A battered old Landie
Discussion
Possibly one of the slowest cars to feature on PH, here's our ancient old workhorse from Birmingam.
After rolling off the line in late autumn 1962, she went to an Oxfordshire farm for several decades before being abandoned towards the end of the 20th Century. Around 2010 a gentleman acquired her, swapped out the rotten chassis for a new galvanised unit, recomissioned the oily bits, a quick coat of grey paint and got her road legal once again. However due to various reasons he decided to sell her after only a few years, which is where we stepped in.
I was looking for another Land Rover having sold my TD5 90, a lifelong love of these old things and the then imminent purchase of a rural Dorset property meant the search for a Series was high on the list of things to do.
A few weeks later we were back in Land Rover ownership. A few years have since passed and today the old girl is still going strong, the most recent trips involving moving a huge amount of old concrete, a gate, two reclaimed railway sleepers, a load of soil and logs. Not all at once, I may add.
Controls are primative, the 2.25 litre petrol engine coupled with the original LT76 gearbox and running gear offers a realistic top speed of about 40mph. A lack of synchro on first and second soon makes stop-start driving tiresome, while you'll find a better turning circle on a Fowler steam tractor.
However performance and handling isn't part of owning an old Series. It won't go anywhere fast or comfortably, but it will go anywhere. The old trans-Africa expeditions must have been incredible, I'd love to take this across Africa but in these modern times I doubt it'll ever happen. There are better and more capable modern off road vehicles, however the trade off with a Series is the pure simplicity, the bush mechanics and the legendary styling that went on evolving all the way to 2016.
There's a certain charm with one of these old things, despite no comfort, refinement, toys, speed, handling, safety kit or anything we judge cars by today, the smile per mile ratio on her beats anything modern and insulated. Despite being objectively rubbish to drive, it's never a dull drive, the added bonus of being a practical workhorse just makes it a perfect vehicle, in my eyes.
I plan to remove the rear axle and leaf springs this winter for reconditioning. A poorly rear diff pinion seal needs looking at as well as rear hub seals. The leaf springs could also do with a strip down and rebuild before next summer, if I ever find the time.
After rolling off the line in late autumn 1962, she went to an Oxfordshire farm for several decades before being abandoned towards the end of the 20th Century. Around 2010 a gentleman acquired her, swapped out the rotten chassis for a new galvanised unit, recomissioned the oily bits, a quick coat of grey paint and got her road legal once again. However due to various reasons he decided to sell her after only a few years, which is where we stepped in.
I was looking for another Land Rover having sold my TD5 90, a lifelong love of these old things and the then imminent purchase of a rural Dorset property meant the search for a Series was high on the list of things to do.
A few weeks later we were back in Land Rover ownership. A few years have since passed and today the old girl is still going strong, the most recent trips involving moving a huge amount of old concrete, a gate, two reclaimed railway sleepers, a load of soil and logs. Not all at once, I may add.
Controls are primative, the 2.25 litre petrol engine coupled with the original LT76 gearbox and running gear offers a realistic top speed of about 40mph. A lack of synchro on first and second soon makes stop-start driving tiresome, while you'll find a better turning circle on a Fowler steam tractor.
However performance and handling isn't part of owning an old Series. It won't go anywhere fast or comfortably, but it will go anywhere. The old trans-Africa expeditions must have been incredible, I'd love to take this across Africa but in these modern times I doubt it'll ever happen. There are better and more capable modern off road vehicles, however the trade off with a Series is the pure simplicity, the bush mechanics and the legendary styling that went on evolving all the way to 2016.
There's a certain charm with one of these old things, despite no comfort, refinement, toys, speed, handling, safety kit or anything we judge cars by today, the smile per mile ratio on her beats anything modern and insulated. Despite being objectively rubbish to drive, it's never a dull drive, the added bonus of being a practical workhorse just makes it a perfect vehicle, in my eyes.
I plan to remove the rear axle and leaf springs this winter for reconditioning. A poorly rear diff pinion seal needs looking at as well as rear hub seals. The leaf springs could also do with a strip down and rebuild before next summer, if I ever find the time.
AndrewCrown said:
Muddle
Looks like a great country toy...
Do you have any kind of roof for it?
Would reccomend this configuration... door tops off, sides rolled up... generally ok most of the time.. (Not my Landie, pic off net)
That configuration is the goal! Always loved the idea of what I call "safari mode", canvas top with the sides rolled up. Looks like a great country toy...
Do you have any kind of roof for it?
Would reccomend this configuration... door tops off, sides rolled up... generally ok most of the time.. (Not my Landie, pic off net)
I do have a couple of tops for her but no decent pictures unfortunately.
Doubling up as a saw bench. Sometimes I can't help putting a black and white filter on the "working photos", how she would have been used over fifty years ago.
Due to the age, there are no seatbelts fitted. Something worth bearing in mind when the passenger "airbag" is a bulky, metal wiper motor!
A PDR-specialists dream....
Muddle238 said:
AndrewCrown said:
Muddle
Looks like a great country toy...
Do you have any kind of roof for it?
Would reccomend this configuration... door tops off, sides rolled up... generally ok most of the time.. (Not my Landie, pic off net)
That configuration is the goal! Always loved the idea of what I call "safari mode", canvas top with the sides rolled up. Looks like a great country toy...
Do you have any kind of roof for it?
Would reccomend this configuration... door tops off, sides rolled up... generally ok most of the time.. (Not my Landie, pic off net)
I do have a couple of tops for her but no decent pictures unfortunately.
AndrewCrown said:
My French Safari Mode Configuration... Popping down to the river. You will get a much bigger boat on yours!
See this is what I love about them. Feel free to strap a boat on the roof or hook an outboard to the tailgate. Just can't do that on a majority of vehicles, the Land Rover has such a huge variety of uses. I once used mine as scaffolding, trying to either install or remove Christmas lights from a large cherry tree, but the branches were too thin to either support a ladder or take my weight - no problem, park the Land Rover underneath and stand on top!What a fabulous Series. I utterly adore these cars and recently helped a friend shoehorn a 3.5 V8 into his Series 3, originally it had a 2.25 diesel engine which was truly awful.
I have had Land Rovers for years, currently I don't have one. I sold my last Defender 90 200tdi last year, and have noticed it hasn't been MOTd for a number of months
Here is a pic of the old girl. I spent way too much money on fixing rust, in hindsight I should have just swapped the chassis.
PB
I have had Land Rovers for years, currently I don't have one. I sold my last Defender 90 200tdi last year, and have noticed it hasn't been MOTd for a number of months
Here is a pic of the old girl. I spent way too much money on fixing rust, in hindsight I should have just swapped the chassis.
PB
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