Series 3 Another Dreamer ?

Hi Everyone


I just thought I would post up some photos of the new project that I have recently bought. I think overall, considering it has sat where it is since its last MOT ran out, its in quite good nick, the good bits are really good and the bad bits awful..........

The bad bits include

Supposedly the clutch is stuck to the flywheel (drove OK when parked) it had been periodically started and driven a few feet backwards and forward until the battery could no longer be charged to get it running (about 10+? years ago) but the last few times the clutch would not release but “felt OK”

The clutch pedal is also seized so quite a bit of work is required to get the hydraulics working to prove the clutch is seized …..

The brake pedal is also seized....

The hand brake is seized as well, is that a full house?

All the front brake shoes,cylinders springs and drums have been removed and are lost

The rear brakes have seized wheel cylinders and worn brake shoes with the nearly new drums very rusty

The springs look very flat, at least the shackles are pushed way back, which it presume is not correct.

Oh and some welding is needed to the bulkhead.........................

The body is lovely and straight, and it has previously been professionally rebuilt in the early 1990s


So my aim is a rolling restoration, the chassis was a new galvanised one when it was rebuilt in the 90s and still looks great, most of the body work was replaced with new at the same time, so the bare bones are not bad and it should make an interesting project for me whilst fulfilling a lifetime ambition of owning a Series Land Rover.


Thanks for Looking


David

That is some impressive bulkhead rust!

lynall said:

That is some impressive bulkhead rust!

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Thats true..... but to be fair the previous owner cut the toe board out to weld in a new one, which is still in the back, and the bit higher up because it was rotten and then bought a steam engine and ran out of time. I guess it was the same deal with the front brakes.

David

Toonarf said:

Thats true..... but to be fair the previous owner cut the toe board out to weld in a new one, which is still in the back, and the bit higher up because it was rotten and then bought a steam engine and ran out of time. I guess it was the same deal with the front brakes.

David

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Well if he cut it out it aint so bad, I thought it was all missing due to rust!

Lot's of fun / heartache / good times / bad times (delete as appropriate) to be had there. I love series 3's. Welcome to the forum.

LincolnSteve said:

Lot's of fun / heartache / good times / bad times (delete as appropriate) to be had there. I love series 3's. Welcome to the forum.

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Many Thanks Steve for your welcome. Reading the story about your Landy has been part of my research before looking for a Series 3.
Back story is that I was looking, but not very hard, for a Series 3 needing a bit of work to get mobile and then run and enjoy during the summer and improve over the winter, isn't everyone?
So about a week ago we were talking at work about cars we wished we had never sold and I said I regretted getting rid of my 300 tdi Disco to buy a "better" D2 .One chap says I never got rid of my Series 3 because I would never find one as good again. So I said to him a blue Series 3 hard top with the spare on the bonnet would be my choice, and there the conversation ended. A day later he came over and said was I serious about looking for blue hard top Series 3 and I said yes I was checking what was coming up on Ebay and Facebook etc but that nothing near enough had motivated me to take things further, and again there the conversation ended. A couple of days later he again appears and said would his be near enough to look at, and me being slow thought he just wanted to show it off to me, I was expecting a stunner from what he said about never finding another as good. Then he said, but its been off the road for about 10 or 11 years. So we arranged that I would go around on Saturday morning and have a look. When I saw it I was shocked simply because it had obviously been parked where it was, outside, for a very long time and was nowhere near as "good" as an "I'll never find another as good" description would suggest, this was sort of the Series I would have been expecting at the bottom end of my price range and only go and see it if its local type of thing.
At this point he told me the Postman wanted to buy it, how much he had offered and would I be interested in it, I add at this point I had not really looked at it, he must have been watching for me because as soon I had got out of the car he was there and so I didn't really initially get chance to have too close a look at it. I said that the one I was looking for would have a goodish chassis and goodish body work, what I wanted to do was run it some before going down the rabbit hole of a new chassis. This was the moment when he said the chassis was a new galvanized one in 1990, along with most of the body panels including the rear tub because he bought it as a write off after it rolled down a hill (sideways) and had a guy near Blackpool rebuild it for him, it also had a recon engine and gearbox at the same time, so almost a new Series 3 in 1990 to replace his Series 2a that he had had for years. At that point realising that he was serious about selling it I took a closer look at it and soon discovered I could not walk away from it at the price he wanted, in fact I still feel like I have stolen it. Yes the bulk head has the toe board missing at the near side and part of the panel above the toe board, but they have been cut out not rotted to that extent and whilst there are holes in the bottom of the door pillars , I've seen worse. The top corners of the bulkhead seem solid as well, and you guys all make bulkhead repairs seem so simple ............ It wants the brakes going through as well as the clutch hydraulics and then even if its engine out to free the clutch its not the end of the world, so yes I am happy with the deal.
Sorry for a long rambling tale

David

Sounds an ideal project and looks good body wise, look forward to seeing your progress pics

Morning David. Glad to hear that my thread has been helpful. To be honest about the bulkhead repairs I found it very difficult and could still point out a dozen areas where my repairs could be improved. The things I learned are that if your door gaps and general fit of everything are good then try to leave as much in place as you can so that you have loads of reference points to put the new bits in. The bulkhead attaches to the chassis in four places so always have three of them still attached. Finally buy the best quality repair panels from places like the welding wood, YRM or paintman panels. Never go cheap like I did and get britpart ones. The extra cost will will be nothing compared to the aggro of getting them to fit. Good luck with everything. I'll keep watching for updates.

The brakes shouldnt be too much trouble and are a.good starting point in the world of landy spannering. If you can get the clutch hydaulics working, you might be able to free the clutch plate by stamping on the pedal a few times, if not, the gearbox might need.to come out, not for the faint hearted. You havent mentioned your resto budget but whatever it is, it wont be enough cos once you get started, lots of unexpected things crop up. With a good galvo chassis and decent bulkhead, anything is possible and there will be lots of advice on here. Ive learnt not to leave mine parked with the handbrake on for any length of time.

Col

Estimate a budget, multiply it by 4. Still won't be enough.
Estimate a timescale, multiply by 8. Same as above.

Well done on securing a 'project' ... there is only one way to eat an elephant: a bite at a time

We're really selling the idea of old land rover ownership here aren't we? It's not bad really.

Owning a landrover, especially a series is not like owning any other type of car. They have so much character they become part of the family. There arent many vehicles you can leave parked up outside for a year and expect to start without any trouble.

Col

Hi Guys
Thanks for all your positive and honest replies I really appreciate that. Firstly I am not new to old cars and car restorations, I have been involved with Riley RMs since the mid 70s when my Dad and I rebuilt the first one that we owned. I actually think that you under estimate the the budget and time scale estimates Steve so I wont bother with them, it will cost what it costs and not be done 1 second before its ready..... I do not want to make it too nice, its a Land Rover I will want to get it dirty sometimes and try a bit of gentle green laning which I wouldn't if it were too shiny. The Rileys were definitely part of the family and I have made lifelong friends among Riley enthusiasts but fancied a change.
First plan is indeed to tackle the clutch hydraulics and make sure the clutch is capable of working before I go any further then I shall get the engine running and hopefully be able to release the clutch and avoid engine or transmission removal. I figure on taking the engine out if I do have to get at the clutch, because the ns wing will have to come off anyway to get full access to the ns toe board? and engine removal should be easier with the front end off?
Is clutch sticking a thing on Land Rovers ? It did sometimes happen on the Rileys but normally freed with a little brute force.
Regarding the panels I had already figured out that YRM were the go to suppliers, I used them for some bits on my Disco I think. There is also a guy who sells toe boards on Ebay for the Series Land Rovers and claims that they are all correct for each model with correct swaging and reinforcements where its needed.
If its of interest I will chronicle my trials and triumphs in a period update
Cheers David

Worth having a search on here for stuck clutch, common problem with some good remedies

Toonarf said:

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If its of interest I will chronicle my trials and triumphs in a period update

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It is and please do ..
Pictures, pictures and more pictures with pictures on the side

Hi Everyone
So delivery was arranged and happened on Wednesday, I have been lucky enough to have been given permission by my boss to initially have the Landy, or Boanerges as he has been named, at work, so very near my tool box . I am sure that this happy state of affairs will not last forever but whilst it does I will crack on. I will have to be careful with the first start, I have form for setting the fire alarm off with a car that burnt a little oil.........
Anyway some pics from delivery day