Series 1 decided to keep the series 1 , first start attempt today

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shaggydefender

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279
as some of you may have seen i originally purchased this to sell on for a quick profit , problem is it has a bit too much charm so i have decided to keep it ! as its a fairly well known trialer i have decided to keep it that way , road legal and back to the same specs as when it was trialed
specs include: heavily modified series 3 engine
series 2a geabrox
series 2a axles strenthend with gussets
leaf springs machined for more lock
full rollcage
original tank mounted in the rear bed
i dragged it out of a hedge which it has stood in for some ten years

managed to get it started today with much cleaning of plugs,points and carb , some fresh petrol and battery and she fired up , sounding smooth and healthy and quiet as a watch :)

if anyone knows anything about this landy including perivious owners , when it was restored and by which land rover mag ect the help would be much appreicated
reg number on photo

series one 86 front.jpg
 
Looks like an interesting project, more viable and long term worthwhile than the Def, I would think! :)
What is the chassis like? Usually hard as nails on those!
I don't understand about being restored by a magazine, what makes you think that?

the chassis needs a rear crossmember , a few outriggers and thats about it , i was suprised at the chassis seeing as the grass it was sat in was nearly door height and coming through the floor

as for the magazine a member of land rover owners dug around a bit and told me it was restored quite a few years ago by a land rover magazine or featured as a build up , apparently the first one the magazine had done , i ssupect that might be from the photo below
my series one in red years ago.jpg
 
the chassis needs a rear crossmember , a few outriggers and thats about it , i was suprised at the chassis seeing as the grass it was sat in was nearly door height and coming through the floor

as for the magazine a member of land rover owners dug around a bit and told me it was restored quite a few years ago by a land rover magazine or featured as a build up , apparently the first one the magazine had done , i ssupect that might be from the photo below View attachment 91773
Good steel on those chassis, seen several much better than a twenty year old Def. Thick, and stable! :)
Take it you have googled the plates and numbers on the vehicle?
 
my '55 chassis is in much better shape than my 72 s3, I think you are right the the 50's steel they used was much better, no doubt it was later deemed more cost effective to use lower quality stuff :D
 
Good steel on those chassis, seen several much better than a twenty year old Def. Thick, and stable! :)
Take it you have googled the plates and numbers on the vehicle?

my '55 chassis is in much better shape than my 72 s3, I think you are right the the 50's steel they used was much better, no doubt it was later deemed more cost effective to use lower quality stuff :D

yeah i have googled the plates and the chassis number , cant find much info although one bloke has found a bit more but has lost the page he was on , much of the info is from the trialing logbook that came with it and attached photos of when it was white , came with a specsheet of what was done to the truck all around

as for the chassis it is exellent quality and really thick ! not just the chasiss either the bulkhead is in really good condition and is made of really thick steel , only one or two holes in the whole bulkhead , mainly the rail under the windscreen , i also poked a slight hole in the bottom of the door pilliar at which point it let out 2 gallons of water in a stream like its having a **** ! did make me giggle like a small child ........
 
my '55 chassis is in much better shape than my 72 s3, I think you are right the the 50's steel they used was much better, no doubt it was later deemed more cost effective to use lower quality stuff :D
My 2as had better chassis than my s3, I had a 67 and a 79 at the same time, and the 2a was same for chassis rust. Some defender are completely rotted by 20 odd years.
Marts Minerva seems rock solid, think that is 1956.
 
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yeah i have googled the plates and the chassis number , cant find much info although one bloke has found a bit more but has lost the page he was on , much of the info is from the trialing logbook that came with it and attached photos of when it was white , came with a specsheet of what was done to the truck all around

as for the chassis it is exellent quality and really thick ! not just the chasiss either the bulkhead is in really good condition and is made of really thick steel , only one or two holes in the whole bulkhead , mainly the rail under the windscreen , i also poked a slight hole in the bottom of the door pilliar at which point it let out 2 gallons of water in a stream like its having a **** ! did make me giggle like a small child ........
Bottom of door pillar is a common rust spot on a series. Often enough left to weld a plate, make sure you leave somewhere for the water to drain out when finished, and spray a load of oil or dinitrol into it.
 
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My 2as had better chassis than my s3, I had a 67 and a 79 at the same time, and the 2a was same for chassis rust. Some defender are completely rotted by 20 odd years.
Marts Minerva seems rock solid, think that is 1956.
just after i purchased this i purchased another defender , black one this time , has had a replacement bulkhead but the chassis is one of the worst i have seen , body is holding it together , cant drive it as i risk denting the panels from flex , thats 1990 H reg

Bottom of door pillar is a common rust spot on a series. Often enough left to weld a plate, make sure you leave somewhere for the water to drain out when finished, and spray a load of oil or dinitrol into it.

yeah for bits like this i just plan on cutting the rotted bit out and welding a plate flush back in, will also leave a drain hole and pump the cavity full of protective substance ( havent decided yet) , bulkhead shows no sign of welding previously !
 
just after i purchased this i purchased another defender , black one this time , has had a replacement bulkhead but the chassis is one of the worst i have seen , body is holding it together , cant drive it as i risk denting the panels from flex , thats 1990 H reg



yeah for bits like this i just plan on cutting the rotted bit out and welding a plate flush back in, will also leave a drain hole and pump the cavity full of protective substance ( havent decided yet) , bulkhead shows no sign of welding previously !
Could be the black defender had lived near the sea in its past life. They really love that, even more so if they reverse it into the sea launching trailers! :D
Of the two, I would concentrate on the series, and try and go as much as possible towards standard. S1s are worth good money now.
 
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Could be the black defender had lived near the sea in its past life. They really love that, even more so if they reverse it into the sea launching trailers! :D
Of the two, I would concentrate on the series, and try and go as much as possible towards standard. S1s are worth good money now.

im not sure the black defenders history but near me everything is sea ! i know its been this way for a bit part of its life too
for the moment the black one is priority as im chucking a new chassis under it quickly then up for sale to raise funds , it dosent owe me a lot at the moment
plan being build up a rolling chassis using the blue ones axles and engine then drop this b
 
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