Need help re: 1972 Land Rover Series III!

Hi,

For the first time in about 30 years I've got some "me time" and so I've decided to learn mechanics!

I thought I'd start with an old Land Rover because A. they're cool and B. they aren't full of complicated computers (I'm going to have enough on my plate trying to learn mechanics!)

Anyway, I've been for a drive in a 1972 Land Rover Series III today and was surprised that:

1. The gears wobble around all over the place - it stayed in gear but it was a job finding them in the first place
2. The car sounded like it was maxed out at when it reached 40-45 mph
3. It's noisy as hell! (internal noise)
4. The brakes needed a lot more pressure than I'm used to
5. Steering was a struggle the first time

Obviously, this is my first time in a Land Rover so my surprise is due to my lack of experience, but I'm wondering if A. the things above are "normal" or if I'm looking at a car that needs a lot of work (it's apparently really well kept and has had a ton of expert work done on it.)

Then B. what do you recommend about improving these things? I know you can sound proof Land Rovers with sound-deadening mats, etc, but have no idea about the speed, gears, etc.

Any help gratefully appreciated!

Noise wear military grade headphone.
Wobbly gearstick normally get worn to personal user feel. Make sure low and high work okay and the FWD traction red knob works at low speed.
When was it last service and history of work been done over the years.
Speed depends on wind direction being a breeze block on wheels and engine size.
I guess the living quarters is sparse so the rattling around windows doors frame seat wheels gearbox steering dentures.
Once you master the uniqueness, of the Landrover design for preventing a nagging wife in full flow, it will be a keeper for life.

Ahhh, thanks for that saxavordian - so the gear thing is normal, then.

You're right about the noise - there could be benefits!

It's been really well looked after - it's actually owned by a garage and I know they do really good work and have changed all the fluids, etc. Everything under the bonnet looks great and underneath is the same. Will try the red knob tip (insider secrets!)

Do you have any solutions for the speed? I don't want to go fast in it but a comfortable 45mph would be great.

Petrol? Or diesel?

Wildefalcon said:

Petrol? Or diesel?

Click to expand...

Petrol has some speed if not something needs checking. Diesel on the other hand you need to check the colour of the headlights for red lines from straining. Similar to piles. Engine size is key. 2.25 petrol 2.25 diesel

Hi Wildefalcon, it's petrol...

A petrol series 3 with a 2.25 engine should get up to about 65mph on a flat road but it will be a bit unnerving, they seem to li!e about 50 mph. A diesel will be.slower than that and very noisey. A wobbly gear stick might mean the end that goes in the gearbox is worn but to be honest, there was.a.fair.bit of play when they where new. My 1977 petrol 109 station wagon is fairly nippy from a.stand still. It takes a few people by surprise when I beat them off the lights. I think the 72 model didnt have.servo brakes but that could be updated, although not cheaply.

Col

Hi Colthebrummie, I didn't have chance to get up to that speed but it was already pretty loud (revs/engine) at 45 - I get the feeling it could gradually get up to a better speed but there wasn't much acceleration in it. I'm wondering if it needs an overdrive or something to get it to a more comfortable cruisong speed...

The brakes are drum brakes, I believe.

Colthebrummie said:

A petrol series 3 with a 2.25 engine should get up to about 65mph on a flat road but it will be a bit unnerving, they seem to li!e about 50 mph. A diesel will be.slower than that and very noisey. A wobbly gear stick might mean the end that goes in the gearbox is worn but to be honest, there was.a.fair.bit of play when they where new. My 1977 petrol 109 station wagon is fairly nippy from a.stand still. It takes a few people by surprise when I beat them off the lights. I think the 72 model didnt have.servo brakes but that could be updated, although not cheaply.

Col

Click to expand...

^^^ this .

Overdrive will give it slightly longer legs, but not by as much as you'd expect - there's not really enough power - but it will make cruising at reasonable speeds (50/60) a lot more pleasant..

Free wheeling hubs on the front axle will also improve its get up and go - from the pictures it looks completely standard in this regard - it also looks in very nice order from what I can see from the relatively low res pictures

Brakes are drums all round - can be upgraded to discs if your pocket can stand it, but takes care to get it right..

If you don't have a servo, then a remote one might be an option..

Depends what you want from something designed as a tractor you can take to the post office.
The engine is designed to do over 100 MPH but not in a two ton brick when half the power is lost through a series of gearboxes and differentials. It will however pull a nun off a brass candlestick.
A series Land Rover dunt sound like your sort of car if your preoccupied with moving or stopping at anything other than glacial speeds. Have you considered an old MG or a mini. At least you won’t need to fit an extra 2000 BHP to gain an extra 20 MPH and smash running gear faster than Putin launches rockets.

Petrol in good tune should be easily good for sixty. Mine was. Expensive, mind.
Should be near silent at tick over too, but loud at full rev.

First, are you in high box?

Second, are the brakes binding?

Any photos of the carb?

Steering is vague, but should be neutral once rolling.

What tyres are fitted?

Brakes without servo are awful. Fitting a later servo system and 11 inch drums makes a big difference.

Cabin noise can be tempered by a Wright off road mat.

But, buy an MX 5 if you want a smooth, handling, quiet, fast iconic vehicle.

Mine was very noisy when I first had it, I fitted soundproofing to the underside of the bonnet and part of the seat box and behind the door cards. There is also a thick rubber mat in the cargo area and thick rubber mats in the footwells. I can have a conversation in it now at 30-40mph. Owning an old landy is a project of continual improvement but try not to eliminate its true character

Col

JohnnyAlpha said:

Hi,

For the first time in about 30 years I've got some "me time" and so I've decided to learn mechanics!

I thought I'd start with an old Land Rover because A. they're cool and B. they aren't full of complicated computers (I'm going to have enough on my plate trying to learn mechanics!)

Anyway, I've been for a drive in a 1972 Land Rover Series III today and was surprised that:

1. The gears wobble around all over the place - it stayed in gear but it was a job finding them in the first place
2. The car sounded like it was maxed out at when it reached 40-45 mph
3. It's noisy as hell! (internal noise)
4. The brakes needed a lot more pressure than I'm used to
5. Steering was a struggle the first time

Obviously, this is my first time in a Land Rover so my surprise is due to my lack of experience, but I'm wondering if A. the things above are "normal" or if I'm looking at a car that needs a lot of work (it's apparently really well kept and has had a ton of expert work done on it.)

Then B. what do you recommend about improving these things? I know you can sound proof Land Rovers with sound-deadening mats, etc, but have no idea about the speed, gears, etc.

Any help gratefully appreciated!

Click to expand...

That all sounds fairly normal. Series brakes are fine if well adjusted, make sure the shoes are in good nick, and learn how to adjust the snail cams.
The 11 inch drums are better than 10", I don't find servo is needed on 88s, maybe on a 109".
As stated, soundproofing is good if you can be bothered.
Driving them is pretty similar to what driving most cars was like in the 60s and 70s, if you are used to moderns, it may take a bit of getting used to.

Second Turboman above in every statement, driving, using old rovers is something you become to love or find it is not for you. Rarely any middle ground.
One good thing when driving in traffic the road ahead is always clear, coz all the other barstewards are behind.
Looks to be a very nice example of early series three.

I fitted a rev counter to mine in the early days cos I was worried the engine was revving its nuts off at 60 mph. I used one of those cheap chinese rev counters but it looked so out of place in the utilitarian cab, I removed it. A lot of the things I worried about in the early days dont seem to bother me anymore. Ive got a garage full of stuff I intended to fit but never got around to it, I spose I fell in love with old world charm of it. Have you given yours a name yet?

Col

I've had my series 3 for 2 months now, I knew exactly what they were like before i bought it though. Steering, if you've never driven a car without power steering this could be a shock, my first car was a vauxhall viva which had no power steering and you couldnt turn the wheels on that if it wasn't moving - the landy has much bigger wheels and is heavier so you just need to get used to making sure youre moving (even if very slowly) when you want to turn the wheel.

Mines petrol and it does sound like its running out of oomph at about 40 but it will happily go to 50/55 it will do 60 but 50/55 is comfortable

As far as noise goes yes its noisy, mines a soft top so bit quieter than a hard top - easiest way to lower the noise is to remove the roof - seems a lot quieter

I looked at a few before buying mine and the variety of precision in gear lever and steering was amazing - mine drives straight and isnt too vague, one i drove wouldnt stay in a straight line and would even go the opposite way to the one you were steering in for a few metres before correcting itself. Similarly, some of them had no spring for reverse so was hard to find first and massive variation of "wobble" to the gear lever when in gear. If your concerned about the steering you could start to work on that as a first project

I found that tyre choice plays a big part in how the steering performs.

Col

I think steering and brakes are on area its worth getting checked once a year, some of the people who were selling drove their landy fine but i couldnt and felt the steering was dangerous. If you drive something regularly you get used to it and automatically adjust how you drive it and you might not realise how bad its got

Little warning, ive driven the landy more than what the mrs calls "the proper car" which means you have to think a bit the first 5 minutes when driving the modern car to avoid emergency stop style braking and windscreen wipers going on when you want indicator

I hate that the wipers are on the wrong side in modern cars, and the ignition.