Steve's unexpected Series 3 rebuild.

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Double post

Edit- yeah I'm going to rivet the new strengtheners on. I don't have a spot welder (or any welder, infact) and you'd need one with massive jaws!
 
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Some really nice work here - how's the finger? Can't believe they suggested leaving it in....
Thank you.

As for the finger the metal is still in there. I went for another appointment having already said that I wanted it removed only to be told that they would have to book yet another appointment. That's when I gave up. It doesn't hurt and I don't know it's there now.
 
It's not the pads I'm referring to, I have these and agree they are necessary to sit between tub and chassis.

What i mean is the small metal inserts within the steel ribs (2 in each rib). My ribs don't have those, but I see some places sell them to retrofit. I gather they are something to do with the defender and series differences but I can't see what they actually do ??:confused:




I got some replacements from YRM.
Sorry, misunderstood. I didn't realise that some didn't have those bits.
I suppose it makes the support a bit stronger where it sits on the chassis but I don't know how vital that would be.
Unless you are carrying a ton of ballast in the back it probably wouldn't make much difference.
 
Me neither. I sometimes wonder if it will ever happen though. o_O
Nonsense - you're on a roll.

There's a bit of healthy competition in Holland of course that should help to nudge you along - so far you're a few steps ahead - but you know perhaps...
 
Nonsense - you're on a roll.

There's a bit of healthy competition in Holland of course that should help to nudge you along - so far you're a few steps ahead - but you know perhaps...
Thanks mate but I have a feeling that you will soon rapidly overtake me. Just when the weather and the daylight is with me other commitments have just kicked in big style. Work is going bonkers with the manager whose been in post for all of a month committing us to impossible deadlines for completly changing the way we work. I'm also starting work on our own little side project to be done over and above the day job. This will either lead to me having a chance of retiring at a sensible age or mean that i'm so knackered that it won't matter anyway. Whatever though my landy time may well be heavily curtailed. You can't have it all ways. Anyway I have drunk far too much wine for a mid week evening and it's my long day at work tomorrow so i'm calling it a night.
 
Thanks mate but I have a feeling that you will soon rapidly overtake me. Just when the weather and the daylight is with me other commitments have just kicked in big style. Work is going bonkers with the manager whose been in post for all of a month committing us to impossible deadlines for completly changing the way we work. I'm also starting work on our own little side project to be done over and above the day job. This will either lead to me having a chance of retiring at a sensible age or mean that i'm so knackered that it won't matter anyway. Whatever though my landy time may well be heavily curtailed. You can't have it all ways. Anyway I have drunk far too much wine for a mid week evening and it's my long day at work tomorrow so i'm calling it a night.
Nightmare new boss? Oh dear is it just wazzing up a lamp post to demonstrate primeval dominance? If so I can recommend the "yes sir, Mr President" approach and carry on as usual. If you get caught out do the Cartman approach of "I'm sorry I did not understand the question"...

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...I'm trying to get mine finished too, but finding time at the moment is so hard!

I agree with you both. The biggest problem any DIYer has is finding the time to get things finished
 
Good afternoon, just read complete post instead of working, well I am the boss! Ha ha ha.:D Flipping brilliant post and I am sure when I start work on my Series III it will be this post I will keep coming back to for inspiration. Top marks all round :)
 
Good afternoon, just read complete post instead of working, well I am the boss! Ha ha ha.:D Flipping brilliant post and I am sure when I start work on my Series III it will be this post I will keep coming back to for inspiration. Top marks all round :)
Thank you very much for that. Progress has stalled at the moment but I hope to keep doing a few little bits.
When do you think you will get started on yours?
 
Well the MOT runs out about Christmas time so I will see what news that brings and start from there. I am thinking of a sympathetic rebuild using updated parts where available as I have already put H4 zenon bulbs in complete with up rated loom as well as LED sidelights and indicators. May go down the galvanised chassis and bulkhead route just for longevity as would mind the old landie lasting another 40 years.
 
I think I have reached an absolute low point in this project. No photos at the moment as I haven't had time lately. The body tub is on and I have put the bulkhead back on even though I haven't started work on it yet. I hoped to get an idea of how things lined up but the only thing I know for sure now is that nothing lines up. My lad helped me to refit the bulkhead and even at 9 years old he just took one look at it and said 'well that's not right'. Whoever fitted the new bulkhead outriggers in the past has managed to get the passenger side mounting point 2.5cm lower than the drivers side. It looks bloody awful. When I first got it it sat low on the drivers side like they all do because of knackered springs. Now it is low on the passenger side and I have not got a single guaranteed correct bit to measure from and line up to. When I look back at the first photo on this thread I can't believe it looks quite straight. I just don't know where to start because everything needs adjustment. I have a fortnight off work soon. We will be abroad for one of the weeks and I won't have any time for garage work. To be honest it's a bloody good job because I feel so negative about the whole thing at the moment that I could cheerfully scrap the bugger.
 
Hang in there mate, you've done such an amazing job so far, it's been a real pleasure to read! Always read about low points but you'll sort it for sure. Is there something nice on it you can mess about with for a while, get your mojo back? (I find painting quite therapeutic for example.)
 
Don't do anything hasty that you will regret. I know the feeling with the low points, I've had a few myself over the last 3 years with my wreck. I found ignoring the build work and going to the odd event perked me up a bit, or even just having a few weeks off land rovers entirely.

Sounds like a bit of a conundrum at the minute, but nothing that can't be fixed with a bit of ingenuity. If you can't do something, I'm sure you can find someone who can;):)
 
I've often thought of giving it all up - throwing my cars keys with hope into a fruit bowl - perhaps staring to knit - water colours - pottery - making wooden toys for babies - custom jewelry...

...bollocks eh? There's no suitable alternative.

Only thing to do is to take a deep breath and look at page 25 of this PDF =>

http://www.seriesdiesellandrover.com/workshop_6_brakes_bodywork_electrical.pdf

Make some measurements - work out which bit is going to get the wrath of the spinning disc - work out which bit will then get the soothing splutter of MIG wire...
 
Try and stick with it!
If it looks like the original locations for the bulkhead etc are lost, see if you can find another forumite who has a similar rebuild in progress and visit them.
You could either take dimensions from it or see if you can make an alignment jig/template taking reference measurements from key locations.
Its what used to do when I worked at a place that restored old aircraft, we would send guys to visit museum aircraft and take measurements, or even make a jig using metal tube/angle.
Anyway just a thought.
Mark
 
Thanks for the support everyone. I had an hour tonight so I thought I would do something different. I decided to take the steering box off the big bracket that goes from the chassis to the bulkhead. Went well with the fixings all coming undone nicely until one corner of the casting near a bolt hole dropped off effectively making it scrap. It was completely corroded.

I will keep going with the bloody thing but I really need a break from it for a bit. We have got a really big project on the go at home at the moment and I think it's stressing me out more than I realised. Then the day job is going from bad to worse and i'm always so tired.

My lad cheered me up though. When he saw that I had rehung the passenger door he said "that's my door! That's where i'm going to sit when it's done! " So I can hardly do anything else but carry on.
 
I think I have reached an absolute low point in this project. No photos at the moment as I haven't had time lately. The body tub is on and I have put the bulkhead back on even though I haven't started work on it yet. I hoped to get an idea of how things lined up but the only thing I know for sure now is that nothing lines up. My lad helped me to refit the bulkhead and even at 9 years old he just took one look at it and said 'well that's not right'. Whoever fitted the new bulkhead outriggers in the past has managed to get the passenger side mounting point 2.5cm lower than the drivers side. It looks bloody awful. When I first got it it sat low on the drivers side like they all do because of knackered springs. Now it is low on the passenger side and I have not got a single guaranteed correct bit to measure from and line up to. When I look back at the first photo on this thread I can't believe it looks quite straight. I just don't know where to start because everything needs adjustment. I have a fortnight off work soon. We will be abroad for one of the weeks and I won't have any time for garage work. To be honest it's a bloody good job because I feel so negative about the whole thing at the moment that I could cheerfully scrap the bugger.
if you want someone to look at things with you give me a shout , i often get similar and get a mate to give another view
 
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