Defender Bender: My 110

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Picked up a drop-down rear tailgate for about £40 today. Not much corrosion on it, couple of dents but looks good. Hopefully taking it down to my friend's unit next weekend to get the bulkhead fixed up.
 
Good: You can leave the lights on by accident all day, and it'll still start first turn of the key.

Bad: You can't do it two days in a row.
 
Yeah I've just got to get round to doing it now, that's the hard bit.

Today's trick was the single wiper conversion, the landy managed it all by itself! It is only now I have learned how they actually fit on. New wipers and fittings ordered as mine are now a bit too smooth.
 
Today's trick was the single wiper conversion, the landy managed it all by itself! It is only now I have learned how they actually fit on. New wipers and fittings ordered as mine are now a bit too smooth.

Temporarily fixed my single wiper conversion with some duct tape inside the wiper arm recess where it fits onto the spindle adaptor. Gave the feeble splines some more grip and will work until I fix it properly, after I've fixed everything else properly. Might get you through the winter.

Great thread by the way. I'm in a similar boat (pun intended) and am very interested how you get on, and what you come across.
 
Thanks dude! All the best with your project as well. The office is shut over christmas and new years, but I had all my parts delivered there, so can't get at them until next week!
 
So... welding on the bulkhead not yet done as my friend with the welder and the welding skill has been busy.
In the meantime a horrible chirping has developed when driving. Goes away with the clutch pressed in and research points towards worn UJs, so I've ordered up a pair and planning to take it to my garage this weekend to get them done as leaving them would be rather foolish. Will be a good chance to try and plan a route for budget side exit exhaust to replace the current 2 part one as well.
 
So...

Turns out the UJ was pretty ####ed. Well, REALLY ####ed. About half an inch of movement side to side, and had been twisting so much that it had worn down the nuts and bolts on the flange to the centre diff. I didn't have any replacements so front prop (With new UJs) is out and currently running 2WD to get about.

Investigation of the bulkhead on both sides reveals more rust than thought, so rather than waste the repair panels, the rust was ground back to metal, then the holes plated over. Should last about a year, in the meantime I can source a replacement bulkhead and get that tarted up, then swap the whole lot over. The good news is it's no longer got a big hole!

Also, the broken exhaust has had a beating with the welding stick. Centre and rear boxes have been removed and it now curls up and over the chassis leg and exits in front of the rear wheel. Sounds great! Rich also made me up a heatshield to protect the bottom of the plastic boxes.
 
This thread is brill!

Sounds like you have a lot of similar issues to me. What year is yours?

I reckon that come next year, I'll need to replace my bulkhead as the corners on it have already been botched up once by previous owner and it is looking bad again. Really not looking forward to doing that job!

I really like the rear door split tailgate idea too.

Doing my clutch, swapping the disco transfer box back to a Defender one and replacing just about every oil seal under the sun at the end of Feb with my brother-in-law's guidance as he's a landy wiz and I'm just a novice! I have all sorts of noise coming out of the drivetrain area on mine and there starting to get louder than the stereo!

Looking forward to seeing more pics of your progress. J
 
Thanks man! It's a 1996 I think.

So, recently we dismantled the front a bit to get at the bulkhead. As usual, the rust was worse than we thought, and the decision was made to instead patch the current one up for now, and acquire, then restore a replacement bulkhead out of the car where we can get at it all much more easily. Bruce made me up some repair patches, seen here:

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The top edge was gone on the passenger side, 'sealed up vent mod' was done by my father who owned the car before me.
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This has gotten rid of the nasty draught inside, and looks a bit less ungainly!

Rich also made me a new exhaust using nearly all of the parts from the old one to get it up and over the chassis. Straight through side exit with no boxes, sounds great!

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MoT is booked for tomorrow morning. In other news, I now have transmission oil, new front prop seal for the transfer box, new nuts and bolts for the front prop, and one of those special socket tool things to do them up with :)

Oh, and finally got the wipers fitted, so I can see in the rain!
 
Just got back from the MOT, failed on indicator stalk not staying put on right turns (Fairly easy fix - new stalk I think) and a wheel bearing but that's it! Pretty relieved! Need to order parts today and attempt to fix at the weekend - think there's a handy guide on LZ
 
Just got back from the MOT, failed on indicator stalk not staying put on right turns (Fairly easy fix - new stalk I think) and a wheel bearing but that's it! Pretty relieved! Need to order parts today and attempt to fix at the weekend - think there's a handy guide on LZ
There was a post about indicators not staying put a while back. Happens to mine even with a new stalk. When i indicate right, it stays on until i start to turn then it cancels. Bloody anoying.
 
BENDER MENDER

Bruce "So which side wheel bearing do we need to do?"

Me "Offside rear"

Bruce "You're sure?"

Me "Certain"

---3 hours later---

Me "Let me just check what the fail sheet sa.... oh bollocks"

Bruce "Nearside rear?"

Me "Yep"

So what happened today - we replaced the offside rear wheel bearing with new inners, the races looked in good condition so we left the old ones in, which was just as well as when we took the nearside apart, the rear seal had broken down and horrible chocolatey sludge poured out.
Luckily we were able to re-use the seal from the offside, with the offside inners and the new races replacing the badly worn and scored ones, packed out with new grease, and a new drive flange gasket each side.
The result is no play in either side so fingers crossed for an MOT pass. Unfortunately the offside caliper is sticking something terrible BUT it wasn't a fail and the van still drives ok so may just be crud in between the disc and pad.
The downside is this meant we had no time to refit the front prop so still in 2WD mode. Oh well! It can wait for next time.

Also, we removed and replaced the faulty indicator stalk for a brand new one, and the difference is sublime! It's solid now, doesn't self cancel as soon as you start turning right, and feels tiiiiiight.
On the old stalk, one of the self-cancel things had broken and the ball bearing popped out, so we replaced the whole unit for a new one and I'm really glad of it!

Once again, big thanks to Bruce for the help, garages, tools etc. Now just hope it passes the re-test next week so I can stick tax on it and enjoy!
 
Ugh... FINALLY got around to put the front prop back in today (after farm track wheelspin embarrassment and wet cobbles defender drifting). Had to replace the bolts on the transfer box so took the flange off, seal out, went to put the new seal in and it's a bloody diff seal not a transfer box one! Have ordered a new one but it'll be tuesday when it arrives.
 
YES! No more drift rover/unable to get up small inclines land rover.

New seal in, bearing greased, prop refitted and transfer box filled with lovely smelly oil.

Here is a pic of me lying in the gutter bolting the prop up

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Thanks to me ol' pal Sam for the help.
 
Blimey, not updated this in ages!

Removed the headlight covers as the rust was irritating me. Pondering a pickling vinegar bath to see if that helps.
Whilst doing that, the headlight fell out as the surround was rusted. Headlight was knackered. Replaced with MX5 headlights as we had them to hand. No, I am not going to wire up the 'angel eyes'.


Trusty zip ties



Reassembled
 
Been an age again since I've posted here, mainly because I haven't done anything worth writing about. New battery and glow plugs recently (very pitted and one oil soaked glow plug had probably not been working for a while meant battery getting repeatedly flattened trying to start, so bit the bullet and got a new one)
This weekend I got some garage space and we set to work on a facelift and much needed TLC.
As well as the usual fuel, oil and air filter and oil change, a load of the old knackered wiring was removed and replaced with something more sensible that actually worked.
I acquired a series 3 bumper and bullbar from ebay to give the front end a different look.
Old above, new below. New one was covered in the plasticote rust trap stuff, which was given a damn good chiselling, wirebrushing, and attacked with paint.

Intercooler was sprayed black and Rich (who was doing the wiring and general mechanic advice) stencilled the logo on

Grille was painted black, something I've wanted to do for absolutely ages. Sidelights and indicators were given a dusting too

The excitement was too much for Kev who promptly fell asleep in the slamdrover

Bit of primer

Then a bit o'black - wheels were pretty scaggy before

How she/he stands now - in my eyes a great improvement - will have to mount the front plate properly though. The headlight grilles are fitted at the moment but will need a clean up and paint.


Still got an exhaust leak but a new hangar/strap was fitted to make it decidedly less clanky.
A tiring but rewarding weekend.
 
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