If you can weld, have time and also mech. knowledge, nothing should really put you off! Most parts are cheap and everything can be rebuilt on SIII's. IIa is IMHO a better bet as it seemed to be built to a slightly higher 'spec' - bellhousing is stronger (friend ran a 280 bhp IIa through standard 'box! and engine broke first (haveheard of bellhousings cracking on III's but others may have more knowledge) due to lead boot) At some point IIRC source of chassis steel swapped around '73-ish(someone will probably know date) and earlier chassises seem to last much better. Tax-exempt IIa roughly the same price but free tax and classic insurance (much better idea for 17-yr-old!). Chassis rails rot on tops if used off-road and not cleaned properly - gap between rear tub and rails allows mud to sit holding water - when I rebuilt one I used a closed-cell foam to fill gap (but didn't retain water so end of prob). check all chassis with a 'toffee hammer' (if you have one, small ball-pein if not) - listen to sound and you will either hear 'thin'/unsound metal or hammer will 'penetrate' (technical term for "braying a hole!"). Outriggers rot often but most are easy to replace - bulkhead mounts can cause problems - may require removal from chassis - quite an involved job but ok if you have space and time. Holes in back half of chassis on rail tops not a prob as rear tub can be removed easily. Front end more involved but still relatively easy. Wiring can rot but even wiring to rear can be replaced in chassis relatively simply - remove before welding (or replace after!). Bulkheads seem to rot at bottom and around doorhinges. Sometimes also below vents. Aluminium panels rot around screws (rear lights etc) due to alu/mild steel (austenitic corrosion?) but plates (even mild steel) behind lights (with suitably drilled holes) will prevent need to replace panel for many years. From a mpg POV, there isn't that much difference between petrol & diesel 2.25 - even diesel pump can be diy-rebuilt. Rear diff covers seem to go porous more often than rest of axle (in my experience) but are replaceable for (IIRC about £60 - I may be wrong here!) but a bodger can work wonders with 'liquid metal' (until a better axle can be found!). Listen for diff/gear whines as this can cost more than you may expect (but is an ideal excuse for RR diffs - higher top speed, better mpg). My dad remade seats (even stitching the panels to orig. spec) on the 109" galv.-chassised safari I sold him so scabby seats aren't much of a worry either (using mummy's Singer!). Best place to find a L/R is inland - if it's never lived near coast it'll not have seen salt - further south the better (had to do a chassis swap on a '85 lwb that lived near the coast for 5 years (NE Scotland) and chassis removed looked like a cross between a colander and a tea-bag! - got a '58 that has two (small) patches on chassis but it's spent its entire life in central south Englandshire. If you join your local ORC they should be able to help you find a vehicle that fits your spec for a decent price - or if you find vehicle someone may be willing to view it with you to help highlight areas to check. Price can be anything from free to frightening - I paid £550 for a SIII with a religious chassis (VERY holy) but I was buying a Perkins 4203, 5 brand-new Mud_Pluggas, A Dixon(of Dock Green
) Bate tow-hitch and four brand-new h/d springs, brand-new radiator and very sound bulkhead. I accepted chassis needed replaced but collection of parts (inc rear bench seats, professionally fitted rear-windows, SII bonnet (not 'rolled-edge'- flat)) was worth the price. I also picked up 2 'scrap' IIa's for £150 but both will be 'roaded' - one needs engine replaced, other needs small chassis patches, both need all hoses (brakes especially) replaced but again cost of parts (I've got all of them - Landroverers hoard!) make them worthwhile.
After you find one, the most invaluable tool purchase you can make is a GENUINE factory workshop manual. And Parts book. Or find them both on the net for free. I have (scanned) copies of all series manuals but as I've bought genuine 'Disco', RR Classic and 'Defender' manuals I don't feel TOO guilty about breaching copyright on this one.
If you have space and want to save money, you could start as I did - steel scaffold is VVcheap and a visit to a local "farm displenish sale" will usually provide an 'endless chain' hoist - I got four ranging from 6t to 20t for £12 - used to remove bulkhead, engine etc. I also have a friend who helps me remove/refit lwb roofs as and when(F**K me they're heavy!). Silicone invaluable on refits (prevents leaks) and a visit to your local bolt-supplier for mild steel/stainless - flat/penny/spring washers & nylocs great. I'm lucky that I have a stainless company just down the road (30m away but visit every 6mths). Assume that every bolt (sorry, 'set-screw') you remove will shear and have replacements to hand.
Bloody Hell this is long!
Hope it's been of some help and if you need help, ask me, or someone else who knows what they're talking about!
May be of interest but I have a swb tax-exempt '74 (Yes - '74 - date of manufacture, not date of registration counts - check the windows for Triplex codes!) galv.chassis swb SIII for sale and if you bought it you could book it in for a test at a MOT test station 'south' of here (if you get stopped arguments range from LR specialist to 'I always use "Stetson Motors of Sharkseville" 'etc. - I fetched a (dare I say it?) Reliant Kitten (like a Robin but 4 wheels - never falls over and a (slightly modified!) 74bhp lump in a 450(ish)kg chassis f**king shifts!) from (shall we say?) the Borders and the producer I got (lights, no tax and frighteningly loud exhaust(that never changed - I rebuilt engine for more power! and higher rpm (9500advisory, 10500 redline(it went "BANG"at this point!)) and could be heard 6 (yes, 6) miles away were thrown out as I had vehicle booked in for an MOT at my local garage (fact that I'd used them for about 10 years helped!)) I took the most direct route to test centre (as per MOT regulations!) Or you could get it transported south. Unless you find an ideal vehicle before. Anyway the offer's there. If you want pics, I'll email some and am quite happy for you to bring anyone to check it out. It's a diesel but has been parked up for about 18months (inside).
Hope you find a vehicle before my other typing finger burns out too!
