Hello! My first Land Rover.

Hi all.
Very new to this but excited about acquiring a 1992 Disco 1 with 200k on the clock. Yes I know but you have to start somewhere and I like the fact that being a bit older I won’t be so scared of tinkering.
I live near Leicester but the Disco was gifted to me and my buddy by a gentleman in Andalusia Spain (so not much rust) where we are doing up a Finca in the hills. Suddenly the project is moving because we have a vehicle that can manage the terrain. Every time we get over or round a seemingly unnavigable track we laugh, impossible! Not in the Disco it’s not! Struggled a bit last week and then remembered what the manual said about diff lock (yes we’re that green) and laughed even more when we eased out of the problem. Now obviously I’m currently doing the bloke thing and checking out Landy mods on Pinterest and it won’t be long before I’m asking questions about bigger tyres, winches, roof racks, snorkels and the like, then i’ll settle down and do something sensible..... like sort the lag in the transmission. (Is that a thing?)

Dos Amigos said:

.......... a 1992 Disco 1 with 200k on the clock. Yes I know but you have to start somewhere and I like the fact that being a bit older .........

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1992, 200K. It's barley had the newness wore off it.

mgd109 said:

1992, 200K. It's barley had the newness wore off it.

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That’s quite reassuring! Thanks

A RHD 200 3dr is a damn fine vehicle - and unmolested, they are appreciating in value. IMHO do NOT modify it - if it won't "do" the terrain in standard trim - you're doing it wrong. AT tyres will improve its abilities more than enough IME.

That looks in good order - over here, the side steps would have rotted the sills out years ago - so have a good look for corrosion - the 3 doors are always worse for tin worm. (ask me how I now this )

Disco1BFG said:

A RHD 200 3dr is a damn fine vehicle - and unmolested, they are appreciating in value. IMHO do NOT modify it - if it won't "do" the terrain in standard trim - you're doing it wrong. AT tyres will improve its abilities more than enough IME.

That looks in good order - over here, the side steps would have rotted the sills out years ago - so have a good look for corrosion - the 3 doors are always worse for tin worm. (ask me how I now this )

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Thanks for the encouraging words. It is a pretty tidy motor and I’ll try and resist any unnecessary mods but I’d be interested in what you know about AT tyres, It’s just the excitement of having an amazing vehicle.
Cheers for the comment

Slack in the drive train would be a concern for me. Look after the basics before modding to get a useable vehicle. A lifted winches up monster truck that doesn't run is an expensive garden ornament.

Hello and welcome

Dos Amigos said:

Thanks for the encouraging words.

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You're very welcome D1 3dr is my fave LR vehicle - SWMBO has one, and it is a damn fine vehicle - which she'll keep forever

Dos Amigos said:

It is a pretty tidy motor and I’ll try and resist any unnecessary mods

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Mods are, IMHO for extreme off roading through mud and deep ruts - often necessitating bodywork mods, which, given the rarity of 3 dr D1's in any sort of order, is best avoided - they are an appreciating classic....

Dos Amigos said:

I’d be interested in what you know about AT tyres, It’s just the excitement of having an amazing vehicle.
Cheers for the comment

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Best AT tyres I know of are the BF Goodrich AT2 - but local knowledge will be King here, plus local availability might be an issue - Unless you're going mud plugging AT's are a good compromise - we've both got D1's, both go off road everyday, and we run BFG AT2's in 245/70R16 - they do everthing we ask of them. Both are also on standard height springs, with gas dampers and polybushes.....

IMHO you're right to be excited about it - and as said above by goonarmy - sort the transmission lash first, and then enjoy it

Welcome to the forum

Discovery:
https://www.landyzone.co.uk/forum/land-rover-discovery.8

I've never found a stock LR lacking offroad, atleast when driven with a modicum of common sense!!

Nice looking D1.

Unusual colour..

At 200k there will be a bit of slack, my 190k D2 is showing some in the front Diff

Nice. Rust is the killer for ones vehicles if it’s spent it’s life inland Spain you maybe on to a winner. Do you mean slack when taking up drive?

That could be anyone of a number of things. I’m assuming it’s got the LT230 transfer box. The one thing to check is whether it’s got a cross drilled input gear (or oil feed plate) as those boxes didn’t originally and that was a major design flaw. If it does A knock when taking up drive that sounds like it’s coming from the gear box could be worn splines on the output shaft of the gear box. You’d want to get that sorted sooner rather than later. It’s easy to check and lots of videos on you tube.

Enjoy it. Great vehicles.

goonarmy said:

Slack in the drive train would be a concern for me. Look after the basics before modding to get a useable vehicle. A lifted winches up monster truck that doesn't run is an expensive garden ornament.

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Wise words

goonarmy said:

Slack in the drive train would be a concern for me. Look after the basics before modding to get a useable vehicle. A lifted winches up monster truck that doesn't run is an expensive garden ornament.

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Wise words for sure. I’m going to get someone who knows a bit to see if it’s something I should be worried about.

payydg said:

Nice. Rust is the killer for ones vehicles if it’s spent it’s life inland Spain you maybe on to a winner. Do you mean slack when taking up drive?

That could be anyone of a number of things. I’m assuming it’s got the LT230 transfer box. The one thing to check is whether it’s got a cross drilled input gear (or oil feed plate) as those boxes didn’t originally and that was a major design flaw. If it does A knock when taking up drive that sounds like it’s coming from the gear box could be worn splines on the output shaft of the gear box. You’d want to get that sorted sooner rather than later. It’s easy to check and lots of videos on you tube.

Enjoy it. Great vehicles.

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That’s great advice, sound like I’ve got to do a bit of research. Appreciate the comments.

Dos Amigos said:

That’s great advice, sound like I’ve got to do a bit of research. Appreciate the comments.

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Lucky with the rust, hardly any. Drive chain? Transmission ... not sure what I’m talking about here but there’s a bit of lag (almost a clunk) when accelerating or taking foot off the gas, and finding third gear is an art! Sounds sweet when running tho.

payydg said:

I’m assuming it’s got the LT230 transfer box. The one thing to check is whether it’s got a cross drilled input gear (or oil feed plate) as those boxes didn’t originally and that was a major design flaw.

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So true. It is so long since I saw one without the proper fix, that I had forgotten about the issue .... But - at the time it was a complete PITA ...

@Dos Amigos - Have you got any service history with this D1 ? I'd almost guarantee that it would have had the issue Payydg describes - the question is thus - has it been fixed ???

Disco1BFG said:

So true. It is so long since I saw one without the proper fix, that I had forgotten about the issue .... But - at the time it was a complete PITA ...

@Dos Amigos - Have you got any service history with this D1 ? I'd almost guarantee that it would have had the issue Payydg describes - the question is thus - has it been fixed ???

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Sounds like I need a review and plan of action. It’s had a good service history but I won’t get chance to have a look til Feb.

Dos Amigos said:

Sounds like I need a review and plan of action. It’s had a good service history but I won’t get chance to have a look til Feb.

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plenty of time to research the issue on the tube of you then - easy to check once you know where to look

Dos Amigos said:

Sounds like I need a review and plan of action. It’s had a good service history but I won’t get chance to have a look til Feb.

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It’s easy enough to take the PTO cover off the transfer box in situ and have a look for wear in the splines. Fitting an after market oil feed plate is easy and can be done with the box in situ.

Disco1BFG said:

So true. It is so long since I saw one without the proper fix, that I had forgotten about the issue .... But - at the time it was a complete PITA ...

@Dos Amigos - Have you got any service history with this D1 ? I'd almost guarantee that it would have had the issue Payydg describes - the question is thus - has it been fixed ???

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The LT230 and LT77 boxes are very good in my opinion apart from that one catastrophic design flaw. But that’s classic Land Rover!

I had a main shaft fail 5miles into a 600 mile return journey back from Scotland once. Got a tow the whole way back. To be fair money I saved in fuel paid for the AA membership fee.

Thanks for all the encouraging and supportive comments, glad I joined! Interesting reading about the LT230, it sounds like that might be my first job but I’ll need a second opinion before I do anything rash. If an entire re-con unit is about £750 + labour what might it cost for repairing the one I’ve got if it needs it? Just fishing for now as I don’t think I need to panic for a bit.