New project - stood for 31 years - 1959 S2

Hi all,
I've just picked up a new project - a 1959 s2 that has been stood since 1983.

It has a BMC 2.2 Diesel engine fitted, which is siezed to buggery. The gearbox is also siezed. I can wiggle the gear lever around in neutral. I managed to get 2nd yesterday, but in can't select 1st 3rd or 4th. Reverse is no problem. Are there any tricks to freeing off an old box?

Page bellhousing looks to be full of muck and leaves so I'll have to split the engine/box first but just wondering if there was anything I could do to free off the selectors?

Thanks all

yay, another build/resto thread!

:nopics:

Re freeing the box, it depends why it's seized, if it's just full of mud/crud a good wash will be a good place to start. If it's rusted together it's a but more involved...

If the rest of the car is in good nick, i'd be searching for a 2.25 petrol to replace that BMC thing under the bonnet. A 2.5D would go well there also, and give good fuel mileage along with decent performance.

As regards the gearbox - drain the oil and see what comes out. If it's real live oil you may be in good shape and just have rusted-up selector rods (remove top of gearbox, remove rods, polish/clean, replace seals and reinstall). if you get muck/rust/water...I'd be looking for a replacement. Once you get done going through it to clean it up you'd have served yourself better with a replacement.

Do give us a word picture of the rest of the car. i expect that all the hydraulics will be perished, the seals on the transfer/diffs ditto, and likely the hub seals. Take your time with it and enjoy the work, and you'll have a great car when you're done.

ajr

Cheers gents, she's a bit of a tatty one, but fairly original. Looks worse than she is. Chassis will need a fair bit of welding, and bodywork will need tidying a lot.

The BMC diesel is going for scrap to be replaced with a 2.25 petrol, I've got 2 here but ideally I'll be looking for an earlier 1519 engine to fit (might just drop any old s2 petrol in though).

You have to look past the paint and rust and think of the potential!

nice! i like the indoor plant, helps bring the feel of nature indoors.

doesn't look too bad for 30 years outside, looking forward to the thread

Looks like it will be a fair old project, prepare yourself for everything to leak oil once you get it going if it has been sat for that long.
Looking forward to seeing the rebuild, and it will be worth it, it is a proper Landrover, tough, simple and functional.
Nice project, I am quite jealous

that looks fine, just give it a wipe over with an oily rag and you should be good to go

good luck with the resto

iv'e found with many gearboxe's that have been standing, its usually the selector rods on top of the gearbox, directly under the gearstick ball socket, just give them a good wd40 and then move the stick and the should free up, than put a squirt of oil on them

Try unbolting the gear lever and see whats under there. Wouldn't surprise me if you find potatoes growing in there! Clean and crap out of the 3 selector rods and soak them with a penetrating oil. Work the gear stick round on the bench. That worked my my S3.

Cheers folks. The gear stick moves freely, and the selectors move a couple of mm each way but no more. I'll have a good look tomorrow when I try to remove the bmc 2.2

Shall see how I get on.

Thanks for the supportive comments - looking forward to getting this on the road with my 1960 swb

Decided I'm going to go marine blue with the paint for the rebuild.

Marine blue is a good choice mate, you have got your hands full there!