Series 3 109 Rebuild

As some of you may remember, back in March I asked for advice on a LWB model I'd bought on a whim , having been stood for 18 years I was curious to see what awaited me!

After getting it home I've been working on it when time allows, so far its stripped down to the bare chassis from the seatbox backwards (sorry Bobsticle!). I got lucky and managed to get a place at work to store all the bits I wont be needing in the immediate future, I didn't quite realise how much room the body, wings etc would take up! I started by changing the oil, oil filter, distributor parts, leads, plugs, I took the ignition barrel to a locksmith and had them make me a key, changed the gearbox/transfer box oil, bled the clutch and finally put petrol in it, first turn of the key and she fired into life!

I replaced the radiator panel as mine had rusted through, then checked the chassis and realised the rust was worse than I originally thought. The rear tub came off to get access and a better view of the chassis, I've now decided to remove the rear axle and refurbish that first. The chassis repair sections would come to around £600 and I think I'll be able to find a chassis better than mine, with less welding for less than that. I've made a start on the rear springs and have bought a replacement rear axle case as mine had rusted and has a hole.


Anyway, on with the pictures..


This is as I got her home


Statrted to strip the front end


Roof off


Tub off



Previous welding to chassis and the rust


As she currently stands


And the axle off waiting for the new case


The rear axle case gets delivered tomorrow and so should the Por 15 paint ive bought to cover it in. I'll try and keep this updated and try to remember to take pictures as I go!

Good progress and good news about the engine but you want to get the chassis sorted first imho. I would strip the rest of it down first and then go from there before starting anything else. You might be able to pick up a rolling chassis. I've seen a few for sale lately.
Norrie .

Good work.

If you get a second hand chassis you will have to bring the identity of the second hand vehicle with you, effectively making your vehicle the donor.

If I were you, and at the point that you are at, I'd just get a new galvanized chassis for it. It's an expense but you won't gave the ID issues (it's a new replacement rather than an existing vehicle) and you have the future proofing of new galvanized steel.

Ive been talking to someone about a spare 2nd hand chassis they have, if I could afford a new galvanized one that'd be the route I'd take, but at the moment thats out of my league.

In relation to the ID issues you mentioned, how would anyone know its not the original chassis? Chassis number is usually stamped on the dumb iron, but if these were rusted and replaced, the new ones would cover/remove where the cahssis number was originally stamped anyway, thus rendering the chassis anonymous?

I was in your situation and decided to save up for new chassis as I couldn't afford bit at the time. Whilst waiting for it to arrive I refurbed all the bits that needed it.

What you say is true, but the legalities are that the ID carries with the chassis. If you stuck another second hand one under your vehicle it would technically be illegal. Would any one know? Probably not, but if the worst happened I wouldn't want that hanging over my head. Not my truck, so fill you boots, just stay the hell away from me because your insurance won't be valid.

That was why I started with the rear axle, I thought I'd do eveything else while saving for a new/hunting for a better 2nd hand one. I didnt realise you couldnt legally use a 2nd hand chassis, although I dont really see how using a solid 2nd hand one differs from buying and using a new one. Or how an insurance company would be able to prove the chassis on a vehicle isnt its original one.

You can legally use a second hand one, but the finished vehicle needs to take the identity of the vehicle the second hand chassis came from (i.e. its VIN / Registration). If the chassis came from a vehicle old enough to avoid tax / MOT then happy days, your finished project will also be tax / MOT free, but that also works the other way round too.

Using a new chassis and the second hand chassis are two seperate things. A new chassis, provided it is like for like, is simply a replacement of a worn out part and doesnt trigger any of the ID issues. I strongly recommend you do a bit of searching on this round the forum as this has been well documented already.

Whether or not anyone is able to tell what is original, secondhand or replacement is really rather beside the point as far as I'm concerned. The fact is that using a second hand chassis rather than a newly built one to replace your existing rotten one has implications which will affect the identity of your land rover and therefore any insurance cover on it. As I say, keep away from me!

was there ever any progress with this project ?