Series 1 1953 model in need of love

Unsure of the below
1 was a 1600
The other is a 1600 bored to a 2ltr

Siamese may come into it when the bores melt together due to been over bored

DuckSherminator said:

Concerning the Tdis, I absolutely love them too ! I'm just afraid the 2.5L won't be strong enough to pull a trailer with the Series 1... It is quite hilly in Belgium

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A tdi will easily pull a car trailer with a series on it they do not weigh much. They were after all designed to tow and be working vehicles. a 2.5na will still tow 3.5 ton it will just not do it quickly!

suburban said:

the engines do come up occasionally but can get expensive, last one I saw - and I don't actively look - went for a couple of £k.

apparently there are two types spread bore and Siamese bore (means nowt to me )

stick a v8 in it

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Ignore @suburban and do not put a v8 in it, what sacrilege

Although he is correct that the original 1.6lt and 2lt engines are very rare and command very high prices.

The difference between a siamese and a spread bore I believe is to do with the cooling jacket/water galleries in the block although I could not tell you any more detail than that!

If you need a different engine and cannot find/afford an original and early 2.25 would still be in keeping with the vehicle, is relatively easy to fit and most parts are still available for future repair and rebuild. I am going to be shortly fitting one of these to a series 1 that had had a 2lt Peugeot conversion. (threw all its rods and not worth the effort or cost to rebuild)

I'd still love a V8 though, but not in a Series!

Been looking a Disco 1s, they do occasionally show up with V8s. Won't be driving it that much (at least I think haha), so fuel consumption hopefully won't be too much of an issue.

I'll try to see what can be done on the old Peugeot diesel unit that's under the hood at the moment. Hopefully I can make something out of it... Or the 2.25L sounds like a rather good idea, in the "worst" case.

I've been watching videos on Youtube, and one showed up with precisely what I want to do: a basic restauration, keeping as much as the patina as possible. I haven't found any full galvanized chassis, I guess nobody's making them? From what I saw on the bulkhead, top part, where the rubber from the windscreen comes in contact, is completely rotted, and so are the footwells. I'm hoping it will be possible to save it...

You can buy new galvanised chassis but there is a waiting time as these are built to order.
Galv bulkheads are also built to order.
prices for these are expensive.

Top Chanel on bulkhead & footwells are easy repairs

Keep as much of the of the original vehicle as possible, it will be more desirable.That old Peugeot engine must have taken some starting,look at the size of the battery! Between the seats was the only place to put it.

OK, thanks for the info guys.

I finally found the time to go and dig her out. She's still in the woods, but in a dry-ish place at least. Removed the leaves, moss and poop that accumulated for over 10 years.





Overall condition is actually relatively good, one will easily notice that this was a workhorse, that never received much love, but it just goes to prove how solid they are.

Bulkhead is not reasonably savable I think... Looks like it was already (poorly) fixed a few times too.




(On this one, the frame on the floor, guess it's not original. Looks like it was the battery's previous location)


Chassis is, as far as I've seen, fine. That stuff is solid!





Front of the chassis is basically gone. Guess it's because of this accessory they had attached to it.


That rear quarter panel and the front left wing (quite badly bent inwards, and sheet is riped where it attaches to the bulkhead, in red on picture) are the only panels I'd like to get straightened, at least initially. The rest is mostly OK.




The tailgate has seen some better days... Do you think it's savable?




Interior will need a lot of love.



Unfortunately, the other one is a Bosch...


Hope it all works... And I really wouldn't mind getting some explanation on the use of each switch/button/light! Have no clue why there is an additional thing for the key (don't know the term in English) instead of an ammeter.


There are definetly bits missing on the right side... But how much exactly? Can't find pictures on the internet.



Apart from the tail lights (which apparently ID the car as an ex military... Is that true?), I think I'll need new lights all round.




The bed isn't too bad, just the end, near the tailgate that's bent a bit.


And if anyone could tell me what this is for...

Looking good.
Where you put the ignition key this outer moves to do the side/head lights.
Knob to the left of this ignition.
Pulls out for dash board lights.
Good luck

Thanks!

Next step is to put it in a proper dry storage, outside the woods. Once I'll have the money to rent/buy a workshop, I'll move it over there and start the actual work. But I might get started earlier, with individual components such as the rear lights, the instrument cluster, refurbishing the steering wheel, removing the white paint from the galvanised body parts, removing the light green that was resprayed on top of the original color etc.

Time wise, I'm hoping to be finished in something like 2 years.

Must have been used for some heavy work with them coil springs added.

I noticed that too... Maybe it has something to do with the metal plate with a hole in it, on the side. Like I said, I've been told this is an ex military vehicle, so God knows what it has seen...

DuckSherminator said:

And if anyone could tell me what this is for...

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Possibly (and I am guessing) looks like a starter handle would have fitted neatly through the plate and engage with an auxiliary generator in its military days.
And I am jealous, would love to get my hands on a project like that

Fuel tank is an add on that someone fitted.Sill rail has been cut to allow this. Dip in the load bed is where spare wheel sat. There are folk out there who would recon that bulkhead is well restorable.Box on the bulkhead right side often held a first aid kit.

HA HA HA HA HA HA

DuckSherminator said:

Time wise, I'm hoping to be finished in something like 2 years.

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Just spotted that. You will not even have decided what colour it will be by then

2 years sounds good. But I say 2.5 years
dont rush it. Enjoy it & keep taking photos on the strip down so you know where it all goes.

tottot, thank you!

Wimblowdriver, that would actually make perfect sense, but there are no marks in the bed that would sugggest this. Maybe it was fitted to the floor, and the floor changed?
I'm actually not painting it, just going to try to get rid of the non-original layers of paint so the LR green and bare galvanised metal can show!

Hicap phill, I'm not going to rush it, I want it to be perfect (i.e. engine, transmission, suspension, brakes, chassis, bulkhead, interior and electrics sorted). I'm trying to be realistic, but I think the most difficult part here will be to find a workshop to work on it. Once I've got that, I'll get started!

I was wondering if maybe I could try to straighten and fix some of the panels myself, since it's just aluminium, it must be easier to work with than conventional sheet metal, or am I completely wrong?

I have basic skills in welding (MIG) and will probably buy myself one to sort out the chassis and if I build up enough confidence, why not the bulkhead? although that seems a bit more complicated... Guess it wouldn't cost much to at least give it a go!

For the aluminum panels that are ripped (there's a rip in driver door, rear right quarter panel and front left wing), I should find a place where I'd have access to a TIG. I just want it to be solid, and prevent further ripping.

Hope all this sounds realistic to you gents too, because in my mind, everything seems so clear. I feel like it'll be "easy" compared to the restauration of a conventional vehicle (monocoque chassis, steel, actual upholstery, more electrics etc.). The Series 1 is actually just a tractor with some fancy panels all around haha

DuckSherminator said:

The Series 1 is actually just a tractor with some fancy panels all around

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Very true. Same as all its descendants.

Some MAJOR news!

Tonton (name I've given to the car, that's how I used to call my grandpa, former owner of the car) is now out of the woods and in a dry place. Some pictures of today's adventure.

We managed to get a local farmer to help us for the sketchy bit in the woods. Even with a Defender we were afraid to take the car down the steep part of the hill.




Probably the first time ever this car was cleaned! Original paint is coming back quite nice as the light green just peels right off with the pressure washer.


Temporary resting place, as I'm now actively searching for some space to work on it.



This project has got me so excited

, I really can't wait to get started!