Pimp My Ride

[Landlover99]

Hi all,
Here's the 1989 110 Safari I bought recently. As you can see it's in a bit of a state, but has been booked in for a full valet at a cost of five hundred and fifty quid next month. It should polish up fine because I tried some compound out on the 12 square inches you can see just above the nearside headlight and it came up shiny. I would have done more, but it was 24 degrees that day and I quickly became exhausted.
Anyway, my question is: what else can I do to boost its appearance? Bull bars? Bonnet mounted Spare wheel? A row of spotlights on the roof? An extra set of headlights? I'm clueless, so your assistance is required here.
Cheers,
LL.

 

[saxavordian]

Hi all,
Here's the 1989 110 Safari I bought recently. As you can see it's in a bit of a state, but has been booked in for a full valet at a cost of five hundred and fifty quid next month. It should polish up fine because I tried some compound out on the 12 square inches you can see just above the nearside headlight and it came up shiny. I would have done more, but it was 24 degrees that day and I quickly became exhausted.
Anyway, my question is: what else can I do to boost its appearance? Bull bars? Bonnet mounted Spare wheel? A row of spotlights on the roof? An extra set of headlights? I'm clueless, so your assistance is required here.
Cheers,
LL.View attachment 347683

Coochie coochie woo seems friendly enough. What do you feed him with. Is it okay if I pat his head or ruffle it.

 

[meego]

Hi all,
Here's the 1989 110 Safari I bought recently. As you can see it's in a bit of a state, but has been booked in for a full valet at a cost of five hundred and fifty quid next month. It should polish up fine because I tried some compound out on the 12 square inches you can see just above the nearside headlight and it came up shiny. I would have done more, but it was 24 degrees that day and I quickly became exhausted.
Anyway, my question is: what else can I do to boost its appearance? Bull bars? Bonnet mounted Spare wheel? A row of spotlights on the roof? An extra set of headlights? I'm clueless, so your assistance is required here.
Cheers,
LL.View attachment 347683

For real £550 for a valet on an old Land Rover
If you want it shiny spend a fraction of that on a decent polisher and some cutting compound.

 

[tottot]

TV's Mythbusters proved it is possible to polish a turd, but a turd is still a turd even if there is a shine on the outside.
Checking and sorting any issues with chassis, bulkhead and running gear is what should come first.

 

[Landlover99]

For real £550 for a valet on an old Land Rover
If you want it shiny spend a fraction of that on a decent polisher and some cutting compound.

I've got the necessary stuff to do it myself. What I don't got is the time. When we are young, we give up our time for money. When we are old, we give up our money for increasingly precious time.

 

[Landlover99]

TV's Mythbusters proved it is possible to polish a turd, but a turd is still a turd even if there is a shine on the outside.
Checking and sorting any issues with chassis, bulkhead and running gear is what should come first.

You're absolutely right, but this turd is in such a state that I don't want to be associated with it in its current condition. The chassis (new) and the bulkhead are actually fine, believe it or not. The biggest issues are purely cosmetic.

 

[Landlover99]

Coochie coochie woo seems friendly enough. What do you feed him with. Is it okay if I pat his head or ruffle it.View attachment 347684

 

[tottot]

You're absolutely right, but this turd is in such a state that I don't want to be associated with it in its current condition. The chassis (new) and the bulkhead are actually fine, believe it or not. The biggest issues are purely cosmetic.

That is good to know, mine is very much the same [1990 Ninety] good chassis and bulkhead, tidy inside but bit tat body, paint non existent in some places but it is still a working farm vehicle. Out in the country side looks fine but not so in a town car park.
Those holes in your wing tops are for headlamp guards, new headlamp surrounds and black grill and bumper would help a lot with the front look. Good luck with the tidy up.

 

[dag019]

Hi all,
Here's the 1989 110 Safari I bought recently. As you can see it's in a bit of a state, but has been booked in for a full valet at a cost of five hundred and fifty quid next month. It should polish up fine because I tried some compound out on the 12 square inches you can see just above the nearside headlight and it came up shiny. I would have done more, but it was 24 degrees that day and I quickly became exhausted.
Anyway, my question is: what else can I do to boost its appearance? Bull bars? Bonnet mounted Spare wheel? A row of spotlights on the roof? An extra set of headlights? I'm clueless, so your assistance is required here.
Cheers,
LL.View attachment 347683

As above first thing is to ensure structurally and mechanically sound. If that has been done you can focus on cosmetics.
What you have looks from the single photo to aboriginal and unmolested. As they are currenrtly what command the highest price I would not do anything cosmetically that cannot be reversed. What I mean by this is no drilling holes for chequer plate etc. unless it’s a straight bolt in swap I would avoid it.

might just be the picture but the first thing I would do is get a black grill and headlight surrounds rather than the body coloured ones.
Then google camal trophy 110. In my opinion these are the cosmetic pinnacle for a Land Rover. No modern tubular rubbish and all of the cosmetics are there for a functional reason. That’s the aesthetic I have gone for on mine.

 

[landowner]

As above first thing is to ensure structurally and mechanically sound. If that has been done you can focus on cosmetics.
What you have looks from the single photo to aboriginal and unmolested. As they are currenrtly what command the highest price I would not do anything cosmetically that cannot be reversed. What I mean by this is no drilling holes for chequer plate etc. unless it’s a straight bolt in swap I would avoid it.

might just be the picture but the first thing I would do is get a black grill and headlight surrounds rather than the body coloured ones.
Then google camal trophy 110. In my opinion these are the cosmetic pinnacle for a Land Rover. No modern tubular rubbish and all of the cosmetics are there for a functional reason. That’s the aesthetic I have gone for on mine.

View attachment 347716

That's a very old tyre on that tractor?

 

[scott3933]

As someone else said above I would just replace the front grill/light surrounds (can get britpart ones for like £40ish total), maybe the bumper if its damaged or rotten anywhere, or just paint it. Then stuff like the light lenses, I did mine but then I also did get a freebie bag of defender lights and lenses from fb marketplace.

I wouldn't put the wheel on the bonnet, mine has this but I'm not really a fan, but that's its original mounting place on mine and the back door is a bit past it, so its staying. Bull bars and lights, maybe a bit 90s now? I used to love the look of my dad's first 90 with a bull bar but I don't think I'd have one these days. Same with light covers, mine came with homemade grill things and I just pulled them all off. I think its got to the point now where people are starting to value originality on an older vehicle, rather than looking like its just crashed through Britpart.

 

[marjon]

If you want/can spend the money on getting it shiny then thats your choice.

Personally.
get some light gaurds so you dont have those screws doin nothing.
Black surrounds on the headlight/indicator front panel with a black grill. What should it have for that year model?

it looks to have had some sort of light/bull bar thing going by the extra holes in the bumper.
Give that a paint.

But I am with the reliable mechanically and solid brigade.
You have an engine bay that would give me cause for concern (with a pair of SUs that need rebuilding on the kitchen table) if I was buying it the paintwork wouldnt bother me .

You will be surprised how many people wont park next to you in car parks with that look.

As a last note costs can soon mount up for bling that gives very little value.

I wouldnt be ashamed to drive that as it is, aslong as it got me home too.

J

 

[tottot]

That's a very old tyre on that tractor?

Probably a very old tractor as well.

 

[Landlover99]

If you want/can spend the money on getting it shiny then thats your choice.

Personally.
get some light gaurds so you dont have those screws doin nothing.
Black surrounds on the headlight/indicator front panel with a black grill. What should it have for that year model?

it looks to have had some sort of light/bull bar thing going by the extra holes in the bumper.
Give that a paint.

But I am with the reliable mechanically and solid brigade.
You have an engine bay that would give me cause for concern (with a pair of SUs that need rebuilding on the kitchen table) if I was buying it the paintwork wouldnt bother me .

You will be surprised how many people wont park next to you in car parks with that look.

As a last note costs can soon mount up for bling that gives very little value.

I wouldnt be ashamed to drive that as it is, aslong as it got me home too.

J

Okay, I get the gist of the opinion on this group: don't overdo it. Not quite what I wanted to hear, but I do hear ya. I was tempted to get one of those tubular exoskeletons 'cos they look pretty boss. HOWEVER, I don't think it would look right on a vintage model like this. Consequently, I'll keep the 'bling' down to a sensible level. I've removed the corroded spare wheel mount on the back door as it was looking pretty awful so there's just a plain plate there now. I do not want to have to do paintwork as that's irreversible and as has been said above, people value originality.
However, some things must be tackled. No 1: rusty door screws which are dripping rusty water over the paintwork and staining it. I was going to replace them with stainless steel bolts, but someone said 'No! Are you mad? - Keep it as close to original and get them properly zinc plated instead.' So all my wonderful plans are being shot-down one by one!

 

[Propman]

Fella, do what you like. It’s your Landy.
Mine is a 1986 90’ and I couldn’t give 2 hoots what people think about the work I’ve done.
You do you.

 

[Landlover99]

Fella, do what you like. It’s your Landy.
Mine is a 1986 90’ and I couldn’t give 2 hoots what people think about the work I’ve done.
You do you.

Hmmm. Can't really do that, though because one day I'll possibly sell it and whoever' looking for one of these will be obsessed with originality (just like everyone else it seems).

 

[Propman]

You’ll find everyone will modify it in their own way.

 

[dag019]

That's a very old tyre on that tractor?

That is a pic form my rebuild after the engine fire (Thread LINK) which was done in a friends barn. The old tyre belongs to a fordson standard N which has been in his family since the 60's originally used on their farm in Wales, and now on his farm in warwickshire. It still runs and drives but is now enjoyment and shows rather than working.

 

[dag019]

Okay, I get the gist of the opinion on this group: don't overdo it.

As mentioned above it is your land rover do what you want to it, but if you are looking at a potential future sale then as you say originality is what is currently valued, but everyone will modify their vehicle in the way they want. That is what I have done to mine, may not be to everyone's taste (apparently it is a 90's look which was news to me!), but I have had it since I was 18 and have no plans of ever parting with it.

I was going to replace them with stainless steel bolts, but someone said 'No! Are you mad? - Keep it as close to original and get them properly zinc plated instead.' So all my wonderful plans are being shot-down one by one!

I disagree with the above, you have to be a serious rivet counting anorak to care that the bolts are stainless rather than zinc coated. For me stainless bolts everywhere non structural are just a sensible upgrade and do not take away form the originality in my opinion.

get some light gaurds so you dont have those screws doin nothing.

it looks to have had some sort of light/bull bar thing going by the extra holes in the bumper.

Looking at the photo on the computer now rather than my phone I would agree with this ^^. As you already have the holes for the light guards i would refit them, the additional holes in the bumper look like they are from an A-bar, so the front end would have looked something like the below at some point in its past (pics form google). This a look I quite like, but again is not everyone's idea of good, and probably also fits into the 90's comment above!

 

[Squonker]

Hmmm. Can't really do that, though because one day I'll possibly sell it and whoever' looking for one of these will be obsessed with originality (just like everyone else it seems).

So basically you're buying it for someone else? It's your Landrover and your money but you won't do what you want with it because someone else in the future may not like it? Mate, it's your vehicle. If you want to change something then change it. If that affects resale value then why did you not just buy the Landy you wanted in the first place? This one obviously isn't what you wanted.