Bunker
Member
- Posts
- 46
- Location
- Newbury, Berkshire
Hi, Im new here, looking for advice please:
My Uncle has built a landy up over the last 15 years but is now tired of spending on it. He has always had any work done by a garage as he is not too mechanically minded. So Im tempted to relieve him of his machine which is quite unusual, he really wont want much, if anything, for it.. There is a fair amount of problems with it at the mo but I hope to throw some money at it and try to fix most of it myself (with help from friends). Here is the run down of what it is (written by Uncle) and a few photos. Id really appreciate your feedback:
cheers
My Uncle has built a landy up over the last 15 years but is now tired of spending on it. He has always had any work done by a garage as he is not too mechanically minded. So Im tempted to relieve him of his machine which is quite unusual, he really wont want much, if anything, for it.. There is a fair amount of problems with it at the mo but I hope to throw some money at it and try to fix most of it myself (with help from friends). Here is the run down of what it is (written by Uncle) and a few photos. Id really appreciate your feedback:
I realise it will need money throwing at it, thats ok I have some project money available. Im not too worried about it showing as a '79 vehicle, its been on that plate for 15 years. Im totally new to your world but very well used to working on military motorcycles so used to the idea of scratching round for parts and 'making do' approach. Truly happy to learn everything from scratch tho.KVL**V started as a 1979 Series 3 SWB hard-top fitted with windows. 2.25 petrol with 4-speed and Fairy overdrive. Chassis needed lots of work at rear and rear springs were not good. My friend was going to build a Bowler and got a rolling 90 chassis with defender rear axle and range rover front, giving coils all round instead of springs and 4-pot discs instead of shoes. He ran out of cash and sold it to me.
'Frogs Island 4x4' put the two lots together over several months of trial and error. Chassis shortened and plated in the middle and lengthened at the rear to take the series 88" body. Wheels are nicely centred in the wheel arches. Eyebrow extensions not fitted, tyres are slightly outside of body but actual tread is inside. (Eyebrows look silly). Battery re-positioned under passenger seat to make room for r/r power steering. Has servo brakes. Original dustbin oil filter. Engine swopped for a 2.5 petrol with unleaded conversion. 110 steering column fitted to take power steering, this is slightly longer so steering wheel is a couple of inches closer to driver. Inner wing modified accordingly.Accelerator pedal swapped for 90 to take cable. Roof lights fitted ex-disco. Swing-away rear wheel carrier fitted which has been extended to lock over door. Door is replacement 3-hinge later type (original in shed in reasonable order). Pair of roof bars which were my Dads and fitted. Front footwells were welded up a couple of years ago. Radio fitted in home-made overhead fitment.
Negative side. Petrol tank had to be cut to fit over torsion bar to rear axle and is rusted thru at neck. N/s door pillar has hole, likely need a replacement panel, they are available but once you start hacking at a 1979 bulkhead.....!!!! The exhaust is made-up from two systems: local garage made it up and they are out of business, don't know what they used (s/steel fabrication seems the answer). Water leak from engine, not found it yet but not radiator, could it be core plug?? Support bars under rear tub weak. Engine smokes a bit on start up but clears and pulls well. Gearbox and o/drive seem strong. Front military quarter bumpers are available but the front chassis sticks forward a bit and they may interfere with headlight beam so did not fit them. Suspension is heavy-duty, great when carrying but hard when not. Shocks and springs rusty, could do with new ones to set up for more comfortable road ride..Oh yes, bonnet bracing a bit rusty. Sitting on disco steel rims fitted with new Pirelli 205x16 (less than 100 miles on them).
Has MOT and tax til Sept.
cheers