The Range Rover Classic thread:

[DonkeyApple]

Fantastic dash. I knew they had the central vents but never knew the four clocks were over on the wife's side.

If you've not seen this: https://picasaweb.google.com/m/viewer#photo/vidaer...

This is the binnacle I've always thought looked great:

[DonkeyApple]

Benspickup said:

Because I want to afford to actually use it as a daily vehicle. It's only engine mounts that would get changed on the chassis. Everything else is just nuts and bolts. So it could always be changed back to original if need be. If the parts helped a better example then all is not lost in my opinion.

Trouble is that versions like the Janspeed are climbing in value faster than standard classics so you'd be destroying value so as to save a few quid.

Why not convert a normal Classic and not destroy one of the rarer ones?

[DonkeyApple]

I caught the warranty salesman giving a positive review of the Classic on C5 during the week.

[DonkeyApple]

goodwoodweirdo said:

DonkeyApple said:

I believe the tears of a 4 door are fitted further back than the two door of that era, Ie back in 83/4ish when the 4 door came out. But I think your two door shell, being late, is the same as the 4 door. Ie the step up in the floor pan to the rear seats is sloped rather than vertical?

The big difference is going to be the actual seat design. Again I believe that almost to the end the export 2 doors had the same single piece rear seat as the early 4 doors, whereas the 4 door changed seat design to the 60/40 split type around 84/5.

You can probably form up some details using the www.range-rover-classic.com site.

Out of interest does he have a set of actual front seats for a later 2 door?

Even better...

Quick update, so after 6 hours driving, arrived at the chaps house.. there in front of me is not a 4 door interior but 3 door, in the correct fabric, only the side panels are velour rather than my commercial leatherette… the drivers seat is dismantled but all there … he even included 2 seat bases which aren’t rusted to hell ..

DonkeyApple is there something you were looking for ? as I’ll have my old seats over ?

Cheers
Matt pixs to follow…

Did you make it back?!!!

[DonkeyApple]

DKL said:

DonkeyApple said:

I caught the warranty salesman giving a positive review of the Classic on C5 during the week.

Indeed. Kind of glossed over the P38... there was one but it didn't get a mention.
I haven't looked but I did wonder if you can buy a brand new L405 for £60k as well. I 'd imagine they are a bit more than that.
But a good piece and I do feel the show is slowly getting better. Only fair to give it a fair crack.
The presenters are fairly easy to look at, well one of them anyway.

It's all a bit jilted and very old school in presenting style but it's nice to see some good old cars on normal TV. I like Wilson and Martic Clunes is always quality although he isn't as funny in this show as usual.

I was surprised by the £60k for the latest van and I think his £110k was low for the original as I think one went for more than that last summer?

[DonkeyApple]

DKL said:

DonkeyApple said:

I like Wilson and Martic Clunes is always quality although he isn't as funny in this show as usual.

You're clearly a hard man to please! Give her a chance, she clearly likes the metal.

In fairness, she is a car nut and far from the worst presenter on TV. It's going to take a series or two for them to propey gel and get into a proper rhythm.

And baring in mind it's C5 the content is pretty good also.

Would benefit from adding someone like Harry Metcalfe for the 'roving reporter' pieces.

[DonkeyApple]

Garden centre. Front left wheel went off road when leaving.

[DonkeyApple]

Sorry, I've no idea. But as the Classic above has the factory sunroof, I suspect that as well as keeping a bin bag and some gaffer tape in the boot I ought to also learn how to fix them.

I've been enjoying the sunroof all week and it has made me think that I might fit a full length Webasto to my other one and vinyl the roof.

[DonkeyApple]

Skyedriver said:

So, thinking aloud and hoping for an answer from the PH collective.
The price of the Classic RR is now going beyond my budget for a decent one, I should have bought in a couple of years ago but was/still am into the old RWD Volvos.
With that in mind, is the next model along, the P38 (?) worth buying or is that trouble waiting to happen?
Thanks

If the classic car market keeps bubbling up then P38s should hold their value. I can't see them ever growing in value like a classic simply because they were only produced over a shortish span so won't, like the Classic, capture the imaginations of at least two and arguably three generations. And they didn't define an era etc.

They have a lot more gadgetry to go wrong and very many have been run on the cheap and are serious trouble.

It's definitely one of those cars that if you buy well then you can have a great car but anything other than buying well and you have an absolute dog.

If you can't or don't have time to fix them yourself then they are costly to run.

The Rangie forums are now pretty much exclusively P38 owners asking what wire goes where and how to fix a computer etc.

When they work they are better cars than a Classic but I would prefer to hold out for a good classic.

[DonkeyApple]

carmadgaz said:

Ahh yes the SRS light still appears inoperable. Astoundingly goes through an MOT like it! Cambelt has now been done. Wiper and plipper now work but the damper is still a little weak.Even had a new headlining

Yeah my IIA was sat for several weeks after I tweaked my sciatic nerve, couldn't operate the clutch . Yeah the TLA are a pain, one of the appeals of DRU were the lack of A/C or sunroof. Old girl has done 188k now so don't expect 'er to be perfect.

Thanks

Of the steering fluid has been leaking for a while then it's worth checking for play on the panhard road at that end as the fluid speeds up the deterioration of the rubber bush. Once that starts going you start getting more wobbles when driving.

If it does have play then you can replace the rod for a few quid and it transforms the drive.

[DonkeyApple]

Best solution for fuel economy is to simply never look at the pump when filling up. Over 21 years of driving cars I know are thirsty I couldn't tell you the MPG of any, except one and that was the Overfinch when I became a little suspicious so for once checked the pump numbers and calculated a London mpg of 4.5

But knowing a fun car's normal MPG cannot ever bring any form of pleasure so I never calculate it or pay any attention at the pump.

It's like going bald. It happens. Spending more money on fancy solutions isn't going to make your hair grow back and checking it in the mirror every day isn't going to bring any happiness.

[DonkeyApple]

If anyone has a spare £200k knocking about then this might be of interest: http://www.honychurch.com/cars/rare-1970-first-pro...


Certainly more original than the Huddersfield one that sold for £140k last year. While I was working on one of mine today the price of Andrew's one was mentioned.

[DonkeyApple]

I was heading out of town earlier in the week and the previous day, in the rain, I'd given the 4 door a thorough clean so it was looking top notch. When I stopped for fuel at Sctratchwood a bloke filling up next door paid a compliment to the car as did the chap behind the counter. While stationary on the M25 two people knocked on the glass to chat about old Rangies and got a few toots and waves later on the M40. It's amazing how much more relaxing driving is when in a car where people will openly chat and let you out at junctions etc.

[DonkeyApple]

Vixpy1 said:

Mine is down on the bump stops as the air suspension has flagged a fault and now won't rise

bloody laptop still won't connect, think i'm going to remake the diagnostics wire ans i can't see any other reason for the EAS software not to connect

I once had to drive my Overfinch back from the West Country in its stops. That wasn't a pleasant journey.

While owning that car I built up a list of garages in the South who had one of the old plug in Land Rover units to reset the system as it used to shut down above a certain speed (let's say 100 as an easy number in this example). I took the car to endless 'specialists' who were nothing of the sort until I was out somewhere one day and a random meeting and conversation led to a chap telling me the fault would be down to an incorrect pulley size on the alternator where the system took an auxiliary reading from.

Sure enough, Overfinch used a different pulley and what I subsequently learned was that this meant the reading from the alternator was out but within tolerance until a certain speed was reached and then it tripped the system. Fitted a standard LR end and the problem went away.

Other people have had an issue with the wire off the alternator being loose and that will trigger a shut down also.

[DonkeyApple]

Vixpy1 said:

Keith Gott seemed to know their stuff, I've got plans for the Rangie this year

Not aware of them. I know the quick fix is to swap the air system to standard springs but if the car is for road use then the air system is simply so much better that any quality solution that remedies its reliability would be my choice.

[DonkeyApple]

My personal opinion is that polybushes ruin these cars. They make them rattley and juddery in my experience.

[DonkeyApple]

Loafing Wafu said:

The old man is currently in the process of replacing the chassis on his 1990 V8 Vogue which he has owned from new.

I've asked him for a bunch of photos so I can stick them up.

He's asked me if anyone knows of a dash top sat nav adapter (much like the one on the Overfinch interior earlier in the thread) that he could buy?

Thanks,

Keith

Morning. That was a bespoke Alpine install by the previous owner which cost him nearly £20 or £30k! The chubby box was adapted and full of single din units and the right hand side of the boot had a cabinet with God knows what in there. I found it mild overkill for Radio 4

But all the dash screen was was a bespoke triangular box attached over where the coin tray had been removed using the same locating holes.

[DonkeyApple]

loveice said:

Could there be a middle front seat be installed like the defender?

Yes. For a very small dwarf with no arms or legs called Bob.

Landy fans say that the front seats are right up against the doors leaving no room for your arms so that you can judge off-road situations better but the reality is that they were shoved out so as to be able to squeeze that third seat in. Being able to drive with you arm and head out the wonder like a distempered Labrador is a by product.

[DonkeyApple]

dickyf said:

Very nice. Do you drive it much? If so, how do you find the wing mirrors instead of door mirrors?

I'm still in two minds on my 72 project as to which way to go.

[DonkeyApple]

nichio3478 said:

Really quite fancy one of these.

What are they like on the motorway? I need something that can cruise in comfort at 90 on motorway.....

I guess you don't remember the 70s?