UpandOver

UpandOver

Well-Known Member
Each day while working at RAF valley I saw this tired looking def zooming past the workshop at approximately 7.45 every morning, used as a daily driver and having spent many a happy year or should I say century green lane’in with the family the previous owner decided to sell “lady macbeth” and since I had shown an interest in this unicorn I was offered first refusal. Well Val didn’t half sell it to me a 7 owner def 90 reg Oct 1984 a galv chassis and a fully recon engine from turners how could I refuse.
 
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Well if it wasn’t for the singer sowing machine sounding engine going past each morning I wouldn’t have given her a second look, beauty is in the eye of the beholder they say and in this instance … well a picture tells a thousand words
 

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Day 1, empty the ton of spares, parts, wheels, roll bar hoops, pedal boxes, engine bits out of the back… cut the canvas off and reveal the inner beauty.. oh hang on Ive still got my rose tinted glasses on
 

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UpandOver said:
Well if it wasn’t for the singer sowing machine sounding engine going past each morning I wouldn’t have given her a second look, beauty is in the eye of the beholder they say and in this instance … well a picture tells a thousand words
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Ah you’ll bring that old thing around no bother….lot of satisfaction waiting to happen there…great Land Rover that…I’d do it again too. Here’s a photo of my old 90. It looked beyond redemption before I started it. Folk laughed at me and told me to walk away. Nah, check her out now. Good luck with yours and enjoy doing it 🤙
 

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Forrest Gump said:
Ah you’ll bring that old thing around no bother….lot of satisfaction waiting to happen there…great Land Rover that…I’d do it again too. Here’s a photo of my old 90. It looked beyond redemption before I started it. Folk laughed at me and told me to walk away. Nah, check her out now. Good luck with yours and enjoy doing it 🤙
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Inspiration right there !
 
UpandOver said:
Landy restore No 3 !
Its been in hiding since 2023 and finally made it home today. Lady Macbeth as shes know by her previous owner is a very early 90. An offer too good to refuse from the previous owner Val saw me purchasing my third landy and having to hide it away from mrs Hughes. Now that the s3 and 300tdi have found new homes its time to break the bad new to her 😂 well my youngest son let the cat out of the bag a few weeks ago so its safe to say Im out of the woods. Right that enough trivia lets get to the nitty gritty, every day while working at RAF valley GEF I saw this horrendous def zooming past the workshop at approximately 7.45 every morning, Valerie (appologies for using your full title) working at R&D used it as her daily driver, having spent many a happy year or should I say century green lane’in with her husband and daughter decided to sell “lady macbeth” and since I had shown an interest in this unicorn I was offered first refusal. Well Val didn’t half sell it to me a 7 owner def 90 reg Oct 1984 a galv chassis and a fully recon engine from turners just a few thousand mile ago how could I refuse.
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As the proud and happy owner of Mr H's previous resto, christened 'Little Blue', I'll be following with interest! 150 faultless miles across Wales yesterday, and still smiling.
 

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Progress report, despite it being a day of rest the bloody cat “Hector” made sure I was up at 4.45am ! Convinced he was as keen as me to get out of bed and into the garage I later found out that Mrs Hughes has locked the cat flap while cleaning yesterday. Never the less I managed to stay in bed fully awake until 6.30 thinking about all things Defender. Strong coffee in hand I set myself a target, get the rear half off the chassis. Now its 6.30pm and for all of 12hrs of hammering and grinding this is whats left
 

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Despite a blistering start progress had seem to have slowed down during the past week, but this weekend has seen all of the body panels removed to reveal moor tin worm. Ah hang on a minute I forgot to put on my rose tinted safety specs on…… thats better… now that the bodywork if off I can see the true beauty of the galvanized chassis! 😂
 

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That does not look too bad. Chassis will be fine with a good clean and prime n’ paint. Are you keeping it mechanically original with regards the engine.
 
Forrest Gump said:
That does not look too bad. Chassis will be fine with a good clean and prime n’ paint. Are you keeping it mechanically original with regards the engine.
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Its a galvanized chassis so as you say a good clean, degrease, prime and paint and it will survive another 40 years plus. I’m keeping it as original as possible being the purist that I am however I may select a few chosen upgrades along the lines of electric fan for the rad, may upgrade the L77 box to R380 (Ashcroft), heavy duty clutch kit, poly bush, bilstein shocks, and maybe trying to fit an electric power steering pump ? Not sure if there is such a conversion maybe someone can advise.
 
Now its ready for engine and box to be removed. So I’ve splashed out an bought myself a new 2T engine crane ! Enough with begging and borrowing time to bite the bullet.
 

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UpandOver said:
Its a galvanized chassis so as you say a good clean, degrease, prime and paint and it will survive another 40 years plus. I’m keeping it as original as possible being the purist that I am however I may select a few chosen upgrades along the lines of electric fan for the rad, may upgrade the L77 box to R380 (Ashcroft), heavy duty clutch kit, poly bush, bilstein shocks, and maybe trying to fit an electric power steering pump ? Not sure if there is such a conversion maybe someone can advise.
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Yeah not bad. I did my 90 on a new chassis last year and changed very little except the doors. Changed them for lift up handle slidey window types. Much prefer them. Changed the steering wheel to the old 80’s type 4 spike as liked them too other than that it’s all original. Only other fancy thing I did was put on side steps so my folks could climb in and out easier. Your upgrades sound good. Doesn’t change the machine but makes it easier to live with. Don’t know much about an electric kit for the steering but there’s bound to be a way to figure it out. R380 is a smooth box(for a Land Rover!). I bought an engine crane too…amazing how many extra tools you need to rebuild a motor. Keep up the good work.
 
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