The search is over - 1976 Series 3 88"

Well after what feels like forever searching for a project I've finally got myself a Series 3 88" landy, and the best part about it all is it didn't cost me a penny



I was lucky enough to stumble across my Landy just down the road from where I live, the chap who owned it before me only used it to tow a small trailer on his land and really wanted a quad bike which I so happened to have sitting idle in my workshop. So I planted the idea of a straight swap in his head and off a went until a few month later he came to see me and we shook on the deal.

She's had 9 previous owners in her lifetime which shows with the patch work quilt style repairs to the chassis, and in an ideal world I'd replace it with a galvanised item but I'm on a shoe string of a budget so I'll just have to get fabricating. The rest of the panels are fairly straight although the front outer wings have the usual dents in them, doors are also the Defender push button type so they'll have to go. I will also need to source a rear door as she doesn't have one. The bulkhead is the usual story like most land rovers, years of neglect and dodgy patches mean both footwells will need replacing along with some other repair work.








As far as plans go I want to convert it to power steering with a p38 box setup and also change the engine to a 200DI setup, I almost had a complete Disco 1 last week but the guy didn't show up with it in the end. Apart from that there are no radical plans for her, keep for fairly standard and maybe change the colour to Pastel green.

Congratulations on a really good find. It looks really 'honest'. I'll keep watching for updates. Good luck.

Nice one, look forward to the resurrection.

That will make a smart S3 when it's done. Nowt wrong with welding your old chassis it will last many years if done properly. I used to refurb series Land Rovers at a place in Burton and we gave a 5 year guarantee on the chassis and never had one come back.

There is some serious welding work on the chassis but unfortunately a new chassis doesn't fit into my budget so I'll just have to work a miracle

Well finally cleared enough space in the workshop to get ready for the strip down, just need to make the time now.

bookmarked

Can you tell me what wheel/tyre combination you've got on there please. I think they look really good. Are the rims long wheelbase ones?

I'm not sure, how can you tell the difference between SWB and LWB rims?

liam_italian said:

I'm not sure, how can you tell the difference between SWB and LWB rims?

Click to expand...

I think LWB rims are slightly bigger allowing you to fit larger tyres without it looking too extreme or modified. It just looked like on the pictures they seemed to pleasantly fill the wheel arches and they certainly look better than what was fitted to mine. I don't think the LWB rims are even that much bigger maybe 17 inch instead of 16 inch.

the tyres are 16 x 7.50 so poss they are SWB rims then?

LWB/SWB rims are same diameter ...16" ...only the width differs (Slightly wider on LWB) tyres were 7.50 on LWB and 6.50/6.00 on SWB

Well not a lot has happened since I last posted here, the Land Rover is mostly stripped down now and ready for rebuild.

However my new Richards chassis did arrive last Friday after a few teething problems with the chassis. I had originally intended to repair the current chassis but it's had so much dodgy welding done to it in the past that it's a lot of work to put right and even then it's not going last half as long and not be as strong. So I decided to bite the bullet and get the credit card out.

Next job will be to get it t-washed, etch primed and painted

Haha,good work with the chassis! I've gone down the same road but now starting to put it all back together.

I might have a rear door spare... Where in the world are you?

good luck with the rebuild, i hope you dont over take me!

Well it’s been a while but I’ve finally started

Dig the chassis out from under its cover today and gave it a good clean and wipe down with panel wipe. Then it was out with the T wash and hose pipe.

Just got to wait a few days now for it to dry fully before etch primer and paint. Once that’s done I’m hoping to make a start on the rear axle

Well done, what a super little thing - dead jealous, and good luck.

Well done your catching me up slowly

Keep up the good work, nice big workshop you have there.