Story & Photos by Joseph Arvay

[Joseph Arvay, Mendham, NJ, is an orthodontist, avid tennis player, and a collector of 19th century clocks, which he loves to repair. Two of his four Land Rovers reside on Nantucket. Here’s his latest addition. – ed]



It all began in 2003, with my notion that a Defender 90 should become the off-road beach car for vacation time on Nantucket. From our small cottage in the tiny hamlet of Siasconset, we realized we were not alone in our love of the Defender. During my online search for the Defender, I found myself constantly distracted by the sight of Series II-A 109” 5 doors. One in particular really captured my attention – indeed, love at first sight.



Kathy, my wife, had approved of the Defender, but how on earth could I sell her on the idea of an antique 1966 109” Fire Tender from Palfau, Austria?



It had been purchased by the Palfau Fire Department from Land Rover in 1966, and immediately sent to Rosenbauer, in Vienna, to be outfitted as a fire tender. Rosenbauer has been in the fire equipment business since before the turn of the
twentieth century, and on the front fender of the 109 I spotted their aluminum ID tag in script.

With only 12,000 miles on the odometer the interior looked quite pristine – even the elephant hide upholstery looked in pretty good shape. Everything worked, and the truck had been well cared for those years. Most everything was original. The fire engine red Land Rover 109 featured Palfau Fire Dept. insignias on the front doors, a Bosch spotlight, twin-tone siren, iron and wood roof rack, and last but not least, blue emergency lights on the roof.



I asked Kathy to come over and look at the computer screen and tell me what she thought of this Rover; I closed my eyes, made a wish and waited. She took one look and said, “That is one of the coolest things I have ever seen.” Huzzah! I purchased the 109, and later an AA Yellow Defender 90 soft top to complete our island transportation.

Each April, Nantucket welcomes spring with “The Daffodil Parade”. It begins on Main Street in Nantucket Town with the showing and judging of 100 registered antique cars. The cars fill the entire cobblestone Main Street area. That’s where the 109” comes in; since its first parade in 2004, it’s been joined by several antique Landys as well as a host of sports cars, muscle cars, fun trucks, Rolls Royces, Bentleys and some really wonderful exotic cars. A parade follows the concours d’elegance whereby the antique cars drive out from town seven miles on Milestone Road. Thousands of Nantucketers line the way with cheers of appreciation. The parade ends in Siasconset where the serious partying begins.

There is a contest for the best theme that involves your antique auto. Some memorable past themes have been “High Tea” with two blue Morris Minor Travelers, a country auction on the back of a 1939 flat bed Ford (sandwiches were actually auctioned off), a recreation of the complete with large frame and every detail, and the MG club’s set of four MGBs outfitted as sailboats as seen in Nantucket’s Rainbow Fleet.

The “Daffy Parade” provided an excellent and unique opportunity to let the 109′s blue lights flash and European sirens wail. The local police made it clear that I had permission, under those circumstances only, to utilize the emergency equipment. During the summer of 2005, there was one little incident, however. The 109” was parked in front of our cottage and a little girl passing by with her folks just had to see the blue lights flash. So I turned on the key and pulled out the light switch under the dash. What harm could there be? She really liked the show. I turned off the ignition.

A few minutes later my friend and I hopped in and began driving the 109 to town. We were about a mile down Milestone Road when an oncoming police car turned on his flashing lights and signaled me to pull over. I turned to my friend in disbelief. “I certainly could not have been speeding in this 2.25 Liter Landy.” The officer came up to the driver side window. “Have you got a switch for those blue lights?” he asked. I said,” Right here under the dash!” Whoops, I had forgotten to turn off the switch for the lights. We had been trundling down Milestone Road with lights-a-flashing, totally clueless.



The officer made it clear that I could not drive the 109 unless the blue lights were either removed, or covered. So, for the next couple of years I placed white plastic bags over the lights. It looked pretty comical, but what could I do?

At the 2007 Daffy Parade we again had great fun with the lights sans white plastic bags. Some how the bags didn’t make it back into place right after the parade, either. As a matter of fact, it was in September that a Massachusetts State Trooper pulled me over and quite forcefully told me that if he saw me again with those blue lights in place, he would personally climb up and rip them off the roof (he was a little overzealous and getting a little frothy at the mouth.) He simmered down a little and gave me a $350 ticket which he explained was a bargain because there were some other issues – such as the front license plate residing in my side pocket and not on the front fender – that he was going to overlook for now. The lights had become a significant issue.



That winter, the idea of returning the 109” to its original pastel green, which the interior had retained, was looking pretty good. Of course that would mean obliterating the Palfau Fire Dept. insignias. However, I could keep the really neat Bosch spot light, and of course, I suppose, the blue lights had to go. I did receive some resistance from friends that felt I should not change the character ofthe vehicle. After consideration, I felt that I was merely removing most of the Rosenbauer conversion and returning her to how she left Solihull. And so it happened. I retained all the Rosenbauer components should some future owner want to re-convert back to a fire tender.

She almost looked like a new car!! For the April 2009 “Daffy Day Parade” our theme was “The Queen”. In the biopic, Queen Elizabeth did, after all, drive a 5-door. I donned the rented kilt and long socks in my role as Prince Philip; Kathy waved royally in her kerchief, large sunglasses and regal outfit for as Queen Elizabeth. British flags completed the scene.

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