Advise on Defender 88 value, looking to buy one

Hi, my name is Dave, and this is potentially my first post of many.

I'm looking at buying a defender 88 bob tail pick up. Its registered as a 1966, but i think has a newer engine. It starts on the button and drives very well.

Exhaust has been shortened and raised, which i'd probably put back to standard to keep the noise down, but i'll seek advice on that if I buy it!

Body work is pretty rough as you'd expect, but rot is minimal. The driver side floor pan has the begginings, as do the door bottoms, but I can live with that as its going to be a work horse.

I know very little about landrovers, but the gear box was tight, drove smooth, braked smooth. Cosmetics i can deal with.

It is a 2L turbo diesel. The turbo pulls well, well better than i thought it would. THere is a substantial tapping from the engine when idling, is this fairly normal/easy fix, or just leave it? Much smoother when revved a little.
When reversing on full lock, right hand down, there was a screaching, the owner said it was belts, but i'm not sure about that as there is no power steering and didn't screach when driving? any ideas there?

It has big mag wheels with All terrain tyres, upgraded suspension and shocks/springs, a pretty fancy looking winch, good twin batteries, and a full roll cage. I'd probably remove the cage if possible and look to sell that on. ( any ideas on value for that so i can take it into account when buying)

On this fairly vague description... can anyone please advise on

1. what to look for in terms of possible issues, prone chassis rot areas, danger noises in the engine.

2. approximately what i should be paying? I realize the winch and roll cage have value, but not to me as i just want the vehicle.

Sorry for my first post to have so many questions, but once i'm up and running hopefully i can offer a little more to the community. Thanks in advance for any advice

Dave

Defenders were not around in 1966 if it has leaf springs it is a series and if it has coils it is dodgy.
It will either have later 19j or 200 tdi engine or series a prima engine as found in montego turbo diesel were popular conversion.

If you can get some pictures we can tell you more.

Worth a read

Defender Buyers Guide

fanatic said:

Defenders were not around in 1966 if it has leaf springs it is a series and if it has coils it is dodgy.
It will either have later 19j or 200 tdi engine or series a prima engine as found in montego turbo diesel were popular conversion.

If you can get some pictures we can tell you more.

Click to expand...

I'm pretty sure it has coils and not leaf springs, and it certainly looks like a defender from the outside. Maybe he got the year wrong? I haven't seen any paper work.

When were the first defenders made?

It has discs all round? I'm guessing there are lots of home built projects knocking about so it could be a defender body built on something else.

What shall i get photos of, engine, underside and body? Any other specific areas?

Thanks for the help guys

If it's registered as a 66 run away.....don't look back

Think iffy, until you can prove other wise.

Other thing is it has sliding windows, which i've just read were only available on very early 110's and series. Its had replacement doors, but i guess they could have come from a 110?

He has confirmed it says 66 in the log book, but we have no MOT where i'm based so people are able to register home built stuff fairly easily. I'm not looking at paying too much for it... but would you still say stay away?

Oh, and all the roof, door tops and back can be removed too if that helps identify it?

Where are you based?

Sounds like some sort of hybrid, but unclear where it would sit on the points system in terms of being able to keep original registration plate.

May be totally legit where someone has lovingly repalceed and upgraded everything, or may be a ringer.

I'd tread carefully

Based in Guernsey. I just registered an old VW and to be honest there wasn't much needed to define the year of reg. A letter from a VW garage saying it was a 61 did it!!!

Its cut down to an 88 with discs on all corners and a defender body. They may have put an older year so it qualifies for cheaper classic car insurance?? My concern is more for safety and value. Its a cheap work horse, so providing it does its job and i don't over pay or have to spend lots sorting vital things out i'd be happy. I'll get photos of engine bay, underneath etc sorted this evening.

Thanks
again

Dogey as mate. Stay away.

I can smell bovine effluent and mechanically recovered pork products...

Can you not see the previous owner on the log book if it has one or do a check on the reg?

At that year it is going to be a hybrid.
Not necessarily an issue as back in the early 1980's & early 1990's it was the only way to get a coiler for a reasonable price but nowadays (since the price of 90's came down) and with vehicle identity issues being as they are it could be a problem.
Another thing is that by your own admission you have no LR knowledge whatsoever so how are you going to maintain, identify parts & get spares for a vehicle which has been built up out who knows how many vehicles?

That is something i will struggle with, which i why i'm trying to find a fairly bullet proof example that won't require too much work other than basic maintenance. I took a better look today and took some photos. Not seen the log book yet, but will do that and try to get in contact with previous owners. It was used by someone at the local LR club, but i have no contact there yet.

I actually have a feeling it is the same vehicle my friend built about 10/12 years ago. (if it is, he would have used nearly anything to hand, however I have since lost contact with him) And as you say, back then, he may have registered it as an older vehicle for insurance purposes or just because that was the only paperwork he had. The vehicle identity really is pretty slack here.

I checked the prone areas from the buyers guide, all looks to be fairly ok for a vehicle in this price range, although the front of the nearside outrigger is rotten through. The rest is solid though, and i could replace that easily enough.

I'll put the pics up tomorrow, but a more detailed spec is


bobtailed, coil sprung 88" 200TDI
2" lift on bearmach heavy duty spring and pro comp shocks
ext rollcage
warn 8274 winch
mach 5 allows
twin optima batteries
QT services castor correction radius arms.

I guess i just like the look of it, and it drove well, and i don't see many 90 pick ups for sale on the island, so i'm keen for it to be ok. I'm trying to find someone locally with the knowledge to look at it, that way if he knows what its made up off, chances are it can be repaired if needs be?

90 on 88" id

Hi

Bit more info now.
It was built in the uk, so has gone through the relevant tests and checks.
It is a discovery chassis, with defender bulkhead, body, 200tdi engine and a few series parts. Discovery chassis has been shortened to 88 with defender body cut down too. Going to have someone local look at it, but just because its a hybrid should I stay away? Photos soon. Thanks

You want something that will be easy to maintain. Why on earth would you go for a Frankenstein's Monster of a vehicle that has parts from at least 3 different models on it?

unless you really know what you are doing, leave well alone. theres a minefeild of what you can and cant do, and when you could, what you could with regards to hybrids.

AFAIK know though ANY hybrid should at least bear the ID on the chassis the vehicle came from, even before the rules changed, so I would think it dodgy in some way (probably to make it tax exempt) unless its on a Q plate, what "relevent checks" has it had.

TBH for a first landy, stay clear, it will be a pain to get parts for, cos you have no idea what vehicle they came off.

Ok people, message recieved! I have come across another potential... a 1996 300tdi for about the £2k mark. Anything specific to look out for other than the obvious chassis rot, and body work?

Do the 300tdi's have a cam belt? How often should this be done, anyway to tell when it was done if no record? Anything else to check engine wise.
Thanks
Dave