Chassis Number Sequences 1948 – 1958
Reprinted with permission from the Land Rover Series One Club where it was compiled from research by Michael Bishop and supplemented from other sources including an article by John Smith in LRW magazine February 2003.
1948 Models to February 1949
| Model | Chassis sequence | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-Production | R or L 01 to 48 | R = RHD; L = LHD |
| Basic model | R or L 860001 to 863000 | First digit 8 = 1948 Model Year; second digit 6 = Model (Land Rover) |
The production engine, gearbox and front and rear axles ran in their own 860001 onwards series.
1949 Models February 1949 – July 1949
Numbering changed to 7 digits with addition of third digit to designate sub-model.
| Model | Chassis sequence | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Basic model | R or L 8663001 to 8667920 | Third digit 6 = Basic vehicle |
| Station Wagon | R or L 8670001 to 8670070 | Third digit 7 = Station Wagon |
| Mobile Welder | R or L 8680001 to 8680010 | Third digit 8 = Mobile Welder |
The engine gearbox and front and rear axles for these models continued in the 860001 onwards series. No 96… series chassis number issued for 1949 model year. Production subsequently began as early as September of the year previous to the model year. The factory prepared for the new run during the summer holidays.
1950 Models August 1949 – July 1950
Third digits simplified to 1-3 rather than 6-8 and numbering changed to 8 digits.
| Model | Chassis sequence | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Basic model | R or L 06100001 to 06115440 | Third digit 1 = Basic vehicle |
| Station Wagon | R or L 06200001 to 06200480 | Third digit 2 = Station Wagon |
| Mobile Welder | R or L 06300001 to 06300030 | Third digit 3 = Mobile Welder |
| 2 litre prototype | 07100001 to 07100050 | Second digit 7 = prototype |
0… 1st digit designation introduced for 1950 model year onwards. The engine, gearbox and front and rear axles ran in their own 06100001 onwards series.
1951 Models
Third digit, addition of CKD models designated as 6. Fourth digit designating Home Market models (0) Right-Hand Drive (6) or Left-Hand Drive (3).
Basic model
| Specification | Chassis sequence | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Home models | 16100001 to 16103971 | Fourth digit 0 = Basic Home vehicle |
| RHD export | 16160001 to 16163268 | Fourth digit 6 = Basic RHD export |
| LHD export | 16130001 to 16137601 | Fourth digit 3 = Basic LHD export |
| RHD export, C.K.D | 16660001 to 16662322 | Third digit 6 = Basic RHD CKD export |
| LHD export, C.K.D | 16630001 to 16630078 | Third digit 6 = Basic LHD CKD export |
C.K.D stands for Completely Knocked Down which means that the vehicle was despatched out to its destination, unassembled and was assembled by the Local main dealer or importer.
Station Wagon
| Specification | Chassis sequence |
|---|---|
| Home models | 16200001 (Not used) |
| RHD export | 16260001 to 16260020 |
| LHD export | 16230001 to 16230080 |
The 80 inch Land Rover Station wagon was discontinued after 1951.
Mobile Welder
| Specification | Chassis sequence |
|---|---|
| Home models | 16300001 to 16300004 |
| RHD export | 16360001 to 16360009 |
| LHD export | 16330001 to 16330007 |
First digit designation changed (1…) to identify new model year. The engine, gearbox and front axle for these models are 16100001 onwards for RHD vehicles and 16130001 onwards for LHD vehicles. The rear axles are all numbered 16100001 onwards.
1952 Models
As 1951 sequence with change of first digit for new model year.
Basic model
| Specification | Chassis sequence |
|---|---|
| Home models | 26100001 to 26105569 |
| RHD export | 26160001 to 26163614 |
| LHD export | 26130001 to 26136424 |
| RHD export, C.K.D | 26660001 to 26661092 |
| LHD export, C.K.D | 26630001 to 26631985 |
Mobile Welder
| Specification | Chassis sequence |
|---|---|
| Home models | 26300001 to 26300014 |
| RHD export | 26360001 to 26360004 |
| LHD export | 26330001 to 26330013 |
The engine, gearbox and front axle for these models are 26100001 onwards for RHD vehicles and 26130001 onwards for LHD vehicles. The rear axles are all numbered 26100001 onwards.
1953 Models
As 1951 sequence with change of first digit for new model year.
Basic model
| Specification | Chassis sequence | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Home models | 36100001 to 36104122 | |
| RHD export | 36160001 to 36164007 | |
| LHD export | 36130001 to 36134613 | |
| RHD export, C.K.D | 36660001 to 36662240 | |
| LHD export, C.K.D | 36630001 to 36637268 | incl. Minerva – but without bodywork. |
Mobile Welder
| Specification | Chassis sequence |
|---|---|
| Home models | 36300001 to 36300008 |
| RHD export | 36360001 to 36360007 |
| LHD export | 36330001 to 36330007 |
The engine, gearbox and front axle numbers for these models are 36100001 onwards for RHD vehicles and 36130001 onwards for LHD vehicles. The rear axles are all numbered 36100001 onwards.
1954 and 1955 Models
With the launch of the 86 inch and 107 inch vehicles, Land Rover changed the numbering system to 8 digits and re-ordered the sequence as follows:
| Digit | Meaning |
|---|---|
| First digit | Model year: 4 = 1954, 5 = 1955 |
| Second digit | Vehicle type: 7 = Land Rover |
| Third digit | Variant: 1 = 86 inch, 2 = 107 inch, 6 = 86 inch CKD, 7 = 107 inch CKD |
| Fourth digit | Specification: 0 or 1 = Home market, 3 or 4 = LHD Export, 6 or 7 = RHD Export |
Examples
- 4710… 1954 Land Rover 86 inch Home market vehicle
- 4766… 1954 Land Rover 86 inch CKD RHD Export
- 5720… 1955 Land Rover 107 inch Home market vehicle
Prototype 86 inch models were numbered P/86 to P86/9; Pre-production models were numbered 47100001 – 16. 86 inch Station Wagons did not have any special numbering. All LWB Station Wagons were 107 inch right up to the end of production in 1958. There were no 109 inch Station Wagons.
1956 – 1958 Models
Pre-empting the launch of the 88 inch and 109 inch models part way through 1956 to accommodate the larger diesel engine planned, Land Rover moved to yet another chassis numbering sequence from 1956, this time with 9 digits.
86 inch and 107 inch models
| Digit | Meaning |
|---|---|
| First digit | Model type: 1 = 86 inch, 2 = 107 inch, 8 = 107 Station Wagon |
| Second digit | Vehicle type: 7 = Land Rover |
| Third digit | Variant: 0 = Home market, 3 = Export LHD, 4 = CKD LHD, 6 = Export RHD, 7 = CKD RHD |
| Fourth digit | Model year: 6 = 1956 |
88 inch, 109 inch, and 107 inch Station Wagon models
| Code | Variant | Code | Variant |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | Home RHD 88 | 12 | Export RHD 88 |
| 13 | CKD RHD 88 | 14 | Export LHD 88 |
| 15 | CKD LHD 88 | 16 | Diesel Home RHD 88 |
| 17 | Diesel Export RHD 88 | 18 | Diesel CKD RHD 88 |
| 19 | Diesel Export LHD 88 | 20 | Diesel CKD LHD 88 |
| 21 | Home RHD 88 | 22 | Export RHD 109 |
| 23 | CKD RHD 88 | 24 | Diesel Export LHD 109 |
| 25 | CKD RHD 109 | 26 | Diesel Home RHD 109 |
| 27 | Diesel Export RHD 109 | 28 | Diesel CKD RHD 109 |
| 29 | Diesel Export LHD 109 | 30 | Diesel CKD RHD 109 |
| 31 | Home RHD Station Wagon | 32 | Export RHD Station Wagon |
| 33 | CKD RHD Station Wagon | 34 | Export LHD Station Wagon |
| 35 | CKD LHD Station Wagon |
| Digit | Meaning |
|---|---|
| First digit for all vehicles | 1 = Land Rover |
| 2nd & 3rd digits | Variant code, listed above |
| Fourth digit | Model year: 6 = 1956, 7 = 1957, 8 = 1958 |
Examples
- 1706… 1956 86 inch Home market
- 1116… 1956 88 inch Home market (Wheelbase extended by 2 inches to take diesel engine)
- 1117… 1957 88 inch Home market Petrol
- 1167… 1957 88 inch Home market Diesel
- 1138… RHD CKD 1958 88 inch Petrol
- 1148… LHD Export 1958 88 inch
- 1247… 1957 LHD Export 109 inch Diesel
- 1328… 1958 RHD Export 107 inch Station Wagon