Rusty Landys

[BUSHWHACKER]

Nah! Square wheels I think!

[laser_jock99]

Don't get me wrong- I'd love to have a Land Rover Defender (and other many cars too if funds and space permitted)- but at the moment one car has to do everything (from the daily comute to offroading) and that means SURF!

[chrisinflight]

Rust.

Older is better- well said. (well I would say that wouldn`t I? 1st Gen owner)
My Dad used to talk about- Virgin steel and recycled coke cans.

I once researched about biking it through Africa and the general concensus on the New bike verses Old bike decision was: Buy a late 80`s early 90`s single cylinder like the XT600 and spend the rest of the money on rebuilding and kitting out to YOUR spec. Any trailbikers had cracked chassis` lately?

Back to the topic- is it the fact that surfs are kept away from salt for so many years in Japan or are they built stronger with better steel?
cheers,
Chris

[laser_jock99]

Back to the topic- is it the fact that surfs are kept away from salt for so many years in Japan or are they built stronger with better steel?
cheers,
Chris

The bad news is that Surfs will go rusty too in the salt. You've just got to do all you can to off set the inevitable (waxoyling, keep on top of stone chips etc.). I've just noticed some rust on my drivers door bottom-bah! That's 3 UK winters worth of salt for you!

[da SLUG man]

I drove a Landrover once, a 1973 short wheelbase. If I went over 50mph in it, the windscreen went all blurry!

how could you tell? i can't see mine, it's clear!

[M35A2]

Any Solihull Product built past 1990 will be equally loaded with sensors, gizmos and computers- it's a fallicy to even think Land Rover products newer than this may be easily fixed armed with just a hammer and a screwdriver! The MK2 Surf if anything is more of a "back to roots" 4x4 than the equivalent age P38 (MK2) Range Rover or "MK2" Discovery. If you think you can fix a modern Land Rover with basic tools you're in for a shock! Both the Range Rover Sport and Discovery 3 are "a nightmare of modern electronic wizardry" which you ain't gonna be fixing on your driveway. So in 10 years time when these cars become affordable as actual offroaders for offroad use, no-one will be using Discoveries and Range Rovers (and a heap of other new 4x4's for that matter) as they will be too damned complicated and too damned expensive to fix.

People on one of the Landrover Forums are regularly steered away from using cheap P38 Range Rovers and late Disco's as offroaders purely for these reasons- you can't fix them. Stick to the older models. Older = better!

I agree. But I'm not talking about Range Rovers or Discoverys. I am talking about "proper" Land Rovers. Step up the Land Rover Defender.

I don't care what anyone says. There isn't a job I haven't done on a Land Rover, be it a Lightweight, series 3 or Defender.

The Military ones make total sense if you are going to buy one. One of the most important things that is different is the un-boltable gearbox crossmember. All civvy chassis have a welded crossmember. If you need to change the gearbox or clutch, the seat box has to come out. I know, as I spent a week doing my series 3 Military Land Rover's clutch back in 1995. It was re-fitted with a CL chassis by the Army, after a lifetimes service in Northern Ireland as a VPK LWB. It gave me the worst case of flu I've ever had in my life, as I was lying on cold concrete at Christmas time doing it when the temperature was below freezing for the whole week. It took me two days to get the seat box out, as all the bolts had rusted up, and as most are in virtually inaccessable places, was a very bad job. Taking the gearbox out and changing the clutch took about four hours. Then another couple of days re-fitting everything. I still own this Land Rover, but it's been dry stored since 1998, when I got my Defender direct from the RAF.

I have rebuilt both my Defenders axles, using brand new genuine parts including wheel cylinders, brake calipers (over £300 each) discs, drums, seals, nuts, bolts, brake lines and hoses etc,etc..... The total bill came to about £1,800. But she drives like a dream, and the only problem I have is the seals have gone in the gearbox and transfer case. So she leaks a bit of oil.

Even the new Defenders are easy to work on. Yes they have now got complex electrics. But the rolling chassis is still the same as is the bodywork.

I am a die hard Land Rover nut, and will always defend them. Yes they do have faults, and they have always been cursed with underpowered engines (apart from the V8 and then laterly the 200TDi, 300TDi and TD5 Diesels. But at the end of the day, they are the best pure bred off roader in the world. Their Special Vehicle division turns out some wonderful vehicles. Southern Electric have just taken delivery of some great 55 plate Defenders for off road repairs.

Then you have the Defender APV's. They have served in Northern Ireland with distinction for over 10 years. Just had a major rebuild, and are now in Iraq.

I love my Surf. The reason I bought it was that I've always wanted one. This is my luxury 4X4. My Defender is my show vehicle and off roader. My series 3 is looking for a new home. And I am looking for a 6X6 Military truck!!

A perfect example of a Land Rover Defender.

http://www.witham-sv.com/infopage.php?ID=592&Overide=1
http://www.geocities.com/saspastandpresent/Vehices.htm

[Chillitt]

a landrover without rust is like cheese without pickle....

[M35A2]

a landrover without rust is like cheese without pickle....

None on my Defender. Where does that leave my cheese sandwich??

[M35A2]

a landrover without rust is like cheese without pickle....

A shed without nails, is like wood without knots!!

[Woodzie]

No nails................ where's the big bad wolf

[BUSHWHACKER]

I use Gripfill!

[M35A2]

No nails................ where's the big bad wolf

Here is the WOLF!!


http://www.willmotta.co.uk/index.html

[Woodzie]

I use Gripfill!

Tried that ... and no nails and the shelf still fell on melons head

[Woodzie]

Here is the WOLF!!

http://www.willmotta.co.uk/id3.html

Nice wolf FOR A LANDY

[Chillitt]

i do like the look of the heaters in that bus....
(my sheds are screwed...!)