mike65

Since buying the Land Rover I have not been able to to do much except what it required for the MOT and making lists of what needs doing and what parts I need to source.

It has to be a rolling restoration, as if it is not usable I will probably not get anything done to it as it would have to live at my parents and probably anny the owner of the farm.

I know its a bit less exciting than some of the other stuff being restored but you have to start somewhere.

So what did it need for the MOT

1. Working electrics, well ligts and wipers at least. the lights all woked but non of the warning/repeater lights on the dash did. Multiple reasons were found for this blown or no bulbs easy fix.Even then they did strange things. The indicator repeator would only work with the 6 way switch in a certain location but the indicators worked. Investigation revealed a cut cable on the hazard switch and a reconnection to the light switch. Reconnect wire to correct location all works.
   
2. Drove it in the dark and could not see where I was going. Yes the original prefocus headlights are worse than I thought. Not helped by the fact that the lights are adjusted to illuminate the bumper. Hang o I think these lights were adjusted last year fr its MOT for the PO, cause it originally failled on them. Never mind isome nice halogen conversions (I know not original but more convenient than night vision goggles) and adjust some screws, easy. Push turn and off with one headlight, why does the other one not turn, oh yes the adjusters have snapped and it has a self tapping screw in the bottom. All adjusters siezed, snapped of de-slotted. So it now has new headlights and bowls.
   
3. Brakes these are important mine don't quite seem right, sorry I mean left atleast that is the way it turns when you brake and I am sure there was brake fluid in the resevoir. Right fron piston jammed in and weeping, rightt rear shoes fitted incorrectly, left rear nicly lubricated by the blown axle oil seal. Fix the front brakes, before checking rear, Whats this fluid running down the bulkhead support and dripping on the floor, oh yes its brake fluid, master cylinder also leaking. Never mind it is all done and now stops
   
4. Tyres 2mm tread on rear and plenty on the front, spare has loads to. Thats Ok untill I take them off and check the inner sidewalls. The spares fine but why i it mounted the wrong way up. Oh yes to hide that 360 degree crack in the side wall. Oh well 5 new tyres. What do I get Avons, some of those nice American ones with white lettering or the cheap budget ones. You got it the cheap budget ones I liked the tread pattern, it looks right. Just changing the tyres has improved the look (my opinion)
   

Off for the MOT, not much left on a Series 3 to fail on. It passed without even needing the new lights adjusting. Bet we can't do that again.

Of course I fixed the axle leak and the one from the transfer box, the one from the unclipped fuel line into the carb and fitted a new thermostat.

Have replaced the fuel, oil and water temp guages and they now work, old ones had a rust problem.

So now happer to drive as I know if its going to overheat or run out of fuel.

Now for the rest of it.

Will keep posting as things progress.

Mike

Pics after/ guages and before.

Thats useful.

It is possible to do but I would then have to charge both my batteries, seperately, later.

Mental note, when friend with flat battery (in automatic) car calls needing a start and is away from mains electric, move Land Rover and get Astra out of the garage, it is less hassle.

Why can't they fit starting handles to modern cars?

Thanks

Mike

Another excellent job.

I see you have based this one on the RN Historic Flights aircraft.

Mike

dont camper vans have the louvres there ?....

You right there they look remarkably like split screen van side panels cut down including the nice little curved feature running the length.

I suspect it starte as a beetle rather than another type. Fitting the front end onto anything else would be more tricky.

You can shorten and lengthen the rear.middle of floor pan easier as sides are basically parralel from front of doors backwards.

Engines are easy they all bolt, 4 bolts, fuel pipe, throttle cable and a couple of wires, half hour job if you skip the tea nad biscuits.

Wonder if we can find who built it as would be a fun project.

Have tried various combination of searches in Google but could not find anything.

Did find this though, again suspect VW underneath but maybe we could get together and convert Jack's Civic.

http://www.everydaynodaysoff.com/tag/cardboard/

Mike

Do you reckon that front end is based on a VW Beetle?

I agree the front looks very VW Beetle.

Wings just look cut back, baja style and panel between wings and door looks beetle.

Front axle looks like the good old VW torsion bars set up.

Probably means it has the floor pan and engine in the back.

Doors also appear beetle and windows look cut down, seen done before

Mike

OK so you could possibly jump start yourself.

However is it possible to jump start a 12v car from a 24v Land Rover?

Is it as simple as just connecting jump leads to one battery

Only asking because a friend had a flat battery so needed help to get the car running.

I played safe and connected a battery charger for short while.

Probably guessed by now tha I have little experience of 24v systems so need to learn as much as possible.

Mike

Thanks, suspicions confirmed

Better clean them up, label and put them somewhere safe for when I need them.

Mike

I rember these from whn I had a VW.

They were based on Ford running gear, but the kit had its own chassis.

Did not have to be a Cortina as the Escort and Capri would basically have provided the same donor parts, although not sure if they relied on the Cortina's suspension. If I remeber correctly the Cortina (later models) did not have rear leaf springs and McPherson struts front.

If I remeber rightly Jago mad a Willys style jeep and Eagle made the later style as shown. If my memory serves me correctly both were available at about the same time.

I thought about building an Eagle once but the real thing would have worked out cheaper.

Have seen a V8 (Rover) Eagle but not a 4x4 version.

Mike

Not had much experience of MV shows only really seen them tacked onto air shows and classic car shows, hopefully I am now going to get to a few and who knows even participate.

I am more interested in the vehicle side. I like to see things doing what they were designed to do, I also like to stick my nose in and see what things look like close up. If you can get your hands dirty thats even better.

I have no objection to re-enactments and weapons demonstrations, although I do not see the point in dressing up unless you are partaking in a cpecific way which actually requires this.

I feel that the younger generation, seem to be in the throw away society. To many it appears that a car is something that gets you from A to B and have no interest beyond that. Young lad at work sums it up. his car has blown the head gasket, rather than fix it he is going to buy another one. That is also the way they have been brought up. Mind you unless you have a degree in computer science and a lap top your a bit stuffed ith modern vehicles. Part of the reason for wanting an old vehilcle to play with. A computer is something you need to source parts and assistance.

i shall have to work on the two candidates I know. Next doors lad into anything military, he thinks it is cool to have a Green and Black Land Rover next door. My nephew who is into Land Rovers at the moment, amongst anything else with an engine. (now the Land Rover is safe must let him drive it) I blame this on my parents being on a farm and his mother owning a 64 Mustang (her first and only car) although my brother is the only one to drive it.

What it does need is for people to get youngsters involved allow them to touch and get up close. let them have their picture taken sitting in your vehicle, answer all there questions. Ensure their parents are involved or encourage it.

Alternatively get the child to nag the parents, it works when they persistantly ask for a dog/cat/hamster. It is only a short step to a Sherman.

Hiding things behind ropes with a notice boards tends to turn things into a museum and in tmy day they were boring, except for the Science Museum and the Imperial War Museum, they had button to bress and handles to turn and things happened.

Mike

PS

Classic cars the Goodwood Revival is probably best, oops just stacked my £1 million Ferrari soon fix it again, that is the right attitude.

Would that be for a LWB with a tilt or hard top, as my S3 109 will need doing and it is useful to know.

Although it will need green and black and from what I have found so far seems to come in 5 litre pots.

Would also be interested in where is a good source and if I should use matt or satin.

I suspect that like many things you get what you pay for, although I stand to be corrected.

I believw matt is correct but what are people experience with logevity and pros and cons.

I do not want to have to repaint every couple of years.

I know there are plenty of you out there with both in serice and and civvy experience and be able to advise as to if they feel tha there is a difference between the two scenarios.

I ampersonally not looking for 100% genuine military originality but want something that looks the part and has a reasonable life.

I also no that for the real authentic look the paint should be about an inch thick and patchy.

Mike

Not sure if I reached my goals for the weekend, have to check with the wife.

I did clear the garden , which will probably lead to more fun nest weekend.

Need to go to the tip but Local Authority have rules, need to have a permit for commercial vehicles, vans (no side windows), pickups, trailers above a certain size, width length and hieght.. You even need one if you go in on foot.

4x4's are permitted, unless they fall into the above.

Ex Military Land Rover, not commercial, not a pick could be in for an argument.

I have actually managed to do some work on the Land Rover, now know how much fuel and how hot it is.

I have also invented what could be called either a RUSTOMETER or RUST GUAGE a slight tap and it appears to be just over half full.

I suppose it explains why it did not work as intended.

Mike

I temporarilt removed the durbar plate in the rear of the Land Rover and identified some of the rattling noises I was hearing. The two rear storage bins behind the wheels were full of hidden junk. Have manahged to identify many of the its, hinges, hasps, load fixing loops, knackered paint brushes, half dust pan brush and various other stuff.

However there are two pieces of metal that I have no idea what they are for.

Being as it is a Series 3 FFR and somebody has messed around with the batteries I suspect they may have had something to do with the radio battery fixings, although I could be totally wrong.

The question is what are they?

If they are needed I can then clean them up and put aside for use later. Alternatively I could just throw them in the junk box to Rust In Peace.

Mike

Hopefully will get to do a bit on the Land Rover although the wife has a long list of other things to do. Need to make up for the last few weekends fixing all the bodges and other little problems to get it through the MOT.

You know the usual garden (weather permiting). designing new patio/steps if wet.

Some idiot South African from work is having a Braai (BBQ) on saturday so gotter go to that.

May just get to the LR by Moday PM. Have aquired battery box for between seats that could do with clean up and paint before I work out how to refit the batteries into it.

Mike

I have not been on the forum long and I may only have a Land Rover, some of you have far more exotic bits of kit.QUOTE]

 

Mike,

 

I "only" have a MUTT and I can't tell my camouflaged arse from my olive drab elbow. We all count on this forum..a sum of many parts.

 

MB

I rest my case everybody at work knows what a Land Rover and a Jeep are (although one seems to think they are the same thing.

As far as they are concerned a MUTT is something you attach a lead to and take for walkies. Hence it must be exotic.

Mike

whereas in service there will be lots of dents, not just bumps and scratches but areas of wing for example where the driver regularly climbs on top to undo and unfurl the cam net and the hessian over the windscreen, and applying paint with a mop. (I never saw paint applied with a mop, but I saw pleanty of paint schemes that looked like it.)

Thanks

This is excellant news. No need to spen hours straightening body panels and explains the shape of the bonnet, maybe I need to add a dent to the straight panel. So all I need to do is remove the civvy bits and steal the wife's floor mop (or brush) and give it a nice new camo job. Saves me hours of hard labour.

It might even add to its 'originality'.

Mike

Was flicking through my Virginmedia Cable channels yesterday morning (makes F1 more exciting if you miss bits) and now have Military History Channel.

Basically the title says it all.

Watched some interesting programs about "secret " spy planes.

Did not realise tht prior to the SR71 Blackbird the US had used an unmanned jet spy plane.

Four missions and four did not come back. CAn't remeber what is was calles now, basically looked like a SR71 engine and surroundwith Saab Draken wings. Russians had the wreck of one for years but had no idea of its importance.

They also re=engineered a U2 replica from the bits of the Powers one they shot down.

Looks like I will be watching this more often

Mike

Excellent work.

As a former Beetle owner good luck with the oil leaks. I found the rocker covers were the worst. Could never get mine to seal properly, Changed the clip on ones for expensive alloy ones which bolted on via a threaded nut on the rocker fixings. All it did was make two more points to leak from.

They normally run OK after a bit of a tune up (mine still ran with a snapped crankshaft).

You may get some heat build up causing fuel vaporising in the mechanical pump. I had this issue and had more ventilation. Cured it with an electric pump (MG Midget size).

Look forward to seeing it finished.

Mike

I have not been on the forum long and I may only have a Land Rover, some of you have far more exotic bits of kit.

But my interests extend beyond Land Rovers (and not just MV's either) and am always impressed by vehicles I see on display. Hopefully mine will get there one day.

Have found the forum friendly, informative and helpful and a good way of spending time.

If Jack believes that the way forward for the forum is with help from subscribing to The Pathfinder Magazine who am I to argue, he started this after all.

We need to keep this web site alive for us and future MV owners/enthusiasts therefore I have subscribed to The Pathfinder.

Mike

PS: I will now have bedtime reading along with the forum.

so you can work on the engine in the dark?

I would have thought if this was the reason one should hinge down.

Then you can find the part you just dropped.

Mike

Just found something that makes petrol seem really cheap.

Ink jet printer ink. Don't use to much but needed some today.

£39 per cartridge fo HP ink thats a cool £2294 per litre.

I think petrol is now cheap!!!

Just going to have to wait till the cheap stuff from the internet arrives.

Mind you that still works out at £500/litre

Mike

Ah yes how to have an MV and not have to worry about fuel costs and all other ancillary costs.

As they state in the clip they have been used all over the world and some have long service records.

Quite interesting and no doubt easily forgotten for the more glamorous motorised form.

Out of interest has anybody actually got an ex-military push bike?

Mike

Heard about in the radio when I woke up.

They said pilot paruchuted to safety with shoulder injury and the aircraft received serious damage.

Fount pictures on the internet, I new The Sun was good for something

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/2904768/Red-Arrows-crash-brpilots-cheat-death.html

However I do believe that it will require some serious polishing to straighten it out.

Also some video of the other plane, that should polish out OK and quick coat of paint.

I like the way that an inquiry is being launched to determine the cause of the crash.

I though this was blatently obvious, they head each other.

Atleast everbody involved survived.

Mike

Went passed my usual garage tonight (Usually the cheapest) it is £119.9.

What is the retail price for hay, Could be worth reducing the horse power.

Mike

Have just spent another day under the Land Rover trying to soty things out. MOT now expired and is therefore stashed in the workshop on the farm where my parents live. No need to say lucky you working in the dry. You should see the state of the roof lights, made by Tetley I believe.

I am not the greatest mechanic, but memorise how things come appart, refer to manuals, exploded diagrams etc and seem to manage quite happily. Once bought a motorbike in several boxes and managed to get that to go.

I also follow one main rule If I do not know what I am doing I leave well alone and seek help/advice. IF I then think it is beyond me I will find somebody who can.

However I am rapidly coming to the conclusion that nobody else knows what they are doing and therefore bodge everything. AND I DO NOT MEAN MAKING CHAIRS.

Not wanting to upset anybody I do know there are two types of bodges

1. "Professional" Bodge - This is the one that you have to in order to get something to work, either to get you home or to replace an item that is unobtainable. These tend to work and are normally well thought our and acceptable, especially as some can be better than the original.
   
2. "General" Bodge - This is the normal ones employed by people who do not know what they are doing or cannot be arsed to spend money on a 50 pence part. Some of these are carried out by so called professionals.
   

Here is what I have found so far

• Speedo drive/output casing on rear of transfer box replace, with a new one. Output shaft oil seal pissing out oil, it was not very old and appeared to have been installed with a screwdriver (pointed end) and a hammer.
  
• Brakes pulled heavily to the left when braking hard. Right fron wheel cylinder, again very new, leaking fluid and the piston is jammed in the cylinder at an angle.
  
• Rear axle leaking out of left hand end, OK the seal has just failed due to age erc. Right hand rear brake shoes installed upside down so there is no way the adjusters can be used.
  
• Has had a new carb fitted. Vacuum pipe not blocked of. Its an FFR so does not have vacuum advance. Here is the good bit the fuel pipe was not clamped up and as such was leaking fuel. This is a real must when the carb is direcly above the exhaust.
  
• Batteries relocated to rear and shunt box removed. Cables have been extended and new terminal connectors added. Positive on negativee terminal and vice versa. As you know positive is larger than negative so they had used a nail. Even then it was loose, especially after going over these newly installed potholes
  
• Headlights pointing in all sorts of directions as adjusting screws siezed, snappered and generally wrecked. Fixed with self tapping screws.
  

This was all on a vehicle that had covered 300 miles since its previous MOT, which it originally failed and one thing was headlight adjustment. It apparently passed it MOT the day after the fail.

Reminds me of the MOT the Firebird my brother bought in the 80's, issued in the pub.

These are just some that I have found. Have seen others in the past.

Just leads me to one question

What is the best/worst bodge you have come across?

Mike

Next time buying a bonifide wreck.

Who said you cannot afford a tank for your garage

http://www.style-your-garage.com/motive.php?item=37&type=a

Just going to meaure the garage door.

Mike