£200 V8 Range Rover

So me and a mate have managed to get a 1989 Vogue SE 3.5 for £200. Quite pleased. Yes it needs work, and no not as much as you think. It runs, it drives, it needs a bit of welding but chassis good. Interior is good, ALL the electrics work, 2" lift kit and apparently it has overfinch diffs/axles but no real confirmation. Plan is to get done what we know needs doing, take it for an MOT and see what needs doing to get it on the road. Had a couple of Defenders in the past, but what should I look for mechanically on this V8 in terms of catastrophic problems??

jackat said:

So me and a mate have managed to get a 1989 Vogue SE 3.5 for £200. Quite pleased. Yes it needs work, and no not as much as you think. It runs, it drives, it needs a bit of welding but chassis good. Interior is good, ALL the electrics work, 2" lift kit and apparently it has overfinch diffs/axles but no real confirmation. Plan is to get done what we know needs doing, take it for an MOT and see what needs doing to get it on the road. Had a couple of Defenders in the past, but what should I look for mechanically on this V8 in terms of catastrophic problems??

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Keep an eye on the coolant level, check to see if there is heat coming from the heater when up to temp (and check to see if the heater blower works on all fan speeds). Most likely the power steering system is leaking someplace, so watch that fluid level as well. Check out your steering linkages for play due to bad ball joints and see if there is any movement in your panhard rod. Bad panhard bushes can cause issues. Check for slop in your wheel bearings and swivel pin tension. Give a look and smell to your tranny fluid, as well.

An 89 with all working electrics is something I've never experienced, so good on you and good luck!

Heater blows really warm, so thats good. No mayo on the oil cap either. Will change all the oils anyway before we use it, give it a freshen up. From a purely listening to it it seems that some of the pulleys are dry or the bearings are shot as they are fairly loud.

Tell me more about these overfinch diff?

Where are the pics

How do you insert pics? I have no idea about the overfinch parts, just what I was told so it may be nothing.

Here are the pics. Some more rust at rear arches, battery tray and top of off side inner arch.

Nice. tailgate is good

Yeah was impressed with that.

Nice, not bad condition. Nice un gassed 3.5 flapper? Makes me realise how bad the 88 3.5 se was I broke last year. Still got some of it if you need anything.

Flapper? Sorry not up on the V8 jargon yet! It's going for MOT next wednesday to find out what it fails on, then will see what the plan is. Just had it running and driving round the estate. Changes gear smooth but only got into 3rd. Low box works but feels like it needs fresh oil! I know I'll need at LH indicator/side light unit, and a handbrake cable with associated parts, but after that not sure. Whats the usual cause of slight miss fire on one cylinder? It will get new plugs and leads anyway if we get through an MOT so that may do it.

think it`ll need the misfire sorting before a co2 emissions thingy test is done matey, as unless it runs spot on,
or your tester is looking purely on mechanicle things, doubt it`ll pass the exhaust thingy test.
my first call would be find the missing plug-replace with a new one-then go further if not cured..
rangie looks nice though, so you done well mate.
the welding can be sorted, get used to it...lol

I know it will fail anyway, just wanting to know what on to see if it's worth putting back on the road or not. If its not too much then we will set to work making it awesome, otherwise it will get either stripped for parts and sold or turned into some sort of off road play thing if the engine and gear box is good enough.

Bring it round mine if it wants welding. I'm David's mate he just texted me the pics

The Flapper is the original EFI system, was replaced with the Hotwire system then the 3.9, I think you have the flapper as you have the 9th fuel injector on the air intake, that makes them juicy at that injects fuel into the plenum on cold start, a friend once had it measured and just that one was 1 liter in the first 30 seconds :jaw: this can be re programmed on the ECU somehow as I have one that has been done or you can change the injection system for a hotwire. There are people on here that will know more about it and be able to explain more about them than I can.

Yours looks like it is worth saving.

Dr_evil said:

Bring it round mine if it wants welding. I'm David's mate he just texted me the pics

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As in Dave from next door to where I work? Where are you based?

Dave with the golf and now focus yeah? I'm in Windermere

stutab said:

The Flapper is the original EFI system, was replaced with the Hotwire system then the 3.9, I think you have the flapper as you have the 9th fuel injector on the air intake, that makes them juicy at that injects fuel into the plenum on cold start, a friend once had it measured and just that one was 1 liter in the first 30 seconds :jaw: this can be re programmed on the ECU somehow as I have one that has been done or you can change the injection system for a hotwire. There are people on here that will know more about it and be able to explain more about them than I can.

Yours looks like it is worth saving.

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Thanks for the info, might look at that if we end up keeping it. I do think its worth keeping on the road somehow, the guy we bought it off was going to scrap and I thought its a shame to scrap a potentially good classic, even if it's just so someone else can keep theirs on the road!

Didn't know he had a focus now, but yeah.
I'll let you know how we get on with the MOT, as we can't trailer it so will try and do what we can on site here.

Think he just bought it