Am I bonkers?

filfan · Jan 16, 2011

I have 4 months tax left on my 1987 110 sw and am having a crazy idea of taking her off the rd to start a restoration when it runs out.

was thinking about getting the chassis galvinized as it is absolutly solid and still has alot of the original paint. the only thing bad is the usual cross member.

not really interseded in a new chassis as there are to many stories about things not lining up and the metal used been poor. plut it would cost roughly double.

so do you think it would be wortht it in the long run as i have no intentions of selling her in the future and how long do you think it would take to strip down and rebuild?

jamesmartin · Jan 16, 2011

they can warp while been galvanised ,,i would buy a new one ,the only time we had alignment issues was one from designa chassis but that was about 6-8 years ago bought others from richard chassis i think in the last 2 years and apart from cleaning holes out fitted perfctly

Andy Land · Jan 16, 2011

I bought a rear 1/4 chassis from MibComponents for £250.00 which is hand made and it fits a treat. They will fit them for the same price too if you're not a welder. If the crossmember is the only bad part why not try this instead. It's actually easier to fit than a crossmember on its own.

filfan · Jan 18, 2011

jamesmartin said:
they can warp while been galvanised ,,i would buy a new one ,the only time we had alignment issues was one from designa chassis but that was about 6-8 years ago bought others from richard chassis i think in the last 2 years and apart from cleaning holes out fitted perfctly

Is it not a waste of a good chassis though. What sort of time scale do you think to swap things over

steve-o · Jan 18, 2011

If it ain't broke why fix it?

Bromsgrove Defender · Jan 18, 2011

filfan said:
What sort of time scale do you think to swap things over

How long is a piece of string?

With the right tools everything coming off straight away and loads of help.

1 Week

In the real world if you've got to do it on your own, evenings/weekends, weather permitting, mole grips and an hammer.

1 Year +

Bromsgrove Defender · Jan 18, 2011

Oh and jury's out on whether yr bonkers or not

jamesmartin · Jan 18, 2011

best thing and phone galvanisers , welded parts usually need destressing before dipping as that uasually will relief any stress by warping .or repair yours and give a good hammeriting

djwillis · Jan 18, 2011

jamesmartin said:
they can warp while been galvanised ,,i would buy a new one ,the only time we had alignment issues was one from designa chassis but that was about 6-8 years ago bought others from richard chassis i think in the last 2 years and apart from cleaning holes out fitted perfctly

I am sat looking out the window at a truck rebuilt on a Designa chassis that has alignment issues

.

If it was me I would find a good local galvanising place (or better 2) and talk to them about galvanising your existing chassis as it's a known quantity. This of course relies on you being damm sure your chassis is a good one and not just hiding all it's inside out rot under a veneer of steel and paint

.

They should be able to tell you what sort of things they work on, what thickness they aim for and what type of prep work you and they would need to do to make sure you have as little warping as possible. Oh and cost ideas

.

That all said, expect the whole rebuild job to take 5 times longer than your worst estimates, cost twice as much, have more pints of blood in the buildwork than oil in the sump and be only slightly less important to you then your closest companion when done

.

Your bonkers, no doubt about it, anyone starting this sort of project has to be. Good luck

.

Langers · Jan 18, 2011

[nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ci40ae8BlcE&ob=av3el"]YouTube - Dizzee Rascal & Armand Van Helden - Bonkers (Video)[/nomedia]

instantsquid · Jan 18, 2011

I'm rebuilding a Series 2A. Absolutely cannot justify a new chassis for it. What's under it is in reasonable condition. I've blasted it inside and out with the jetwash. Gonna use Dinitrol rust converter and chassis wax on the inside. Did some research into the lead oxide primer they use on things like oil rigs - it's not cheap, but it's got rust converter in it, plus little glass beads which interlock as it cures to create an impermeable layer. Then good old Frosts chassis black over the top. With regular re-application of the chassis wax to the inside, and the odd touching up of the outside, I don't see why it shouldn't last another 40 years.

top drive · Jan 18, 2011

on oil rigs you say ......

although lead based sounds nasty - doubt youd get that off a rig easy

your bonkers - although im considering wether i want to do similar .... i enjoy driving it LOTS - only had it a month or so but wouldnt mind preserving it ! , i hate engine electronics ..... i have a 2.5 Td atm - when the mad max rules hit the earth - ill be the one in my landy which can be fixed with a hammer and adjustable

instantsquid · Jan 18, 2011

Shouldn't have said "lead oxide" - would "red oxide" have been better?

Anyway, here's the stuff: Corroless

nesponge · Jan 18, 2011

if a jobs worth doing... it's worth doing properly no?

A full rebuild should be just that using the best kit you can lay your hands on, putting right what land rover never bothered to (i.e stainless bolts and nylon washers, galvanized parts etc)

top drive · Jan 18, 2011

interesting - ill ask around at work see if i can get my hands on some

..... knowing regs i probably wont be able to get me any but its worth a try .....

nesponge - you are probably right but i envisage about 10k + going down that route .... and it would nearly always end up on a Q plate unless im mistaken ? duno what the OP looking for but im certainly not looking for perfection - just fairly solid would be nice ... think for a full nuts and bolts rebuild id choose a better base vehicle

top drive · Jan 18, 2011

interesting - ill ask around at work see if i can get my hands on some

..... knowing regs i probably wont be able to get me any but its worth a try .....

nesponge - you are probably right but i envisage about 10k + going down that route .... and it would nearly always end up on a Q plate unless im mistaken ? duno what the OP looking for but im certainly not looking for perfection - just fairly solid would be nice ... think for a full nuts and bolts rebuild id choose a better base vehicle

nesponge · Jan 18, 2011

A chassis swap should not land you with a q-plate as you can stamp your old chassis number onto the new one.

Simplyoliy · Jan 19, 2011

Also considering a strip and build. Though just to get it solid and running smooth. Terry You should come down and bring welding kit. We could have fun getting both fixed over a couple weekends or such.

top drive · Jan 19, 2011

oli

i should probably get good with my welder first

im heading back to my parent to weld up my dads trailer(as the ladder racks broke off) at the weekend ! for some practice

im not planning anything for the landy other than maintainance till at least spring - since it was bought as the standby vehicle for getting out of the house for supplies when snow and ice comes

btw - solid and running smooth will turn into a full nuts and bolts - i know it ! - ive gone this far - you know the sort !

Simplyoliy · Jan 19, 2011

Haha. Well Im about to get access to a workshop with a pit. Not sure what its equipped with. But can take tools in. Im probably gonna strip the spare one down 1st.
As for bolts, everytime we get stainless stuff at work Im setting nuts/bolts/screws of various sizes aside!

Am I bonkers?

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