The Range Rover Classic thread:

[RobXjcoupe]

DKL said:

I had to have the steering range adjusted to stop 255s rubbing on full lock but not much. Back on 235s and now and its fine.

Were your 255’s on standard unspaced 7jx16 wheels?

[DKL]

RobXjcoupe said:

DKL said:

I had to have the steering range adjusted to stop 255s rubbing on full lock but not much. Back on 235s and now and its fine.

Were your 255’s on standard unspaced 7jx16 wheels?

Yes. I'm not entirely sure how I ended up with them, I was fairly sure I'd bought 235! I now have some vredestein all seasons which are definitely 235s!

[DonkeyApple]

RobXjcoupe said:

DonkeyApple said:

RobXjcoupe said:

DonkeyApple said:

My Overfinch has 255s and still no need for spacers.

On a 7jx16 wheel?

The car was on the LSE cyclones so not sure if they’re the normal 7 inches. The tyres were Avon turbospeeds and I seem to recall getting quotes approaching £2k for replacing them!

Avon turbospeeds are expensive. I looked at a set for the xj coupe and went with modern tyres instead.
What profile are the 255’s then? 255 60 r16?

I can’t remember. I remember soiling myself at the news. I’ve always replaced my tyres at 3mm so started the ball rolling and then got a random rescue call from Graham Hunt saying he had a customer for the car.

[NomduJour]

235s are fine on mine with no rubbing - standard LSE five-spokes.

DonkeyApple said:

My Overfinch has 255s and still no need for spacers.

Think your old car is back in town...

[jon-yprpe]

Any thoughts on dampers/springs? For a 2dr with 4.6 GEMs....no arbs. I want to keep the fluidity of the ride, noting harsh, but be able to go round a motorway bend at 80mph in confidence. Will have new rubber bushes etc all round plus swivels etc. Don’t know whether to keep standard dampers and slightly stiffer springs....thoughts welcome....

[DonkeyApple]

I’d be inclined to keep stock if it’s got rubber bushes and good swivels. The older axles and steering boxes have a little more play as standard than the later ones but what really makes the difference on cornering is arbs as they don’t compromise your ride the way harder springs or dampers will.

[NomduJour]

Unless you’re into quarries and hi-viz, I’d definitely have some anti-roll bars.

[RobXjcoupe]

Bit of a ronseal moment with the anti roll bar and motoring around 80mph bends.
On the limit you will lose ultimate grip but will corner flatter

[DonkeyApple]

My 89 has a standard set up and no arbs and it’s fine as everything in that regard is new but but I had a 92 that was identical but with arbs and they are the single biggest improvement you can make for motorway use without losing any of the other ride qualities on normal roads. My LSE had air suspension and that car was an improvement again on the motorway because it dropped an inch at that speed. On my 72 I’ve fitted arbs and a permanent one inch drop but retained standard shocks. It’s very good on the motorway but you trade that for a few more jiggles when pottering but in many ways the trade off is that you can see that it sits lower when parked up and it doesn’t look quite as good as a result. Plus there is the risk that modern Rangie owners can look across at you instead of up bit luckily most owners seem to be short arses.

[cayman-black]

jon-yprpe said:

Make sure you’re sitting down when you get the quote from twenty10.

As soon as you take the body off you’re in for a five figure sum regardless of who you use....because if you’re doing X, then you need to do Y, and if you’re doing Y then you should do A.....and so on.

Loads of original outer panels on ebay, some in good nick and cheap...inner panels use DDS, they are the best and do fit - also the right gauge.

What would be the cost of a, body-off restoration with most things done , roughly?

[cayman-black]

very nice!
https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C1231981

[DonkeyApple]

cayman-black said:

What would be the cost of a, body-off restoration with most things done , roughly?

I’ve had two now, one done before I bought it, the LSE with Overfinch conversion. Overfinch invoiced £80k. And the one I have done myself which I’m pretty sure if I did add up the bills would be more!!

I would say that you could lose £50k easily doing it properly. Restoring the body and chassis properly and then sourcing all the correct parts, rebuilding the engine and re-trimming and repainting correctly all add up.

Cheaper ways would be to replace the chassis, use a donor body from a late import, use later running gear and trim as much cheaper. Returns of later specs are also cheaper. Paint is the same cost, as is an engine rebuild but a 2 door restomod using later parts would probably carve thousands off.

But you can also do so much yourself if you’ve the time and space and you cut out spend elsewhere and end up with a really good every day classic for a lot less.

[cayman-black]

Thanks DA, pm sent.

[paintman]

If you're going to use a late body then look for one from a hot country & get it properly & thoroughly rustproofed.

[DonkeyApple]

paintman said:

If you're going to use a late body then look for one from a hot country & get it properly & thoroughly rustproofed.

Exactly. Luckily for someone I have a late Spanish 2 door body that would be perfect.

[akirk]

With mine we have taken the approach of not fully restoring it - so, body off - full chassis restoration inc. suspension etc. / all rust holes in body shell removed and replaced / new engine built from a 4.6 and 'tweaked' a little - total cost to me has been somewhere in the £10k-£12k range - but that is a special price I got from my mechanic of 18+ years... and I already owned the donor engine... so I would expect that work to have been in the £15k - £20k normally... the body work could do with a respray (£5k) which would transform it, and while the headliner has been replaced nothing else has been done internally so it is comfortably worn but not refreshed...

I would agree with DA ref. costs for full nut and bolt restoration - you can in fact spend over £100k with LR themselves!

[Freddie328]

Hi all, I have a 1989 Vogue SE that’s been in the family since new and lived in Australia for 15 years, so luckily not huge amounts of rust. Have been gradually sorting out wear and tear. So far, rebushed both axles, replaced TPS, heater matrix, leads and plugs, changed all fluids, and tidied up bodywork. Also stripped back plastic sill finishers, front and back to give the car a really good waxoyl. Have a few bits and pieces to finish off inside the car and was wondering if there is anyone breaking Range Rovers in East Herts area?

Edited by Freddie328 on Saturday 6th June 10:59

[Purso]

Looks lovely dude!

Anyone else had an issue of revs diving and cutting out when going into reverse?

[DonkeyApple]

Purso said:

Looks lovely dude!

Anyone else had an issue of revs diving and cutting out when going into reverse?

Of course.

They really like doing it when the air con is on. Or on full lock.

Wednesday afternoons are also sometimes good for them to do it as are days when you might see a Chinaman, of if you’re wearing a hat or maybe not.

Stop. Wait. Select reverse. Problem solved.

Never move your arm quicker than the ECU can react. It tends to scare them. They are quite simple creatures who panic easily if rushed.

[DonkeyApple]

Freddie328 said:

Hi all, I have a 1989 Vogue SE that’s been in the family since new and lived in Australia for 15 years, so luckily not huge amounts of rust. Have been gradually sorting out wear and tear. So far, rebushed both axles, replaced TPS, heater matrix, leads and plugs, changed all fluids, and tidied up bodywork. Also stripped back plastic sill finishers, front and back to give the car a really good waxoyl. Have a few bits and pieces to finish off inside the car and was wondering if there is anyone breaking Range Rovers in East Herts area?

Edited by Freddie328 on Saturday 6th June 10:59

Nice colour.

‘danboats’ on eBay seems to have an exhaustive supply of later Rangie parts and is a nice guy and fair to deal with.