Series 3 1982 Series 3 SWB 2.25 petrol

Its worth doing the 3/4 syncho springs ASAP. When I got my series they must have been broken but not having driven a series any distance before I just lived with very tricky down changes. That is until I was in traffic on a very hot day in Bristol town centre going to the balloon fiesta when the car in front stopped suddenly and I changed down without thinking. Bang went the teeth off 3rd, we limped on to the camping field and came home the next day on a low loader. Had to strip the whole box as the teeth that came off kicked up into 4th gear and trashed that too. When I stripped it the remains of the springs were in the bottom. I now have a magnet in the bottom.

Cheers gents. Gearbox is on the list. I have just picked up a complete box for £70 so will have look about in that then tackle the one in the car. Doors first.

Well after a bit of a break to play with steam engines, I finally got round to test fitting the series doors that Paintman Panels supplied, along with anti-burst locks and paint. So far only near side completely mocked up and off side just the door on pretty happy with it all. A truck cab has also been aquired as the S3 doesn’t fit in the garage with the hard top on, bugger.

Here are some photos:



One question, I have kept the defender hinges for the time being, should there be a shim/ gasket between the door side of the hinge and the door? The dome head screws for the mirror foul on the series doors?



And a token steam engine photo for those interested:



Cheers,
Ben

Nice doors.

Yes, there should be a plastic gasket between the hinge and door, I guess to keep water out of the bulkhead. I'm afraid I don't have a part number to hand.

Cheers Rubins. The hinge to bulkhead has the shim, but there wasn't one between the hinge and door when I removed the defender doors. I'm guessing it is the same part as the parts manual shows there isn't one?

Yeah sorry, got ahead of myself. My series doors didn't have anything between hinge and door either.

Rubins4 said:

Yeah sorry, got ahead of myself. My series doors didn't have anything between hinge and door either.

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Mine doesn't either. There is only a shim/ gasket where the hinge fits to the bulkhead pillar.

Well finally after a bit of messing about and painting the doors the wrong colour, the S3 is topless with series doors fitted. Dead happy with it all mind and it was a learning curve regarding brush painting. Undercover Covers canvas on order and a set of hood sticks too.

btiratsoo said:

Well finally after a bit of messing about and painting the doors the wrong colour, the S3 is topless with series doors fitted. Dead happy with it all mind and it was a learning curve regarding brush painting. Undercover Covers canvas on order and a set of hood sticks too.

View attachment 150169

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You're missing the door cappping

Looking good though, I am waiting for the good weather to come back so I can take my roof off. I used the last of the good weather to work on it rather than drive it!

Cheers Dag. I’ve got the cappings, I’m going to try and get a colour match on the paint and redo the doors. Will sort the cappings out then. Sadly the tub cappings have been painted. Might have to take them off and get them stripped and galvanised again.

Never owned a Land Rover before and driving this topless down some of the local green lanes is mint!

The full tilt transformation is complete and we are dead happy with it. Such a lovely hood from Undercover Covers. The hood sticks they supplied aren't the best as they look to have been welded by an elephant, but combined with an original set of over door drains and drain channels, all went together reasonably well. Some terrible repairs to the windscreen surround has meant the drain channels aren't quite flush, but should be ok.

Now I just need to do the rear diff pinion oil seal and fit the 205/80 r16 General Grabber AT3s that I have to go on a spare set of wheels. Sadly the S3 doesn't fit in the garage on the 7.50s, but they have been kept ready for when they are needed etc.

Cheers
Ben