Manufacture of the Series IIA-based vehicle started at the end of 1967, and a production example was exhibited at the Commercial Motor Show in September 1968. By the end of 1968 a total of 750 examples had been built, and the vehicle started to enter service in 1969.
There were detail differences when compared to the prototype and pre-production vehicles, the most notable of these being the reinstatement of the engine oil cooler and the use of three, rather than four straps to secure the spare wheel.
Although, officially all British Army ‘lightweights’ were petrol powered, a few diesel-engined examples were apparently purchased for special purposes.
By the time production was underway, the military had changed the method of describing vehicle payloads and the ‘lightweight’ was upgraded from 1/4 ton (254kg) to 1/2 ton (508kg), with the official designation for the basic variants being‘truck, GS (or FFR), 1/2 ton, 4x4, Rover I’. The FFR variant used a screened 24V electrical system, but the major difference between the two models was that the there only two front seats in the FFR, the centre passenger position being replaced by a large battery box. The vehicle could also be supplied with what was described as a ‘unitary' radio kif which featured a battery carrier, radio table, equipment rack and protective canopy. All of which allowed quick and easy conversion from the cargo to communications roles.
The vehicle remained in production until March 1972, by which time around 3,000 vehicles had been built, in both left - and right-hand drive form. Very few modifications were made during the production run but, from about 1970, the headlamps were moved from the grille to the wing fronts - home market civilian Series IIA vehicles having received this modification in 1969.
World History
