My Land Rover dilemma! A tale of woe, a warning to other newbies and a request for advice!

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The other thing you should be aware of is, when you own a series landrover, you will always be spending money and using up your spare time, they are a labour of love and they grow on you.

Col
 
Hi Col, Until I bought the Landie working on vehicles has always been a means to an end (DIY to save money). As the Landie is a second vehicle its meant when I've had enough I've been able to walk away, when its raining I don't bother. This is my first Series Land Rover and she came with her original petrol engine in the back. I've swapped engines in cars before, but never bough an unfamiliar vehicle and had to put the engine back in. I could show you a clip of me jumping up and down in excitement having driven the car forwards and backwards across the yard for the first time. That's why she's not in piece yet and I'm desperately asking for advice. Andy
 
If she was mine, I would do whatever I could to save her. They become part of the family. However, I accept that there is a limit to what is reasonable. Good luck with whatever decision you make.

Col
 
Its already been stripped of its ID by DVLA and needs be re registered on a Q plate. Trouble is it would need to go through an IVA test and I don't see how its possible to get a Series Landie through the test. Plus its all additional expense - £55 to re register the vehicle. I need an official VIN plate from Land Rover. £200 for the test, transport from Chesterfield to Nottingham £40 for a re test. I'm told for an IVA test the vehicle needs to be first class and sadly she'd need a complete rebuild to be ready. Andy

I think the main issue is you've become disheartened with it so some amount of time away from the project may help trust me go do something else for a month and see how you feel

but see it this way, its cheaper than buying another landie and if it runs and drives i don't personally see the issue with a Q plate, yes it shows a chequered history but thats only really an issue if you intend to sell it.

Yes may cost you £300 extra but can put that down to a bad experience and move on you'd then have a nice old landie to do the job it was bought for originally,

How many old series do you think are running around on shortened range rover classic chassis on the original reg number just to get a coil spring upgrade, Loads! and i wouldnt bet any vin numbers match on them either!

and as turbo man says an IVA is only so vehicle is up to standards of the time it was originally built
 
After receiving so many comments, advice, support and a little ridicule, I thought that it would be appropriate to let you know what became of my Landie.

I’m not going to go into lots of detail (I’d be here all day). Following extensive research using the bulkhead chassis plate, registration etched into the windows and major component serial numbers and then with the support and influence of the Series 2 clubs VRO. Finally to my surprise and relief DVLA were persuaded as to the vehicles correct 1976 Series 3 identity, she was permitted to revert back to this original identity and regain her original registration.

The new V5 is now with me and work has resumed to get her back on the road this summer. Its uncanny, but it turns out she was first registered on the day that my wife was born!

So there is light at the end of the tunnel and sometimes honesty does prevail.

Best wishes to all.

Andy
 
After receiving so many comments, advice, support and a little ridicule, I thought that it would be appropriate to let you know what became of my Landie.

I’m not going to go into lots of detail (I’d be here all day). Following extensive research using the bulkhead chassis plate, registration etched into the windows and major component serial numbers and then with the support and influence of the Series 2 clubs VRO. Finally to my surprise and relief DVLA were persuaded as to the vehicles correct 1976 Series 3 identity, she was permitted to revert back to this original identity and regain her original registration.

The new V5 is now with me and work has resumed to get her back on the road this summer. Its uncanny, but it turns out she was first registered on the day that my wife was born!

So there is light at the end of the tunnel and sometimes honesty does prevail.

Best wishes to all.

Andy
I wish I had a 1976 vintage wife, mine needs a new chassis but her performance is good, she goes from annoyed to bloody furious in under 3 seconds.

Col
 
Nice one Col, made me chuckle. Hope you are keeping well. Mine doesn't mind me owning the landie, likes the fact that it keeps me from under her feet. I can spend money on it as long as she has some to spend. She's had a drive of one and liked it, but wouldn't want to drive one all the time. In a nut shell.... perfect. Andy
 
Mine wondered into my garage yesterday and noticed for the first time my lathe which has been hidden behind motorbikes for a couple of years. She wasn't happy, I told her I'm looking after it for a friend. Then she noticed a big wooden box, " what's in that" she says, my World War Two Bren gun sez I. She's still going on about it this morning. Wants to know why anyone would want a Bren gun, strange woman.

Col
 
After receiving so many comments, advice, support and a little ridicule, I thought that it would be appropriate to let you know what became of my Landie.

I’m not going to go into lots of detail (I’d be here all day). Following extensive research using the bulkhead chassis plate, registration etched into the windows and major component serial numbers and then with the support and influence of the Series 2 clubs VRO. Finally to my surprise and relief DVLA were persuaded as to the vehicles correct 1976 Series 3 identity, she was permitted to revert back to this original identity and regain her original registration.

The new V5 is now with me and work has resumed to get her back on the road this summer. Its uncanny, but it turns out she was first registered on the day that my wife was born!

So there is light at the end of the tunnel and sometimes honesty does prevail.

Best wishes to all.

Andy

Thanks for the update. It is always interesting to hear what actually happened in these borderline situations.
 
Brill news we All like being told of results especially when they turn out that the authorities have seen sense... there's nothing worse than a thread petering out with no ending...admire your honesty and really chuffed for you...Rob
 
BRILLIANT result!

I did something similar on an MG imported from Jersey. Probably should have kept the car "registered" in Jersey, but did the "proper" thing and got it properly registered for the mainland UK. Luckily, the car is such a shed, the import guys did not charge me any import duty...

Sometimes honesty does pay off!

I wonder what ever happened to the original S2 109???
 
Thank you Rob!

My best guess would be that the S2 went for scrap!

When I bought the landie on the S2 reg as registered keeper I was able to acquire from DVLA copies of all previous V5 docs. I traced and wrote to the last 4 owners asking for help. Of which I got one reply which didn't help at all. Now that I have become the registered keeper of the S3 reg I can again acquire the history from DVLA. It'll be interesting to see if both registrations have a registered keeper in common. This would give me the name of the person most likely to have switched the identities, the location and approximately when. I intend to do this not to lay blame at anyone's door, but simply so that I have a complete picture of the vehicles history.

Best wishes
Andy
 
Mine wondered into my garage yesterday and noticed for the first time my lathe which has been hidden behind motorbikes for a couple of years. She wasn't happy, I told her I'm looking after it for a friend. Then she noticed a big wooden box, " what's in that" she says, my World War Two Bren gun sez I. She's still going on about it this morning. Wants to know why anyone would want a Bren gun, strange woman.

Col

Sounds like I am not the only person that times deliveries for when she is not in.....
 
Now that I have become the registered keeper of the S3 reg I can again acquire the history from DVLA. It'll be interesting to see if both registrations have a registered keeper in common. This would give me the name of the person most likely to have switched the identities, the location and approximately when. I intend to do this not to lay blame at anyone's door, but simply so that I have a complete picture of the vehicles history.

Best wishes
Andy
I think that’ll be fascinating, but there’s a good chance the perpetrator never registered the vehicle in his name...
 
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