1961 Land Rover Series II 4x4 Safari Station Wagon

Registration no. 915 YUX Chassis no. 144006351

Footnotes

Some ten years after the original's introduction it was felt that the time had come to update the Land Rover's somewhat primitive slab-sided styling. The result was the Series II, which featured the more rounded sides that would characterise the Land Rover from then onwards. Introduced in 1958, the Series II was available with either the 2,286cc petrol engine or the newly developed 2,052cc diesel first seen in 1956 on what became known retrospectively as the 'Series I'. By this time the original permanent four-wheel drive freewheel transmission had been superseded by the more conventional selectable two- or four-wheel drive arrangement, with a set of low ratios available if required with the latter option selected. The Series II's arrival also marked the standardisation of only two different wheelbase lengths - 88" and 109" - the Series I's 107" option being dropped.
This left-hand drive Land Rover Safari Station wagon was purchased new in 1961 in Massachusetts, USA by world renowned scientist, inventor, and technology entrepreneur, Dr Edwin Land, founder of the Polaroid Corporation and best known for inventing the Polaroid Land Camera. In the mid-1970s the vehicle was passed on to his daughter, Valerie Smallwood, who then lived in New Hampshire. During this period they also lived in the UK and only spent their summers in New Hampshire. '915 YUX' was then passed on, in 2013, to Mr Land's granddaughter, Miss Emma Smallwood, who imported it into the UK.
This remarkable Land Rover remains in completely original condition, having covered a genuine 13,000 miles and been owned by the same family for almost its entire life. It is a 'time warp', matching numbers example and comes complete with its original tool kit, jack, jack handle, starting handle, and Lucas spares, together with the original owner's manual, service agents' book, US title, service history, etc. In addition, it has original date-stamped wheels and radiator, and also retains the original Lucas headlights, lenses for indicators, sidelights, and brake lights (now obsolete). '915 YUX' is also fitted with an exceptionally rare item, usually only ever seen in sales brochures: a Land Rover Kodiak VI fresh air heater.