Help and advice from the experts

Luckily the Midget I bought had been rebuilt into a Zibarted shell and is still rot free today 13 years later, so hopefully I won't have to worry just yet.
If it does start to rot I'll just get it sorted, I tend not to muck about with cars, I just want them right.

I won't be doing any of the work if I can help it and that suits me. I spent too long under bonnets and covered in cr*p so I'll be leaving to my engineer chap.

I need to get to someone willing to let me have a drive in something around this era so I can either move forward or nip it in the bud......
Any takers?

parptoot said:

Luckily the Midget I bought had been rebuilt into a Zibarted shell and is still rot free today 13 years later, so hopefully I won't have to worry just yet.
If it does start to rot I'll just get it sorted, I tend not to muck about with cars, I just want them right.

I won't be doing any of the work if I can help it and that suits me. I spent too long under bonnets and covered in cr*p so I'll be leaving to my engineer chap.

I need to get to someone willing to let me have a drive in something around this era so I can either move forward or nip it in the bud......
Any takers?

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i'm by j5 of the m6, you can have a trundle around in mine if you want

Welcome to life with a land Rover when you get one. My series 3 (88) is my daily driver and does 300 miles a week. It is a 2.25 diesel and gives around 25/28 mpg. Last year when my Mother was ill I did 120 miles a day for 11 weeks. Most problems are previous owner bodges and the quality of pattern parts. You will soon learn not to buy parts from Britpart !

Beware they can be a money pit to get reliable and right. This is my third leaf sprung job in 40 years of running Land Rovers. If you go for a petrol the mpg is poor I had a 109 that did around 15 mpg I also have a 110 V8 that is not any worse on fuel than a 2.25

Try and find one that has a new galvanised chassis and good bulkhead then be prepared to spend the first year sorting all the problems then just enjoy it they are a hoot to drive and even better with ear plugs.

NiteMare said:

i'm by j5 of the m6, you can have a trundle around in mine if you want

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Sorry, was back in work mode after the weekend posting away...

That's a kind offer and once I'm in the right position I may take you up on that, you're only an hour or so away from me.

divie said:

Try and find one that has a new galvanised chassis and good bulkhead then be prepared to spend the first year sorting all the problems then just enjoy it they are a hoot to drive and even better with ear plugs.

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I think I'll be getting a diesel and hopefully one that's already had the 200TDi conversion but that depends on what I find and how much I'm prepared to plough into one.
I also have a preference for one that has been fully rebuilt onto a galvanised chassis but again the cost and condition of what I find may dictate what gets bought and what follows in terms of repairs.

I have a budget in mind and from what I've seen I 'should' be able to get what I'm after but it sill may require some fettling, but that's ok, I'm up for the (financial) challenge

parptoot said:

Sorry, was back in work mode after the weekend posting away...

That's a kind offer and once I'm in the right position I may take you up on that, you're only an hour or so away from me.

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you're welcome any time (unless i'm away ound i just can't offer a ride in a petrol as a comparison and mine only have the 200tdi's fitted

Getting closer! Someone is coming to look at my RS4 on Friday
Once it's gone I'll be on the hunt.

Hooray! The RS4 has gone and I'm free of the ridiculous expense associated with it.

It will soon be time to start looking for my Series Land Rover.
I've been doing some research and from what I've seen I think I'll be looking for a series IIa -series III, unless advised otherwise.

At this stage I can go two ways.
1 - Get a ready restored one that already has the galvanised chassis and 200 tdi engine.
2 - Get a running and usable one and do this same updating process over time.

I've been scouring Auto trader, Land Rover sites, Piston heads, and some of the classic car sales sites.
Can anyone suggest any other places to get a pre 1974 (tax free) Land Rover?

if you want a 200tdi why not just get a defender. you'll get:
proper steering
decent heater (well better than a series)
a vehicle that doesn't wander all over the road.
More power
More speed
More comfort.
windows you can open
Oh and it won't be like riding a horse and cart.

wouldnt there be a cost penalty - with no guarentee that it would be any better, rot wise?

Defenders don't rot if he's going to get a galvy chassis rot int gonna be a problem yes it'll cost more but he'll save that in not having to stick it in the garage every weekend.

if he is gonna replace the chassis - might as well save some money?

and get a coil conversion?

I get all of that but I want another classic. Not just for the tax free aspect, although that is a bonus, it's a character thing that the defender just doesn't have.

I know all about the running costs of the B7 RS4 and with the issues of the heads getting gunked up etc etc.
I also am aware of how fast they are but also how detached from actually driving it that you feel.

But a can't conceive how bad it would be to go from driving that to any kind of series vehicle.

I love Land Rovers to bits and have personally owned each and every variation with exception of a 101 and an 80" Series 1 over the last 17 years.

If you are set on buying a Land Rover, I would seriously consider buying the best Defender you can afford.

Or if such a series exists, one with a disk brake conversion, power steering conversion, and a TDi upgrade, with parabolic springs. A Galv chassis and bulkhead.

As mentioned somewhere in this thread I already have and drive an MG Midget 90% of the time (even while I had the RS4) so I'm totally accustomed to the oldy worldly ways of these sorts of cars, it's mainly why I want another.

From what I've seen I should have the budget to do most of these upgrades and as long as the character is still there I'll be fine with the changes.

redhand said:

if you want a 200tdi why not just get a defender. you'll get:
proper steering
decent heater (well better than a series)
a vehicle that doesn't wander all over the road.
More power
More speed
More comfort.
windows you can open
Oh and it won't be like riding a horse and cart.

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i dunno about the defender/90 heater but my smiths worked just fine being as i flushed it out and if you wish to improve it you can buy the Clayton core

proper steering that doesn't wander, are you sure you're talking for all 90's ?? (not to mention the fluid leaks they develop ) both my Series sit pretty good without using up all the road

more power ?? the power to weight ratio of a 200tdi'd 88" is far better than a 90 200tdi

more speed ?? both my 200tdi's Series (88" and 109) will happily sit at 50 - 60mph all day

windows you can open only if the mechanism isn't worn out/broken, you try keeping the windows closed in a Series, plus we get the benefit of being able to remove the doortops

riding a horse and cart, i might agree to an extent with you there but with a little loading in the tub they become lovely and comfortable, not that anyone wants to carry a load ALL the time (most older 90's aren't that much superior in the comfort stakes), have you ever travelled in a nice 109 ??

the nicest 90 i've driven to date was powered by a 19j

I'm sure there are pros and cons for both but I'm solely talking about a series Land Rover here. I have no interest in getting a defender, no matter what benefits they may present

It's great to hear all these thoughts though. I may be leaning towards a rolling restoration so I see the benefit of each upgrade.

If you can bide your time and wait for on to come up, or fancy a project, a 200tdi on a galvy chassis will likely outlast you if cared for. Yes a bit draughty, but worth it! Find one with an overdrive for the full jackpot!

75swb said:

If you can bide your time and wait for on to come up, or fancy a project, a 200tdi on a galvy chassis will likely outlast you if cared for. Yes a bit draughty, but worth it! Find one with an overdrive for the full jackpot!

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I'm in no rush and will certainly be biding my time to get the right one, whether it be a project or a ready made galvanised chassis/200tdi conversion. Draughty I can cope with, along with uncomfortable, bouncy, etc.

To toss in some more on-topic data here I ran a IIA 109 Series (petrol) for over 5 years as a daily driver (60-70 miles/day). Ran the beast in and out of Boston (in the Colonies...) with no problems that weren't easily anticipated.

Beast only stranded me once or twice - and those were issues I should have foreseen and kicked myself for afterwards.

I still own that truck ten years on from there - due to spinal isses i had to give up on it as a daily driver (my spine not its) and drove a succession of RRCs/D1s till I bought my Diesel 110.

Things to remember are very much like your MG:

1. Do your penance to Lucas (electrical contact cleaning and maintenance) on a regular basis.
2. User maintenance is just that - make sure you do it.
3. Don't let little things go - if you spot a problem deal with it or it will deal with you.
4. Anyone who discourages you on "{items} suck why would you want one" have never driven a good one. I see that all the time here - the most excreable handling/braking/grief excused as "they all do it". They don't - it's down to maintenance and making damn sure you take care of it. My 109 handles as well as my 110 does - a bit more bump steer but hardly wandering.
5. Because of the fact that you're dealing with a 40/50 year old vehicle be smart and pack a small kit of spares/oils/duct tape and a small packet of tools. If something does go wrong you can deal with it and still get where you're going. Been there done that used the T-shirt as a fuel filter...
6. Till you get it cleaned up it WILL annoy you on a regular basis - the first year I owned mine it annoyed me every few weeks with some random problem - most of which were bodges from an endless run of clueless previous ownere.

To sum up, drive one. If you don't get out smiling...rethink it. if you do, yoou'll never regret it. My 110 puts a smile on my face every time I drive it no matter what the weather - and my 109 did the same.

ajr