Saturday, 21 July 2007
Finally stopped raining
So now it's finally stopped raining I can make a start - going to get the battery off and start charging it then see what happens if I try and start it, there is some fuel in but only a little.
Weather
Well, as expected the weather is shocking, and to further complicate matters the Harry Potter book has arrived so that's the whole house to a standstill - well apart from small boy who can't actually read !!, but I'm on small boy duty whilst the book is devoured. Still there's always tomorrow I suppose.
Friday, 20 July 2007
Weather update
Well it's raining pretty steadily now and has been since around 4pm - looks like the top half of the village will flood again - nothing too spectacular but bad enough for the the people who live up there. We live right by the river but it seems it's the drains that can't cope rather than the river rising.
If it keeps up like this then I guess there will be no starting this weekend, just have to keep everything crossed.
If it keeps up like this then I guess there will be no starting this weekend, just have to keep everything crossed.
This weekends' plan
Got an outline now of what I want to achieve this weekend - modest though it is.
1. Charge the battery
2. Put some petrol in
3. Get some air in the tyres (I've got a compressor so not too difficult)
4. See if it will start !!
I've seen so many stories in the mags about someone coming across an old landy thats been stood in a field or barn since before the Crimea war etc. who just put fuel in and a battery, ejected the wildlife and then drove it across the field that I've got high hopes mine will actually start and move (stopping may be a different matter of course !!)
5. Move down the drive to it's home for the renovation
6. Get the front end up and onto axle stands
7. Borrow some more axle stands and get the back end up
8. All the wheels off
9. Spare wheel and bonnet off
10. Front wings off
That should keep everyone busy for a while !!!
Daughter is planning on charging me £2.50 per hour for her assistance - bargain ??
1. Charge the battery
2. Put some petrol in
3. Get some air in the tyres (I've got a compressor so not too difficult)
4. See if it will start !!
I've seen so many stories in the mags about someone coming across an old landy thats been stood in a field or barn since before the Crimea war etc. who just put fuel in and a battery, ejected the wildlife and then drove it across the field that I've got high hopes mine will actually start and move (stopping may be a different matter of course !!)
5. Move down the drive to it's home for the renovation
6. Get the front end up and onto axle stands
7. Borrow some more axle stands and get the back end up
8. All the wheels off
9. Spare wheel and bonnet off
10. Front wings off
That should keep everyone busy for a while !!!
Daughter is planning on charging me £2.50 per hour for her assistance - bargain ??
Modifications so far
I think it might be interesting to let you know what I've actually fitted/modified etc. since I bought the landrover so here goes.
First thing I did after buying was to change the front seats from the basic ones to high-back 'deluxe' seats - now that is a marketing term !!, I bought them through a small ad in one of the mags and they were a distinct improvement over the originals.
After that I got two bench seats and lap belts for the rear, fitted them no problem so the kids could travel around, it was a great hit with both my girls and their friends, I even took some of them off-roading in the back (and I've got one trip round a course on video).
Of course I had to fit a CB radio - cost me £10 second-hand at a land-rover show and works a treat.
But by far the best thing I did was get Parabolic springs (although still on the original oil dampers) as they completely transform the ride - and I changed the seats again.
The latest seats I've got fitted came from a Vauxhall Senator, they cost me £40 off Ebay (that was for the whole interior !) and they are like 2 big leather armchairs - super comfy, and they have heater elemts in them although not wired up yet. But with the new big armchairs I had to replace the steering wheel with a smaller (15") one as I couldn't get my knees under the original - and now anyone sitting in the front has to climb up to get in !!.
I've also replaced the floor panels in the front cab for checker plate so my fet don't slip as much when wet, got a full length roof rack (ebay again) and two spotlights on the front bumper (going to get relocated onto the roofrack).
Can't think of anything else I've done - but I'm sure I must have !!!
First thing I did after buying was to change the front seats from the basic ones to high-back 'deluxe' seats - now that is a marketing term !!, I bought them through a small ad in one of the mags and they were a distinct improvement over the originals.
After that I got two bench seats and lap belts for the rear, fitted them no problem so the kids could travel around, it was a great hit with both my girls and their friends, I even took some of them off-roading in the back (and I've got one trip round a course on video).
Of course I had to fit a CB radio - cost me £10 second-hand at a land-rover show and works a treat.
But by far the best thing I did was get Parabolic springs (although still on the original oil dampers) as they completely transform the ride - and I changed the seats again.
The latest seats I've got fitted came from a Vauxhall Senator, they cost me £40 off Ebay (that was for the whole interior !) and they are like 2 big leather armchairs - super comfy, and they have heater elemts in them although not wired up yet. But with the new big armchairs I had to replace the steering wheel with a smaller (15") one as I couldn't get my knees under the original - and now anyone sitting in the front has to climb up to get in !!.
I've also replaced the floor panels in the front cab for checker plate so my fet don't slip as much when wet, got a full length roof rack (ebay again) and two spotlights on the front bumper (going to get relocated onto the roofrack).
Can't think of anything else I've done - but I'm sure I must have !!!
Wednesday, 18 July 2007
Starting out
I suppose it would make sense to begin by explaining how I got to where I am now with this project and what the objectives are.
I bought my Series III a few years ago from a chap in Mablethorpe, after I'd thought about getting one for ages. I wanted a long wheelbase with LPG, not bothered if it was a County model or not and not too fussed about condition. Anyway, I saw this one advertised in one of the Landy mags, went to see it and bought it - I know you should never buy the first one you see but it was just what I was looking for, and anyway I wanted it so that was it really. The chap I bought it from had got it from Jake Wrights who had got it in the ex-military disposal sales, he got them to fit the LPG kit, put new tyres on it and MOT it - nothing else needed doing.
When he got it home he spent the next 18 months scraping the chassis, replacing the rear quarter chassis, waxoyling everything and fitting a hard top in place of the canvas - then he got bored and sold it to me.
Once I got it there were a number of things needed sorting, the carburettor was shot and a couple of wheel cylinders needed replacing - apart from that I was able to run it as my daily vehicle no problem.
Of course it came in for a regular dose of abuse, I joined the Series 3 and 90/110 club and was soon off with them around the place as well as a few off-road days here and there - and it stood up to it all really well. There were a couple of minor issues of course, I lost it going down a steep decent and ended up crashing into the trees at the bottom and having to be winched out by a friendly 90 - and broke my clutch slave cylinder on the trip back from a Northern Landrover run.
Then the LPG system gave up the ghost, a solenoid went and Jake Wrights didn't supply that system any longer, no spares anywhere so it was back to petrol only (I have a new solenoid now, off ebay of course and it's in my plan for replacement).
Then the heater packed in so it was impossible to use in the winter as we get freezing fog here and the windscreen just ices over - and I can't get the damn thing working, again it's in the plan !!
Finally I bust a seal in one of the half shafts on an off-road trip and got oil in the brakes etc. - limped home 80 miles and stuck it on the drive, it's been there for the last 18 months while I decided what to do.
And this is where we are now, about to begin restoration. How much is required I've no idea. Will I finish it ? - I hope so because I need to use it again. How long will it take ? - no idea. How much will it cost - ???.
So who is in on this project ?
1. Me
2. Abbey, my 13 year old daughter
3. Martin, my friend from round the corner
4. When I'm stuck - Steve Ducker from CLASP in Scunthorpe, Land Rover engineer from up the street
5. Anyone else I can rope in when needed - if your reading this and fancy helping out drop me a line !!
Next post - what are we going to do first !!
I bought my Series III a few years ago from a chap in Mablethorpe, after I'd thought about getting one for ages. I wanted a long wheelbase with LPG, not bothered if it was a County model or not and not too fussed about condition. Anyway, I saw this one advertised in one of the Landy mags, went to see it and bought it - I know you should never buy the first one you see but it was just what I was looking for, and anyway I wanted it so that was it really. The chap I bought it from had got it from Jake Wrights who had got it in the ex-military disposal sales, he got them to fit the LPG kit, put new tyres on it and MOT it - nothing else needed doing.
When he got it home he spent the next 18 months scraping the chassis, replacing the rear quarter chassis, waxoyling everything and fitting a hard top in place of the canvas - then he got bored and sold it to me.
Once I got it there were a number of things needed sorting, the carburettor was shot and a couple of wheel cylinders needed replacing - apart from that I was able to run it as my daily vehicle no problem.
Of course it came in for a regular dose of abuse, I joined the Series 3 and 90/110 club and was soon off with them around the place as well as a few off-road days here and there - and it stood up to it all really well. There were a couple of minor issues of course, I lost it going down a steep decent and ended up crashing into the trees at the bottom and having to be winched out by a friendly 90 - and broke my clutch slave cylinder on the trip back from a Northern Landrover run.
Then the LPG system gave up the ghost, a solenoid went and Jake Wrights didn't supply that system any longer, no spares anywhere so it was back to petrol only (I have a new solenoid now, off ebay of course and it's in my plan for replacement).
Then the heater packed in so it was impossible to use in the winter as we get freezing fog here and the windscreen just ices over - and I can't get the damn thing working, again it's in the plan !!
Finally I bust a seal in one of the half shafts on an off-road trip and got oil in the brakes etc. - limped home 80 miles and stuck it on the drive, it's been there for the last 18 months while I decided what to do.
And this is where we are now, about to begin restoration. How much is required I've no idea. Will I finish it ? - I hope so because I need to use it again. How long will it take ? - no idea. How much will it cost - ???.
So who is in on this project ?
1. Me
2. Abbey, my 13 year old daughter
3. Martin, my friend from round the corner
4. When I'm stuck - Steve Ducker from CLASP in Scunthorpe, Land Rover engineer from up the street
5. Anyone else I can rope in when needed - if your reading this and fancy helping out drop me a line !!
Next post - what are we going to do first !!
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