'74 Land Rover shed - back on the road for £1k
Discussion
|http://thumbsnap.com/mkwJRwLg[/url]It was never going to be long before I owned another Land Rover. I regretted it the moment I saw the back of the previous 88" sold a couple of years ago.
As luck would have it, this 1974 equivalent turned up not far from me, earlier in the year. I vaguely knew the previous owner(s), and knew that it had been subject to a lot of work before being put back on the road a couple of years ago. It was subsequently laid up (on grass, handbrake on, under a tree).
After some back and forth with the owner we settled on £800, with the money going to a local charity.
Had a bit of fun one Saturday morning getting it going, but with a new battery, starter solenoid and cleaned up plugs, it coughed into life.
I got it into my head that I'd like to get it back on the road for £1k, including the MoT, all parts, but not tax (it's 1974 so only just misses tax exemption). With a new fuel pump, exhaust, seat belts and service items I'm in for £1,035 give or take a few pennies (and the £30 I found hidden in the steering boss!).
With a fresh MoT its running reasonably well but there are a lot of jobs to do to keep it on the road. Will keep this thread updated with progress.[url]
alfaspecial said:
Looks like a wonderful job. Well done.
Quote "but not tax (it's 1974 so only just misses tax exemption)"
Just to bring a smile to your face this Thursday morning.....
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/classiccars/99...
You might well have a pleasant surprise when you next come to renew your road tax.....
I think what @//j17 said above is correct: I'm just missing out, unfortunatelyQuote "but not tax (it's 1974 so only just misses tax exemption)"
Just to bring a smile to your face this Thursday morning.....
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/classiccars/99...
You might well have a pleasant surprise when you next come to renew your road tax.....
Doesn't seem to be too bad on the smoke. However, after a 10 mile trundle along A roads today, it seems to have developed a bit of a misfire, at highish revs when getting ready to change gear, or under load. It isn't too bad for the most part, except at one point when turning right at a junction and the engine died completely. Was difficult to start again and has knocked my confidence a bit.
The fuel filter just before the carb looks very old - could that be causing problems?
In other news a very noisy tappet has been cured, and the engine is now incredibly quiet by comparison.
The fuel filter just before the carb looks very old - could that be causing problems?
In other news a very noisy tappet has been cured, and the engine is now incredibly quiet by comparison.
That looks nice - like the alpine roof.
Mine has been deployed on tip run duties this weekend. Still a bit hesitant driving up steep hills, which is worrying but am having to live with it for now.
Fuel consumption is also rather worrying - worse than my V8 Jaguar in fact. Either that or the gauge is consistently pessimistic.
Mine has been deployed on tip run duties this weekend. Still a bit hesitant driving up steep hills, which is worrying but am having to live with it for now.
Fuel consumption is also rather worrying - worse than my V8 Jaguar in fact. Either that or the gauge is consistently pessimistic.
stainless_steve said:
Fuel consumption is poor but i'm planning to fit a 200 tdi in the summer,that should improve things.
I have also put it back on standard wheels this transformed on road driving quite a bit.
They both sound like good ideas. I think if I can pick up some cheap replacement wheels with lower profile tyres (as in 'normal' cross country tyres instead of the tall cross ply types I have now) then I will, because the slightly reduced height will mean it can squeeze into my garage.I have also put it back on standard wheels this transformed on road driving quite a bit.
Thanks for the tip @hidetheelephants. Will work my way through that lot, starting with a new fuel filter to replace the disgusting looking old one.
Started the shed for the first time in a fortnight. Fair bit of fast cranking but it fired easily enough, eventually.
I spent an hour being really tight and repairing the rear number plate lamp, which had stopped working. After removing a completely ruined retaining screw, it was clear the innards were shot, but I didn't think £7 for a replacement was worth it. Some time with a wire brush, new connectors and lamps and all seems to be well.
I'm beginning to wonder if fuel consumption isn't as bad as I thought, actually. The fuel gauge plummets to empty quite quickly, but when I put £25 in this morning, it raced back up to 3/4 full.
Once I have a lock for the fuel filler I will be brave and brim the tank, and a jerry can, then go for a long drive!
Started the shed for the first time in a fortnight. Fair bit of fast cranking but it fired easily enough, eventually.
I spent an hour being really tight and repairing the rear number plate lamp, which had stopped working. After removing a completely ruined retaining screw, it was clear the innards were shot, but I didn't think £7 for a replacement was worth it. Some time with a wire brush, new connectors and lamps and all seems to be well.
I'm beginning to wonder if fuel consumption isn't as bad as I thought, actually. The fuel gauge plummets to empty quite quickly, but when I put £25 in this morning, it raced back up to 3/4 full.
Once I have a lock for the fuel filler I will be brave and brim the tank, and a jerry can, then go for a long drive!
Longest trip so far, today. 40 miles round trip with a mix of country lanes and fast A roads. There is a fair bit of coughing and spluttering on some hills, but I seemed to have developed a knack for keeping the old thing going.
However, I have invested £5 in a fuel filter, and the longer run did it some good. Will report back this week...
However, I have invested £5 in a fuel filter, and the longer run did it some good. Will report back this week...
The constant rain and not being able to fit the Land Rover in the garage yet, means that the has been little progress.
I ordered an ignition service set, which only served to tell me two things:
1. My Land Rover doesn't appear to have the distributor cap that it should. The one I ordered just could not be clipped to the dizzy.
2. The condenser, points and existing cap look to be in good condition and fairly new. The rotor arm was a bit rough, so I swapped that for a new one.
The net result? Runs fine everywhere as normal, except for steep hills where it dies and then is a total pig to keep running. Worried I am seriously damaging the clutch trying to get it around the North Downs.
I'll have to return to it when the weather cheers up: properly check the timing, points and also the fuel supply - I'm convinced this isn't right, combined with the appalling fuel consumption.
I ordered an ignition service set, which only served to tell me two things:
1. My Land Rover doesn't appear to have the distributor cap that it should. The one I ordered just could not be clipped to the dizzy.
2. The condenser, points and existing cap look to be in good condition and fairly new. The rotor arm was a bit rough, so I swapped that for a new one.
The net result? Runs fine everywhere as normal, except for steep hills where it dies and then is a total pig to keep running. Worried I am seriously damaging the clutch trying to get it around the North Downs.
I'll have to return to it when the weather cheers up: properly check the timing, points and also the fuel supply - I'm convinced this isn't right, combined with the appalling fuel consumption.
V8 Fettler said:
What happens if you try full acceleration on a straight in 3rd gear? If you fit a fuel filter then make sure it is transparent.
It's absolutely fine on a level-ish road, flat out in 3rd. There is only ever an issue on steep hills. I replaced the fuel filter with a clear type, and all looks to be OK there.LewG said:
Honestly I can't advocate a SimonBBC ignition or distributor enough, they are a piece of cake to fit, and I've had absolutely no problems with mine in the last few thousand miles. That, a well sorted carb, valve clearances adjusted, decent leads and plugs and it should run sweet as a nut. Perhaps it's worth trying a compression test too just to ensure there are no further problems. Running a Zenith carb I'm lucky to get 18mpg out of my 2.25 with no overdrive, but that's all part of the fun...
Thanks for the suggestion. Am feeling mighty tempted to go down that route...Finally got around to fixing the Landie today. It fired first turn of the key after standing for seven weeks, which was impressive. The stalling on steep hills was caused, I think, by the inline fuel filter. My Dad took it out and replaced it and the pipe either side with one long pipe, and all seems to be well.
In celebration we treated it to a full tank of unleaded and a 50-mile round trip into the Kent Weald, including a muddy byway for a couple of those miles.
It performed really well, on and off road. Pleased to say the low range box and four wheel drive seems to be working as it should.
With the vehicle actually running reliably again, I can get back on the case with the long list of odds and ends that need looking at.
In celebration we treated it to a full tank of unleaded and a 50-mile round trip into the Kent Weald, including a muddy byway for a couple of those miles.
It performed really well, on and off road. Pleased to say the low range box and four wheel drive seems to be working as it should.
With the vehicle actually running reliably again, I can get back on the case with the long list of odds and ends that need looking at.
It's been a while since I posted, but the Series Shed is still going strong.
The scary/dangerous/annoying problem with running up hills didn't stop completely, so I went back to basics and drained the fuel tank. Not sure how my neighbours felt about this, as there was much, much more fuel in the tank than the gauge led me to believe.
Anyway, after frantic running around the garage gathering every receptacle I could, the last dregs made their way to the drain hole. The petrol went from a gushing pale blue to a brown-tinged trickle, with added sprinkles of rust and dirt. After a bit of careful torch shining and squinting, the inside of the tank looked reasonably well drained and clear of lumps of anything.
I put the plug back in, put as much of the 'clean' petrol back in as I dare (the stuff that didn't have bits in it) and then drove down to the garage to top up the tank.
It ran OK for a few weeks, until the same problem reared up again, although not nearly as bad. I ignored it, and all was well for another few weeks. Then, after using it all day, I jumped in to return home and discovered that it would not run without the choke almost completely out. I limped home and when time allowed opened up the carb, having been given some advice about a dirty jet.
Sure enough, the jet was clogged so I blew the dirt out. Now, the engine would at least keep running without choke, but idle was very rough. With a bit of tweaking of the idle and mixture screws on the simple Weber unit, I managed to get it running smoothly. I had forgotten what a joy a simple carb is.
Since then things have been much better in Land Rover land. I've had one problem hill, but intend to just keep topping up the tank now and hoping for the best.
My Dad found a brilliant set of five Michelins on eBay, to replace the military-type cross plies that the Land Rover came with:
I won the bid at £120 and I am well pleased with them, at this price. They all have around 10mm tread, which on a vehicle like this means years of use. I fitted them today, and they're quieter, less prone to wandering, and having reduced the rolling circumference, the Land Rover seems to scamper up the hills a bit more willingly and pull away in second too.
Here's the difference:
So, with it running better I've also splashed out on new wiper blades, locking fuel cap and bonnet hinge bushes to replace the ones that weren't there at all - on windy dual carriageways I was genuinely worried about the rear edge of the bonnet lifting away!
I have also tried to solve a persistent oil leak from the engine. I thought this was down to a poorly seated oil filter seal, but having changed the oil and filter again today (it's second oil change in around 1000 miles), there is still a drip. It's on the drivers side of the engine block, and seems to be falling from somewhere above the drain plug, but below the rocker cover.
I wondered about the sump, but it appears to drip from higher than that - any ideas?
The scary/dangerous/annoying problem with running up hills didn't stop completely, so I went back to basics and drained the fuel tank. Not sure how my neighbours felt about this, as there was much, much more fuel in the tank than the gauge led me to believe.
Anyway, after frantic running around the garage gathering every receptacle I could, the last dregs made their way to the drain hole. The petrol went from a gushing pale blue to a brown-tinged trickle, with added sprinkles of rust and dirt. After a bit of careful torch shining and squinting, the inside of the tank looked reasonably well drained and clear of lumps of anything.
I put the plug back in, put as much of the 'clean' petrol back in as I dare (the stuff that didn't have bits in it) and then drove down to the garage to top up the tank.
It ran OK for a few weeks, until the same problem reared up again, although not nearly as bad. I ignored it, and all was well for another few weeks. Then, after using it all day, I jumped in to return home and discovered that it would not run without the choke almost completely out. I limped home and when time allowed opened up the carb, having been given some advice about a dirty jet.
Sure enough, the jet was clogged so I blew the dirt out. Now, the engine would at least keep running without choke, but idle was very rough. With a bit of tweaking of the idle and mixture screws on the simple Weber unit, I managed to get it running smoothly. I had forgotten what a joy a simple carb is.
Since then things have been much better in Land Rover land. I've had one problem hill, but intend to just keep topping up the tank now and hoping for the best.
My Dad found a brilliant set of five Michelins on eBay, to replace the military-type cross plies that the Land Rover came with:
I won the bid at £120 and I am well pleased with them, at this price. They all have around 10mm tread, which on a vehicle like this means years of use. I fitted them today, and they're quieter, less prone to wandering, and having reduced the rolling circumference, the Land Rover seems to scamper up the hills a bit more willingly and pull away in second too.
Here's the difference:
So, with it running better I've also splashed out on new wiper blades, locking fuel cap and bonnet hinge bushes to replace the ones that weren't there at all - on windy dual carriageways I was genuinely worried about the rear edge of the bonnet lifting away!
I have also tried to solve a persistent oil leak from the engine. I thought this was down to a poorly seated oil filter seal, but having changed the oil and filter again today (it's second oil change in around 1000 miles), there is still a drip. It's on the drivers side of the engine block, and seems to be falling from somewhere above the drain plug, but below the rocker cover.
I wondered about the sump, but it appears to drip from higher than that - any ideas?
MOT time approaching...
I've had the Landie back on the road for almost a year now, and its running well. I am loathed to go prodding about too much before the MOT - what will be, will be, right? I have found a cracked rear stop lamp lens, so have bought a complete replacement set as the others are faded and brittle.
I think the coolant could do with flushing and replacing again as the temperature gauge reaches the top quarter. I don't want it overheating during the MOT.
Other than that, I'm erring towards booking it in, and seeing what happens. Everything else seems to be working OK.
I'll keep you posted...
I've had the Landie back on the road for almost a year now, and its running well. I am loathed to go prodding about too much before the MOT - what will be, will be, right? I have found a cracked rear stop lamp lens, so have bought a complete replacement set as the others are faded and brittle.
I think the coolant could do with flushing and replacing again as the temperature gauge reaches the top quarter. I don't want it overheating during the MOT.
Other than that, I'm erring towards booking it in, and seeing what happens. Everything else seems to be working OK.
I'll keep you posted...
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