жыл бұрын

Yeah, it definitely was a pleasant surprise the day we found it when we were out hiking. It just made it all the more cooler that Alex was so willing to share it with us!

Great to hear his story had a positive outcome. Moral of the story is "LOOK AFTER YOUR NUTS" 😁

@MattKester

3 жыл бұрын

Absolutely, Andre! All I kept thinking about in my mind was NASCAR's very own Daryl Waltrip singing his catchphrase version of an old Kenny Rogers song, "You picked a fine time to leave me loos wheel!"

@mullerandre95

3 жыл бұрын

@@MattKester🤣🤣🤣🤣

That number and letters on the front and rear of the vehicle is its military registration number plus on the plates inside give the VIN number from the manufacturer. The callsign of the radio would be changed regularly for security reasons.

That was soooo cool 👍🏻

@MattKester

3 жыл бұрын

Thanks! You should keep your eyes peeled for this Sunday's video, we got to take it for a spin!

There's a 1975 Lightweight that I see often here in Hereford, England. I'd like to think that it was once used by the SAS who have their HQ here. I wonder if Alex loses his American twang when he goes back to the UK 🤔😁

Grateful dead steal you're face proudly clinched to the grill.. that made that vehicle ubber cool!!! Great story mate!

I have to disagree, my series IIa lightweight, born in December 1968 is the coolest Land Rover. But of course all older Landies are a loose amalgamation of parts that happen to be travelling in roughly the same direction and bits do fall off, I had a door top fall out when I first owned it! I went round a right hand bend and there was a clattering noise and it got even more drafty, the bolts that thread through the door bottom had rotted away and the only thing holding the door top on was rust and dust. £100 new glazed door top and I was away again.

@alwynvanwyk1851

Жыл бұрын

Don't see with what you disagree with???? ALL series Land Rovers are cool 😁😁😁

Although You "can" use the fairey overdrive in 1st and second gear I seem to remember it was recommended that you used it in 3rd and fourth only. I remember 3rd overdrive being very useful in my old 2a 21/4 petrol.

Cool story, cool bloke.

@MattKester

3 жыл бұрын

Thanks, Alex is definitely a cool guy and a very gracious host.

Another great video and there a few of these light weight now being fitted with the 300tdi engine’s and axles from the defender and discovery 1 in the uk so they can run disc brake and keep up with traffic a little better

@MattKester

3 жыл бұрын

Thanks, Marv! That would be an interesting set of upgrades for sure. I actually got to drive it today, been quite a long time since I drove something of the same vintage, and my first experience with a right hand drive. Had me about as crossed up as the first time I tried to drive a manual when I was a kid! Little rod can chug right along though! I can see why Alex drives it every chance he can.

A nice video, Matt. I thought that it combined the broad and personal stories of that Landie very well. Cheers.

Made my DAY!!

@MattKester

3 жыл бұрын

Thanks!

Good video!

@MattKester

3 жыл бұрын

Thank you! It’s a little different than what we normally put out, so it’s good to hear someone enjoyed it!

The Series 3 Lightweight has the same WW2 Willys Jeep feel as the 1948 Series 1.

@MattKester

2 жыл бұрын

I can see that. I've never ridden in a Willy's personally, but I've seen a lot of them and I can see how, at the right angle, a lot of people could be confused into thinking it was one! In fact, my first impression when I saw it was, "damn that jeep's got a weird top on it!" It wasn't until I came up along side of it and noticed the hood line that I realized it was a Series Rover!

@marvinthemaniac7698

2 жыл бұрын

@@MattKester in a way, it has a closer resemblance to the Willys Jeep than the Series 1.

That is a great story. Terrific video.

@MattKester

3 жыл бұрын

Thank you! I'm glad we were able to share it with you guys!

Cool guy.

@MattKester

3 жыл бұрын

Definitely.

Wild story! I can't seem to find the FB group

@MattKester

3 жыл бұрын

Sorry, here’s the link to the FB group for anyone who needs it. facebook.com/groups/2ndhandoverland/

I have 13FM55 !

Hi

@MattKester

2 жыл бұрын

Howdy!

A Lightweight doesn’t work in the USA...lined with rubber? Get a grip man.

2 things wrong 0148 - no such thing as 2nd battalion british army - it was allocated to 2nd division (as mentioned at 0716)) 0218 - 13fm51 is vehicle number/vehicle registration mark and is not the "radio call sign when in service". en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_call_sign explains call signs