Rover8FFR

The waxoil product underseal is excellent as it stays flexible so won't crack. Just never clean with a HOT pressure washer as it tends to slowly dissolve and wash away. Thats what I was told.

If the underseal on your jeep is anything like the liquid tar painted on my old lightweight then removing it all would be a 'Bar Steward'!

Just be aware that nail polish remover has special oils and conditioners embedded in it so the solvent does not damage the nail tissue. Thats why it can leave a residue.

I would be mate if you lived down here!

I work on about 8mpg in the Explorer depending what I am doing with it, short trips and off roading use more longer trips when everything gets warmed up uses less. The show I went to last weekend cost about £70 in diesel for a 60 mile round trip a bit of off roading and a go at tractor pulling. I spent about £20 on food and Guiness.

If you think of it in terms of fuel cost it sounds expensive, but if you think of it as entertainment cost a weekend for less than £100 is really quite cheap.

I like this statement as it is absolutely spot on. These vehicles are our pride and joys. We have sleepless nights caring for them and everytime we are with them we get tremendous satisfaction. They are our hobby and passtime.

They cannot be treated in the same light as everyday transport.

Notwithstanding that as we all tighten our belts it does affect how much it costs to go to shows to participate and meet up with one another, so it must be considered. Using the example above in anyones book these days thats a cheap weekend. A lot less than a season ticket at the footy with food, or even a few rounds of reasonable golf, when you whey it all up. Well thats my opinion of course!

:-D:-D:-D:-D:-D:-D:-D:-D:-D:beer::beer::beer::yay::banana::banana::thumbsup:

The main harness - it passes through a square hole in the bulkhead (to the instrument box). this hole has sharp edges (best to dress as best you can).. Also the Solihull factory used a 2" cube of firmish foam jammed in to stop harness movement at this position. To reduce the risk of chaffing of the braid & sheath PVC - this is in fact one of the best bits of protection against a burn out. Did you find one of these foam cubes ? ISTR I have never seen them on the parts lists and they are often missing. IIRC I have one safe as a sample on the garage window sill - will have a look & take a photograph.. The first time I found one - I almost threw it away !

There isn't a lot left intact on my bulkhead, given the marines life and being in a field for some years! I will investigate further m8y

Findings to follow!

The main bulkhead harness is the thinghy of value - the loom down the chassis for rear lighting is no big deal as standard S3 88" , I would have to check the part numbers IIRC exact same - so the plug goes straight into a L'wt main harness..

FT the main harness (bulkhead) is intact and complete albeit I know a lot of connectors have the pink sealant on them. Lots of spaghetti with some PO alterations done with Bloody Scotch Clips.......That will be sorted out in due course.

The main loom is now seperated from where it returns from the rear tub so I should take some photos next time.

I will check the wiring diagram for a S3 88 and see if the wiring codes/ colours are the same etc. I think from memory doing the same exercise on my old toastie that they are

Andy the vehicle loom appears okay just very grubby.

The 24v electrics are fine and the braided copper affect sheathing is still copper shiny in places and definately where the black glop breaks off.

The loom pulled straight through the chassis to the back. Only damage is the woven black outer that is very brittle in lots of places. Looking promising, but will no more ehen it gets cleaned / wiped down to clean upn and see if insulation / core damaged

Bit more progress as I managed to remove the steering relay after some careful disection with a 'Cut Off' tool that is like a grown up Dremmel.

Then came the rear battery boxes

Removed the front axle for better engine hoist access

Then came the engine and gearbox that wouldn't seperate so in the end they both came out. Bellhousing lost. Lots of penetrating oil and abuse. Removed clutch plate etc etc etc.

Doing some work on the electrics to rear tub and the bulkhead so that bulkhead can come cleanly away. Main loom that runs down chassis leg removed also along with rear light screw in bezels / bases.

The other day I was pondering over the best way to start removing the copious layers of paint from the panels on my lightweight.

The Nitromours gloop hassle. Sanding to create smoke clouds. Soda blasting. Etc Etc.

One of the guys who works for me has just stripped a powder coated aluminium MTB frame using a Polycell product called 'Less Mess' and couldn't rate it highly enough.

The way he described it sounded as thought it could be just the job.

Has anyone else trialled this product. How did it react with IRR paint etc and how user friendly was it???

I always paint with gloss first and cover with matt or satin later, as was done in service with British vehicles. Duck oil seems to help with older matt paintwork, when wiped on it lifts the colour and gives some protection.

Iain

Gloss First as original.......Lots of logic in that statement Iain. Thanks

I was told once that Matt paint is still porous and therefore won't seal out moisture and therefore the potential for rust!

I was told that Satin was always the better option for longevity!

Would like to hear what advice others have heard of / had.

Are you sure you mean TIFF?

Even using paint.NET as free software allows you to 'save as' to Jpeg to convert.

Your heading mentions PDF! PDFs are uploadable through the manage attachment tool of the forum. If you want to convert elsewhere then a package such as 'Photoshop'.

Cheers

The Drg. is also titled up as "1/4 ton" , whereas as you are aware a Lightweight nomenclature was always 1/2 ton (Except for the few Rover 1 pre-pros and they were in fact rated at 1/4 ton)..

 

IMHO - winterization was a progressive project. The Lightweight winterization kits are complete but there is no insulation and it is not detailed on the parts schedule. A letter from C.J. Williams ISTR stated it was Plastazote insulation and not their concern , they stated they only converted some Lightweights at their Aldershot works (mine was not included on the list they had - so done by ABRO or REME).

 

The S3 Lightweight winterized Army,RAF & RM all had a bit of variation on the level of insulation . I just suspect that if there were winterized before Lightweights then the insulation was a bit rudimentary such as ply sheathing.

 

I will have to pull out all the paperwork , it is in the bottow drawer of a 3 drawer filing cabinet ISTR , however there has been a avalanche of stuff from on top of the two drawer cabinet - need a bit of time for a tidy up..

Whilst I am interested of course in any details / data I hope the suggestion of some G4 time doesn't come at the expense of your valuable down time, unless you really do need a tidy up!

I believe that the lightweights of whichever conversion??? had a heavy rubberised internal sheet that fixed to the sides of the canvas to act as insulation akin the outside blinds. I have aquired one side only since obtaining the lightweight. I suspect they may be like hens teeth to obtain?

Read exactly what I typed.

 

LOOK at the blueprints carefully.

 

Do you see the outline of a Lightweight or the outline of a military S2A mark 6,8 or possibly 10 ?

Of course! Sorry FT I have now looked and the profile is indeed of a Series 2a. looking at the plan quite possibly a Rover 8 24v as it suggests a toast rack grille / spacer bracket IMHO.

However having now stripped my S3 lightweight and viewed the plumbing / legacy of the winterised install I am confident my toastie was not winterised spec based upon the 'Blueprints' for guidance.

Interestingly the blueprints do not suggest where the batteries would go on a S2a? Suspect that was a different drawing under electrics?

Very impressive!

Thats Disco Daves site, which is very useful indeed, but surely that relates to lightweights only FT??? Although common approach would apply I guess!

Would SWB 2a's have had tropicalised parts for Aden I wonder? Maybe not! Unsure of other conflicts / ops in 60s where high temperatures / humidity were prevelant.

Apart from the ignition filter and the ply my Rover 8 is a standard looking series 2a FFR. Even has battery box in usual location at front between seats :undecided:

Thanks FT.. I am unawares as to what 'Tropicalised' entails hence the question.

The doors were absolutely rotten and I cannot remember if there was evidence of something fixed to inside. I have some other doors and they have the remnance of sand bags / hessian on the inside.

An early winterised is interesting.....Why would the filter have a 'T' marking, but my lightweight winterised FFR doesn't?

Did they have a winterised land rover 24v FFR in the 60's ????

Old Toastie.

Ltwt FFR Winterised

On the back of another thread on EMLRA forum I have discovered that the Ignition Filter on my Rover 8/1 is stamped with a 'T' which I believe means 'Tropical' specification.

This all then made we wonder as when I purchased old Toastie she had thin plywood planks fitted along her sides in the rear tub above the wheelarches up to the body cappings.

These plywood panels were fixed with small depth no 10 countersunk brass screws and were almost invisble under the layers of paint.

Not knowing much about the Toastie back then I thought they were a PO addition.

Having learned that the ignition filter is Tropical spec and dated 4.63 it has got me wondering if my Toastie was actually this spec at Solihull or would it have been a REME addition like the specialist wiring added before it went into service.

I haven't come across any special / different spec Toasties like before.

I understood that a special little plaque / data plate would have been fitted to the outside body. However this could have been lost / damaged some years back. I know a similar plate to be fitted to the series 2a Pink Panthers.

Wanted to start a thread to see what else is out there on old land rovers from the 60's etc and why a Rover 8 24v FFR would have these parts fitted.

When I contacted Deepcut in 2005 they had no B card records for the old girl so anything that can pinpoint her life / purpose would be of great significance.

I often hear that more cards get handed over to Deepcut, but would suspect that an old Land Rover built 1963 and cast 1971 would be out of fortune regarding records.

Any assistance on tropical spec landies in the 60's would be hugely appreciated.

Regards

Done plenty of warmongering next store at Swynerton. I recall spending hours on the DCCT. Forget your PSP3 etc.....Thats what you want in your lounge......Great fun, until the controller wants to give you constant stoppages.........Good job drills were bang on :nut: Always a Rupert that gets the joker on the controls!

I remember on the route to camp down 'A' road that a stockpile of armour was always noticeable. From memory the last roundabout before entering the De&S estate has some field guns as mascots.

The 4BA cheese heads are the bolts holding the wire terminals to the switch.

I see! Thanks sirhc. Enlightened I am....Can see the reference to a roundel of cheese now...

Just went out to the Ltwt and took a pic of that, noticed boot split.

Also the boot was missing on my rover8 so I aquired another modern 6way switch with the wire connections from a more modern landrover and they are identical connections, so went straight on. They are with red sheathing in the pics.

First pic is LTWT

Second Pic is Rover 8 with donar wiring / boot from Defender

S2A Rover marks & Rover 1 with key-switch & S3 L'wt (keyless) - all had 4BA cheese-heads x 1/4" for securing tags.

 

I have seen L'wt copy harness - good but this one let down , wrong tags & no boot. Leaving you to make short jumper wires to convert or crop & fit tags with your old boot. You could always use a later 6-way switch with Lucar terminals..

FT not sure what a 4BA cheese head is but if it is a tang that looks like a 'T' shape or Tophat then that is what I have. I will pop into garage now and take a peek unless you have an image to hand mate?

Little bit more done tonight. Pics I forgot to take the camera / phone with me.

Slowly but surely making space to get at the chassis to chop up and clear out to make way for new chassis and build up.

Tasks achieved this evening.

1. Removed Flywheel and crankcase bellhousing from block. This will allow engine to fit to stand for better progress.
   
2. Moved gearbox and transfer box elsewhere to save space.
   
3. Removed handbrake and mechanism / support brackets from chassis.
   

During this I queried a few things in my mind regarding new replacement parts that got me thinking.

With regard to handbrake mechanism, road springs, shock absorbers, spring shackle plates, brakes, brake drums and the like. Are they all the same part numbers as the regular series 3 88inch or are they unique. I am sure that I have cross referenced some part numbers and they are the same, but just had one of those thoughts.

Also as I am salvaging parts a lot are coated in the thick black bitumastic slop. Appart from heat guns and loads of sweat and grief, isn't there a solvent of substance that you can immerse some parts in and the stuff disolves.....Like gun wash, paint brush cleaner etc?

Sorry if this has been done to death already regarding 70's military land rovers.

Cheers

I am sure the connectors on my 6way switch behind the rubber boot are held via a grub machine screw. The male terminal on the switch has a threaded hole from memory.

Identical on rover8 even though that is an ignition switched 6way switch. Just come in from garage so will double check in morning

Hey there matey your statement in your signature is similar to Smiths vans and trucks......I guess being a Glos boy you have seen them around!

I drive to Bristol from Glos every day and always see a Smiths van or truck :cheesy:

Done work with Paul (Smith) over the years.....Good bunch of lads...Good Company.