Series 3 driveway resto

Hi everyone.

I’ve had my 1980 88’ series 3 2.25 petrol for about 12 months now and it’s been on the road for maybe the first 3 of those!

After diagnosing fault after fault I’ve decided to do a minor restoration on my driveway. Unfortunately I’ve no warm dry garage due to the listing & covenant on my house. So when weather permits...

I decided to start a thread just so I can ask questions and get guidance as I go. The chassis and bulkhead needs some welding so I’m going to teach myself to weld and do everything else I can along the way.

Photos from the time of purchase attached...

I’ll try to keep it updated and I’ll thank you all in advance for the help.

Dan

I’ve started to strip the bodywork down on the front end already so I can get at the chassis to replace the dumb irons and attempt the bulkhead work.

It’ll get worse before it gets better good luck

Watching this, no pressure

haza88 said:

It’ll get worse before it gets better good luck

Click to expand...

For this I have no doubt!!

1988smithy said:

Watching this, no pressure

Click to expand...

Thanks! Ha. Hopefully it’ll all go swimmingly and be back to full health by the end of summer...

No doubt the driveway is the best place to tinker with a proper Land Rover.
A garage is fine for the modern copies. Or a salon for a Freelander.
I have s special area for working underneath mine with larger sharper rocks. They stop you taking too long over a job or nodding off.

Hope it behaves.

Bobsticle said:

No doubt the driveway is the best place to tinker with a proper Land Rover.
A garage is fine for the modern copies. Or a salon for a Freelander.
I have s special area for working underneath mine with larger sharper rocks. They stop you taking too long over a job or nodding off.

Hope it behaves.

Click to expand...

I agree with all the above. I’m away with work this week so haven’t been able to do anything. Will try and do a bit more this weekend.

Finally managed to get some time on the landrover today.

Started getting the front axle off. Decided to to do it as a whole. So unbolted the shocks and leafs with the intention of wheeling the whole thing away.

Got it up on stands and then remembered I hadn’t loosened the wheels nuts for after I wheel it away. So back down and back up.

Managed to get all the bolts off except one. Rear leaf bolt on the drivers side. Pain! Even snapped a socket.

Cleared a space on the drive and put down some pallets for the body panels. Keep everything covered and off the floor.

It’s going to be a sod to nip to the post office in.

Dan_J said:

Hi everyone.

I’ve had my 1980 88’ series 3 2.25 petrol for about 12 months now and it’s been on the road for maybe the first 3 of those!

After diagnosing fault after fault I’ve decided to do a minor restoration on my driveway. Unfortunately I’ve no warm dry garage due to the listing & covenant on my house. So when weather permits...

I decided to start a thread just so I can ask questions and get guidance as I go. The chassis and bulkhead needs some welding so I’m going to teach myself to weld and do everything else I can along the way.

Photos from the time of purchase attached...

I’ll try to keep it updated and I’ll thank you all in advance for the help.

Dan

Click to expand...

Hi Dan,
Got the diesel version of yours .. same year.. doing a rolling resto .. with some help from my local garage who has a keen Lightweight owning mechanic who loves working on Landy types. I fitted new bearings , hubs, drums and shoes to the back axel .. done a bit of drivers side outrigger welding repair .. the garage replaced the nearside outrigger and door support along with new footwell sections.. just had the front axel refurbed .. new balls and swivels .. parabolics and springs all round .. just having an overdrive fitted .. good luck with the work..!

Look for The Welding Wood on Face book, he makes repair parts for the bottom of the radiator panel plus many others.

Sandymackum said:

Hi Dan,
Got the diesel version of yours .. same year.. doing a rolling resto .. with some help from my local garage who has a keen Lightweight owning mechanic who loves working on Landy types. I fitted new bearings , hubs, drums and shoes to the back axel .. done a bit of drivers side outrigger welding repair .. the garage replaced the nearside outrigger and door support along with new footwell sections.. just had the front axel refurbed .. new balls and swivels .. parabolics and springs all round .. just having an overdrive fitted .. good luck with the work..!

Click to expand...

Thanks very much. good effort yourself!

catman275 said:

Look for The Welding Wood on Face book, he makes repair parts for the bottom of the radiator panel plus many others.

Click to expand...

Thank you. I'll take a look.

Finally got round to getting the front axle off yesterday. It was stubborn but got it off and moved away myself. Surprisingly heavy!

Anyway, now I can begin stripping the axle down for a rebuild, clean the leaf springs up and replace wheel cylinders/brakes. I'm curious to know the difference in reality of buying new springs or referring my current ones. There doesn't appear to be any cracks, just a build up of road grime and rust. Anyone have any opinions?

I'm also just waiting to order some replacement panels to start grinding down and cutting out the rust prepping for the welding. - of which practice is still yet to begin.

I did my front axle last year , new swivels, bearings seals and painted up, for the springs I didn’t want to chance getting a dodgy set which was worse than existing so I split the leaves , derusted, rust converter and painted up , putting back together with dry graphite spray grease , the big risk is breaking one of the clamps which I did but some some black steel bar and made a couple up , they rivet on with 3/8 rivets as I recall

To derust I used a big plastic water tank and electrolysis for the various bits , cuts down on dust and cup brushes
Have a look at geoffslandrover blog

Thanks. I’ll give it a go refurb-ing the old springs.

Managed to get another day in yesterday. Got the rad and front panel off. Actually ending up cutting the front panel off because of stubborn bolts. - it was rusted through at the bottom anyway so I was going to get a new panel.

Thinking of getting a series 2 panel with the lights in to use as spotlights. Unsure at the moment though. Should I keep it original?

Also spent some time cleaning down the chassis with the angle grinder/wire knot. Looks like I might need to get a front 1/4 chassis for the repair work. Now I’ve cleaned it up patches have become more obvious. Still clearly in the realms of saving though.

Any tips for getting the steering relay out? Having trouble praising the upper and lower levers. Currently coated in penetrating oil to see if it frees them up.

Dan