1986 Classic now mine

Hi All.

Hopefully some photos will appear below.

1986, 3.5 V8, Cypress Green, with 60k miles on the clock.

It has come with various bits but I have I would like to ask the experts here what should be done first.

I want to keep it as original as possible but am keen to deal with any rot/rust issues first before anything else.

Charybdis said:

Hi All.

Hopefully some photos will appear below.

1986, 3.5 V8, Cypress Green, with 60k miles on the clock.

It has come with various bits but I have I would like to ask the experts here what should be done first.

I want to keep it as original as possible but am keen to deal with any rot/rust issues first before anything else.

Click to expand...

It's rusted away cos i can't see it

Photos to follow once I have got the hang of uploading them!

And the rusty bits:

Driver's door


Lower tailgate

what no picks

Now that (I think) the photos are up, does anybody recognise these roof racks?

Can't see pics

Click "Go Advanced", then "Manage Attachments", and upload the pics that way

Are they there yet? Thanks for the pointers for posting.

yup they there

nice motor, what's that roof rack thing though, yuk

No idea what the roof racks are - anyone recognise them? They will be coming off just as soon as i can find somewhere to sta them.

Nice looking Rangie....and for 26 years old she is is great condition....lose the rack, and if that is the only real rust you have - you have a damn decent looker there....well done and enjoy!!!

Nice colour, but looks like a fair amount of work. You need to lose the abandoned scaffolding off the roof ASAP or you will be looking at 8mpg.

Looks nice - I had an '88 which went to the rust home in the sky last year - Martin Gilbert at www.rangeroverspares.com has it (Hitchin) and it had a new factory lower tailgate - I've got some doors if you get desperate..

On mine - what went in 10 years, roughly in order
Rear wheelarches, floors and rear crossmember ( 2003)

Doors and lower tailgate ( 2006)

B pillar bases ( 2006)

Rear cross member ( 2008)

Inner wings ( 2008)

Rear wheel arches, sills, A pillar base, floors, (2011)

Don't despair - mine had done 200K+ and been used for launching powerboats into the sea

Anyone know of a source for a cypress green lower tailgate? I am finding more rust bubbles each time I look at it now.

Also, if anyone is interested in the roofracks (home-made but custom-fit), make me an offer.

looks nice and tidy wont take much to sort out those few bits .good luck with it

its not the rust on the painted bits you need to worry about as the rust on the inner panels etc.

If that efi sytem is working leave it well alone as they are getting hard to find bits for now.

I hope you have fun with it, how much was it? sometimes if its cheap its best to just enjoy it for as long as its without problems then move it on- ie dont go looking for trouble lol

Thanks for all posts.

Jasper Gilder - I have contacted Martin who has a (red) tailgate and I will have a look at it. If it's not right I will just wait for the right one to come along, I am in no hurry.

The rusty bits - driver's door and lower tailgate plus rear quarter panels - will be dealt with as/when I can afford it then I can post photos once done.

I intend to keep this one for a long time, just like the S2A. At fewer than 2k miles per year, it should stay as a low mileage example of the breed.

Same colour as my '87 which only had 40k on it (two owners) when I bought it four years ago, still only 48k now. Like mine you don't have A/C but that's not a problem as (a) there's less to go wrong & (b) it's very basic on earlier 'classics' anyway but I've got a retro-fitted electric tilt/slide glass sunroof (not factory fitted until '88) which I prefer anyway. Looks like you also have the original Clarion radio-cassette too, just had mine repaired by their service agent. Get rid of the roofrack first(!) & don't be tempted to fit bloody awful side-steps, they totally ruin the clean profile of the car. Tackle the rust & keep it original if you can, these earlier examples are getting rare.

Roofracks removed now - ugly as sin but came with it.

Will be trying to find the model number of the radio cassette since the cassette player isn't working - I suppose these are not "coded". EDIT: have found the radio manual in with paperwork, PU-9044A

Side steps will definitely not be fitted. Until this year, my daughter had to use a stepladder to get in the S2A.

Was pleasantly surprised when cleaning it yesterday, SO much easier than a modern eurobox since flat surfaces everywhere, footwells etc and no transmission tunnel in the back.