Should I or shouldn't I please help

Hello

I'm a newbie to the site and a newbie to the landrover defender. Ive had toyota hilux for around 3 years and wanting to move to the dark side.

Very close to me a defender has come up for sale here's the speck and whats been done etc....

Two seater truck version 1991, New Discs New Pads, New Calipers, all new break pipe front to back, New rear Ball Joint , Disco 24 spline axels, Td5 Gear Box and Transfer Box, 2 inch Body Lift , Detachable Steering Wheel, Raptor Dash with Oil Temp , Rev Counter, Boost Gauges, Oil Pressure Gauges, and CB , and Stereo, Auxiliary Webasto Night Heater , Warn M8274 Winch, 300Tdi Disco Engine, Wading Kit, Cubby Box, Steering Guard, Roof Spots, Rear Working Lights, Rear Dislocation Cones , Insta Turbo Tyres , Roll Cage, SafeTpedal Lock, Light Guards Front and Back, Home Made Snorkel, Wires from wing tops to top of roll cage to deflect tree branches, Auxiliary Battery in tub with split charger, Bespoke Gear Box Tunnel, £3000,

I test drove it I'm 6ft5 yes a little small on space but everything seemed okay, 150k on the engine, however I tried the hi and low and soon as I went to change gear it always popped out so this made me nervous. I'm still tempted but was wanting to hear people's opinion. Sorry for the long message but hopefully someone can shine some good or bad light pleeeeease.

Its on a 1975 reg too, log book looks okay.

Thanks in advance for any comments

Here's a pic

its a 1991 model on a 75 log book?

Is it legit i.e a 1975 chassis that been rebodied or is it a ringer or dodgy or has it been replated to make a 1991 appear older and get free tax.

Is it coil springs or leaf springs?

tread carefully

EDIT: i can see coil springs at the back so it is NOT a 1975 chassis. Could be dodgy.

Yeah its coil, thats the other thing that worries me it's due for tax free next year so was wondering do you have to apply for this and go threw a goverment test or can you just continue to pay tax?

I couldn't find the chassie number said its under the winch bumper so couldn't tell. So it looks like its a totally different chassie. If thats the case am I right in saying it should be a Q plate then? If so is that a headache process?

Ask yourself why its for sale ? Could it be that its been battered off road, has gearbox faults, its all expensive hassle to fix ?
Is it what the vendor claims it to be ?
There are plenty of landies for sale, shop around, see a few, get used to them etc.
Of course, if the price is right...

tax free etc - youll probably get away with it, but should it ever be called for inspection could you be billed the unpaid tax?

Said he would accept £2800 includes lots of spares, he's now got a 110 seen it around for quite few years he said he'd go green landing all seems okay but like the advise states if vosa or called for inspection my guess is its not going to be in my favour.

The transfer box issue is worrying.

Does he have receipts for all the ads ons?

All that new stuff is irrelevant if it's had the sh*t kicked out of it off road.

2800 is cheap but you'd spend that again getting it sorted.

If you in anyway doubtful, walk away. Another one will come along

payydg said:

If you in anyway doubtful, walk away. Another one will come along

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Yep what he said.

Don't buy it just because it's cheap and near you, and don't buy the first thing you see.

If it's all legit then it's easy enough to fit a reconditioned transfer box. Make sure it's all legally sound and give it a damn good physical inspection! But as said, if any real doubts then walk away as they can come back to haunt you!

I cant see the chassie number which does throw some doubt and if there's any doubt guess I should walk away

Sharkdisco said:

Yeah its coil, thats the other thing that worries me it's due for tax free next year so was wondering do you have to apply for this and go threw a goverment test or can you just continue to pay tax?

I couldn't find the chassie number said its under the winch bumper so couldn't tell. So it looks like its a totally different chassie. If thats the case am I right in saying it should be a Q plate then? If so is that a headache process?

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The chassis number should be on the outside of the chassis on the section by the steering box and not under the bumper like he says. It's usually on the chassis where the front of the wing meets.

If I was to go back up whats the key check tick list I need to achieve to satisfy that its legal.

Find chassie number match on log book
Vin number match on log book? Did they have these in 1975?
Anything else?

Thanks

It should have a vin number unless it's a legitimate re-chassis and nobody has stamped the new chassis.

It's a "bitsa" - bits of this , bits of that. Even if he's made a great job of it, it will be a headache to source parts, and I bet the wiring is like a tube map.
Unless you're determined to do some major off roading and have an excellent Land Rover mechanic as a close personal friend it's not a good choice for a first landy.

Is that crossmember off a series? the tub certainly looks to be, is it not possible to hack the leaf spring hangers off a series chassis and replace them with radius/trailing arm mounts and defender spring seats and so just install discovery running gear into a series chassis and keep the original identity?

Marmaduke said:

Is that crossmember off a series? the tub certainly looks to be, is it not possible to hack the leaf spring hangers off a series chassis and replace them with radius/trailing arm mounts and defender spring seats and so just install discovery running gear into a series chassis and keep the original identity?

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I don't think so....

take a look at https://www.gov.uk/vehicle-registration/radically-altered-vehicles

You need to have 8 points, the big one being an unaltered chassis. I would think if its had suspension mounts altered, it wouldnt class as unmodified.

I would only buy it if you weren't at all bothered about it being moved over to a Q plate, and paying some amount of tax a year. I think the tax free status would be seriously at risk (plus potentially agro from DVLA).

Part Points
Chassis, monocoque bodyshell (body and chassis as one unit) or frame - original or new and unmodified (direct from manufacturer) 5
Suspension (front and back) - original 2
Axles (both) - original 2
Transmission - original 2
Steering assembly - original 2
Engine - original 1

From that mine only scores 6...

Change from a 19j to a 300tdi so had to weld on new engine mounts and I've swapped the axles for 24 spline ones, if I'd swapped the tranny and lifted it I would have scored 2

From that list I would say that there's a lot of tratters and series land rovers that should be Q plated

Marmaduke said:

Part Points
Chassis, monocoque bodyshell (body and chassis as one unit) or frame - original or new and unmodified (direct from manufacturer) 5
Suspension (front and back) - original 2
Axles (both) - original 2
Transmission - original 2
Steering assembly - original 2
Engine - original 1



From that mine only scores 6...

Change from a 19j to a 300tdi so had to weld on new engine mounts and I've swapped the axles for 24 spline ones, if I'd swapped the tranny and lifted it I would have scored 2

From that list I would say that there's a lot of tratters and series land rovers that should be Q plated

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I would think that land rovers that are tax free but with a new body would stand out more than one with new engine mounts.... I guess it's a risk. The current owner seemingly has got away with it so far..... You could as well, however it could also cause you lots of issues.

Personally I would avoid

The thing is what if your in an accident and the insurers or police investigate and realise all is not as it seems they may take a dim view

Why bother for £240 a year.. then there's always the possibility that half or even all the parts on it are stolen. I'd buy something a bit less contentious. and probably less abused.