Buying an old landy, Help!

Hi everyone I am new to this forum and am just about to get my first landy. I am just looking for a checklist of all the major things I need to look at before I hand over my cash. I have no real idea where to look for problems just that I need to check the Bulkhead and chassis are in good condition but where are the points most likely to be affected that I can find (with detailed directions)?
The Landy I am going to see is a 1989 defender 90 3.5litre V8 with an LPG conversion so what do i need to look out for and listen for with the engine?
Any help with this will be greatly appriecatied as I have to drive 130 miles to Leeds just to look at it, I am hoping it will be worth it I really want a Landy

thanks Bill

the foot wells where you put your feet check for rust ,holes , patches.bulk head where the doors bolt on again for rust ,repairs. swivels should be shiney with no leeks these are on each end of the front axel really obvious. get right underneath to check the whole of the chassis front to back for any holes ,repair work and try pocking the chasis with a screw driver just to make sure its all solid and that means all the chassis not just the two main spars. engine should start ok from cold and no knocking noises or tapping also no smoke from the exhaust.

make sure yer g/box and t/box work ok.. it fairly common fer the t/box linkage to seize due to lack of use. which int too big a job to fix but it does stop you from checking that it operates

When you check the chassis, really have a good look, don't feel cheeky if the owner is stood watching right over you either. Best places to check are where it's hard to waxoyl. These are on the top side of the main chassis rails and on cross members. Make sure that you check the inner two sides of the main chassis rails, and give it a good tap with a screw driver / hammer. It should make a nice bonging / dunging sound rather than a thud. Also remember to check behind the suspension springs. If the waxoyl / rust treatment looks dry and flakey, pick a little bit off and see what the metal looks like underneath.

As for the bulkhead, it's just the usual signs of decay to watch out for. Open the driver and passenger doors and take a look at the bulkhead seam between the aluminium outer casing and the steel inners. If it's corroded badly it's going to be an expensive job to sort out, if there's just a little bit of rust, don't worry, but do check that it isn't really deep into the steel.

Footwells are best solid, but if there are a couple of holes there's nothing to worry about really. You can buy new floor panels cheap enough, or have it welded up for next to nothing. Still, they're better solid than nackered.

Land rovers will drip oil so don't start worrying about that unless it leaves a patch the size of a coffee mug on the ground. If you notice that, try and see if you can figure out where it is coming from , or why it is leaking.

One last thing, make sure that you take it for a test drive!

Good luck
-Pos

Bill, where abouts in Leeds is it? I might be able to nip over and have a look at it with you (as your relative) if you're interested

Its in castleford and yeah if its not too far away from you I could do with the help

Where have ya seen it advertised? I am 10 mins from cas' and it wouldn't be too much trouble to have a butchers for ya, if ya can give me some details i might be able to save yer the drive if its a ****ter! PM me some info an i will do mi best.

Was hoping you were going to say around Guisely area! It'd be a good hours drive for me to get there, if Carp is willing, he's your best bet!

Thanks alot for your help Carp. It sounds great, but rattles your bones abit between 50-60mph luckily it flattens out near 70 so was alright on the trip home.

Hope all goes well mate,welcome to the dirty hands club.
Did it use much gas?

Used about 40 litres I would guess, to go 130 miles. Works out about 12mpg.

That isn't a lot! Is the LPG system working? That should save you quite a bit per mile. I run a series III with a V8 in it & am doing just over 100 miles a day at the mo'. With the overdrive in for about 1/3 to 1/2 the journey I'm getting just shy of 20mpg. I was getting about 18mpg until I changed the badly clogged air filter, that might be worth a go on yours. V8's like to be able to breath.

You might also want to consider picking up an overdrive if your doing a lot of fast miles or maybe look at the gearing of your diffs, that can help get you injun revs down a bit too.

it is running on LPG and its a 3.5litre so im not expecting miracles, no money to mess around with an overdrive yet but will look into it