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Searle safari TPC 709F

Posted: Thu May 30, 2019 8:25 pm
by Dave1966
Hi all, I'm new to this forum. I have just bought a brown-ish series 2a 88 inch which I think is a Searle safari. It is a 1968 vehicle registration number TPC 709F. Anyone know anything about this vehicle please? Dave.

Re: Searle safari TPC 709F

Posted: Thu May 30, 2019 10:29 pm
by RMS
Hi Dave, and welcome :hello:

Do you think it might be a Safari Sleeper, or a station wagon?

Does it have any Searle badges?

How are the seats set out in the back?

More info, and possibly photos, might confirm what it is.

Cheers,
Robin.

Re: Searle safari TPC 709F

Posted: Fri May 31, 2019 7:45 am
by Dave1966
Morning Robin. There is a badge on both front wings and badges either side of the rear door. They all look original to the vehicle. It is painted a very light brown colour which is clearly the original colour but I didn't think that was a colour available around that time. It has van side panels with no windows but a safari roof with alpine windows and the four roof vents. The doors are fully lined with a blue vinyl. Unfortunately all the fittings have been removed from the rear except for a piece of wood running along each side just above the joint between the hard top and the rear body. This wood is about six inches tall. The bulkhead has also not been cut down
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Re: Searle safari TPC 709F

Posted: Fri May 31, 2019 7:50 am
by Dave1966
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Re: Searle safari TPC 709F

Posted: Fri May 31, 2019 7:57 am
by Dave1966
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Re: Searle safari TPC 709F

Posted: Fri May 31, 2019 9:36 am
by RMS
Hi Dave,

Any chance of close-ups of the badges? I can't really see what is on them from those pictures.

Without the cut-down bulkhead it's obviously not a sleeper, but it could be an Estate Wagon.

Have you looked at the brochures we've got on the forum? The SWB versions are shown HERE.

Gold Sand was available as a colour from Searle - it could be that, though the ones I've seen in that colour are usually lighter; perhaps yours has been kept under cover and so hasn't faded as much :shrug:

Cheers,
Robin.

Re: Searle safari TPC 709F

Posted: Sat Jun 01, 2019 5:31 pm
by chrisS
Hi , not been on the site for some years. I used to work for Mr Searle back in the Seventies.
I think what you have is the basic Safari.wagon. They came as I remember from Rovers fitted with fully trimmed Stn wagon roof with alpine lights and rear door, most had Rover Deluxe seats, but some had basic seating, Don't know when Rover introduced Deluxe seating, late seventies at a guess? Searles did also make their own seating( Ergonomic upholstery) The internal sides of the hard top were trimmed by Searles , the remains on yours are is the wood strips over the seat rear bench seats. Some also had a cooker on the rear door ,Carawagon style, or gun racks.
I believe in order for the export vehicle to sold in the UK ( which your probably was, if you check the chassis no, you may find it is a RHD export most were) a vehicle have had to some conversion work have been carried out by an approved builder , yours has side facing bench reats but most had individual rear seats side facing, these although these were Rover seats they would have been fitted in at Sunbury as well as any extras ordered by the customer,
A Land/Rover such as this would have a very short turn round time in the works and you would get your new toy a lot quicker than through a normal Rover dealership but pay a bit more for it,as the waiting time from the dealer was quite long.
Regards Chris

Re: Searle safari TPC 709F

Posted: Sat Jun 01, 2019 10:07 pm
by Dave1966
Thanks Chris, I did wonder why the bulkhead was not cut down like others. If I understand you correctly it is unlikely that mine ever has a bed fitted? I wonder if the first owner was just getting around the waiting time. Dave

Re: Searle safari TPC 709F

Posted: Sun Jun 02, 2019 12:18 pm
by Dave1966
This is the badge on the Landie front wing and a picture of the wood along the inside of the hard top.

Re: Searle safari TPC 709F

Posted: Sun Jun 02, 2019 12:25 pm
by Dave1966
Pic of the front wing badge.
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