SERIES III AUTHENTICITY

I’m thinking of buying a Series III and have found a really nice one, which the owner assures me is totally original so far as the chassis, bodywork, engine suspension and transmission are concerned. It only has 35,000 miles on the clock, but has documentation to substantiate this.

I have checked the vehicle over and all seems in good working condition. However, I know the Series III should have the later smooth-type door hinges, whereas this vehicle has the earlier type with the projecting hinge pin, which is a hallmark of the Series II and IIA. The seller insists he has known the vehicle from new and that the door hinges are original. I’m doubtful about this, but what worries me is that if he is wrong or pulling the wool over my eyes, it could be that the body or a significant part of it has been replaced at some time. Or, worse still, it’s a mix of two vehicles. Is there any way I can verify the originality, because originality has certainly been factored into the higher than average asking price? Reg Barraclough

You don’t say in which year the vehicle was first registered. If it is very early, those hinges may be original. The Series III model was introduced in September 1971, and a few stock parts from the Series IIA found their way into early SIII production. The Siia-type door hinges were definitely carried over to be fitted to a few early SIIIS. So, if yours is an early registration and/or chassis number, it could well be authentic. Unfortunately, there is no record of which vehicles were fitted with earlier hinges so there is no way to confirm. If your gut feeling tells you everything is genuine otherwise, you may have found an early example with a bit of added interest.

As an aside, the Series III model was actually built and running by 1970 (not on sale, but being tested and evaluated), and a few late SIIA models actually received occasional new Series III components. Ed Evans