1983 Land Rover Series III 88
Discussion
I grew up a few hundred metres from the Land Rover factory, and used to walk past the yard full of Landies in every conceivable colour and specification on the way to a local park. This is my fourth Series III Landy, and the best one I've had, even though it was once written off as Cat D. It's a late version of the petrol engined Series III, and it has a Fairey Overdrive (a device used to make the cabin more noisy). The safari roof I found cheap on eBay.
Edited by anonymous-user on Tuesday 5th May 21:20
Breadvan72 said:
Cheers! The UMM needs some welding to its exhaust. My brother and I cannot decide whether to keep it or sell it.
Dad faced the same issue with the exhaust on UMM 1 in early 00's ended getting a full stainless. Just as well, what he kept of the rotten one was just the right bit UMM 2 needed for the MOT. Unfortunately lock down prevented it going for the MOT. There seems to be a bit of demand for them at the moment, but mainly to take them back to Portugal. Where I'm lead to believe they are as sought of the same as series land rover are over here. Didn't mean to derail, so back on topic, here's are series, like I said a bit needs doing.
And when it was last on the road
).
I bought my first Series Landy from an actual bloke in an actual pub for actual 600 quid. That was in about 2006. It was a diesel that someone had fitted an overdrive to in a supreme act of "why bother? I eventually sold it to some bloke who said he would restore it but within a day or two he had it parted out and on sale in bits on eBay.
My second one was a donor car for the first. It had been used as the mule at a boatyard. I agreed to buy its roof for 80 quid and the boatyard guy said that if I gave him 100 I could have the whole thing, so I did. Its chassis had almost rusted in two. An acquaintance from the travelling community drove it five miles from the place where I bought it to my place, wreathed in its smoke the whole way, and sans tax, MOT and insurance. I bought him a pint.
My third one was an ebay puchase and looked similar to my present one. It had the petrol engine. I bought it an overdrive from a bloke who was converting his Series to V8 spec. I sold that Landy too cheap during one of my periodic clear outs.
My current one I saw on eBay with zero bids and I won it as the sole bidder. Maybe the fact that it is Cat D put people off, but it's the best one of the lot. It has a bank of extra switches in it, and my mech has upgraded its cooling system, and fitted extra lamps. The safari roof was also a cheap find on ebay. If anyone wants a plain roof I have that for sale.
The Landy was supposed to be going to the Caribbean where I was living and working for the last two years, but the cost of shipping it put me off so it stayed in Blighty.
Safari roofs, combined with the front vent flaps, and the vertical glass surfaces, make Landies quite cool inside even on hot days.
My second one was a donor car for the first. It had been used as the mule at a boatyard. I agreed to buy its roof for 80 quid and the boatyard guy said that if I gave him 100 I could have the whole thing, so I did. Its chassis had almost rusted in two. An acquaintance from the travelling community drove it five miles from the place where I bought it to my place, wreathed in its smoke the whole way, and sans tax, MOT and insurance. I bought him a pint.
My third one was an ebay puchase and looked similar to my present one. It had the petrol engine. I bought it an overdrive from a bloke who was converting his Series to V8 spec. I sold that Landy too cheap during one of my periodic clear outs.
My current one I saw on eBay with zero bids and I won it as the sole bidder. Maybe the fact that it is Cat D put people off, but it's the best one of the lot. It has a bank of extra switches in it, and my mech has upgraded its cooling system, and fitted extra lamps. The safari roof was also a cheap find on ebay. If anyone wants a plain roof I have that for sale.
The Landy was supposed to be going to the Caribbean where I was living and working for the last two years, but the cost of shipping it put me off so it stayed in Blighty.
Safari roofs, combined with the front vent flaps, and the vertical glass surfaces, make Landies quite cool inside even on hot days.
Edited by anonymous-user on Wednesday 6th May 10:11
I mentioned above my childhood memories of Series Landies parked outside the factory in Lode Lane. I also remember the zebra striped Series 2 Landy in "Daktari", a 60s TV show about a Bwana whiteman doctor in post colonial Africa, which also featured a cross eyed lion called Clarence. I have a fun book published by Land Rover called "Working in the wild - the Land Rover manual for Africa".
I also recall as a teenage air cadet being driven around in Series Landies on RAF stations, and hitching lifts from farmers in Landies when we were out on hikes and wanted to cheat.
I also recall as a teenage air cadet being driven around in Series Landies on RAF stations, and hitching lifts from farmers in Landies when we were out on hikes and wanted to cheat.
I've got many memories of Series Land Rovers. As an Army brat, I grew up in an environment where the SIII was the supplied vehicle of choice. The military approach was simply SWB or LWB and I started my Land Rover driving at about 13 in one of the green things. Back in the days before H&S disclaimers and insurance issues I enjoyed many a trip out onto the 'ranges' to go and practice.
As I got a bit older my driving extended to Stalwarts, 432s and the occasional 4 'tonner', but that's a discussion for another day - my Series saga con tinted with some trips to other military training areas in Germany - and you might like to think of a trip from Fallingbostel to Grafenwhor (over 300 miles) in the back of a LWB. Yes, leaf springs and the mighty 2.25 on the Autobahn for hour after hour. I also did Hildesheim to the Alps on Ex Snow Queen. That one was notable as one of the rear wheels came loose somewhere near Munich......
Other postings included Oman, which again saw a SIII LWB in the fleet. That one was joined by one fo the first V8 station wagons and the two were used for a cross-country expedition to see the Turtles on a remote beach on the East coast. Believe me when I say that SIII was actually too fast in places as the washboard tracks really weren't good for fast (think 50mph) desert cruising.
Why am I telling you all this? Well, all those experiences have contributed to my spine disliking the leafs, so my LR experiences will continue for many more years, but suspended with coils
As I got a bit older my driving extended to Stalwarts, 432s and the occasional 4 'tonner', but that's a discussion for another day - my Series saga con tinted with some trips to other military training areas in Germany - and you might like to think of a trip from Fallingbostel to Grafenwhor (over 300 miles) in the back of a LWB. Yes, leaf springs and the mighty 2.25 on the Autobahn for hour after hour. I also did Hildesheim to the Alps on Ex Snow Queen. That one was notable as one of the rear wheels came loose somewhere near Munich......
Other postings included Oman, which again saw a SIII LWB in the fleet. That one was joined by one fo the first V8 station wagons and the two were used for a cross-country expedition to see the Turtles on a remote beach on the East coast. Believe me when I say that SIII was actually too fast in places as the washboard tracks really weren't good for fast (think 50mph) desert cruising.
Why am I telling you all this? Well, all those experiences have contributed to my spine disliking the leafs, so my LR experiences will continue for many more years, but suspended with coils
Coil springs too fancy for me!
I quite fancy a Lightweight but cannot afford one. I like the fact that a Lightweight is heavier than a civilian Landy.
My first Landy was brush painted in desert sandy colour (the seat boxes showed that it had been a blue farm truck before that). Someone had put a Pegasus airborne forces plaque on it - I took that off pronto as it was not an ex-army wagon.
I quite fancy a Lightweight but cannot afford one. I like the fact that a Lightweight is heavier than a civilian Landy.
My first Landy was brush painted in desert sandy colour (the seat boxes showed that it had been a blue farm truck before that). Someone had put a Pegasus airborne forces plaque on it - I took that off pronto as it was not an ex-army wagon.
[quote=Breadvan72]I grew up a few hundred metres from the Land Rover factory, and used to walk past the yard full of Landies in every conceivable colour and specification on the way to a local park. This is my fourth Series III Landy, and the best one I've had, even though it was once written off as Cat D. It's a late version of the petrol engined Series III, and it has a Fairey Overdrive (a device used to make the cabin more noisy). The safari roof I found cheap on eBay.
BV
That photo reminded me of mine .. in my considerably messier barn.
BV
That photo reminded me of mine .. in my considerably messier barn.
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