Is my Lightweight a bit of a bitsa?

[Airdropable]

Is my SIIa/Rover 1 Lightweight a bit of a bitsa?
Were the major Lightweight components originally serial number matching out of the factory, or are some of these part numbers?
My Chassis Number is 23900742B from the data plate on the bulkhead and I did find 239007??? on the dumb iron.
The engine is duck egg blue/sky blue on the block but not the valve cover or components and is numbered 270876RW
I have not gotten the numbers off the gearbox yet but the number off the transfer box is 90269425A, which I believe is a Series III number.
The front axle is numbered 20400512A
The rear axle is 2040?8?2A
I lost track of where I wrote down the stamped wheel part numbers but they were all mixed and did not match the Rover 1 parts catalogue and are probably civilian.

The data plate on the dash does not have any repairs marked on it, so nothing that relates to any components being replaced or overhauled.

[diffwhine]

Some photos might help, but it looks like it may have a few odd bits.
First of all, is it a LHD? IT should be, so that's a good start point. I reckon its an early LHD build from possibly 1968, but more likely early 1969. My 2A LWT is a December 1968 build and is a RHD with 236 prefix chassis number (A GS, so not 24V). It is normal to expect all the numbers to be of a similar sequence to the chassis number, but they won't actually match. All my serial numbers start with 236 and apart from the gearbox which I had to track down, all the main units are original to the vehicle and the chassis which is quite satisfying!

At a guess I'd say that the engine may be a reconditioned exchange unit, but done by a Rover contractor, not the military.

Anybody with a LHD 2A able to shed any light on other serial numbers? If the RHD early LWTs were 236 prefix with similar numbers on major units, does the same follow for LHD vehicles starting with a 239 chassis number prefix? I must confess to not recognising 204 as a chassis number or axle number sequence

If you are looking for close to originality, I might be able to help with LWT S2A gearboxes.

Post some pics...! We like pics! It also might help assess the level of originality of the whole vehicle as there are some obvious 2A features which stand out over later builds.

[Airdropable]

Yeah it is a 1971 (late) S2A GS LHD, Ex-BAOR. There was quite a bit of rubbish work done by one PO or another and it is missing a fair amount of lightweight specific cosmetic bits (which I've made a list of the ones I know about but have not got yet) but it is pretty good overall. Good to know it sounds like the parts should be matching the series but not necessarily the exact number. If that was addressed in Mark Cook's book I missed it. Anyway here it is again; although I have stripped some extra junk off since the pics were taken.

I am trying to decide what stage to go with it for restoration. I would like to give it the attention of a body off restoration rather than deferring the maintenance for a few more decades but a factory/D.I.S. restoration does not make much sense if all the parts are mismatched. I am aiming to find the best point between the vehicle history, the various (legitimate) paint that has been on it, and the parts that are on it that have been swapped out.

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[diffwhine]

Looks like you've got plenty of desirable original features and it doesn't look that the PO mods have been that invasive. You have the junction block (and cover) on the bulkhead. I can't see from the image if you have the "squished" grab handle or the later Series 3 LWT / 101 more rounded version. Also the alloy square wiper cover.

It would probably have had a 2A cranked gear lever originally, but a change to a straight S3 style one is very common as the older ones broke.

You are certainly starting from a better place than I started from...

[Airdropable]

Thanks diffwhine, yeah definitely. Yours saw some salty roads huh? Even the chassis rust I haven't shown pictures of isn't too bad and they did some good work too. Hoping the bulkhead and upper bulkhead aren't too rusted under that sticky goo that is in there.

I was happy I had the wiper covers but of course someone had to go and drill tiny holes in both of them so those have to be Tig'ed up!
I thought all LHD SIIa had the straight gear lever? And LHD had the galvanized cover plate over the steering column hole on the right side correct?
Plus based on the numbers so far it may have a SIII gearbox now.

Now you've got me curious about the grab handle. It's galvanized under that later paint. Does this picture help?

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[diffwhine]

If you look at my grab handle, you will see that it is flatter than yours (which appears to be a later one).

I'm not aware of a straight gear lever on LHD 2As, but I'm sure somebody can can confirm.

[Airdropable]

Hmm, have to check the Spare Parts List again. Funny what was transitional in the really late 2A's and what wasn't. Looks like 36 FG 71 had a lot of mods done. Sounds like we both have a similar interest in restoring to original. It's always amazing to see how much can rust on a vehicle made half out of aluminum.

Eventually I really need to find a detailed montage of pictures of an original or really sorted out and correct Rover 1 to compare to and find out how many extra holes I have and so I don't have to ask a million questions about small details; if there isn't one posted somewhere already. My plan is to hopefully make one big order of Lightweight and 2a specific parts that I can't find locally all at once.