Land Rover Army Forward Control 101" Prototype.

This Land Rover forward control 101" prototype was imported for Australian Army trials in the early 1970's.

The Army had been looking for a one tonne (payload) truck since the late 1960's and a number of 4x4 truck designs were purpose built in Australia. However, another contender was the Land Rover forward control 101" then being developed for a similar requirement in the UK. Land Rover built some 101" prototypes around 1969 and one of these (pictured) was subsequently brought to Australia for the trials. It has been substantially modified during its life time, most noticeably with the addition of a mini-bus body for outback tours.

The prototype 101" is easily distinguished from a production model 101" (revealed 1972) by its nose. The bonnet, such as it is, protrudes more and does not have the familiar chamfered leading edge. The front bumper is different and the headlights are positioned nearer to the centre line. The bumper was one piece but it has been modified at some stage. The original grille was also different, having slightly rounded corners, but it has been mislaid.

The production 101" used the Range Rover 3.5 litre V8 engine, LT95 full time four wheel drive transmission, and Salisbury differentials in both axles. The prototypes used a part-time four wheel drive transmission, ENV differentials (as in the SIIB civilian Forward Control) and a 3 litre 6-cylinder Rover engine. (One report suggests that an LT95 gearbox without the centre diff' may have been fitted; was this `phase-1'? See below.) The prototypes could still drive the Rubery Owen powered trailer (which can be found at http:// 4wd.sofcom.com/ Mil/ LandRover/ FC101/ powered .trailer .html) but only in low ratio.

This vehicle was fitted with an Australian Ford Falcon 3.6 litre 6-cylinder motor in the interests of increasing local content.

After the trials the prototype and its powered trailer were used by a Tasmanian mining company. It was later bought by John Ayre and Simon Ramsey of ULR Motors in Melbourne. At this time it still had the original tray body with canvas tilt (soft top).

The Falcon motor was replaced by a 4.4 litre Leyland Terrier V8. The Terrier was a truck version of that V8 which has served Rover so well. A more highly tuned 4.4 litre V8 was also used in the Leyland P76 sedan. P76 and Terrier V8's were popular transplants into series three Land Rovers in the 1970's and 1980's. The 101 is currently fitted with a 350 Chev and the ENV diff's have been replaced with Salisburys.

At some stage of its life the Land Rover 101" was fitted with an outback tour bus body and used by Korragabba Adventure Tours. The trailer acquired a simple box body with lockers for carrying stores.

You might also be able to make out a McNamara style diff' lock by the over sized right hand hub on the 101's rear axle.

The vehicle is in good shape considering its long hard life although it is in far from original condition.

The Australian Army did decide to buy a small number of Land Rover 101's, all with 3.5 litre V8's and LT95 transmissions, not as a general 1 tonne truck but for special tasks such as towing Rapier anti-aircraft missiles. They reached their use by date several years ago and were quickly snapped up by lucky private buyers.

Land Rover Forward Control 101" Prototype specifications - early 1970's.

Thanks to the RACT Museum for the following information on the 101" prototype in its original state.

• forward control truck, canvas soft-top, 2 seats (plus up to 8 in rear), 2 doors URL:/Mil/Mil.html
• loa: 4290mm (169"), width: 1830mm (72"), height: 2180mm (86") track: 1520mm (60") / 1550mm (61"), grnd clearance: 254mm (10") to diff'
• approach: 60, departure: 45
• turning radius: 7.15m (23'6")
• weight: inc' 5 gallons fuel, fire extinguisher, tools and empty jerry can, 1998kg (4396lbs), front 1170kg (2574lbs), rear 828kg (1822lbs); GVM: 3384kg (7443lbs)
• Ford Falcon XT Series 3620cc (221 cu in), petrol, 6-cyls, carb', 2-valves/cyl, ohv torque: 170 lbft at 1700r
• electrical: 24 volts, 60 amp alternator
• clutch: 9.5" (10" envisaged for production)
• transmission: main gearbox ratios: 4.609:1, 2.448:1, 1.505:1, 1:1 (rev 3.664:1); transfer case: 1.174:1 (hi), 3.321:1 (lo); diff: 5.571:1
  overall ratios hi: 26.6:1, 16.0:1, 9.85:1, 6.54:1 (rev 24:1)
  overall ratios lo: 75.0:1, 45.3:1, 27.8:1, 18.5:1 (rev 67:1)
  Powered trailer capability (prototype in lo ratio only).
  The prototype was fitted with a `phase-I box' and ENV axles. The production models were to get the `SIII phase-II gearbox' (ie. LT95) and Borg Warner, Rover phase III (sic) or ENV axles.
• suspension: live axles, 3" wide semi-elliptical springs,
  brakes: 280mm x 76mm (11" x 3") front drums, 280mm x 63mm (11" x 2.25") rear drums.
  A split hydraulic system with twin Clayton Dewandre HSD 770 servos was fitted.
• tyres: 9.00x16 Dunlop Trackgrip tyres on 6.50Lx16 rims (7 SWG), fuel-tank: 2x18 gallon tanks

- L. A11ison

Go to the Land Rover FC101 and powered trailer pages

Thanks to Rod Genn, Mike Ford and the Royal Army Corps of Transport museum for providing information and pictures.