4×4S.ORGTHE REGISTRY MARQUES · SERIES I · CHASSIS NUMBERS

Marque · Series I · chassis numbers

Land Rover Series I chassis numbers

The Series I was numbered four different ways between 1948 and 1958. Each scheme is set out on the right, and the tables below give the first number of every sequence by model, year and market. [1][2][3]

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4NUMBERING SCHEMES50SEQUENCES LISTED42VEHICLES IN THE REGISTRY3SOURCES

Where to find it

80-inch: stamped on the nearside engine mounting and on the brass plate on the nearside of the bulkhead (later inside the cab). 86/107 and 88/109: on the bulkhead inside the vehicle and on the right-hand front spring hanger — one 86-inch has been reported with the number on the left-hand rear hanger instead.

How to read it

1948–49 (to Jul 1949)L or R + six/seven digits
Prefix L = left-hand drive, R = right-hand drive. First digit 8 = 1948–49; second 6 = Land Rover; third (seven-digit numbers only) 6 = basic, 7 = station wagon, 8 = welder; the last four digits are the serial from 0001 — except the 866 basic series, whose serials run from 3001. Pre-production vehicles were L01–L48 / R01–R48.
1950–53eight digits (L/R prefix on 1950 only)
First digit = year (0 = 1950, 1 = 1951, 2 = 1952, 3 = 1953); second 6 = Land Rover; third = model (1 basic, 2 station wagon, 3 welder, 6 CKD); fourth (from 1951) = destination (0 home, 3 LHD export, 6 RHD export); the remaining four digits are the serial from 0001 (five digits on 1950 models).
1954–55eight digits
First digit = year (4 = 1954, 5 = 1955); second 7 = Land Rover; third = model (1 = 86-inch, 2 = 107-inch, 6/7 = 86-inch CKD); fourth = destination (0/1 home, 3/4 LHD export, 6/7 RHD export); the last four digits are the serial from 0001. Prototypes P/86 to P86/9; pre-production 47100001–16.
1956–58nine digits
First digit 1 = Land Rover; second and third = model and market, 11–35 for the Series I (11–15 88-inch petrol home/export RHD/CKD RHD/export LHD/CKD LHD, 16–20 88-inch diesel, 21–25 109-inch petrol, 26–30 109-inch diesel, 31–35 109-inch station wagon; the 86 and 107 kept a 17x/27x/87x form with the year fourth); fourth digit = year (6 = 1956, 7 = 1957, 8 = 1958); the last five digits are the serial from 00001.

Prefixes at a glance

Prefix or codeMeans
R… / L…Right- or left-hand drive (1948–50 only)
8…1948–49 model years
0… 1… 2… 3…1950, 1951, 1952, 1953 (year as first digit)
47… / 57…1954 / 1955 (86-inch = 471/476/477, 107-inch = 472)
11x–15x88-inch petrol, 1956–58
16x–20x88-inch diesel
21x–25x109-inch petrol
26x–30x109-inch diesel
31x–35x109 station wagon (also 87x in 1956)
17x / 27x86-inch / 107-inch, 1956

Reading a number

R8663001
The first 1949-model basic 80-inch (the 866 series began at 3001), right-hand drive.
26130001
1952 (2), Land Rover (6), basic (1), LHD export (3): the first of that year's sequence.
111604808
The first 1956 88-inch petrol for the home market — the 1956 88 sequences began mid-run, not at 00001.
116700001
The first 1957 (fourth digit 7) 88-inch diesel, home market (16).

80-inch (1948–53)

First number of each sequence. From the factory manuals as recorded by the Land Rover FAQ; the Series One Club's sequences give the last numbers too.

SpecificationHome RHDExport LHDExport RHDCKD LHDCKD RHD
Basic, 1948R860001L860001———
Basic, 1949R8660001L8660001———
Basic, 1950R06100001L06100001R06100001L06100001R06100001
Basic, 19511610000116130001161600011663000116660001
Basic, 19522610000126130001261600012663000126660001
Basic, 19533610000136130001361600013663000136660001
Station wagon, 1949R8670001L8670001R8670001——
Station wagon, 1950R06200001L06200001R06200001——
Station wagon, 1951 (last year)162000011623000116260001——
Mobile welder, 1949R8680001L8680001R8680001——
Mobile welder, 1950R06300001L06300001R06300001——
Mobile welder, 1951163000011633000116360001——
Mobile welder, 1952263000012633000126360001——
Mobile welder, 1953363000013633000136360001——

80-inch sequences with their last numbers (Series One Club)

The club's transcription gives the range of serials issued. 1948 model year runs to February 1949; 1949 to July 1949; 1950 from August 1949.

SpecificationHome RHDExport LHDExport RHDCKD LHDCKD RHD
Basic, 1948 model yearR/L 8 · 860001–863000————
Basic, 1949R/L 866 · 3001–7920————
Station wagon, 1949R/L 867 · 0001–0070————
Welder, 1949R/L 868 · 0001–0010————
Basic, 1950061 · 00001–15440————
Station wagon, 1950062 · 00001–00480————
Welder, 1950063 · 00001–00030————
2-litre prototype, 1950071 · 00001–00050————
Basic, 1951161 · 00001–03971161 · 30001–37601161 · 60001–63268166 · 30001–30078166 · 60001–62322
Station wagon, 1951—162 · 30001–30080162 · 60001–60020——
Welder, 1951163 · 00001–00004163 · 30001–30080163 · 60001–60009——
Basic, 1952261 · 00001–05569261 · 30001–36424261 · 60001–63614266 · 30001–31985266 · 60001–61092
Welder, 1952263 · 00001–00014263 · 30001–30013263 · 60001–60004——
Basic, 1953361 · 00001–04122361 · 30001–34613361 · 60001–64007366 · 30001–37268 (includes Minerva chassis without bodywork)366 · 60001–62240
Welder, 1953363 · 00001–00008363 · 30001–30007363 · 60001–60007——

86-inch (1954–56)

SpecificationHome RHDExport LHDExport RHDCKD LHDCKD RHD
Basic, 19544710000147130001471600014763000147660001
Basic, 19555710000157130001571600015763000157660001
Basic, 1956170600001173600001176600001174600001177600001

107-inch (1954–58)

SpecificationHome RHDExport LHDExport RHDCKD LHDCKD RHD
Basic, 19544720000147230001472600014776000147730001
Basic, 19555720000157230001572600015773000157760001
Basic, 1956270600001273600001276600001274600001277600001
Station wagon, 1956870600001873600001876600001874600001877600001
Station wagon, 1957131700001134700001132700001135700001133700001
Station wagon, 1958131800001134800001132800001135800001133800001

88-inch (1956–58)

The 1956 88-inch petrol sequences did not start at 00001: the manuals give the first numbers issued.

SpecificationHome RHDExport LHDExport RHDCKD LHDCKD RHD
Petrol, 1956111604808114604434112602442115601001113601368
Petrol, 1957111700001114700001112700001115700001113700001
Petrol, 1958111800001114800001112800001115800001113800001
Diesel, 1956116600001————
Diesel, 1957116700001119700001———
Diesel, 1958116800001119800001117800001120800001118800001

109-inch (1956–58)

SpecificationHome RHDExport LHDExport RHDCKD LHDCKD RHD
Petrol, 1956121600001124600001122600001125600001123600001
Petrol, 1957121700001124700001122700001125700001123700001
Petrol, 1958121800001124800001122800001125800001123800001
Diesel, 1956126600001————
Diesel, 1957126700001————
Diesel, 1958126800001129800001127800001130800001128800001

Sources

  1. 1Chassis numbering — Land Rover Series One ClubLand Rover Series One Club · accessed 2026-09-21
  2. 2Chassis numbers by type — chassis/serial numbers as denoted in factory manualsLand Rover FAQ (Dixon Kenner, Ottawa Valley Land Rovers) · accessed 2026-09-21
  3. 3Chassis numbering — synopsis of the chassis/serial numbering scheme and the VINLand Rover FAQ (Dixon Kenner, Ottawa Valley Land Rovers) · accessed 2026-09-21

The sequences are the factory manuals' first numbers as the clubs and the Land Rover FAQ transcribe them; a blank cell means no numbers are recorded for that specification. Registry research, not a factory record — check a vehicle's plate and its build record (British Motor Museum Heritage Certificate) before relying on a range. Corrections through the suggestion form.