THE ROVER SYSTEM
Land-Rover used Rover’s system for numbering each vehicle with ‘Model Years’ changing during the summer – new Models being launched in the August when workers returned from their summer holiday. This means a vehicle built between August 1954 and July 1955 is described as a 1955 ‘model’. Click below to see how chassis number sequences identify the ‘Model Year’ and different models in the range.
You may want to try our Series One Chassis Number Decoder which saves searching for a particular chassis number in the list below…
| MODEL | FROM/TO: | KEY |
|---|---|---|
| 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 series from 860001 onwards.
| MODEL | FROM/TO: | KEY |
|---|---|---|
| Basic model | R or L 8663001 to 8667920 | Third digit 6 = Basic vehicle |
| Tickford 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
Third digits simplified to 1-3 rather than 6-8 and numbering changed to 8 digits with first digit designating model year.
| MODEL | FROM/TO: | KEY |
|---|---|---|
| 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. Production subsequently began as early as August of the year previous to the model year – the factory preparing for the new run during the summer holidays.
Removal of R or L designations and instead chassis numbers change to designate particular markets – eg. Fourth digit designating Home Market models (0) Right-Hand Drive (6) or Left-Hand Drive (3); Third digit, addition of CKD models designated as 6.
BASIC MODEL
| MARKET | FROM/TO: | KEY |
|---|---|---|
| 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:
| MARKET | FROM/TO: | KEY |
|---|---|---|
| Home models | 16200001 | (Not used) |
| RHD export | 16260001 to 16260020 | |
| LHD export | 16230001 to 16230080 |
The 80″ Land Rover Station wagon was discontinued after 1951.
MOBILE WELDER:
| MARKET | FROM/TO: | KEY |
|---|---|---|
| Home models | 16300001 to 16300004 | |
| RHD export | 16360001 to 16360009 | |
| LHD export | 16330001 to 16330080 |
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.
As 1951 sequence with change of first digit for new model year.
BASIC MODEL
| MARKET | FROM/TO: | KEY |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
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.
MOBILE WELDER:
| MARKET | FROM/TO: | KEY |
|---|---|---|
| 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.
BASIC MODEL
| MARKET | FROM/TO: | KEY |
|---|---|---|
| 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. |
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.
MOBILE WELDER:
| MARKET | FROM/TO: | KEY |
|---|---|---|
| Home models | 36300001 to 36300008 | |
| RHD export | 36360001 to 36360007 | |
| LHD export | 36330001 to 36330007 |
The engine, gearbox and front axlenumbers for these models are 36100001 onwards for RHD vehicles and 36130001 onwards for LHD vehicles.
The rear axles are all numbered 36100001 onwards.
| DIGIT/DESIGNATION | KEY |
|---|---|
| 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.
For the 86 inch and 107 inch models the new sequence was as follows:
| DIGIT/DESIGNATION | KEY |
|---|---|
| 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 |
For the 88 inch and 109 inch models now with diesel engine option (and the maintained 107 inch Station Wagon), the sequence changed as follows:
| DIGIT/DESIGNATION | KEY |
|---|---|
| First digit = all vehicles | 1 = Land Rover |
| Second & Third digit = 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 109 22 = Export RHD 109 23 = CKD RHD 109 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 |
| 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” 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
If you can’t find your vehicle’s chassis number on a brass plate on the dash or engine side of the bulkhead, check to see if the original stamped number is present in the locations shown on the photo. Enter your chassis number below and we’ll decode it for you, showing the MODEL YEAR, BODY TYPE, RHD/LHD etc.
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