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

Marque · Series III · chassis numbers

Land Rover Series III chassis numbers

The Series III began under the suffix scheme with a new 9xx block and ended under the VIN. The Stage 1 V8 is the LBC·V series of the VIN era. Both forms are set out on the right. [1][2][3][4][5][6]

← The Series III marqueAll marques' chassis numbersPaint codes
2NUMBERING SCHEMES15SEQUENCES LISTED71VEHICLES IN THE REGISTRY6SOURCES

Where to find it

Series III: on the chassis plate on the bulkhead inside the vehicle and stamped on the right-hand front spring hanger. Stage 1 V8: on the firewall in the engine bay and the right-hand front spring hanger.

How to read it

1971–79eight digits + suffix letter
259 and 901–950 = Series III 88 and 109; 951–955 and 895 = Lightweight; 956–965 = 101 Forward Control. Five-digit serial from 00001; suffix letter A onward for design changes, as on the IIA. The 88 export-LHD hard top of 1971–74 kept the IIA-era 259 prefix.
1980–85VIN, 14 then 17 characters
  • Positions (17-character form): 1–3 SAL (Europe, United Kingdom, Land Rover — absent on the earliest 14-character numbers)
  • 4–5 LB = Series III, Stage 1, Lightweight
  • 6 class: A = 88-inch, B = 88 Lightweight, C = 109-inch (and 1-ton), D = 109
  • 7 body: A = pick-up, soft top or hard top, B = station wagon, M = 5-door station wagon
  • 8 engine: G = 2.25 diesel, H = 2.25 petrol, P = 2.6 six-cylinder, V = 3.5 V8 (Stage 1), X = 3.8 Perkins (South Africa), Z = 3.9 Isuzu (Australia)
  • 9 transmission: 1 = RHD 4-speed, 2 = LHD 4-speed, 5 = RHD with overdrive, 6 = LHD with overdrive
  • 10 model year: A = up to 1983–84, B = 1985–87
  • 11 plant: A = Solihull, F = CKD, V = South Africa
  • 12–17 serial

Prefixes at a glance

Prefix or codeMeans
901–905 / 906–91088-inch petrol / diesel
921–925 / 926–93088 station wagon, petrol / diesel
25988 petrol hard top, export LHD (1971–74)
951–955 · 895Lightweight petrol · diesel (export)
911–915 / 916–920109-inch petrol / diesel
941–945109 six-cylinder
931–935 / 936–940 / 946–950109 station wagon, petrol / diesel / six-cylinder
956–965101 Forward Control
LB · A/B/C/DVIN era: Series III, class 88 / 88 Lightweight / 109 / 109
LBC·V…Stage 1 V8 (V = 3.5 V8; P = six-cylinder)

Reading a number

90100001A
The first Series III 88-inch petrol, home market, 1972.
LBCMV2AA100876
Stage 1, read as: LB Series III, C 109-inch, M five-door station wagon, V 3.5 V8, 2 LHD four-speed, A model year, A Solihull, serial 100876 — a 1979 car sold by Bonhams.
SALLB · A · A · H · 1 · A · A · ······
The form of the 17-character number from the early 1980s: an 88-inch (A), utility body (A), 2.25 petrol (H), RHD four-speed (1), model year A, Solihull, then the serial.

88-inch (1971–80), suffix scheme

SpecificationHome RHDExport LHDExport RHDCKD LHDCKD RHD
Petrol hard top, 1971–74—25900001A———
Petrol basic, 1972–7990100001A90400001A90200001A90500001A90300001A
Diesel basic, 1972–7990600001A90900001A90700001A91000001A90800001A
Petrol station wagon, 1972–7992100001A92400001A92200001A92500001A92300001A
Diesel station wagon, 1972–7992600001A92900001A92700001A93000001A92800001A
Diesel Lightweight, 1972–79—89500001A———
Petrol Lightweight, 1972–8095100001A95400001A95255501A95500001A95300001A

109-inch (1972–79), suffix scheme

SpecificationHome RHDExport LHDExport RHDCKD LHDCKD RHD
Petrol basic91100001A91400001A91200001A91500001A91300001A
Diesel basic91600001A91900001A91700001A92000001A91800001A
Six-cylinder basic94100001A94400001A94200001A94500001A94300001A
Petrol station wagon93100001A93400001A93200001A93500001A93300001A
Diesel station wagon93600001A93900001A93700001A94000001A93800001A
Six-cylinder station wagon94600001A94900001A94700001A95000001A94800001A

VIN era (1980–85): recorded numbers

No factory table of VIN serials by year is published for the Series III; these are documented vehicles that fix the form and the sequence.

SpecificationHome RHDExport LHDExport RHDCKD LHDCKD RHD
Stage 1 V8 109 station wagon, 1979 (14-character VIN)LBCMV2AA100876————
Stage 1 V8 109, 1981 (14-character VIN)LBCMV2AA100932————

Sources

  1. 1Chassis numbers by type — chassis/serial numbers as denoted in factory manualsLand Rover FAQ (Dixon Kenner, Ottawa Valley Land Rovers) · accessed 2026-09-21
  2. 2Chassis numbering — synopsis of the chassis/serial numbering scheme and the VINLand Rover FAQ (Dixon Kenner, Ottawa Valley Land Rovers) · accessed 2026-09-21
  3. 3Land Rover VIN decoder — Ninety, One Ten, Defender and Series III codesLR Workshop · accessed 2026-09-21
  4. 41979 Land Rover 109" Stage 1 V8 Station Wagon, chassis LBCMV2AA100876Bonhams · accessed 2026-09-21
  5. 51981 Land Rover Series III 109 Stage 1 V8, VIN LBCMV2AA100932Classic.com · accessed 2026-09-21
  6. 6Land Rover Stage 1, 1979–1985allisons.org · 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.