Should I or shouldn't I?

Hi Guys,
Just joined, as I'm taking delivery of a RR Classic, soft dash next week and will no doubt need the benefit of your collective wisdom and experience at some points
Unexpectedly, I have a small modern warehouse at my disposal on my doorstep, with a fair number of mechanic's tools. Not looked in all the corners yet to see what exactly is to hand and there's no vehicle lift.
I've just been forced to take medical retirement at 53 and am wondering what the heck to do with myself.
I have little mechanical experience, but I fancy buying a Series 3 that's a good candidate for renovation and turning it into a soft top with canvas roof etc. I may have the opportunity to help out at a local bodyshop , next time they're doing a similar restoration, simply to pick up some expertise.
I'm in no hurry with this, but I do intend to set a budget and do it as professionally as possible , including the best presented end result that's possible .
My question is. Given where I'm starting from, should I steer well clear and do something that I know I have aptitude for (flying) or do it, slowly, methodically, using all the local advice I have on tap. The local bodyshop who have a few of these projects under their belts now, do extremely high quality work and reckon an old land-rover is one of the least complicated restorations for a novice to undertake.
Should I ? Welcome your very candid views guys.
MUCH appreciated.
Mike

should imagine a rangie resto would be fun. as long as your medical retirement doesn't mean you have physical incapacities I guess. some of it can be ball breaking. wealth of knowledge on here to tap if needed

expect your budget to be inadequate, its easy to really go to town

if you do go for it there is a dedicated section for range rovers on here.

https://www.landyzone.co.uk/forum/range-rover.10/

It's nearly always better to try something and perhaps regret trying it, than it is to regret not trying it - IMHO, and YMMV - but go for it - the facilities you have been offered will be an absolute godsend. I agree with the local body shop - Series LR's are brilliant things to work on - and the knowledge on here is unrivaled IME.

I'm gonna do an RRC at some point in the non too distant, and I have my fathers Series 2A to do too - I'm really looking forward to doing them both

Best of luck with whatever you decide to do

Of course you should do it, you obviously want to and you are going about it the right way by surrounding yourself with knowledgeable people rather than struggling along on your own. Come back to us with any questions.

Cheers guys.
I really was asking for honest opinions, be they positive or not.
You're all way ahead of me on the learning curve, so I value your views.
I have disc issues in my lower back, but it's fairly manageable now.
As was said, better to have a go than not and regret it for ever more.
That's pretty much how I've lived my life and it ain't been dull
It's definitely NOT the RR that I'll be attempting. It's an almost finished
rolling project that will be my daily driver this year.
I've watched hours of different YT vids on restoring a Series/Defender.
Read hours of blogs. If I need a hand with heavy stuff, I have help on hand.
I'm a member of a couple of other forums for different makes of cars and
they're invaluable places.
This year is all about getting fit again, doing something different and possibly
preparing for a different kind of future career.
Hopefully I'll be picking up the RR late next week, once it's been MoT’d and I'll
put a pic on my profile when I do. Same goes for the LR .
Thanks again guys and if anyone else wants to share any pearls, don't hesitate.
Mike

I can empathize, I too have 3 damaged discs in my lumbar spine due to a childhood injury from when I drove my pedal car down the inspection pit at my family's garage. Took until my fifties for it to rear its ugly head as a daily problem, I'm in my sixties now. Just take it easy but don't let it beat you. I find getting up and down from the ground when working on my cars is the worst so remember to be careful.
John

Blimey, we're all demics on here ! I take 60 tablets a day for a pretty rare form of MD, so I know about back pain .

Best thing I ever did was buy myself a (vehicle) lift - you can even get free standing ones if you don't want to be drilling concrete floors

First thing to do with a series is to become comfortable with its shortcomings. You will spend a small fortune on it and as it rolls out of your garage for the first time, restored to factory perfection you will instantly realize it was never meant to be more than a tractor that you can pop to the post office in.
Even off the production line they let in water, broke down, fell to bits, rattled, smoked, leaked oil, became ridiculously uncomfortable after a mile and a half and took a hell of a lot to live with. Thats why I have one. I love the fact they where designed and produced by chaps in smokey rooms full of beards and pipes and top pockets full of pencils.
It wont be a smart little MG or a convertible Herald or like any of the other simple vehicle to restore but it will be a whole lot of fun and most definitely character building.
It sounds like you already have the Land Rover bug and if anything like myself you wont be happy with a normal classic to play with. I am a keen amateur rather than a knowledgeable semi pro but you dont need engineering skills to beat one into submission. Just patience and common sense.
Go for it and I hope it delivers enjoyment in big wobbly dollops.

Thanks for more wise words guys and sorry to hear of some of the things we have to contend with.
I live near Bushmills (I know, lucky me) on the North Coast of Northern Ireland and you're as likely to be following a Defender, as you are a super car, as you bimble about in this neck of the woods.
If you haven't visited yet, think Norfolk, without so much sunshine
It's a lot less stressful to just waft about in a 4x4, than it is, acting like every set of traffic lights is the grid at Monaco. I've most definitely had the LR bug for a very long time, which is why I'd like to restore one to a spec that would suit the lifestyle that I anticipate for the next several years.

I do have one question to start with and I will also do some research on this.
If my objective is to make a kind of soft top, go to the local market town or beach type vehicle with a light body and a powerful V6 / V8; what model of LR ought I to be looking for to use as the basis of the project?

Thanks again guys!

My advice would be to find the best series 3 you can afford, one with an mot. You can then do a rolling restoration. Just fixing a bit at a time, learning as you do each job and getting to drive it at the same time. A full resto can cost north of £10,000 and at the end you will have a vehicle worth about £7,500. Also, quite a few embark on a big resto project, take it to bits and never get any further. Good luck.

Col

Cheers Col.
That makes sense.
Is there anywhere on the forum where someone's roughly costed how much different elements of a restoration are likely to be.(given some basic assumptions) I know that's a bit of a 'how long is a piece of string' question. I suppose there's no substitute for planning it out myself and trying to cost each part of the project.
Contrary to what I said originally. First time around, I think I'd try to see just how tight a budget I can work to.
To produce something functional, safe and fun. But not looking like it's just come off the production line

Disco1BFG said:

I take 60 tablets a day

Click to expand...

Fuck me !!!!

I did wonder if that was a typo, but having no experience of MD, I thought I'd keep shtum

Mr S1 said:

Fuck me !!!!

Click to expand...

thanks for the offer, but I'm happy with SWMBO

UlstermanAbroad said:

I did wonder if that was a typo, but having no experience of MD, I thought I'd keep shtum

Click to expand...

No typo I'm afraid... My repeat scripts come in two carrier bags .... it's quite funny really.

All the tablets are for the side effects really - pain, swelling ( ooh er) and to protect my kidneys, and make me guts work

UlstermanAbroad said:

Thanks for more wise words guys and sorry to hear of some of the things we have to contend with.
I live near Bushmills (I know, lucky me) on the North Coast of Northern Ireland and you're as likely to be following a Defender, as you are a super car, as you bimble about in this neck of the woods.
If you haven't visited yet, think Norfolk, without so much sunshine
It's a lot less stressful to just waft about in a 4x4, than it is, acting like every set of traffic lights is the grid at Monaco. I've most definitely had the LR bug for a very long time, which is why I'd like to restore one to a spec that would suit the lifestyle that I anticipate for the next several years.

I do have one question to start with and I will also do some research on this.
If my objective is to make a kind of soft top, go to the local market town or beach type vehicle with a light body and a powerful V6 / V8; what model of LR ought I to be looking for to use as the basis of the project?

Thanks again guys!

Click to expand...

You won’t get anything with a serviceable v8 in it for sensible money.
Have you considered a light weight. Still a few around at normal money.
The problem with old cars with oversized engines is stress. If you take standard running gear that’s 40 years old and blast a V8 through it your asking for trouble. If you upgrade everything to cope your looking at crazy money. Like I said it’s a tractor not a saloon.
Budgets rarely come into it. It’s going to cost at least two grand to make it tidy. 4 grand to make it nice and ten grand to make it perfect. It can take big lumps of money if you get nasty surprises with the chassis or bulkhead along the way.

You need to be looking for one with a decent chassis and bulkhead cos if they are knackered, you're looking at big money to replace. A galvenized chassis for a swb will be the thick end of £3000 with vat and delivery, probably more to get it to NI. If you buy something with a long mot, hopefully the tester will have examined the chassis and found it roadworthy, although there's no guarantee in that. My advice would be to look for a 2.25 petrol.

Col

Cheers guys.
From reading / listening so far, I've gathered that a good chassis and bulkhead are critical.
As is an MOT, for a very basic 'health check'.
I've noticed the lightweights when they are advertised but I've never driven one or been driven in one.
I'm not ruling anything out, at this stage, however I think I'll focus on a 2.25 petrol for now.
Thanks again guys.

Not sure if you'll see this Col. Wondering why you suggested I look for a 2.25 petrol?
I checked the mpg online and it looks fairly horrific. I'd only be using it locally, but still
With an eye on resale too, this has me worried.
Is mpg in the teens a reasonable expectation?

UlstermanAbroad said:

Not sure if you'll see this Col. Wondering why you suggested I look for a 2.25 petrol?
I checked the mpg online and it looks fairly horrific. I'd only be using it locally, but still
With an eye on resale too, this has me worried.
Is mpg in the teens a reasonable expectation?

Click to expand...

20 is usual a bit more on long runs,less on a short run to the shops ,but compared to the under powered diesel is smooth and a lot quieter and useable

jamesmartin said:

20 is usual a bit more on long runs,less on a short run to the shops ,but compared to the under powered diesel is smooth and a lot quieter and useable

Click to expand...

Cheers James. Thanks for your help.