Newbie here. Have I made a bad decision?

kermit_rr · Apr 4, 2022

I can see it's recently been taxed, so assume it's been on the road

it may not need an MOT but I'll wager it would never pass without a lot of work

Murgetroyd · Apr 4, 2022

kermit_rr said:
I can see it's recently been taxed, so assume it's been on the road it may not need an MOT but I'll wager it would never pass without a lot of work

I've driven it a few times but it's not great at accelerating, turning or stopping so not a great combo right now. It doesn't need an MOT but it does need to be safe and will get that sorted once the chassis and bulkhead have been addressed.

kermit_rr · Apr 4, 2022

Dunno what prices are like but a decent bulkhead might save a lot of pain, has the (aluminium!?) chequerplate been stuck on with mastic or done by a pro with a pop rivet gun?

I'm not trying to put you off or scare you, sometimes it's simpler and even cheaper to draw a line whether you are handy with a welder or getting someone to do work for you. Everything is fixable and there's loads of parts about

Murgetroyd · Apr 4, 2022

kermit_rr said:
Dunno what prices are like but a decent bulkhead might save a lot of pain, has the (aluminium!?) chequerplate been stuck on with mastic or done by a pro with a pop rivet gun?

I'm not trying to put you off or scare you, sometimes it's simpler and even cheaper to draw a line whether you are handy with a welder or getting someone to do work for you. Everything is fixable and there's loads of parts about

A pop rivet gun has been used I think but doesn't look like a pro has been anywhere near this!
I've seen the price of new bulkheads and that makes sense. No idea how much labour costs or how long it would take to strip down but have a call out with a garage to find out.

lynall · Apr 4, 2022

Murgetroyd said:
Certainly not pots of money but there will be jobs I can take on and others that I'll have to pay the piper so it just means it will take longer but that's the game right?

Labour is the killer, especially on an old land rover, simple jobs plus a few seized bolts in awkward places can add hours of time/cost.
Parts prices range from cheap to mental, most service stuff is sensible enough, rare parts is where the money is.

Murgetroyd · Apr 4, 2022

lynall said:
Labour is the killer, especially on an old land rover, simple jobs plus a few seized bolts in awkward places can add hours of time/cost.
Parts prices range from cheap to mental, most service stuff is sensible enough, rare parts is where the money is.

what does a days labour/garage time cost roughly in your experience?

lynall · Apr 4, 2022

Murgetroyd said:
what does a days labour/garage time cost roughly in your experience?

No idea, I am a mech and so tight I squeak when I walk!
I can pretty much list on the fingers of one hand when I have had to pay someone to do stuff for me over the last decade or so.

Most garages will be scared of old land rovers as they know from experience just how quickly the job can go tits up, you really want the semi retired guy who does it because he enjoys it and will charge you accordingly.
Silly stuff like removing seat box to floor bolts, some easy to get to, others almost impossible without damaging the box itself.
Change brake shoes, turns into wheel cylinders leaking, then pipe unions seized into the cylinder so new pipes needed, then they are seized the other end, and before you know it the simple reline job is now into a couple days of labour, and the annoying thing is you will have to do them again in the next few years as some of the new parts are suspect quality, plus lack of use tends to wreck the brakes.

Conversely you dont need many special tools to work on them at home, 3/8 drive 9/16 prop tool and a 52mm hub socket main special tools, rest is generic everyday stuff.
Hammer, big fat chisel for lock tabs, 7/16 and a 1/2 inch brake pipe spanner.

Murgetroyd · Apr 4, 2022

lynall said:
No idea, I am a mech and so tight I squeak when I walk!
I can pretty much list on the fingers of one hand when I have had to pay someone to do stuff for me over the last decade or so.

Most garages will be scared of old land rovers as they know from experience just how quickly the job can go tits up, you really want the semi retired guy who does it because he enjoys it and will charge you accordingly.
Silly stuff like removing seat box to floor bolts, some easy to get to, others almost impossible without damaging the box itself.
Change brake shoes, turns into wheel cylinders leaking, then pipe unions seized into the cylinder so new pipes needed, then they are seized the other end, and before you know it the simple reline job is now into a couple days of labour, and the annoying thing is you will have to do them again in the next few years as some of the new parts are suspect quality, plus lack of use tends to wreck the brakes.

Conversely you dont need many special tools to work on them at home, 3/8 drive 9/16 prop tool and a 52mm hub socket main special tools, rest is generic everyday stuff.
Hammer, big fat chisel for lock tabs, 7/16 and a 1/2 inch brake pipe spanner.

Well I don't have a 9/16 prop tool nor a 52mm hub socket but tool station do so can sort that. The rest I have!

Zed. · Apr 4, 2022

Murgetroyd said:
This gives you a feel for the terrible handpaint job

so factory fresh then?

Murgetroyd said:
and the seats and steering wheel which I reckon came out of an austin maestro

will definately be better than origonals and metro / mini (REAL not bmw shit) steeringwheels are a common conversion iirc?

Murgetroyd said:
The bulkhead looks/feels/sounds like the problem.

usually are the worst bit (except chassis

) although a sound repaired chassis should be good to use...

Murgetroyd said:
I've driven it a few times

Murgetroyd said:
but it's not great at accelerating, turning or stopping

normal....

except stopping, turning or accelerating, they don't do that so if it does then you must have a goodun

kermit_rr said:
Dunno what prices are like but a decent bulkhead might save a lot of pain

Newbury 4x4 spares day soon....

kermit_rr said:
Everything is fixable and there's loads of parts about

as above

Murgetroyd said:
Well I don't have a 9/16 prop tool nor a 52mm hub socket but tool station do so can sort that

you might not need them for a while....

^^ Not evryday repairs hopefully

Rich.

lynall · Apr 4, 2022

Murgetroyd said:
Well I don't have a 9/16 prop tool nor a 52mm hub socket but tool station do so can sort that. The rest I have!

They are both sensible priced and make life so much easier, dont get the cheap 52mm box spanner as they tend to distort, the proper 52mm socket stamped britpart/bearmach are good.

gstuart · Apr 5, 2022

Plus 1 ^^^^

must admit that looks like one of my old series landies regarding the bulkhead, chassis, leaf springs etc

personally I got myself a big gazebo type cover , unless you’ve got a garage, which then allowed me to see the condition a lot better with the body and bulkhead removed , had to replace the chassis , bulkhead, etc, etc, wonder if u could possibly get a second hand chassis , bulkhead , however not up to speed regarding registration if items are changed on the log book

plus I wonder how hard it would be to put a petrol engine in, seeing then it would be considerably quieter , rebuilt a complete wiring loom myself which isn’t difficult

thks again for the pictures , indeed as mentioned will be a cracking project and you’ve definitely got ur work cut out, really enjoyed when I done mine and learnt a lot in the process

From the pics looks like the chassis has been badly plated , bad welds etc etc , plse don’t think I’m trying to teach u how to suck eggs as u can see all this ur goodself

Would be fantastic if u would be so kind to keep us posted on ur progress with plenty of piccies plse, many thks

ps, just made the pictures larger

gstuart · Apr 5, 2022

lynall said:
No idea, I am a mech and so tight I squeak when I walk!
I can pretty much list on the fingers of one hand when I have had to pay someone to do stuff for me over the last decade or so.

Most garages will be scared of old land rovers as they know from experience just how quickly the job can go tits up, you really want the semi retired guy who does it because he enjoys it and will charge you accordingly.
Silly stuff like removing seat box to floor bolts, some easy to get to, others almost impossible without damaging the box itself.
Change brake shoes, turns into wheel cylinders leaking, then pipe unions seized into the cylinder so new pipes needed, then they are seized the other end, and before you know it the simple reline job is now into a couple days of labour, and the annoying thing is you will have to do them again in the next few years as some of the new parts are suspect quality, plus lack of use tends to wreck the brakes.

Conversely you dont need many special tools to work on them at home, 3/8 drive 9/16 prop tool and a 52mm hub socket main special tools, rest is generic everyday stuff.
Hammer, big fat chisel for lock tabs, 7/16 and a 1/2 inch brake pipe spanner.

hi mate

had the same when I bought my first landy , garages simply didn’t want to know, so thought I would at least removed the body, bulkhead etc which allowed me a better idea , yikes wish I hadn’t after uncovering rot where the fuel tank was, foot wells, fibreglass and newspaper in the bulkhead, the list went on and on, but learnt so much , also found the chassis had virtually snapped on the 88 by the drivers seat

outriggers were rotten or easily knocked off with a hammer , plus the loom was a complete and utter mess, built myself a new one as in some other areas could see melted wires, broken connectors etc

wish I had ebay back then as was a vase of going to breakers or looking in exchange and mart for parts

Mark Piercy · Apr 10, 2022

Murgetroyd said:
Here are the good ones. Worth noting that I've pushed and poked about and even thought he chassis looks terrible with rust and peeling paint it is solid. The bulkhead looks/feels/sounds like the problem. The pics of the driverside pillar and the nearside footwell tell the tale.
Let me know your thoughts!

That looks expensive if you don't do the work yourself...

gstuart · Apr 10, 2022

Mark Piercy said:
That looks expensive if you don't do the work yourself...

Indeed, can see a few sovereigns going into that rebuild, lol

Hippo · May 1, 2022

Welcome to the forum

Newbie here. Have I made a bad decision?

kermit_rr

Very

Murgetroyd

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kermit_rr

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Murgetroyd

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lynall

Well-Known Member

Murgetroyd

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lynall

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Murgetroyd

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Zed.

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lynall

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gstuart

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gstuart

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Mark Piercy

Well fumbled member....

gstuart

D3 Grandad

Hippo

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