1984 LWB diesel with gearbox problem.

[Pat H]

Friend of mine rang me a short while ago.

He has an early coil sprung LWB diesel van.

It is pretty scruffy, but it has 10 months MOT and 6 months tax on it.

It has a transmission problem, in that it won't go into any gear.

I assume it has a hydraulic clutch, so I am guessing that the problem might be anything from a knackered slave cylinder to a shot gearbox, or anything inbetween.

My friend has neither the time, the money or the ability to fix it and I could probably buy the thing for 300 quid.

Is it worth a punt at this sort of money, or are these things worthless?

I have owned a couple of SWB Series Landies, but never a LWB coil sprung diesel, so I am in unfamiliar territory.

Thanks.

[wombat172a]

mechanically it should be an easy repair, but as always the thing to check is chassis and bulkhead for rust. If they're shot it pretty much guarantees a rebuild job.

[Pat H]

The bulkhead is fine.

The chassis has been patched up, but was sound enough to pass an MOT.

It has had the usual rear crossmember and a couple of other bits and pieces.

The motor and the diffs are sound and it seems a shame to see it scrapped.

[andyb66]

Scant detail, but I'll wager that it is either the slave cyinder or the clutch release pivot arm. The latter is a gearbox out job.

IME, these kinds of Land Rovers are often worth more to the owner in working condition than they are on the open market.

[Lefty 200 Drams]

A coil sprung 110 serviced and with a years t+t will be worth £1500 any day of the week as long as BCX (bulkhead, chassis, x-member) are all ok.

So, do you think you could get the box sorted, get her serviced, mot'd and taxed again for a grand? If so, you could probably turn a profit ot, at least, run her for 6 months and sell on without making much of a loss (unless anything else goes wrong!)