restoration Land Rover Series 3 Restoration

[ruxy]

Well you all understand these diagrams a damned site more than me! I struggled to figure out what wire was for what :-D:-D This diagram was emailed to me to help out which it did BUT does anyone have the correct one for my 1983 FFR please and I will post that up onto the blog

 

===========

 

Presently AFAIK , it does not exist , somewhere I have the notes but need to complete a actual vehicle line check , some is lost from memory.

 

IIRC you should find a extra relay hidden in the dash , 6RA or FV connected to Ignition for automatic check. Don't think the last military S3 User Handbook was up-dated. BRAKE indication for a few seconds at start is correct to prove, if it comes on again later - then you have a problem , probably on shuttle valve (I think the vacuum switch on Supervac unit was done away with ).

[minn200]

Normal Service Has Been Resumed

 

 

Main

Posted by min200 Sun, December 07, 2014 19:34:02

 

 

The bike crisis is over. I have picked up exactly the same bike as I own today so I can now get back to commuting as it should be done in a city. When I say exactly the same bike I do mean exactly the same bike! Its the same model year engine size and colour! What are the odds?

 

 

I was going to borrow some cash and spend a lot more and get something newer but when this came up for £750 fully serviced with new boots battery exhaust system and my old bike sat there basically with every spare that I could need it was a win win situation.

 

 

 

 

The old bike will be stripped down and boxed up for the time being so I will have no worries of expensive repairs for some time to come!

 

 

My plan was to MOT the Landy by Christmas but the bike issue has out me back a couple of weeks on that plan. A turn up for the books is that Wifey has informed me that even though it looks like next Saturday was full of things to be done and visits to be made it is just for her and work friends so that leaves me with a full day to play with the project so maybe just maybe it could get an MOT before the new year.

 

 

I am not going to rush it though I want it done right but tis the time of year for miracles...

[minn200]

Seat Back Bolts

 

 

Main

Posted by min200 Tue, December 09, 2014 21:25:32

 

 

It was bloody cold this morning in fact the Landy looked white and I was going to take some lovely Winter shots of it while I was out there but quite frankly I got sidetracked as usual and only remembered when I was on my way to work...typical.

 

 

This mornings reason for poking around the project was to see if I could find a couple of bolts that would fit into the passenger seat back so into the box of nuts and bolts I dived. When this search proved fruitless I remembered I threw loads of nuts and bolts into the spares big blue tub that was in the rear so I jumped in there and had a good sort out putting even more bolts into the right box of spares...success!

 

 

I found four bolts with the same thread pattern that along with a washer or two will fit so the seats should be in on Saturday

 

 

So I have a busy day planned while Wifey is off out with friends on the project including fitting seats, belts, changing oil and filters along with the spark plugs then last but not least fitting the new bonnet strap for the spare wheel on the bonnet.

 

 

Of course it will rain and spoil all of my fun...

 

 

http://www.justturned40.co.uk

[minn200]

Red Tape.

 

MainPosted by min200 Wed, December 10, 2014 22:39:36

Well there I was getting all excited about being nearly at the MOT stage wasn't I but I thought I best give DVLA a quick call this morning just to confirm what they needed from me to register the Landy. I thought I had researched this part enough in the past but I am so glad I called because they came up with an extra chore I knew nothing about!

 

Firstly I shall start with what you will need to register any ex mod Land Rover and this is direct from the DVLA and correct on 10/12/2014.

 

V55-5 form. Fill this out ready for return.

 

Proof of age. This can be via the heritage museum or sometimes is supplied by Land Rover if you can convince them and will get you an age related plate.

 

A Photocopy of your Driving Licence and Passport.

 

Current MOT.

 

So you MUST have the above all ready to send off with a cheques for the £55 registration fee plus at least six months tax which in my case for a 2.25 petrol is £126.50.

 

Your vehicle must be insured on the VIN or DVLA will not process your application.

Don't get too comfy as we have not finished yet.

 

You will also need to contact HMRC to get confirmation that no import duties are owing on the vehicle.

They will send you some forms to fill out (sorry do not have the number for that one yet)

which you send back and four weeks later they tell you you owe nothing as it was built for the MOD and never officially exported BUT this does create a "NOVA" number that DVLA "Might" check upon your registration application.

 

Keeping up ok?

 

The exact words form the chap at HMRC were "Well this is a waste of time call DVLA back to make sure they want to do this as you have used the freedom of information act already and can prove what regiments this Land Rover was with so its never been exported"

 

I called DVLA back to be told "Well we might check with HMRC but we might not but we do most of the time unless you can send us documentation from the manufacturer to say it wasnt built for export"

 

"Err I have proof it was built for the MOD" I said

 

"But thats not the manufacturers" DVLA said.

 

"But its proof it wasn't built for export it was built for the BRITISH Army" I say.

 

"That's not on my list" says the DVLA chap "But it might be ok"

 

"Do DVLA work in "might be's"" I ask

 

"Sometimes but if it is not accepted by who looks at it your application will be denied within two weeks" DVLA said.

 

"So" I point out "Would it not just be easier for me to do the HMRC thing then as that only takes four weeks and if I try on a whim just sending you what I have now hoping its enough and its not that will put me back a fortnight"

 

"Yea probably" I get from DVLA now bored man.

 

The paperwork has been applied for and seeing as it will probably take at least two months not the one they say as its Christmas time there's no longer any great rush to get the Landy Mot'd and insured because most insurance companies will only insure the motor on a VIN number for 30 days!

 

I don't like wasting money so patience is a virtue here and seeing as its been this long in the making a bit more time wont hurt now. If you are doing your own ex MOD rebuild start the ball rolling on the paperwork quicker than I have!

Edited December 11, 2014 by minn200

[minn200]

Pillock.

 

 

Main

Posted by min200 Sat, December 13, 2014 17:54:48

 

 

I am starting today with the fact that I am stupid. I'm a pratt plonker tool dumb ass knobhead thick as two short planks not the sharpest tool in the box and of course a right pillock.

 

 

In fact calling myself those things is an insult to the people out there that are actually those things because my own stupidity has surprised even me. I had a realisation today whilst pottering around you know what its like you feel a bit smug and happy with progress and I was thinking how great it is that the Landy runs so well then the fact I didn't have to strip out seized clutch plates to make it move when I realised that this work of art I have been creating for myself just sits on my driveway.

 

 

When I say sits there I mean it sits on my driveway on the main ring road where everyone can see it day in day out, the Landy that now starts and drives. The Landy that I write an online blog about and any bad folk wouldn't hesitate to steal if they wanted the bits. The Landy that I have not been locking up or securing in any way...at all...even though its been running and has been drivable for a few weeks now.

 

 

That realisation woke me up I can tell you. You are always hearing of some scumbag stealing another Land Rover so I have made sure that my little project wont start run or be able to be driven away in any manner at all. Don't get me wrong if someone wants to steal something badly enough they will but hey why make it easy for the gits eh!

 

 

Anyway I had to start the day swapping a few bits over on the motorbikes mainly the exhaust system seeing as the new bike had a brand new Motad spanking exhaust on it that made it really loud reduced performance and was quickly getting on my nerves. On the standard system went and performance improved no end so I have a nice shiny exhaust gets to go on Ebay.

 

 

My attention then turned to the Landy. It was a tad on the cold side this morning.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I figured the best way defrost it was to see if it would start after a couple of weeks of standing which it did on the first couple of turns of the key! I love that arctic heater talk about toasty! First things first I wanted to get the drivers side door top swapped and the first nut came off no other but the second one had rusted through on the old top...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Out came the grinder to sort that little issue out and the new top soon dropped into place.

 

 

 

 

Then I wanted to get the seatbelts swapped over. I took out the drivers side one no problem just a couple of stiff bolts but a little WD40 and some brute force sorted them out. It was when I went to fit the nice Discovery ones I have had in my shed for months that the problem showed itself...

 

 

 

 

The original Series ones have a nice angle on the Latch arm but the Discovery ones are straight and bending wouldn't help because it twists at an angle as well. I'm a bit miffed as the fella who sold them to me sells lots of Land Rover bits and assured me they would fit straight in. Well they don't. Something else to add to the buy it list then.

 

 

Onto the seats then! I dug them out and fitted them drivers side first...

 

 

 

 

Then the passenger side...

 

 

 

 

So they are in. Nice to have seats again bit I am not sure if I like them! Still they will do for now funds are tight. On the subject of seats I need another back stop as well like these ones...

 

 

 

 

I am sure I had them all but I have either A) Sold them B) Thrown them away C) Put them some where really really safe.

 

 

The HMRC NOVA form has arrived so I can have some fun filling that out later but it will get the ball rolling which is nice. I have revised my expectations for the MOT time and I don't think it will be until the end of January now weather pending of course.

 

 

Right gotta go as the kids are pestering me about putting up Christmas decorations now..no rest for the wicked eh!

 

 

http://www.justturned40.co.uk

[minn200]

And that makes 100.

 

 

Main

Posted by min200 Sun, December 14, 2014 10:42:46

 

 

I'm sitting here just killing some time before we head off out for a family Christmas meal. You chaps know what its like it takes us 5 minutes to get ready including a shower and a shave then its an hour sitting about waiting for the woman or in my case women in your lives to finish preening pruning and hacking themselves about to look good while they are out to only then when they return wipe it all off and jump into slobby house clothes.

That has always seemed odd to me the whole "got to look my best" thing they do in case a complete stranger looks at them and judges them scruffy tramps but they are happy to turn into said scruffy tramps in front of us their life partners as soon as they are behind closed doors...go figure?

 

 

Even my mate Bob The Travelling Monkey freshly back from the States in ready in his Christmas togs...

 

 

 

 

I suppose us chaps are just a different breed.

 

 

Well the great paper chase has begun with regards to getting the Landy registered with DVLA by filling out the Nova form for HMRC. Insomnia has struck me again and in all fairness it must be two or three years since it last came along to push my limits of normal functioning in next to no sleep for a week or so and what better way to utilise the time and try to make myself drop off than getting out of bed and filling out a form for the tax man!

 

 

As it turns out it is quite straight forward to do and I shall get it posted off to them today. The notes state that I will have an answer in within 14 days...it doesn't state what 14 days are they working days or the number of days from their receipt of them? Couple into that the fact it is Christmas time and I have never known any civil servant to work over the Crimbo New year period and the fact we are dealing with the tax man here and they really dance to the beat of their own drum so I should hopefully hear something back by mid January which will tie in nicely with getting the MOT sorted providing they have all the information they need in the first hit.

 

 

This is the 100th post I have done on the main blog forum http://www.nickysmith.me or http://www.justturned40.co.uk and I would like to say thanks to all of you who read it and thanks again for the comments you all send in and give to me both good bad and crazy! If anyone would like to get in touch directly you can email via Nick@nickysmith.me

 

 

Seems there are some stirrings from the top of the stairs so the tribe of women I live with must be nearly ready to leave and heaven help me if I am not ready to go once they have decided there is no turning back on the way they look because you never know what the next stranger might think of you....

[minn200]

Slowing Down.

 

 

Main

Posted by min200 Thu, December 18, 2014 07:47:23

 

 

I am not as good as I once was of that there can be no doubt. I know I am not old yet in fact I ma just starting out on middle age and there are those that would argue that at 41 I have not even started on that yet but I can confirm that I ache more easily these days that I did before.

 

 

Progress has slowed on the Landy because, as I am sure I have said before so forgive me for repeating myself, I have taken on the role at work of "shunter" that gives me set day hours at work and which is compiled of moving 60 trailers or so around the site at work which is the size of a very large village and consists of getting in and out of the "Tug" (like a truck cab) twice for each trailer and winding the legs of the trailer up and down before and after its moved hopefully in the right order so you don't drop the bloody thing on it's knees!

 

 

So for ten hours a day I get to do constant step aerobics along with an upper body work out and this is as you can imagine not the most mentally challenging role but it gives me set hours which as a HGV 1 driver is very rare and after three years of working into the early hours of the morning and not seeing my family all week long is a pleasant change! Oh and it keeps me fit whether I want it too or not. Even a couple of years ago I would not have blinked at the physical exercise of the role but even though I can keep the work up I now ache like hell when I get in and it takes a good twenty minutes to warm up my aching bones in the morning now!

 

 

Another side effect is I only get the weekend to play on the project now and the next slot will be Saturday morning when I must get the damned thing serviced properly before we have old friends arrive of who my good friend the mechanic will be more than happy to escape the woman chat that goes on endlessly for hours to play on the Landy with me so a polite cup of tea over twenty minutes should be enough before we excuse ourselves and leave the women to gossip and sort out lunch.

 

 

I have sent off the forms to the tax man for the NOVA number the DVLA want and have filled out the V55-5 form ready for despatch when the motor finally has its MOT. I hate paperwork so it's good to have it out of the way!

 

 

The project price list has not been updated for a while so here it is below adding bits bought and the taking away the last few bits sold off as well and I should have a bit more of an update on Saturday.

 

 

Landy Project Costs

 

 

Land Rover £375

 

 

Sanding Discs £11.70

 

 

Ignition Barrel £20

 

 

Heritage letter £21.75

 

 

2x Batteries and rear 1/4 light £35

 

 

Pair Battery Terminal Clamps £3.99

 

 

Floor pan nuts & bolts £6.50

 

 

Grinding disc £2.25

 

 

Under Seal £8.99

 

 

Complete set of lights £85

 

 

5 Litres Primer £24.99

 

 

4 Discovery Wheels £10.20

 

 

Rear Door £21.00

 

 

Front Door £20.00

 

 

Handbrake spring £1.50

 

 

2 Discovery wheels

 

 

Two seatbelts

 

 

Wing Mirror

 

 

2 Headlight surrounds

 

 

2 headlight frames £60

 

 

2 Front Doors £60

 

 

Nato Green Paint £36

 

 

Rear Window Seal and insert £9.99

 

 

Wiring connectors £3.00

 

 

2 tins of silver metal paint £7.00

 

 

Fuses & Sandpaper £4.50

 

 

5x tins black spray £5.00

 

 

5x more tins black spray £5.00

 

 

Clutch fluid

 

 

Exhaust putty

 

 

WD40 £8.49

 

 

Car Boot Bits £13

 

 

Front & rear shocks £59.45

 

 

Front & rear brake rebuild kits £81.62

 

 

Fuel tank & filler £40

 

 

Wheels complete with tyres £250

 

 

Fuel pump

 

 

Fuel hose

 

 

Indicator stalk

 

 

Bonnet strap

 

 

Brake switch

 

 

Fuel pump gasket

 

 

Fuel line clips £67.74

 

 

24v Wiper motor

 

 

24v flasher relay

 

 

24v heater

 

 

24v front loom

 

 

oil cooler

 

 

Door tops x2

 

 

Rear bench seat £67.50

 

 

Roof rack £100

 

 

Wheel nuts £8

 

 

Brake pipe kit £39

 

 

Wheels & Tyres £250

 

 

Exhaust System & Flexi hose pipes £66

 

 

Number plate light £5

 

 

Seat set £90

 

 

Fuel tank and service parts £136

 

 

Seat belts £61

 

 

Rear seat brackets £10

 

 

CREDIT FOR BITS SOLD OFF OF PROJECT £502

 

 

TOTAL £1631.16

 

 

http://www.justturned40.co.uk

[minn200]

Festive friends.

 

 

Main

Posted by min200 Sat, December 20, 2014 20:19:47

 

 

Crazy busy today on the Landy Wifey buggered off out first thing this morning to spend more money than I want to know about on Christmas treats before our friends were due to arrive at lunchtime so I managed to jump straight into my babygrow grab a wolly hat because it was bloody cold out there this morning and get stuck into the niggly jobs that had been grating at me for a few weeks.

 

 

First up was changing the spark plugs and being 24 volt the set up is a bit different so I loosened the leads on the end of the plugs using an adjustable spanner because for the first time in this rebuild I have not had the size needed in either of my toolboxes so that has been added to my "I want" list. That was the first problem and I soon arrived at the second one. After liberally dosing up the old spark plugs happily they came straight out but it was immediately apparent that I have bought he wrong plugs to fit...

 

 

 

 

See the difference in the bottom of the plugs and to think the chap who sold me them at the Peterborough show was so adamant that they were the correct ones! Oh well whats done is done so I will now have to find out the correct part number for them.

The old ones are rusty to say the least and left a pile of rusty gunk right at the top of the spark plug hole on the head...

 

 

 

 

Now that lot was just waiting to fall into the piston chamber and being in a really deep ingress I pulled out my trusty magnet to help fish the crap out...

 

 

 

 

If you have not got one of these in your toolbox I suggest for a couple of quid you grab one because I have used this old thing so many times I have lost count!

I have popped the old plug back in and nipped everything back up again because even though they are rusty on the outside they work and will keep any moisture out of the piston chambers.

Then it was onto the oil and a quick drain down of the old mucky stuff...

 

 

 

 

By removing the sump plug first of course...

 

 

 

 

And it was then onto removing the oil filter from the housing which is ccunninglydesigned to be in such a place that it is really awkward to get off without getting oil all over the shop!

 

 

 

 

I undid it a few turns until the oil just started to dribble out into the tub and left it like that for a few minutes until the worst of it had gone into the bucket instead of all over me then took the housing off binned the old filter, fitted the new and refit again. In went 6 litres of oil and I then found my batteries were flat....so they have been put on charge until tomorrow.

 

 

Then in perfect timing my friends turned up (yes I do have real life ones you know...not many admittedly but I am rather picky about folks who do my nut in and chat ****) so it was time for tea and biscuits until Wifey returned home. She wasn't long so us men folk retired back out into the cold like the hunter gatherers we are and had another pop at the project.

 

 

I soon put the good fellow to work fitting the new spare wheel strap onto the bonnet...

 

 

 

 

You can just see in the picture the bonnet needed a new front rubber bung for the wheel to sit on. Well don't go paying the stupid prices the spares folk want for a a new set just order yourselves a set of 40mm x 10mm rubber suitcase feet for the princely sum of £2.99 delivered! Keep an eye out because you will see where the rest were used shortly. Once the strap was fitted I grabbed the spare wheel and put it into place with a very sturdy padlock to stop the scumbags...

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now it's on I think I would like a plain black cover for it as well...added to the list as well now but is not needed for the MOT so will have to wait.

 

 

Lunch was at this point forced upon us so we came into the warmth for good food and better company, I love catching up with true friends you know the ones you may not have seen each other for months or years but when you meet up it was like you saw each other last weekend. So after a lot of laughter and with full bellies we ran away from the washing up declaring we were in the middle of something important that had to be done on the Landy ( I WILL need another excuse once this is finished to keep running away from the washing up. Suggestions via email please) and decided that the seatbelts just had to be fitted.

 

 

I set my friend on with that while I fitted the replacement seat back supports on the drivers side...

 

 

 

 

Those suitcase feet are back again! Well I did have to buy a set of four so why waste more money buying the official land rover rubbers? These will work just fine!

 

 

I tidied up some loose ends in the back refitting the rear light panels that have sat in the tubs since I played with the wiring. How confident am I that the electrics are now sorted that I am putting covers back in place....give it a week and they will probably be off again! The very last bit of underseal went onto the chassis where the passenger side fuel tank was removed and this is a job I have been putting off for months...bloody black awful stuff that it is and how do I always without fail end up bathing in the stuff? There is not that much of it in the damned can!

 

 

The seatbelts were soon fitted (gotta love having a proper mechanic working with you) and they are looking good!...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

At this point the flash was kicking in on the camera so I knew it was time to call it a day outside. So we forced ourselves to pack away and soon learnt that we had just missed watching the film Frozen....the Landy gods were being kind today.

 

 

More food and more laughter were the ingredients of the late afternoon which has set us into a very festive mood. More Yuletide food with the extended family tomorrow which will be nice as I am the eldest of six children and for the first time in many years we will all be in the same place at the same time for a seasonal meal.

 

 

So this I expect will be my last post before the Christmas holiday so I would like to take the opportunity to say to you all please have a great Christmas however you celebrate it whether that's at home staying out of the way of it all or travelling to see your families. Enjoy the laughter or the peace smile at a stranger and say hello to a friend.

 

 

Merry Christmas everyone and I will see you on the other side.

 

 

 

 

http://www.nickysmith.me

[sirhc]

Nicky,

 

The new plugs you have look like RSN13P, these are for vehicles with B series engines, Ferret, Champ etc. You need RSN12Y or equivalent.

Edited December 20, 2014 by sirhc

[minn200]

Nicky,

 

The new plugs you have look like RSN13P, these are for vehicles with B series engines, Ferret, Champ eye. You need RSN12Y or equivalent.

 

 

And for that little tidbit of information I thanks you

 

Merry Christmas

[minn200]

Would RSL87Y be ok to use?

[sirhc]

Would RSL87Y be ok to use?

 

Those are for the V8 in the 101.

 

Chris

[minn200]

Remarkably cheaper as well! Hey ho best get my wallet out eh

[ruxy]

R = resistance , heat range more or less same , suffix P = platinum (last for ever) , don't knock the fine wire & don't frig about with gap setting.

 

-------------

 

R = Resistor (in this case solid carbide) - these are expensive plugs.

S = Barrel style (in this case shielded) - (aircraft style threaded)

N = Mounting thread (in this case 14mm / 3/4" reach / 13/16" hex spanner size.

12 (or 13) = heat range (you would never notice the difference between a 12 and a 13)

Y = Electrode design (Y = projected nose)

P = Electrode design (P = twin platinum centre and earth)

Edited December 21, 2014 by ruxy
amd.

[sirhc]

You could try these:

 

http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&alt=web&id=171596073252

 

Chris

[fv1609]

Always buy these types of plug on the basis of the manufacturer's own number.

 

Do not use the NSN

 

RSN13P has two NSNs

 

RSN12Y has three NSNs

 

The problem is not just some duplication but the NSNs are shared with other plug types which are not the same as the ones you maybe looking for!

[minn200]

Building and Bumps.

 

 

Main

Posted by min200 Sat, December 27, 2014 18:45:17

 

 

Well it was a nice Christmas day the kids were happy and so was Wifey then best of all the traditional visit to the mother in law was cut to a 30 minute stint...beat that! (I do her no justice here she has a heart of gold and yes I am being held at gunpoint here)

 

 

But the only day off I get is Christmas day because I work for a large multi national that worships the retail gods and you only get Christmas day off because they have to give it you. Remember when the shops were shut for a week at a time? I loved that as a kid and it is with a heavy heart I realise that my kids will never experience such things. Enough with the melancholy I am warm well fed (a bit too well !) and live in a place that offers a good life so I shall stop moaning for times gone by.

 

 

Boxing day started well with a good ride to work enjoying the seasonal lack of cars on Nottingham's ring road and the day was a steady plod on with even my work colleagues being somewhere near to normal breathing everyday folk instead of the usual bunch of "what the hell can we find to moan about today to anyone that will listen to my crap because being miserable and making others feeling the same is the only source of enjoyment I can find in life any more" chaps they usually are, Christmas was truly in the air! About 5pm it started to rain...heavily...nothing unusual about that I just donned my wet weather gear and carried on. I had not seen the weather forecast for the day. It started to snow. Nothing too bad just wet stuff that melted as soon as it landed so I carried on. Before I realised 20 minutes later I noticed the snow settling and settling well at that...I made a call into the office..."It's snowing like hell out here settling well and I am on a motorbike so I am off now!" Again it must have been the Christmas spirit about because no one complained about me leaving 30 minutes early...I wish I had left an hour before that.

 

 

I kid you not it took me ten minutes to get my gear on and clock out by which time the snow had settled well and was coming down in proper blizzard fashion. As I walked outside I had to wonder at my sanity of getting onto the bike but I didn't want to get Wifey out in it after spending the last 15 years experiencing her driving in ideal conditions I convinced myself that the main roads would be ok. I mean I live in a major city that is travelled well by lots of traffic and has a mass of gritters on hand so the ring road I had to travel 8 miles on should be just fine. First I had to travel the mile to the ring road though....I nearly made it...it was 3 inches deep in snow and I could see the finish line of the ring road entry just 50 feet away when my world started to look kind of strange. Seeing as I was only doing 10 mph I did what can only be described as the best ever slow motion fall off of a motorbike in the history of bike crashes. First I realised of any sort of problem was when the horizon appeared to be vertical then what can only be described as a falling into a mound of feathers as I impacted onto the road. The bike went left up a kerb and I slid in a nice comfy line creating the longest snow angel in history. Feeling like a right pillock I got to my feet walked back the 15 feet to my bike and with the help of the kerb picked the bloody thing up.

 

 

At this point you are thinking "why would you get back on it?" I know you are because in hindsight I thought the same thing but I was convinced the ring road would be alright and I put my faith in the local councils ability to keep the roads passable. In my defence I had just fallen off of a bike and banged my head was running on adrenaline and was getting colder than I realised really quickly. The old girl started again and I set off like a kid with both feet down riding at 5mph.

 

 

I didn't get above 10mph for the next hour. The ring road was ok to start and better than the side road had been but it was still bad. My visor steamed up in 30 seconds flat. My glasses then froze in another two minutes so I pulled over and took them off. Then I had to convince myself I was a brave man and carried on off into the storm. At this point the road was turning white and the blizzard was blowing directly into my face. God knows what I looked like squinting like I needed to have some glasses on (I did) with frozen eyebrows and frozen snot down my beard with my feet down either side because I didn't want to fall over again whilst riding next to the gutter on a major ring road at 10 mph but it couldn't have been half as bad as I felt.

 

 

This was the singular worst riding experience of my life and I have ridden for years all year round in just about all weathers but I will never ride in the snow again.

 

 

I nearly made it home.

 

 

I was less than a mile away, just, but there was a roundabout and the blizzard was in full flow.

 

 

I nearly made it around it.

 

 

The off was quick and I mean real quick maybe it was because I was near frozen at this point or the fact I could barely see right anymore because of the storm or the fact I was exhausted that I didn't realise I was off until I was sliding into the third exit. The motorbike had left at the second exit leaving me to carry on by myself I think it had had enough as well. I lay there thinking "ok then that was a good bump" knowing I hadn't broken anything but knowing I was going to hurt in the morning.

 

 

The first four cars just steered around me lying in the road and carried on their way....arseholes...but then my faith in humanity was restored as a nice couple pulled up behind me with their hazards on and helped me up. Then by a quirky coincidence an ambulance pulled alongside them with lights flashing and helped me pick up the bike whilst blocking the roundabout completely. Sorry if you were stuck behind me for a few minutes but that was far better than me getting run over...I am a selfish git like that.

 

 

We blokes don't know when to quit do we. We don't like going to the Dr's we push on when we shouldn't we don't like making two trips from the car with the shopping. We see it as a challenge and we accept that challenge because we are the hunters the gatherers and the protectors. We do not like to admit defeat.

 

 

I quit.

 

 

I had got to my breaking point with my nerve the cold and I periodically could not face falling off of the bike again. I had been lucky twice and any "off" of a bike you walk away from is a good one. I dumped the bike on the pathway and hiked the last of the journey home through the storm and quite frankly with all that moving it was the warmest I had been for what felt like hours.

 

 

When I hit my driveway I was greeted by this sight...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Looks good eh! Like it should be out and about in the snow...wish I had already finished the rebuild and registration!

 

 

I awoke with some really impressive bruising and collected the bike this morning but instead of snow it was ice to dance with fate seems to enjoy having a laugh at the moment at my expense.

 

 

I'm glad to say no real damage done to either the bike or me but once I got back in today I have spent the rest of it building a massive dolls house that my youngest daughter got for Christmas and if I am honest I think I may just stay in nursing my bruises all weekend and watching the weather forecasts.

 

 

http://www.justturned40.co.uk

[acprc]

Glad to hear you are ok.

[minn200]

Glad to hear you are ok.

 

 

Just a few bruises and a dent in my pride

[minn200]

Hard Frost & Heaters

 

 

Main

Posted by min200 Sun, December 28, 2014 15:07:42

 

 

I would love to be able to play in the snow with my old Landy and that time should come soon enough so today with aches and bruises from Friday nights adventures I thought I might mop a few of the little outstanding jobs on it.

 

 

An early Christmas present arrived on Christmas eve in the form of four replacement spark plugs of the correct spec for my old motor. I was amazed at this because I had only ordered them the day before so how on earth they made it to me so quickly during the Christmas rush I do not know but I was happy to see them.

 

 

It wasn't until today that I managed to get around to fitting them and I was pleasantly surprised that the old plugs and leads came out and off with no issues at all. These normally make all sorts of strange sounds when I am involved and I have even had the odd plug snap off in the head on me in the past but I was one step ahead on these ones as I had soaked the buggers in WD40 a week ago and left puddles of the stuff in the spark plug recess to soak in...it worked a treat!

 

 

So it was out with the old and in with the new....

 

 

 

 

 

 

A turn of the key and the engine fired into to life and seems to have lost the worst of the odd misfire it had before which is nice so I left it ticking over and thought I would see how quick the Artic heater would warm the motor through which it did in a matter of minutes so hopefully I wont be victim to the normal frozen winter feeling that most Landy drivers suffer from...what a smug git I will be!

 

 

Seeing as this was going so well I decided I better get the passenger door top fitted that has been kicking around for a while. Better to play indoors with this though so I snuck the top window and the runners that needed to be fitted into the dining room like a ninja on a mission as Wifey was distracted by some girly film on the box. The first she realised what was happening was when I was drilling the pilot holes for screwing the runners in but by then I was in and refusing to go and play in the cold again until I had to!

 

 

With everything laid out I got stuck in...

 

 

 

 

And once it was built I headed out into the frost to fit it but of course the old bolts wouldn't let go so I then had to drag out the grinder along with 50 feet of extension cable to do two ten second cuts. There was a sizzle as the old bolts dropped into the snow and the new one dropped straight into place...

 

 

 

 

The old wreck is now wind proof and water tightish which pleases me no end

 

 

Looking for something to do I then found a pair of old mesh light covers I bought months ago put at the back of the shed and promptly forgot about so this was a nice surprise or the early onset of dementia who knows. I remembered that I wanted to spray these black so I grabbed a can of poundland special and set to work...

 

 

 

 

They look good but I wont be fitting them until after the MOT as the headlights need adjusting so best keep that easy access just in case well that and I will probably forget about the light guards again and find them in a few months which will be a nice surprise for the future me.

 

 

All that is really left is to secure the batteries now so I best be getting the transport to the MOT centre sorted out.

 

 

justturned40.co.uk

[minn200]

[h=2]HAPPY NEW YEAR![/h]MainPosted by min200 Wed, December 31, 2014 19:58:29

Happy New Year to everyone!

 

I hope that whatever you are doing tonight brings you a bit of joy and may 2015 give you what you deserve

 

Enjoy the night and may your hangover be short...I'm straight back to work in the morning so a dry night for me

[minn200]

Frozen

 

 

Main

Posted by min200 Thu, January 01, 2015 18:55:40

 

 

No not the bloody film that even though my kids have now grown up they and Wifey love for some reason and seem to be happy to sing the same songs over and over and over again. No by the title "Frozen" I refer to my poor bugger of a project that sat on the driveway not getting any sunshine doing it's best impersonation of an ice cube since Boxing Day.

 

 

Seeing as my work so generously let us leave work today once all of the little work we had to do was done on this the first day of 2015 I thought I best see if the old motor would start up or whether the batteries might need a charge.

 

 

I kid you not it started on the first turn of the key. I have had modern motors that never ever started on the first turn the whole time I owned them! This got me to thinking....this project of mine was "Demobbed" in 1998 and basically sat around from that point until I bought it early 2014...that for the rubbish at math to save you taking your socks off to count your toes is 16 years.

 

 

16 years of Spring Summer Autumn and most importantly Winters. I seem to recall a couple of years ago we had "The worst winter ever" where we were all snowed in and chilly for a couple of months and this old motor just sat through it with no one paying it any mind let alone attention or care. So it has frozen and thawed then been cooked and soaked without turning a wheel or a cog for year upon year then when I get it it gives a shrug and fires up like it was serviced regularly the whole time.

 

 

Don't suppose I should worry about a nippy week with it then seeing as it is a brilliant bit of engineering and by all accounts far tougher than I will ever be!

 

 

http://www.justturned40.co.uk

[minn200]

Taps & Tights

 

 

Main

Posted by min200 Sat, January 03, 2015 19:08:11

 

 

I got conned like a novice today. I mean I have been with Wifey for 15 years and around the block a fair few times before that so to fall for something as simple as "I just need to pop into here to buy a dress" I deserve everything I got.

 

 

See this picture here chaps.....

 

 

 

 

These are the gates to Hell itself. If you look closely there is a red sign in the middle of the windows proclaiming what torture you are in for if you dare to enter but did I notice this before losing my soul this morning? I am sorry to say chaps I did not I fell for it hook line and sinker. "A dress" I fear not my friends it was not just a dress...it was many dresses in fact it was more dresses than I have ever seen collected into one place just to increase the torture for the men who unsuspectingly walk in with their women. Oh I haven't finished on the torture front yet I was repeatedly asked by Wifey if I liked this dress or that dress and why was I looking so fed up didn't I like her in any of the dresses what was I trying to say what was the matter with me shouldn't she look nice for me?

Sweet Jesus there is no other no win situation like watching your woman drive herself into a frenzy over clothes like a demented nutjob then have all of that pent up what I think is excitement aimed at you! I dutifully sat outside the changing rooms making the right noises after having being paraded an unknown number of outfits when I figured a way out...

 

 

Say you have a "windy" stomach and need to go outside for "a walk" to let nature take it's smelly course. It worked! Then the cherry on the cake was the discovery of a huge motorbike shop around the corner!

 

 

 

 

I managed to kill an hour looking at gear I need to replace this year and sorting a few prices out on my head. When I headed back toward the gates of hall I decided a phone call would be better than actually walking through them voluntarily again then twenty minutes later I was happily driving away with Wifey stored on board along with several new frocks...I believe they were the first three she had looked at as soon as we arrived but hey what do I know?

 

 

My prize when I got home was on hours peace to play on the Landy while she tried all the clothes on again but hey I was happy to escape for a while. There was only really one big outstanding job left and that was to sort out the battery brackets.

 

 

I bought two pairs of universal battery arms and clamps a while back now but when they arrived I realised I had made a cock up size wise and these ere way too long with the thread finishing about 2 inches short of where they were needed to actually hold the batteries in place! A friend at work had a tap & die set I could borrow so I set to sorting these extra long bars out.

 

 

First I cut them to the right size and set to starting off the right thread size...

 

 

 

 

I found it best to wind forward and back until the thread was about 10mm long then it was a straight cut down to where I needed the thread to end...

 

 

 

 

This was my first go at this and I was surprised how easy it went four times over beginners luck maybe? All the wing nuts fitted fine as well so I will be securing the batteries in the morning and with that chore done the old Landy will be ready to be sent off to for MOT at the end of the month by witch time the Tax Man should have told me all is ok import wise, as in it has never been exported or imported so I owe no money, and then the docs can go off to the DVLA which can be another kettle of fish!

 

 

Still first things first lets get the MOT sorted which I would love to do next Friday as I am off work but I dont want to insure it yet because you only get 30 days to then get it registered properly or it costs a fistful more cash. That is of course unless anyone is kicking about with trade plates or a big trailer and has nothing better to do then otherwise patience will have to prevail and the use of the very kind offer of transport I have at months end that will save me lots of money will do quite nicely

 

 

justturned40.co.uk

[minn200]

It's Ready...

 

 

Main

Posted by min200 Sun, January 04, 2015 16:50:02

 

 

Um I can't quite believe I am about to say this after 8 months or so of hard work but I think the Land Rover is ready for its MOT.

 

 

Remember when it looked like this...

 

 

 

 

Doesn't seem very long ago and in the grand scheme of things I suppose it is not and I have thoroughly enjoyed myself on the rebuild so much in fact I think another one will have to be done at some point but I best not get ahead of myself just yet seeing as I still need that all important MOT and registration plates. I have just surprised myself that I managed to do it all without killing myself or at the very least losing a limb or two. I suppose I have missed something and they will point it out and laugh at me while printing off the MOT failure sheet but I think I have covered all the bases.

 

 

The last few bits of pottering around on it today have been fun and had a kind of a feeling of finality about them as they were the odd's and sods I had either put off or forgot about repeatedly. I started by rebolting (is that a word?) the oil cooler exchange back onto the inner wing...

 

 

 

 

And then I bolted the Artic heater feeder pipe back into place below the oil cooler...

 

 

 

 

With those done I pumped up all of the tyres to the correct pressures and set to cleaning the dash and cab out it was nice to see the plastics all shiny and black again! I used good old WD40 to bring back the shine....

 

 

 

 

Then it was the turn of all the junk out of the back along with a sweep and it came up quite nicely...

 

 

 

 

I bolted the batteries into place with the newly threaded bars I did yesterday and then wondered what else I had to do. I remembered a mechanic friend had told me I needed to move the ladder on the back to the offside so it didn't block the view of the numberplate when it is fitted but quite frankly after grinding off old bolts and fitting the ladder into place with new ones it seems to be more of a pain seeing the lights now on the offside but hell I will just let the MOT chap tell me when I am there and remove it if I need to...

 

 

 

 

By now I was really scratching about wondering if I had missed anything else and I decided to fit the new CB into place that I got for Christmas. The Ariel wiring has been run along the old radio wiring route using existing clamps to hold it into place which saved a lot of buggering about! Seeing as the mounting holes were on the wings for the old radio kit I decided to use one of those on the nearside wing to mount the new black ariel into place...

 

 

 

 

I think it looks quite good there just like it belongs. But where to mount the CB radio itself? I held it in place on the top of the dash but didn't like it there. Under teh dash then that would look ok wouldn't it? Nope didn't like it there either. Was I being too picky at this point? I don't know but every spot in the front of the cab just felt wrong. I turned around to look out of the back door when an idea I liked hit me.

 

 

It's my Landy right so I thought yea that could be just the spot lets go all Smoky and the Bandit with it. I mounted the radio between the seats...

 

 

 

 

Then I mounted the mike above my head on the tubing that houses the heater pipes up high so I can just reach up and "Ten Four good buddy!"...

 

 

 

 

I still need to fit a 24v-12v dropper before I wire it into the electrics but that can be done once the MOT is sorted best save all my pennies until then in case I have missed something.

 

 

So that's it until I get it in and that depends on what the tax an says but I will call a couple of insurance companies tomorrow to see what can be sorted if I exceed there 30 day limit on taking the policy out to getting the registration plates from the DVLA.

[Nic Jackson]

Good luck with the MOT, not that you'll need it.... it has been a pleasure to read this blog through all your ups and downs.

 

Regards

 

Nic