Mike,

Loving the post, Just read it all start to finish, Glad to see someone else throwing as much money at there classic softy as me.
 
Mike,

Loving the post, Just read it all start to finish, Glad to see someone else throwing as much money at there classic softy as me.

Thanks! The idea was not to throw too much money at it, but I've probably sunk a grand into it so far, on top of the price of the car. But that's not too bad, as I haven't done everything myself and a few hundred was for the new tyres!

Today it has locked me out, as a way of saying thank you...
 
Range Rovers - doncha love 'em! :D

I was gonna kick its arse but it may be user error, as I was fiddling with the light switches last night trying to replace the bulbs, may have inadvertently caught the interior light but didn't hang around after locking it to check it went off as it was chucking it down last night!!
 
So, I now have an updated list of things to sort, most of which I have started, none of which I have finished, looks something like this:

- Thermostat has gone, engine doesn't heat up when it's cold outside! New 88 degree stat + gasket arrived this morning, job for the weekend I think, as currently the heater doesn't get very hot when it's freezing outside - really useful!
- Heated drivers seat - remove leather and top layer of foam, found the element and got no further, really need to crack on as it's bloody cold in the mornings!!
- N/S driving light doesn't work. Disassembled unit yesterday, bulb is fine and wiring looks good, no corrosion - need to trace this back to the fault
- Dash switch lights - a couple of them have gone and it bugs me now the nights are drawing in and I'm driving in the dark more. Have removed switches, now know how to access the bulbs so will replace those soon.
- Headlight washer jets - one dribbles out a bit of water, the other does nothing. Assume blocked pipes, need an air line really to clear them I think?
- Sunroof still doesn't work very often, but not exactly a priority at this time of year!

Well, have started making my way through the latest list of faults and niggles! I can't face changing the thermostat outside in the cold and rain so am wimping out and am off to Graham Goodyer bright and early on Friday morning to have that done. Snow is forecast for Friday and I need it done before then, it's costing a fortune running around with a permananetly cold engine!

Also managed to get those silly bulbs out of the desh switches finally, and by some miracle by local LR dealer reckons he has two in stock - result! So picking those up tonight, hopefully they will be the right ones.

Heated seat, headlamp washers and the faulty driving light are all next on the hit list, once it stops raining - the sunroof can bloody well wait!
 
you big girl, I did mine when it siezed shut in the snow last year starting at 5pm, was it cold dark and miserable yes, but it only took 45 mins :p

just lucky I had a spare stat and gasket on the shelf from the 72. it was only a 74 or 78 degree stat but fook it , it worked :D
 
you big girl, I did mine when it siezed shut in the snow last year starting at 5pm, was it cold dark and miserable yes, but it only took 45 mins :p

just lucky I had a spare stat and gasket on the shelf from the 72. it was only a 74 or 78 degree stat but fook it , it worked :D

Well it's chucking it down now, did the same last night and will do the same tomorrow night too! By the time I get home from work at 7pm, the last thing I want to do is lay on my back in the rain fighting another seized bolt and getting covered in coolant! For the sake of £50, it's all theirs... :D
 
Well it's chucking it down now, did the same last night and will do the same tomorrow night too! By the time I get home from work at 7pm, the last thing I want to do is lay on my back in the rain fighting another seized bolt and getting covered in coolant! For the sake of £50, it's all theirs... :D

I will be interested to hear how much difference this has made to your running temp Mike, i'm still struggling with mine and contemplating thermostat number 3. With the first one in, the needle wasn't even on the gauge. After changing it, the needle is about a third up the gauge, but my heater isn't getting warm enough and i'm averaging about 11.5 mpg on petrol (still no lpg at the mo). After a 15 min drive, I can put my hand on top of the plenum, so def not warm enough!

Mat
 
I will be interested to hear how much difference this has made to your running temp Mike, i'm still struggling with mine and contemplating thermostat number 3. With the first one in, the needle wasn't even on the gauge. After changing it, the needle is about a third up the gauge, but my heater isn't getting warm enough and i'm averaging about 11.5 mpg on petrol (still no lpg at the mo). After a 15 min drive, I can put my hand on top of the plenum, so def not warm enough!

Mat

I'll let you know! Mine gets up to temp just fine in ambient weather, but now the temperatures are dropping it's not staying warm. Coming out of work, it will get warm queuing to the traffic lights, then as soon as I get on the back roads and above 40mph the engine tempt drops right back down to the first bar. At 50mph+ it goes right back down to stone cold. As you say, at this point the heaters are mildly warm at best, but definitely not hot enough for winter driving!

I've got an 88 degree stat going on, so hopefully that will sort it.
 
I will be interested to hear how much difference this has made to your running temp Mike...

Well Mat, I'm pleased to say the new thermostat is a massive improvement - predominantly because when we took the pipe work and elbow off, there was no thermostat fitted!

That's right, the car has been running along with no thermostat - brilliant. Admittedly not a big problem in itself, but the usual reason people bin them is because of an underlying overheating issue. So, it is with some reservations we fitted the new 88 degree stat, plumbed everything and back together and started her up.

THANKFULLY she seems to be running spot on still. Temp got to half way, stat opened (top pipe got warm) and it didn't go any higher, even holding her at 3,000rpm indoors for several minutes. And that was running on LPG, too.

So, well chuffed that has worked out. New niggle? Well, weirdly the exhaust has moved and the tailpipe is now rumbling against the metal rear bumper - odd, but true!
 
watch the top hose doesnt get too hard, typical of early HGF
 
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Well Mat, I'm pleased to say the new thermostat is a massive improvement - predominantly because when we took the pipe work and elbow off, there was no thermostat fitted!

That's right, the car has been running along with no thermostat - brilliant. Admittedly not a big problem in itself, but the usual reason people bin them is because of an underlying overheating issue. So, it is with some reservations we fitted the new 88 degree stat, plumbed everything and back together and started her up.

THANKFULLY she seems to be running spot on still. Temp got to half way, stat opened (top pipe got warm) and it didn't go any higher, even holding her at 3,000rpm indoors for several minutes. And that was running on LPG, too.

So, well chuffed that has worked out. New niggle? Well, weirdly the exhaust has moved and the tailpipe is now rumbling against the metal rear bumper - odd, but true!

Thanks for letting me know Mike. It's interesting that you were still getting almost up to temp in traffic. I think i'm going to try another stat (number 3) and see if that makes any difference. When I saw an improvement before, I had changed the stat and removed the fan at the same time, so maybe the stat's still no good and it was the fan that made the difference...
 
Thanks for letting me know Mike. It's interesting that you were still getting almost up to temp in traffic. I think i'm going to try another stat (number 3) and see if that makes any difference. When I saw an improvement before, I had changed the stat and removed the fan at the same time, so maybe the stat's still no good and it was the fan that made the difference...

Yeah it was OK getting up to temp, although it took a while, but as soon as cold air was rushing through the radiator that was it, back down to cold!

Even this morning when it was pretty bloody cold the engine was warm with 5 minutes max and the heaters are blowing hot air now too! Just need to go get some more antifreeze at lunchtime as it dropped a bit low overnight, but that is to be expected.

Make sure the little jiggle pin thing is at the top (12 o'clock position), not at the bottom, too!
 
Well, Happy New Year everyone! Couple more items ticked off the list over the holidays: thermostat was done just before Christmas (see above), and yesterday the two snapped exhaust centre box brackets were welded back up ready for the MOT this weekend (fingers crossed for that).

One other thing I started was the early stages of a sliding gun drawer that will sit on the bottom of the boot floor, bolted in place and lockable to ensure both guns and ammunition are secure. For the purposes of size, not to mention walking round the driveway taking measurements, I used an air rifle, which actually fit perfectly across the boot and started off by making a foam surround. For a brace of shotguns I envisage breaking them down for transportation, partly because they are longer than the boot is wide, and partly (again) for security.

Next step is to make the drawer unit itself and I am still deciding on what material to use for that (was toying with a burr walnut laminate to match the door and dash trim, very swish) - any suggestions welcome.

air.jpg


Last point of note is that the battery seems to be on the way out, as usual the cold weather has exposed its weakness. So today a nice new battery arrived with 72Ah and a much healthier cold crank of 680 CCA (compared to 65Ah and 505CCA of the current (no pun intended) battery). Should have that fitted tonight and no more jump starts for the rest of winter, all being well!

Adios for now :)
 
Well, took another small step forward today! Underbody protection is critical for my plans, so I got a very high quality 8mm aluminium steering guard which I fitted this morning! Was -5'C out there, which is seriously bloody cold! Was also a pig to fit - requires the front spoiler/splitter to be removed so the standard towing eye can come off, that hole and the corresponding one on the other chassis rail are the front mounting points. The rears use the tubes already welded to the underside of the chassis rails, the drivers side already in use for a steering arm mount of some sort, the passenger side is just empty. Anyway, here's how I started off:

IMG_1667.jpg


Here it is fitted, nice and subtle and can't really be seen from the front as it's hidden by the front spoiler/splitter:

IMG_1678.jpg


Finally, a shot with the front diff guard in view:

IMG_1679.jpg


Next up, I really need to get on top of the small array of electrical issues that keep bugging me - something I am not particularly au fait with, but learn by doing and all that!
 

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