Random # 301: Land Rover Series IIA Forward Control

Can't quite work out what this vehicle is? Find its styling familiar yet oddly not? That's because it's probably Land Rover's least well-known model, the forward control, or FC.

FC Landies share their basic mechanical underpinnings with their instantly recognisable cousins, the Series I, II, IIA, IIB and III, as well as the later 110 Inch and Defender models. However, they were only ever released in IIA and IIB guise (early-60s to mid-70s) and were never commercially available with disc brakes, coil suspension or any of the 110 Inch onwards refinements.

This one - spotted in Cygnet, in the Huon Valley, south of Hobart - has been converted to a camper van, as was the only other one I've ever seen in Australia, Iain Watson's khaki coloured behemoth. This one has had a caravan body neatly grafted onto its rear, whereas Iain's featured a custom built camper unit, with a pop-top, that continued the horizontal lines from the front doors all the way down the length of the tray-sides, mimicking the regular IIA utility's cargo area in style and width. It may have been narrower than this example but it was a neater job and, breadth being an issue in tricky terrain, possibly a little bit more capable off road for it.

Iain's is long gone from Tasmania and, sadly, I don't know where it's gone but I hope it's still seeing use somewhere. It was a very cleverly designed, well-built vehicle, with Iain being responsible for penning and constructing all the camper mods and a good many more innovations, too.

If anyone knows where Iain's FC is or what's happened to it, I'd be chuffed to hear from you. Please leave a message in the comments section (below) and, should you happen to have any photos that you could send, they would be a real bonus!

U M P H

(uppermiddlepetrolhead.blogspot.com.au.)

iPhone images.

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Random # 301: Nanna-Spec KE36 Corolla

Once upon a time - six or seven years ago, actually - there was a lovely pale yellow GC Galant station wagon getting around Hobart. It was totally nanna-spec; its paint was umarked, the chrome work and hubcaps were immaculate, and its very original interior was pristine. Then someone stuck feathers in its dashboard. Next, the windows were adorned with Tibetan prayer flags. And a hubcap went missing. And the the rear bumper was pushed in, mangling the bodywork behind it. And a mudguard got dented. And rust set in. I fear for this sweet, innocent KE36 Corolla. Somebody please save it before it's too late. Nanna needs you to do it. U M P H (uppermiddlepetrolhead.blogspot.com.au.) Photos by GlamRock.

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