I must be nuts....

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cappers

cappers

Well-Known Member
Posts
2,178
Location
my head
Hello one and all,
After 7 years of Land Rover abstinence I have fallen off the wagon and gone and bought another one! Fortunately MrsC is happy, "great to have a Landy again!" so the adventures begin.
It is a 1988 (E reg) 90 2.5 Petrol CSW, Trident Green, seemingly solid chassis, newish rear x-member and outrigger, couple of plates, small holes in each bulkhead corner bottom but looks like a minor repair job rather than whole corner section, door bottoms are rough, no working locks! Some funny electrical problems too (LED indicators and side & brake lights fitted by PO might be the source?). Gearbox is tight with little backlash and the engine is sweet, starts first time and no smoke etc.
My previous two Landys were a 90 3.5V8 then a 110 3.9V8, so this 2.5 is rather slow, and has a fuel consumption like my V8s! I got it because a) I love Landys (so does MrsC) and am in a better position to own one now, b) this was a bargain considering the prices they are selling for now so I could fix it and add a V8 in the future, or tidy it up a bit and flog it towards a V8 - I'm sure I can break even or make a profit on this one already. Unfortunately factory V8s are very rare now, 10K seems to be the starting point for a bog standard (my 3.5 cost 3K in 2009).
I do have a question which I'll post here and if this is the wrong place I'll repost elsewhere if requested......
The VIN is SALLDVBD8AA, so the steering/trans code 8 i.e. LHD although it is RHD, and the year code is A i.e. 1983/4? Could it be a 1983/4 export model imported back and registered in 1988? V5 is ok and MOT history back to 2006. It also has what looks like either a diesel or mil spec fuel filler, large diameter unlike the petrol ones.
Anyway, there it is and here am I. Pic#3 is my ex 90 V8 (sobs...)
 
Last edited:
Having problems with the images, being accused of trying to upload spam/inappropriate images....!
Maybe this will work...the blue is the old V8, the green my new 2.5.....
9144743.jpg .9144739.jpgDotty.jpgD460TTY.jpg
 
Hello again,
I've posted a query about an engine number (or lack of one) in the Series engine bit and would be very grateful for help; not sure if I've bought a 'pup'. As mentioned above, the vehicle (1988 90 2.5P CSW) may have been an imported export model - there are some odd things about it and may be a bits n pieces job. All straight legally as far as I can tell so not a ringer, but the lack of an engine no. (and possibly chassis no. which I haven't found yet!) causes me concern.
Any advice etc....
Cheers
Capo
 
Welcome. Interesting story on your landy. I like early 90's n 110's. Maybe best to also post in the Defender section of the forum. Sorry but it's beyond my Series knowledge.
 
Hi John,
Found the engine no, 17H00042 so a very early 2.5 90; matches the year code on the VIN (A); it is RHD although the transmission code on the VIN is 8 which is LHD. I assume that it is an 84 export model shipped back to UK converted to RHD and reg in 88. All academic really just wanted to be sure it isn't 'dodgy'!
Now to sort it out with some tlc.
 
capo said:
Hello one and all,
After 7 years of Land Rover abstinence I have fallen off the wagon and gone and bought another one! Fortunately MrsC is happy, "great to have a Landy again!" so the adventures begin.
It is a 1988 (E reg) 90 2.5 Petrol CSW, Trident Green, seemingly solid chassis, newish rear x-member and outrigger, couple of plates, small holes in each bulkhead corner bottom but looks like a minor repair job rather than whole corner section, door bottoms are rough, no working locks! Some funny electrical problems too (LED indicators and side & brake lights fitted by PO might be the source?). Gearbox is tight with little backlash and the engine is sweet, starts first time and no smoke etc.
My previous two Landys were a 90 3.5V8 then a 110 3.9V8, so this 2.5 is rather slow, and has a fuel consumption like my V8s! I got it because a) I love Landys (so does MrsC) and am in a better position to own one now, b) this was a bargain considering the prices they are selling for now so I could fix it and add a V8 in the future, or tidy it up a bit and flog it towards a V8 - I'm sure I can break even or make a profit on this one already. Unfortunately factory V8s are very rare now, 10K seems to be the starting point for a bog standard (my 3.5 cost 3K in 2009).
I do have a question which I'll post here and if this is the wrong place I'll repost elsewhere if requested......
The VIN is SALLDVBD8AA, so the steering/trans code 8 i.e. LHD although it is RHD, and the year code is A i.e. 1983/4? Could it be a 1983/4 export model imported back and registered in 1988? V5 is ok and MOT history back to 2006. It also has what looks like either a diesel or mil spec fuel filler, large diameter unlike the petrol ones.
Anyway, there it is and here am I. Pic#3 is my ex 90 V8 (sobs...)
Click to expand...

Probably quite few 3.9 V8s about, from D2 that have rusted out. If I wanted a V8 Ninety, I think I would put one of those in. Probably autobox as well.

Modern performance, and not too bad on fuel if you take it easy, managed 3.9 is much less juicy than a 3.5 carbed, and a Ninety is much lighter than a D2.
 
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Cheers; my 90 V8 was originally carbs but i put on a flapper efi (yuck) then a hotwire (much better). The 110 was a refurb 3.9 hotwire efi with some mild porting and a slightly more interesting cam. I bunged in an open loop Iwema lpg system with a Blos lpg carb, superb much better that the gas rings!
How I kick myself now that I gave up on them, both factory V8 rather than conversions. Oh well.....
 
Shropshire classic said:
Must confess I always fancied a 90 V8 auto but having moved onto range rovers in the 70's from series Landys never went back
Click to expand...

One of our tenants in the 1980s had a factory 3.5 Auto Ninety, just a few years old.

I loved the vehicle, and when he moved to New Zealand a few years later, had the option to buy it.

I declined, but have always regretted it.
 
I had a RRC 3.9 refi with the ZF auto, it was lovely. An auto box in the 90 is my goal; the V8 LT85 are strong but any around will be old and whiny unless refurbished (the one in my 90 did scream!); would a LT77 take the V8 ? I know about adaptors, bell housings, mounts etc but would it take a V8 (driven generally like the grandpa I am!).
RE my LHD/RHD gearbox, as Col said: Could it be that the gearbox is a replacement. Converting a LHD. to RHD seems a lot of trouble. Agree but why does the VIN suggest LHD?
Just ordered a set of lock barrels (none work of the 90, thank goodness for the immobiliser) window regulator (these appear to be consumables!) and few other minor bits and bobs.
Anybody got a 3.9 refi and auto box lying around looking for anew home....?
Jon
 
Also some of the early RRC V8s used LT77 long stick I think. Starts to get complicated with bell housing, spigots etc, so an auto would be the easiest swap, and a nice drive.
One day.......
 
capo said:
I had a RRC 3.9 refi with the ZF auto, it was lovely. An auto box in the 90 is my goal; the V8 LT85 are strong but any around will be old and whiny unless refurbished (the one in my 90 did scream!); would a LT77 take the V8 ? I know about adaptors, bell housings, mounts etc but would it take a V8 (driven generally like the grandpa I am!).
RE my LHD/RHD gearbox, as Col said: Could it be that the gearbox is a replacement. Converting a LHD. to RHD seems a lot of trouble. Agree but why does the VIN suggest LHD?
Just ordered a set of lock barrels (none work of the 90, thank goodness for the immobiliser) window regulator (these appear to be consumables!) and few other minor bits and bobs.
Anybody got a 3.9 refi and auto box lying around looking for anew home....?
Jon
Click to expand...
v/8 lt77 was a common box both in long stick and short, usually fitted with oil cooler on later boxes
 
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