Newby East Midlands 1988 90 County - Project

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CountJimmy

New Member
Posts
38
Location
Nuneaton
Hi All,
Someone suggested I introduce myself as I'd posted an advice Q, so, here I go!
Well, I should introduce us- husband and wife, Sam and Sarah, desperate to get our hands on our landy! Sam works for JLR designing engines and I've finally convinced him to love landys the way I do!
When I was a kid we had a couple of series 2a lwb station wagons. I remember being allowed to ride up front whilst dads scout group had to sit on the bench seats in the back!
Eventually these became sheds on wheels and mum and dad got rid (although he has just mentioned he's still got some spares for them in the garage, so maybe the next project?!).
We then had an f reg Range Rover petrol that as kids we got searched on the way in for anything sticky or dirty incase we messed up the interior. Alas it was a fairly typical range rover and spent more time broken down than running, so after only 8 months he went! Again, I've seen some spares at the back of the garage so maybe project 3?!
Then we've had a new series 2 disco which dad only got rid of last year because he got a brand new 1- they've improved a bit!
So, this leads us to the 90- Jimmy. Dad bought it 9 years ago as a bit of a project and for weekend shooting/offroading as mum was sick of loosing the disco all weekend during the season. It was in good nick, never having been welded or patched. Dad and my brother started doing some stripping down and tidying up, but kept it on the road. Much to my jealously it kind of became my brothers car when he passed his test- I'd taken our car to uni as he couldn't drive, so it was really my own fault! Then when he moved out he took it with him - cheeky git!
Unfortunately that was the beginning of the end for Jimmy- he was used as an everyday car, but the rot and the leaks were never stopped, which got him to the state he's in today. Got some rot at the top of the bulk head- usual place. Both sides. Front doors are rotten at the bottom, back doors been replaced, but no check straps attached?!?! He's gained some electrical gremlins and he just looks knackered! Everything leaks, there's moss growing all over, the drivers windows been stuck down for 2 years (why he didn't lift it I don't know!).
As my brother's now got a baby, they'd really like it off the drive so they don't have to load the baby into the car on the road. So, we've been and got him up and running so we can get him trailered from Norwich to the midlands and into the dry, ready to finish the stripping down and get him back together.
We want to keep his 19J engine, I know everyone wants to put a 200tdi in, but we know Jimmy's slow- that's kind of the point. Hoping to start offroading on the weekends, although all this is only starting once we've finished renovating the house- I'm hoping the promise of an engine to tinker with at the end if it will spur us on!
So that's it!
 
Sounds like you will enjoy that, lovely vehicle to work on, all spannering, no electronics and most things are accesible. You will get flak about you 2.5td but they arent too bad if you look after them, especially if you dont want to do lots of high speed mileage. They dont have anything like the power of Tdi but you can get 70 or more if you really need to its just a bit noisy.
Look forward to hearing how you get on, post some pics if youve got the tech knowhow and peeps can tell ya what they think.:)
 
Finally some pics! Spot the missing parts!!

Arty one first

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1361466437.227477.jpg

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1361466536.328141.jpg

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1361466551.334273.jpg

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1361466568.101719.jpg

No pics of interior- it's half stripped out and we haven't got any of the bits.

Now, where to start...
 
Doesnt look bad from what I can see, hard to guess chassis condition. Obvious issues with the body cappings, I never knew why they stopped galvanising them? Cant see any rust breaking through on the door pillars though, and a lot of straight original stuff on it, looks a nice resto to me.
You could probably get missing interior bits from a breaker, the interiors are fairly basic anyway :)
 
Thanks.

It's not too bad. All missing bits are in the parents garage, but that's 120 miles away!

What we've seen of the chassis it looks good. Think the bulk head has been protected by the thick layer of oil all over everything under the bonnet.
The pillar on the bulk head needs welding (passenger side), currently patched up with duct tape!
The foot wells have no rot, but the front doors are knackered and bubbling. Think we'll have to patch those for now and see about some new skins down the line.

Sorry, didn't realise 1st post was sooo long!
 
Just seen this on eBay! Looks great! Think we'll try and keep mostly original like this. Been trying to find some county interior photos so this has been handy. It's round the corner from us, so may have a look!!

http://bit.ly/Ytdv6W
 
Just seen this on eBay! Looks great! Think we'll try and keep mostly original like this. Been trying to find some county interior photos so this has been handy. It's round the corner from us, so may have a look!!

http://bit.ly/Ytdv6W

Wouldnt swap that for mine! Pretty sily money for that age and mileage vehicle. Theyre obviously good with paint an tcut but you can bet its rusty as you like and probably engine about to runaway too!
What kills these is chassis and bulkhead rust not being a bit tatty. Go and look to see the seats and that but I wouldnt touch that with a bargepole mself:)
 
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