Just bought my first Landy, 1980 series 3

Hi all and Happy New Year.
Bought my 1980 Series 3 just before Christmas. Have to admit I'm still not sure about it.
The first half an hour in it was the most terrifying experience of driving any car ... and I also own a TVR!
I'm really in need of speaking to other landy owner/s to give me basic advice and just some reassurance I've not done the wrong thing!
Does anybody know if there are any meets / get togethers in Kent? I'm near Rochester. Would be really great just to speak to someone who owns a series landy. Thanks all, Mark

fun things to drive I love my s3 and s1, wonder how they would fair for an ncap rating

try the kent section for brothers in arms https://www.landyzone.co.uk/forum/kent-essex.88/

bound to be an off road club near you

Never heard TERRIFYING used to describe a series driving experience lol
Check your toe in as incorrect can have you feeling like you are all over the road
WELCOME and HAPPY MOTORING

They can be fun, mostly don't fight it and you'll find it's a lot more relaxing - what tyres are you running? It's lots of fun to jack it up and check for play in all those steering components, lot's of room for improvement and not to expensive. Good luck, it'll be fine once you're used to it!

Chris .... picked it up on a dark, rainy night in the middle of deepest darkest hertfordshire. Didn't know where the gears were, what the switches did (should have paid more attention to the old bloke selling it), The brakes felt like mashed potato, the noise from inside incredible, steered like a boat .... got out at the M11 services literally sweating. My 11 year old boy laughed his head off. On the plus side, it looks quite straight, the body is dent free and has a nice patina. Need a bit of work on the footwells, couple of small holes, chassis looks quite good, although haven't had time to really go over and under it in detail. Starts on the button, have cleaned up plugs/dizzy/rotor .... but have ordered new original leccie bits. Any advice welcome! ..... Waldamar, just like you suggested, I noticed if i don't fight it, it's a lot easier to drive. Tyres are skinny things, havent looked at the size as yet.

check the brakes out, properly working series brakes are fine

the brakes work, just not up to my Audi discs! .... I'd forgotten what drums were like.

The drums can be good as in lock the wheels up. They do on my 109, the first thing I did was the brakes. On a vehicle with no safety features they need to be good.

But the are great fun. I'm surprised you say about the noise from the petrol. Good thing you didn't go for a diesel option

Lots of knowledge on here so any issues should be easily diagnosed. But lots of modifications can be done to make things more pleasurable if you have the time, money and skills. Power steering, more power, better fuel economy, disk brakes, quieter interior and so on are all possible. Lots of info on all of it.

In regards to the steering, check there's oil in the steering box and relay. Take the steering wheel off and drip some oil down the column to reach the bearings. Tyre choice is has a big impact on road manners.

Relax and watch oncoming traffic mount curbs and climb lamposts to get out of your way.
You have to drive a series not just point it. I know what you mean about the brakes. You forget that old school brake pedals need actually pressing not just stroking.

Made me smile.....I had exactly the same feelings when I bought mine. I thought I had bought an absolute dog and the gears, steering and brakes 'must just be bad on mine'! They are all like it - especially compared to anything modern.
I drive a company car many miles weekdays and then jump in the Land Rover occasionally at weekends for a culture shock! Never have quite got used to it if I'm honest but I love the thing all the same.

You'll soon get used to the gears and in precise gear stick - nearly had my own eye out with that at first trying to find gears quickly on busy roundabouts! Change gear slowly - the synchromesh box is basic and cannot be rushed. Brakes, when serviced and in good order are adequate but the pedal needs a bigger shove than on a modern car. Steering can often be improved by adjusting box and replacing ball joints but to be fair, it will always need lots more input due to the design.

Start smoking a pipe, chill out and take it on a few journeys down B roads and quiet lanes to get used to it. You really have to like them for what they are and set expectations accordingly

markbigears said:

Hi all and Happy New Year.
Bought my 1980 Series 3 just before Christmas. Have to admit I'm still not sure about it.
The first half an hour in it was the most terrifying experience of driving any car ... and I also own a TVR!
I'm really in need of speaking to other landy owner/s to give me basic advice and just some reassurance I've not done the wrong thing!
Does anybody know if there are any meets / get togethers in Kent? I'm near Rochester. Would be really great just to speak to someone who owns a series landy. Thanks all, Mark

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S3 = Proper Landrover. You kinda have to forget all about cars and wrestle them into submission like you would a vintage tractor, after a while it will start respecting you and behave itself. You will enjoy it one day and feel very bored in anything else. Don't forget to post some pics

Took mine up to my brother in laws on its first MOTd journey to drop some gear off. He jumped at the chance to have a quick go round the estate. On returning a few moments later him and his Mrs where white. She made him come straight back after the second near miss.

Made me smile too. The first journey I undertook in my S3 was a gnat's willy short of 1000kms. The first few hundred kms were the worst. With a lot of play in the steering and such a short wheel base I had some hairy moments while coming out of bends; over-compensating one way and the other and getting into some proper wobbles. I soon learnt to let it do its thing with a very loose grip on tve wheel.
The brakes too were a shock. Amazing how much better a driver you become when you have to anticipate stopping a quarter of an hour before you need it (I've just ordered new shoes and cylinders from Craddocks, and a one-man bleed kit from Paddocks to sort that out).
Good luck getting used to yours and being able to make it more comfortable to be in.

Hee hee. Fantastic post. It's great to see you have bought a classic vehicle. Reminds me of when I picked up my current S3 landy. Crossing the Forth Road Bridge with a f**cked Smokey Joe diesel and the HGV's running right up to me I'll never forget. The fact your son had a big smile tells it all. A landy is a world apart from an Audi. Its live unassisted steering n braking are at the core of the driving experience. Your landy sounds good. You've bought a design classic. Bet your son loves it.. Check under the bonnet to the left side looking in. You'll see the brake n clutch cylinders. The outside one is the brake. If it's got a big expansion chamber bolted onto the slave cylinder (with a brake light switch on top) you have servo assisted brakes. If its not working it's probably because the vacuum pipe is either disconnected or missing. Nothing serious. It's like a super tanker slowing down you just need to start earlier . Enjoy your new landy. Any pics .

Thanks you so much all, feel a tad better! Drive to the station was a lot easier today..... i'm relaxing more!
Thanks for all the advice, i'll check at the weekend what you guys have mentioned if the wife doesn't give me a long list of things to do!
I had a weird conversation this yesterday. Drove to the station car park, got on the train, then i remembered I had used the fan blower (the passenger side was lovely and clear, not the drivers!) and forgot to switch it off.
Now i know if you don't switch the lights off, they stay on, but I couldn't remember about the fan blower. So i call the first land rover specialist on google, John Brown and asked him! After he realized a)I didn't buy the car from him, and b)I was calling from kent and he is in Yorkshire, we had a right laugh! still, he confirmed that if it is standard series wiring, the fan blower should go off with the ignition. So walking to the car in the evening, my heart was in my mouth, ignition key in .... power! what a relief. What a nice bloke John is. Still trying to figure out how to post a pic on here? All the best fellows, Mark

Two ways to upload a pic Mark. Easiest way, perhaps, is to use the "Upload a File" button next to the "Post Reply" button. I've used that from my phone and from my Surface tablet, so I know it works. You just need a picture on your phone (for example), click the "Upload a File" button and select the pic you want to stick into the post.

Looking forward to seeing your new toy.

BTW, glad you're feeling the love a bit more. Relaxing a bit does help, doesn't it.

thanks Solvista, will try now .......

Mark she looks great good purchase!
See what you mean about THE BIG EARS lol