Series II 88
Short-wheelbase companion to the Australian Army's 109″ fleet: the first Series 2 88″ ¼-ton trucks entered service in early 1959 from CKD kits assembled by Pressed Metal Corporation in Sydney, followed in 1963–64 by the Australian-modified Series 2A 88 GS with its brushguard, twin fuel tanks and canvas tilt.
Factory colours
- Deep Bronze Green
- Australian Olive Drab (lustreless)
Codes on hover. Hex values are representative approximations of period paint unless a source states a measured value.
History
The Australian Military Forces chose the Land Rover as their ¼-ton light vehicle after the 1958 'Project V50' comparative trials, in which the first Series 2 ever seen in Australia — chassis 142800001, rushed off the Solihull line and shipped to the Army Design Establishment near Melbourne — beat the Jeep CJ-3, Willys M38A1, Austin Gypsy and a local Freighters design. Contract 104337 followed in November 1958, and the first CKD Series 2 88″ short-wheelbase units, all dated 16 December 1958 and assembled from RHD kits by Pressed Metal Corporation at Enfield in Sydney, were in service early in 1959. REMLR's Army registration records count roughly 1,221 short-wheelbase 88s among 1,841 Series 2 Land Rovers enlisted in total — the SWB fleet actually outnumbering the better-known 109s.
The Series 2 88s were near-civilian vehicles, designated Trucks, Command and Reconnaissance ¼-ton, with only light militarisation. The definitive army short-wheelbase came with the Series 2A ¼-ton GS (census 6005) of 1963–64, which shared the heavy modifications of its ¾-ton 109 sibling: extended front spring mounts and rear shackles for extra ride height, an extra outrigger carrying a duplicate 10-gallon fuel tank, longer shock absorbers, 7.50-16 tyres and a 2.25-litre petrol engine with twin fan belts. Exterior fittings included the characteristic brushguard, bridge-classification plate, blackout light, cut-away front wings, pioneer-tool brackets, NATO trailer socket and the canvas windscreen strap — the canvas-tilted, bull-barred silhouette the registry model reproduces. The 88s served in general duties, fitted-for-radio and specialist roles, including the 106 mm recoilless-rifle 'gunbuggy' conversions built on the SWB chassis.
Early vehicles were delivered in gloss Bronze Green enamel; from April 1967 the fleet was over-sprayed in the Australian Army's flat, infrared-reflective Olive Drab, with white bumper corners and rear diff for convoy work and stencilled ¼-ton load-sign markings. The SWB fleet was progressively replaced by Series 3 and later Perentie vehicles; survivors are preserved by collectors and in unit museums, including the Series 2A SWB displayed at the Australian Army Museum Bandiana.
Imagery
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Registry record
- Manufacturer
- The Rover Company (CKD kits assembled by Pressed Metal Corporation, Enfield, Sydney)
- Manufactured
- 1958–59 Series 2 deliveries; 1963–64 Series 2A 88 GS
- Engine type
- 2.0 L petrol inline-four on the earliest 1958–59 units; 2.25 L petrol inline-four (Army spec with twin fan belts) on the Series 2A GS
- Production run
- ~1,221 Series 2 88″ vehicles (REMLR ARN data), plus Series 2A 88 GS lots
- Country of origin
- United Kingdom (assembled in Australia)
- Status
- retired; survivors preserved by collectors and army museums
Catalogue data
- Record kind
- Named model
- Model line
- Series II
- Wheels
- 4
- Nominal wheelbase
- 88″
Base catalogue fields are exported from the Difflocked game. In-game physics values are arcade tuning, not certified historical measurements, and are deliberately not shown as specifications here.
Sources & citations
Researched sources
- Series 2 Land Rover (AMF Series 2 contract, Project V50 trials, PMC Enfield CKD assembly, ~1,221 SWB of 1,841 Series 2 ARNs) ↗ — Registry of Ex-Military Land Rovers (REMLR) (accessed 2026-09-10)
- Series 2 88 'Regular' (first Series 2 88 delivered for 1958 appraisal; minimal modifications after assembly at Sydney's Pressed Metal Corp) ↗ — Registry of Ex-Military Land Rovers (REMLR) (accessed 2026-09-10)
- Series 2A 88 GS (census 6005, in service 1963–64; chassis modifications, twin tanks, brushguard, gloss Bronze Green then flat Olive Drab) ↗ — Registry of Ex-Military Land Rovers (REMLR) (accessed 2026-09-10)
- Australian Army Vehicle Colour Schemes and Paint (April 1967 change from gloss Deep Bronze Green to lustreless Olive Drab) ↗ — Registry of Ex-Military Land Rovers (REMLR) (accessed 2026-09-10)
- Land Rover Part Three — 88 Inch Chassis Vehicles (Series 2 88s designated Trucks, Command and Reconnaissance ¼ ton) ↗ — ANZAC Steel (Paul D. Handel) (accessed 2026-09-10)
- Pressed Metal Corporation ↗ — Wikipedia (accessed 2026-09-10)
Drive it
This vehicle is playable in the Difflocked racing game.
RACE THE SERIES II 88 ↗Registry record updated 2026-09-10T00:52:56.878Z · status: researched