1988 Range Rover Classic 3.5L V8 EFi

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marccleave

Active Member
Posts
644
Location
Dorset
So there have been some recent RRC rebuild threads and I've loved every single picture in them!

How about another one? ... I thought it was time I posted mine. Now I'm cheating slightly because I actually got this in late 2012. (Has it been that long already? :() It started out as a "fettle a few things to get it back on the road" but the further I dug the worse it got.

So as I've done a lot of work already, I can be relatively brief with pictures and throw them to you all in one go? Or a few at a time...

This being my first Land-Rover and the first car I've ever gotten dirty with, the work I've done is nothing special, totally started from scratch, and in fact now I look back on a lot of it, I would have done probably most of it a LOT differently. Its been a huge learning experience! :D One main thing I'll mention now that I would do differently next time is repair panels! Oh well, I'll make sure to do that for the next one! :eek:

So, this is as far as I'm aware of, the only picture I have of it in one piece. I got it home and started almost straight away, really enthusiastic and ready to go!

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I started out by seeing what I had actually bought........ Oh dear...

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Now, its the typical looks great on the outside but once you pull the carpets back its not the worst I'd seen but it wasn't perfect either!


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Possibly to a few of you, all of that is an afternoons work. But this being my first Land-Rover and the length of time I've been working on it, then its been doing a bit here and there when I could, tackling each bit one at a time, trying to finish one bit before starting the next.

Because I'm terrible at remembering to take photos, what I don't have is pictures of the sides of the boot, front wings and the rear seatbelt mounts. I could push my fingers through them! So pretty much allllllll the normal places for a RRC to go in!

But... not only was the body shot, so was the engine. More pictures of actual things happening to come, just trying to organise them so they make sense!
 
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thats some project
a few months in on mine but a rolling project used daily
runs on lpg that helps cost wise
just love everything about it even though needed parts to get it running from day one of ownership
the v8 burble is priceless
mine is 1987
 
Quite a project yes, but its had its ups and downs. Still going though but I feel like I'm close to the end. That V8 sound is amazing I agree. :D

Again, hindsight is a wonderful thing. I should have bought a running RRC and not one with an engine in bits. Otherwise you end up having to do this:

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Can you see what some PO did? They fitted a 2" lift with turrets for extra shocks. Butchered the front wings! :(

Right, how about some pictures of the work I've done?

On the off side sill and floor, footwell etc I ended up cutting out bits of metal, bits of non ferrous metal, filler and fibre glass. :(

I got some 100x60mm 3mm steel box section for the sills. ;)

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At some point I ended up doing the bottoms of the goal post
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The front wings and light boxes needed doing. I should have gotten YRM/Easy On panels for all of this but wallet didn't allow me at the time.

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Already been repaired!

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The other side fell off............. :mad:

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Then it was onto the inner wing... required EIGHT different patches! Eurgh, next time I'm going to get complete parts from YRM/Easy On/Paddocks. This was a PAIN to do!!!

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I took the pressure washer to the engine bay.... 25 years worth of gunk.

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Then took these abominations off...
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Woo hooooooooo

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I also ended up removing the 2" lift and putting it back on standard shocks and springs. Composite springs on the back will see how they go...

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Still had to get the welder out though.... :rolleyes:

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That should keep you all picture happy for a few minutes.
 
Thanks! :D

You should see the piston rings embedded in them and what looks like blow marks from a leaking explosion out the side. The valves were rusted to hell and theres copious amounts of black death where the rocker arms are meant to be. They weren't actually installed on the car when I got it...

So I figured I'd use them as wheel chocks! :biggrin1:
 
if its not too late..go buy some cold galv paint for the inner panels...

then spray with shultz can on air line engine oil in everything...in the sills, chassis etc..do this every 4 months or so, only takes 30mins..no rust!

DONT bother with waxoly ..it just hides the rust...
 
Love these build threads, especially ones about RRC's! I am neither brave enough, nor do I have the welding skills to take something like this on so I always respect (and envy!) those that do - this should be one sorted Landy when it's done, I will watch with interest. Thanks for sharing!
 
as to the abominations....wanna sell them?(to me)..allow one to fit air suspension with modified engine..

my fav rrc coulour by the way..have you seen the cali convertable in this colour??
 
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How come cold galv paint for the inner panels?

When ever I've taken back to metal or cleaned something up I try and give it at least a couple of coats of red oxide (well actually Bonda Rust Primer, its red and its got zinc in it..... and seems to work!)

Re engine oil, yeah had already considered it. I think its worked well on the front of most Land-Rovers for all the years they've been leaking oil onto their chassis, so why not spray the rest of the underneath with it? Its recycling the old engine oil that would otherwise be thrown away! :) What about ATF from the gearbox as well? That seems to have worked as well around the gearbox & power steering... Might eat the paint though?



Thanks blackstrat! I had slight experience of welding, but not very good so this has been my get better on something project. But yes, hopefully it will be one sorted Landy! :cool:



Zen, Yeah I still have the 'abominations'... There is some bits that are attached to the front axle, around the front of the radius arms where the lower bit of the second shock attaches to? Haven't actually taken them off yet, you can kind of see the remnants of the blue paint on them (or at least on the high res pic you can). Want them as well? If so I'll try to get them off and send you a PM when I've got all the bits in a box.

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How about some more pictures? :rulez:

So this side was a bodged repair, whoever did the welding before didnt do the best job, and the repair was rusting, oh and when it rains it leaks into the boot. So I cut it all out and started again! I actually enjoyed doing this bit, it was relatively easy.

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hi..yes them bits you ringed too please.they needed..

cold galv paint is rather good, thats all...tested some 5 yrs ago..still as new.
 
Okay, will get them off then.

Looks like I had better get some cold galv paint as well!!! Thanks!


More pictures? :)

Does a floor go here?
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Excellent. :)
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Love these build threads, especially ones about RRC's! I am neither brave enough, nor do I have the welding skills to take something like this on so I always respect (and envy!) those that do - this should be one sorted Landy when it's done, I will watch with interest. Thanks for sharing!

Ditto here, then add in lack of facilities & to be honest, inclination.
I've owned three 3.5efi's - '85 / '89 & my present '87. The very worst (the '89) was a peach compared to what you have taken on!
I take my hat off to you my friend.
 
Mine was the same, but maybe not just as bad. It was well worth the work and I learned a lot. I wasn't doing a resto, just get it up to a decent standard.
 
Thanks for the comments! :)

I'm not sure I'm particularly comforted when you all say "well i had something like that, but possibly not as bad." :eek: Just shows what a fool I am.. and I thought it was okay. :D

But then again I still had intact a pillars and I could only just push my fingers through the boot floor area so it can't have been that bad.

Ho hum, getting there slowly! :)

This was done a while ago, but I posted in the "What did you do today" thread... Figure I would post them here as well.

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And this has been done waiting to go in...

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Now I'm glad the welding is almost over for me. (Not for you! As theres one or two photos left I think...) But I'm mainly glad as I won't have to do this any more...

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Needless to say I don't think PO took care when welding as a few of the windows are covered in welding splatter. The cloth I put over the dash etc is also quite dirty and worn out.

Will dig out a few more in a bit...
 
How about something I actually did today? ;)

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New locknuts on the shopping list... Don't forget the little things!

Although I've put it back together, I will posssibly stripping the brakes and axles down anyway. I might as well do that!
 
Druim......... :eek: Thanks though! ;)

mudderman... words are good but pictures are great but videos are even better. I wanna hear that! :D



I Think these could do with being replaced!
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Whats that? A LAND-ROVER STICKER?!?!?!

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Ooo, I love new shiny parts :cool:

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Hmmmmmmmmmmmm......
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Sorted.
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I have also decided I'm going to relay the headlights. But I haven't actually done that yet! :rolleyes:
 
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