Stage 1 V8

I want a 109 Stagey right now, and in my search I found a weird animal. I thought 88s where almost non-existant. I've read a few went to Triniadad, or somewhere very much not in the UK so...

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... ink:top:en

I thought for our purposes they don't exist. So all, please... what the hell am I looking at? Do my eyes deceive?

Most likely a rebuild using some Stage1 parts - that's how it reads to me

That did occur to me, so you confirm it is unlikely to be the 'real' deal 88 Stage 1? Only I'm still new and whilst I get the impression an 88 is a real rarity within what is already a rarity it could be possible.

I was a bit dubious, description is a bit ambiguous, if I rivet count, it could be a typo for 110, but he claims to have 101 rims it certainly does not have these, 101 rims are 6 stud. Now if he doen't knwo what he's selling... well, it tells its own story.


Why I care really I'm not sure, an 88 is not for me, I know the world wants them, but apart from when i want to park my 109 I've never seen the attraction to an 88 anyway. But that might be me.

It sounds like a converted s3 88". Why would he need to mention the correct transmission tunnel cover used?
Am sure l saw it at the show this year. A very tidy truck l admit. Do not remember it having the stage 1 grill at the show either

If it was the real deal then the seller would be shouting it from the roof tops. 1 Ton axles!!! and the wheels on this one look like regular LWB rims. I guess a walk round it would confirm it.

Looks a nice beast though

OK, my eyes do deceive. Yes, I liked the one ton axles bit, we've all got a stack of those at home. How many did you need?

Looks nice anyway, and frankly it'll find a buyer no doubt, many want an 88.

Yes they are real. There were 16 made for the police. They are genuine Land Rover Stage 1 88's, made to order.

If it is a collector's item you are looking for, then that is one. Also on this forum is what I believe to be the only remaining prototype. http://www.stage1v8.org.uk/phpBB3/viewt ... f=7&t=1398

However, in this case, I don't think that is one of them. For one thing, the real 88's were all station wagons and not ute cabs. Also, none were kept in the UK.

They suffered the main problem, of drive shaft angles with the long gearbox.

OK, so they DO exist, I had heard, I've no real intereset in terms of owning one, [an 88 over a 109 that is] but I just liek to rivet-count once in a while

Factory shortened to 88" ???

Sounds pretty fishy to me

The registration and VIN numbers are the same as the first prototype referred to in this thread from last year:

http://www.stage1v8.org.uk/phpBB3/viewt ... f=2&t=1594

Is it a shortened lwb? surely the factory would of just used a swb chassis ??

I note that the date of registration the seller gives is also the same as mentioned in the thread I referred to above.

Obviously I don't know how the chassis was made and I wondered how the seller knew, but I see he has now said he is friends with the person who built the vehicle at the factory. A swb chassis would have required altering at the front so it may have been easier to adapt an already altered chassis made for the lwb prototypes when it was decided to make a swb prototype. If I was interested in purchasing the vehicle, I would be asking the seller about his friend. If someone does buy it, it would be nice if he came on this forum to tell all - indeed one wonders why the seller apparently never thought this forum might provide a good opportunity to publicise and market such an apparently interesting vehicle, especially as he seems to be meeting with the same degree of scepticism on ebay as here.

Agreed on all counts, Geoff.