Total Newb Question

[big giant head]

Hi all,

for years I've wanted a land rover. I'm now thinking of finally getting a lightweight.

In my musings around the net I see a lot of hard tops and a few soft tops - but am I right in thinking
that all lightweights can be "stripped off" no matter what their configuration on the day of purchase ?
I want a car that I can wrap up for winter and then strip down for summer.

Any advice for a complete newb ?

Best wishes
Tony

[100SRV]

Hi Tony,
dead right - whether a canvas or hard top a lightweight can be stripped down to resemble a motorised sledge. Might need a bit of WD40 and spanner work though.

100SRV

[BLUETHUNDER]

Lightweights are a good start.Here is my old one.It was my daily driver for five years back in the late 80,s early 90,s

[BLUETHUNDER]

There is a small article in this months LRO on buying a lightweight.

[big giant head]

Cheers chaps,

Now I know I can turn a leightweight into a car or a proper jeep I'm much happier going out to kick tyres.
Still pretty ignorant of course - any advice on what I should I be looking for - or what I should be looking
at as a total "no no" ? What are the obvious pointers on these ?

It's confusing for a newb looking at all the mud runners for sale and not knowing much.
Some are for sale for £300. Some from the same year for £5999.
Obviously the restoration projects are the cheapies and the spic and span jobs are the big money.
But can I expect to find a useable (non rotting) leightweight for around 2-3k or am I newb+utterly stupid ?
(I don't want to end up with a static museum on the drive).

Best wishes
Tony

[BLUETHUNDER]

£2,500-£3000 should buy you a tidy lightweight.Check the bulkhead for rot and inside the footwells.Footwells are cheap to replace but a rotten bulkhead is a more costly affair.On start up All LR,s of this type will emit a little blue smoke.Dont be alarmed its normally the valve guide seals.They harden over time.but the smoke should clear after start up,any thing else then you could be looking at worn piston rings.Check around the rear chassis cross member and outer riggers.Although all M.O.D LR,s are undersealed from new they can still suffer from water getting in through cracks in the underseal.Ones used by the RM were especially prone to this having spent time in a salt water enviroment.Mechanical parts are cheap,but body parts can be expensive,but there are dedicated groups about that cater for lightweights.If the Military stuff is your thing or not,then personally i would buy from a military enthusiast.They tend to have the better examples and return them back to how they should have been.Try www.milweb.co.uk and go in to the vehicle park.They normaly have a good selection in there.

Edited by BLUETHUNDER on Saturday 31st March 14:13

[Big Giant Head]

Sounds like top advice.
Thanks