Another Landy Rebuild
Discussion
Already having a Series 2a 1971 in a partially restored state, I decided I needed another to use as a template to help me put the first back together (man-maths).
So I purchased the beauty above at auction for £1,700 4 years ago.
She has sat in my barn without much love since.
However, I have recently decided she needs a partial restoration, new chassis, new bulkhead, new wiring loom but just a refurb on the engine etc and leave all body panels exactly as they are.
I realise there are many build threads on old Land Rovers, but here is another, viewing is of course optional but it will help me document my journey.
Here is a small list of the issues I found when I started trying to get her to run:
- Brakes. Fronts had obviously stopped working at some point, so the pipes had been cut and crimped shut leaving only rear brakes. Wow. Maybe it was used for drifting competitions with all that power (35bhp I reckon)
- Rust. The Chassis is a proper Trigger's broom, made up of some originality but also lots of welded in bits of whatever was lying around... The bulkhead was more materially compromised. I ordered some replacement bits and started cutting in to her to see how bad it was. Awful. Decided keeping it all straight whilst welding in new bits and hoping it would all align was beyond my limited skills so ordered a new galvanised bulkhead.
- Wiring. Much, much bodgery. So ordered a new loom (thanks Autosparks)
- Brakes themselves. Toast even before the pipework. So ordered new drums, pads and lots of copper tube.
- Suspension. Those astute amongst you will notice from the first photo that she sits rather tail-down. Springs all shot and shocks gone. New sets ordered.
- Engine. Wouldn't start, turned out there was a spacer on the fuel pump fitment, which moved the little actuator to the wrong place so the cam in the engine wasn't lifting the pump arm. Took some diagnoses to find that but then she did fire up after I cleaned out the carb. Was a very exiting moment.
- Clutch. None to speak of. Will fit a new one when I get the engine and gearbox out.
And the really good news is the number plate is worth more than what I paid for her in the first place.
- Brakes. Fronts had obviously stopped working at some point, so the pipes had been cut and crimped shut leaving only rear brakes. Wow. Maybe it was used for drifting competitions with all that power (35bhp I reckon)
- Rust. The Chassis is a proper Trigger's broom, made up of some originality but also lots of welded in bits of whatever was lying around... The bulkhead was more materially compromised. I ordered some replacement bits and started cutting in to her to see how bad it was. Awful. Decided keeping it all straight whilst welding in new bits and hoping it would all align was beyond my limited skills so ordered a new galvanised bulkhead.
- Wiring. Much, much bodgery. So ordered a new loom (thanks Autosparks)
- Brakes themselves. Toast even before the pipework. So ordered new drums, pads and lots of copper tube.
- Suspension. Those astute amongst you will notice from the first photo that she sits rather tail-down. Springs all shot and shocks gone. New sets ordered.
- Engine. Wouldn't start, turned out there was a spacer on the fuel pump fitment, which moved the little actuator to the wrong place so the cam in the engine wasn't lifting the pump arm. Took some diagnoses to find that but then she did fire up after I cleaned out the carb. Was a very exiting moment.
- Clutch. None to speak of. Will fit a new one when I get the engine and gearbox out.
And the really good news is the number plate is worth more than what I paid for her in the first place.
Edited by ReformedPistonhead on Friday 9th September 13:34
And today, this arrived!
Thank you Richards Chassis!
Now the fun bit, take everything off the old chassis, clean it up, bolt together all new suspension etc, and get her running.
Activity is limited to a couple of evenings a week due to having to work for a living, so expect this to take a year :-)
Thank you Richards Chassis!
Now the fun bit, take everything off the old chassis, clean it up, bolt together all new suspension etc, and get her running.
Activity is limited to a couple of evenings a week due to having to work for a living, so expect this to take a year :-)
KP328 said:
Having a galvanized chassis and bulkhead combined with a patinated body is the perfect combination, it's going to look great when finished.
I agree. The body tells so many stories, will do seats in nice brown leather sometime and make it nice inside but outside will look proper ratty. 
So, in advance of the hard stuff I had the wheels sorted, and repainted in chocolate. Not sure if this was ever a Landy option (hope it was) but I think it looks great against the body.....
Hopefully the PH Massive agrees
See also how bad the brakes were (I had started trying to sort it all on the old chassis and bulkhead but have now abandoned that in favour of the new bits).
Hopefully the PH Massive agrees
See also how bad the brakes were (I had started trying to sort it all on the old chassis and bulkhead but have now abandoned that in favour of the new bits).
Edited by ReformedPistonhead on Friday 9th September 16:21
Very nice!
I’ve got a 1971 series 3 currently in bits. Chassis and bulkhead could be saved but lots of farm welds and bodgery so going the same route as you and buying new. I reckon it will take at least a year off the project.
Was also going to go for perfectly restored bodywork but decided I would be afraid to drive it so also going to keep the scruffy look. It definitely suits them.
Going to watch with interest as we are doing very similar things.
I’ve got a 1971 series 3 currently in bits. Chassis and bulkhead could be saved but lots of farm welds and bodgery so going the same route as you and buying new. I reckon it will take at least a year off the project.
Was also going to go for perfectly restored bodywork but decided I would be afraid to drive it so also going to keep the scruffy look. It definitely suits them.
Going to watch with interest as we are doing very similar things.
Edited by ballans on Monday 12th September 17:27
ReformedPistonhead said:
Thanks both.
Will post updates as I work on it.
Will take a while!
Haha, I haven’t given myself a deadline. I used to give myself a target of jobs to achieve but having spent a whole weekend trying to get some rusted and seized part off I gave up on that idea. Now I just get on with what I can and I’m happy with that. Will post updates as I work on it.
Will take a while!
Which bulkhead are you going for?
I’m probably going Shielder for bulkhead and chassis as do a good price for both. The distributor is local so will save quite a bit on delivery too. Shielder got terrible reviews a few years ago mostly service related but seem to have sorted themselves out.
I’m probably going Shielder for bulkhead and chassis as do a good price for both. The distributor is local so will save quite a bit on delivery too. Shielder got terrible reviews a few years ago mostly service related but seem to have sorted themselves out.
Lovely, I have a 1972 Series 3 and a 1981 series 3 languishing in a shed that need similar treatment
Which chassis have you bought, would be good to hear how bulkhead fitament is and who you got it from?
I also have a 110 defender that needs a new chassis too, its not so far away from getting the repair treatment though.
Which chassis have you bought, would be good to hear how bulkhead fitament is and who you got it from?
I also have a 110 defender that needs a new chassis too, its not so far away from getting the repair treatment though.
MK1RS Bruce said:
Lovely, I have a 1972 Series 3 and a 1981 series 3 languishing in a shed that need similar treatment
Which chassis have you bought, would be good to hear how bulkhead fitament is and who you got it from?
I also have a 110 defender that needs a new chassis too, its not so far away from getting the repair treatment though.
I went for a Robert Owen engineering bulkhead, it’s currently being built (5 month lead time!). Haven’t bought from there before but they seem helpful enough.Which chassis have you bought, would be good to hear how bulkhead fitament is and who you got it from?
I also have a 110 defender that needs a new chassis too, its not so far away from getting the repair treatment though.
The Chassis is a Richards, I bought one before and they are really well made.
Will be the usual fun when I mount the two together I guess.
First task will be taking suspension / axles off the old chassis then putting it on the new. Feels good to have a rolling chassis and frankly they are so high you can leave them on wheels to do most jobs.
I am rather distracted also by mon son’s MGB suspension upgrade (see another thread) and my Range Rover Classic suspension bushes are worn + steering box leaks so need to get both of those on the go too.
However that will mean 4 vehicles all under development at the same time (since I haven’t finished my other Series 2a yet), not sure my addled brain will manage all that.
I bought some new Axle stands, extra high (thanks SGS) and also ordered a 12 tonne press for doing the Range suspension bushes. Who would have thought that 12 Axle stands wasn’t enough. I need to start finishing some jobs.
He who dies with the most tools wins, as they say.
Had 30 minutes today and every little helps.
Stuck the chassis up on the new Axle stands and put the wiring loom through the chassis, my handy little blue rods were not long enough so a TIG welding rod made up the difference whilst another was enough to hook through the loom.
I need to find a 4 hour slot to get the axles off the old one onto the new one.... Will look and feel like more progress than a set of wires. At 30 minutes a weekend this will take 10 years.
Stuck the chassis up on the new Axle stands and put the wiring loom through the chassis, my handy little blue rods were not long enough so a TIG welding rod made up the difference whilst another was enough to hook through the loom.
I need to find a 4 hour slot to get the axles off the old one onto the new one.... Will look and feel like more progress than a set of wires. At 30 minutes a weekend this will take 10 years.
Squeezed in 1.5 hours today.
Got the old axle (painted, with new suspension & brakes as I had already replaced all of that before I realised how borked the old chassis was) off and onto the new chassis. Very satisfying, just got the shocks to fit but with no wheels and no weight on it they would be rather hyper extended so leaving them off for now.
Was not so easy since a) I was on my own and b) the prop shaft nuts/bolts had been on since they were first introduced to one another in 1963, hence rusted solid.
I decided to cut off the end of the bolts, choosing that end as it was way easier for access with the angle grinder and was the side I was happy to damage given I have new prop-shafts. However in hindsight I should have done the other end as I have now left bolts with no heads stuck through the axle end, will be some more bodgery to get those out next week.
Made use of 3 trolley jacks in the end, two under the old axle and one to lift the old chassis even higher to wobble the old fully assembled axle out. Was not an easy one person job and nearly lost a few fingers when it jumped....
After angle grinder and hole punch.
About to drop down and nearly sever my fingers which were grabbing and wiggling it at the time.
Free!
And attached.
Finally I do enjoy when you find a bonus in a purchased vehicle, in this case it was this rather sad little hammer. I now make a point of using it as often as possible when refurbing the Landy, seems poetic somehow! I will mount it in the rear tub when it is done.
Got the old axle (painted, with new suspension & brakes as I had already replaced all of that before I realised how borked the old chassis was) off and onto the new chassis. Very satisfying, just got the shocks to fit but with no wheels and no weight on it they would be rather hyper extended so leaving them off for now.
Was not so easy since a) I was on my own and b) the prop shaft nuts/bolts had been on since they were first introduced to one another in 1963, hence rusted solid.
I decided to cut off the end of the bolts, choosing that end as it was way easier for access with the angle grinder and was the side I was happy to damage given I have new prop-shafts. However in hindsight I should have done the other end as I have now left bolts with no heads stuck through the axle end, will be some more bodgery to get those out next week.
Made use of 3 trolley jacks in the end, two under the old axle and one to lift the old chassis even higher to wobble the old fully assembled axle out. Was not an easy one person job and nearly lost a few fingers when it jumped....
After angle grinder and hole punch.
About to drop down and nearly sever my fingers which were grabbing and wiggling it at the time.
Free!
And attached.
Finally I do enjoy when you find a bonus in a purchased vehicle, in this case it was this rather sad little hammer. I now make a point of using it as often as possible when refurbing the Landy, seems poetic somehow! I will mount it in the rear tub when it is done.
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