Not Serious About Series

Why on earth does almost everyone on these threads about "Series" ... the clue is in the title ... want to bastardise them by sticking non-original engines in them?

I have had a number of Series from a 1954 through to a late Series 3, and would never have dreamed of sticking anything other than original bit in them.

How can you say that something is a Series I when you've stuck a V8 into it??

Let's have some real Series stuff! Please!!

Rant over

justt coz someone likes the looks, doesnt mean they like adding lead to the fuel and running on 1950's brakes - does it?

As long as they still "look" relatively original then that's good enough for me

Oldseadog said:

Why on earth does almost everyone on these threads about "Series" ... the clue is in the title ... want to bastardise them by sticking non-original engines in them?

I have had a number of Series from a 1954 through to a late Series 3, and would never have dreamed of sticking anything other than original bit in them.

How can you say that something is a Series I when you've stuck a V8 into it??

Let's have some real Series stuff! Please!!

Rant over

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I have to admit, I'm with the Old Dog on this one, however, I was a young'un once, and did some mad sh*t....But funnily enough, never to a Land Rover, I grew up with 'em, and likes 'em too much (Series that is, not all this modern crap).

All about customizing your own car myself.

Engine swapping could occur for a number of reasons.
For example, if you have a 2.5 which you care for and its mint apart from the engine, and you happen to come across a rotten v8 with a good strong engine , why the hell not ?

Series are ****e. built ****e, look ****e, drive ****e,, drivers are ****e. Did I mention they're ****e????

Although I tend to agree with originality - each to their own I say.
I have a 75 S3 diesel... have rebuilt original engine and had the gear box reconditioned... I also swapped the chassis for a new galvanised one, so is it any more original than someone who swaps an engine?????????

Better to keep the old girls going in some form rather than getting scrapped is my view - its more about the spirit of land rover rather than exactly what came out the factory - all around the world adaptions have been made to suit the environment within which they are working - I suppose this trend is just our own version of that?

redhand said:

Series are ****e. built ****e, look ****e, drive ****e,, drivers are ****e. Did I mention they're ****e????

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You're in one of those moods this morning, I can tell....

I think that my grouse is that I went to have a look at one with a friend, which was 'supposed to be a 1957 Series I Station Wagon' OK the bodywork was great, and she looked the full dogs' doodahs, ... with a possible give away of low profile tyres ...then I opened the bonnet!

Underneath there was an automatic V8! Further examination showed that she had air shocks and coil suspension!

The seller 'only' wanted £5500 for this 'classic'!

The only original bit could have been a small part the chassis prior to welding the suspension mounts onto it ... and the number plate, which he said was 'cherished'!

My blood pressure is going through the roof just thinking about it!!

just to restore a bit of faith in us young uns old fella





the lengths ive gone to wit this one to keep its originality and yes i will be putting the original series 2 grille and radiator pannel on when i get me hands on one

were not all that bad

redhand said:

Series are ****e. built ****e, look ****e, drive ****e,, drivers are ****e. Did I mention they're ****e????

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I take it yer not a fan of them then

redhand said:

Series are ****e. built ****e, look ****e, drive ****e,, drivers are ****e. Did I mention they're ****e????

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Fook orf and get back to polishing yer gaylander

johnny curt 1 said:

just to restore a bit of faith in us young uns old fella





the lengths ive gone to wit this one to keep its originality and yes i will be putting the original series 2 grille and radiator pannel on when i get me hands on one

were not all that bad

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My faith has been ever-so-slightly restored! Thank you young man, for keeping the faith!

Mixed feelings on this one, I like original but my Series is my daily (and only) driver so praticality is important. I've put 2 200's into Series over the years.....one had a fookin 'orrible Perkins in anyway....but I'd think very carefully before doing anything irreversable

johnny curt 1 said:

just to restore a bit of faith in us young uns old fella





the lengths ive gone to wit this one to keep its originality and yes i will be putting the original series 2 grille and radiator pannel on when i get me hands on one

were not all that bad

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She'll be proper lurverly when you rip that 'orrible bit of plastic off the front

Wouldn't EVER put one on coils!

Leafs is what defines them more than anything else

:violent:

redhand said:

Series are ****e. built ****e, look ****e, drive ****e,, drivers are ****e. Did I mention they're ****e????

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If it wasn't for Willies Jeep the concept of the Series vehicles would not have been born, if it was not for the triler boys chopping rangie chassis and fitting series body's the idea of a coil sprung series (which is all a defender is) would not of been thought about by Land Rover and a Discovery was to fill a gap in the market. At the end of the day they are all Land Rover products in one form or another evolution you mite say or a big boys mecano kit as I have often been told. We should be proud to own a pice of automotive history in one form or another, none of them are ****e they have there good and quirky points like all vehicles so lets stop bickering and enjoy our vehicles.
Id love a series 2a with a V6 or V8 if I could afford one LOL!!!!!!!!

I'm kind of with Seadog, though I've "modified" mine I've kept the original engine but tinkered it, I've upgraded that carbs, swapped diffs, parabolic springs, fitted a radio. But I feel that is getting the best from the same basic motor with some slight improvements, the same sort of improvements that might have been fitted when it was new - not sure about the parabollocks though.

Never had a desire to fit a more modern diesel engine - I don't do enough miles a year (about 6000) to make it worth the expense as the improvement in mpg is small, the price of diesel is now higher than petrol....and I just prefer petrol engines...

I'm not in to trialling cos it all looks to be a bit over-the-top and I'm buggered if I'm attempting something that has a 50% of me rolling it. And I'm not into making it into some kind of hybrid monster truck.

Having said all that the folks who do do all the stuff don't upset me and I like reading about engine swaps and the rest of it all on here. Might even do one myself - got a hankering to take the v6 2.5i engine from my rusting mazda, knock back the valve timing for more torque and remap the ECU and then try and bolt it to and LT77 gearbox - probably a really stupid idea!

Each to their own and it all goes to show how adaptible and versatile the simple Land Rover concept is....and how LR have managed better to steer the car/truck/4x4 compromise better than Jeep ever since they nicked their idea.

To be serious for once I'm with oldseadog on this one. I look after a Series 11 for one of my customers, he's owned it from new but due to the fact he's over 90 now he doesn't use it. I try to drive it about once a month and I bloody love driving it, trouble is it's stood in an open barn and gets covered in bloody pigeon **** and I have to pressure wash it every 3 months or so and before I take it for MOT.
Here it is and note the mileage (genuine)

This subject could run and run. I keep mine almost standard but I am sure in a few years time the conversions will be deemed "Period Mods".
We had issues years ago in the 750 motor club when people with money and wanting reliability fitted steel cranks to Austin Seven engines some members objected. They are not an issue now.