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Named model · Series III · 1980 prototype; production 1982 to late 1980s

Hotspur Sandringham 139″ Canvas Cargo

Land Rover-approved 6×6 conversion of the Series III Stage One V8 by the Sandringham Motor Company (SMC Engineering, Bristol), sold in 125-inch (S6) and 139-inch (S6E) wheelbases as a two-ton load carrier; the canvas-tilt cargo body was the basic military configuration.

Military · Other
Hotspur Sandringham 139″ Canvas Cargo — front three-quarter render

History

The Sandringham 6 was developed by SMC Engineering (Bristol) Ltd — SMC standing for Sandringham Motor Company, a firm closely associated with Hotspur Cars — which cut the chassis of a Stage One V8 behind the cab and grafted on its own extended frame with a second, powered rear axle. Land Rover instructed and fully approved the conversion, and the design brief kept parts commonality above 90 per cent: only the middle axle, propshafts and fuel tank departed from standard Series III Stage One components. The result carried a two-ton payload through a 3.5-litre V8, permanent six-wheel drive and a lockable centre differential, in a choice of 125-inch (S6) and 139-inch (S6E) wheelbases.

A prototype was shown at the 1980 British Army Equipment Exhibition at Aldershot, a trials programme was completed by early 1981, and production began in 1982. Small numbers went to military customers as two-ton load carriers and artillery tractors — the role the canvas-tilt cargo version represents — while others served UK utility companies, including electricity-board vehicles converted into cherry pickers. The conversion also became the basis of Hotspur Armoured Products' armoured variants, including an APC and an exhibition air-defence carrier.

Only around a dozen are believed to have been built across all bodies, and surviving examples — auction cars from 1982, 1986 and 1989 among them — are prized rarities today.

Registry record

Manufacturer
Land Rover (donor Series III Stage One V8)
Manufactured
1980 prototype; production 1982 to late 1980s
Modifier / coachbuilder
Sandringham Motor Company (SMC Engineering (Bristol) Ltd, associated with Hotspur Cars)
Engine type
3.5 L Rover V8 petrol (Stage One)
Production run
~12 vehicles (all Sandringham 6 variants)
Country of origin
United Kingdom
Status
small number preserved

Catalogue data

Record kind
Named model
Model line
Series III
Wheels
6

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

Catalogue references

Drive it

This vehicle is playable in the Difflocked racing game.

RACE THE HOTSPUR SANDRINGHAM 139″ CANVAS CARGO ↗

Registry record updated 2026-09-09T15:03:27.043Z · status: researched