Author Topic: The finally excepting the inevitable. She's not as perfect as I thought!  (Read 552 times)

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Offline Samo88

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So. Exactly a year agoI bought my first Landy. A 1981 series 3 88" affectionately known as Wendy (although now known as quite a few other les flattering and more sweary names) I posted some pics of it when I joined the forum and you can see them on my profile.

Well I bought it knowing it required a gearbox rebuild for an appropriately reduced price and purchased a cheap rebuilt box off eBay and had it thrown in by a tractor mechanic at work while I re build the original one with a view to re fit it later this year.

I actually imagined that would be it and then Id just drive it and enjoy its it was "in such nice shape" having done less that 500 miles in 15 years, serviced and MOT'd every year and receipts for £2000 of parts during that time...

I was very, VERY wrong. Ive decided to document what Ive done, and what Im doing to Wendy in this thread. follow along if you're bored.

This is Wendy the day we picked her up, 19/01/19

« Last Edit: January 21, 2020, 12:27:33 pm by Samo88 »

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Offline Samo88

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Ok so what happened prior to now, well Ive taken these updates from the spreadsheet I have documenting what Ive done so far, its nearly at the point of making me cry but it feed in so Ive included it ...

Mud flaps

Dash Binnacle light bulbs
Demister Pipes
Exhaust mid section
Clevis fork for handbrake
Clutch Plate
Clutch cover
Clutch release bearing

Reconditioned Gearbox

Battery
Voltage stabiliser
O rings for hub caps
Bonnet strip
Rocker cover gasket
Prop shaft
O/s front tyre puncture repair
Dizzy cap (ducellier)
HT Lead set
Ignition Coil Bosch
Sparkplugs champion
Rotor arm (ducellier)
Fuel tank gasket set
Carburettor re build kit (weber genuine)
Hub seal
Brake shoes front

Thermostat
Temp sender (water/oil)
Drivers door handle/lock
Clutch slave cylinder
Rear door hinge rebuild kit
Wiper blade kit
Seals (door top to bottom x2)
Door tops x2 to replace the rather needy old ones


Ive worked my way through all the chases bushes replacing them all with original style jobs (that's a good time eh? everyone loves doing chassis bushes right?)

Had some rust on the chassis plated with some good steel plate (not by me and didn't photograph but will one day)


Offline Samo88

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I wanted to change the motor to some 235/85/16 tyres (thinking Goodyear MT/r) so I procured a set of old Defender rims that are a 1/2" wider and 1" greater offset than the original series wheels (next up how to suck an egg) hopefully this will give her a bit of a wider stance (and a few more MPHs at top end) but without being too silly and hopefully look fairlly original while allowing the larger tyre to be fitted.

So this is what they looked like:



I cleaned them up with the grinder


primed them


painted them


lacquered them...

and then the lacquer reacted with the paint and they were all ruined  hsscd


So then, a little tired, I got a friend to acid dip and blast them (which made me feel good as they are much better surface now


Re-primed


and am about to order some fresh paint from paint man this weekend and should have the money for tyres by the end of February.
« Last Edit: January 21, 2020, 01:20:57 pm by Samo88 »

Offline Samo88

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And then the real horror/family sized bag of dicks...

I drained the coolant and replaced the rusty brown stuff with some fresh...

two weeks later after I saw a drip of coolant on the sump and a dropping of the coolant...

and found that it was coming from this...



excuse the **** image I had to get the phone in there but think you can see the issue! There was no sign of this when I bought the car (Im sure we have all discovered nasty stuff we SHOULD have seen when we bought a car so Im really not after any criticism and am aware I should have found it) and I reckon you can see a smear of JB weld over the crack on the block that could have been holding for years before I made the mistake of properly maintaining my vehicle and replacing the old coolant that was of indeterminate age.

So, the question is, what to do next with the block. For now Ive put a bottle of K-seal in there and have some JB weld to re cover the crack (which is holding ok at present even in the cold weather) so I can use the car locally while I figure whether to have this block stitched (as far as I know its the original block form the car, but would take advice if anyone knows a way to confirm this) or to find a replacement block. Any experiences of having a block stitched gladly received too. This has put paid to my hopes of driving up to leafers in her, for this year at least :(

And that's where we are up to right now. My eventual plan is to keep it as a drivable project eventually ending with a re built engine and box that will one day end up on a galv chassis (and maybe bulkhead depending on how that is by the time I do the chassis), re painted, the whole nine yards and intend to do as much as is possible myself.

I intend to keep this thread as a document of ongoing work, maintenance and renovation. And despite all the above I love my Landy. Here is how she looked on her last drive at the weekend, **** block and all.



« Last Edit: January 21, 2020, 01:26:00 pm by Samo88 »

Offline Horace109

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You can weld cast-iron (I think).  Cold-stitching is very popular in the vintage/veteran car scene. 

I'd personally buy a 2nd engine, throw that in whilst you rebuild... OR rebuild the 2nd engine and swap in/out.
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Offline Big Rich

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Your list is like a checklist for mine. I would love to say it will get better but....
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Offline Calum

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Cheapest way will probably be another block. Either option requires a full stripdown anyway really, at which point you might as well do any other work that arises (new rings? Mains?). From that photo it looks to be a 3mb block (no X bracing on front of the drain plug) which would be odd in a 1981 motor I think (unless it was one of the last 3 bearing motors, but I'd have thought they were all 5 by then?)

Looks a very nice unmolested motor though, and we'll worth spending the time to get it spot on!
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Offline Big Rich

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 Mine is an 81 as well and it has a 3mb in it as well

Offline Samo88

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Finally some good news!!!

The first of the wheels is just 'back from paint' as they say in car renovation shows. And by which I mean, Ive finished painting it in my back garden/shed.

Finish has come out lovely, this is the first time Ive ever been patient while painting anything and its paid off for sure! Two coats of etch primer on bare metal, three coats of filler primer with 24 hours drying between coats, then three coats of Paintman's finest limestone synthetic (again with 24 hours between coats) They are now going to sit and cure for about six weeks, as I test painted a couple of bits in this paint and it does take a while to PROPERLY dry out and harden, by which point I should have the money for some new tyres.

Pretty happy how its come out given the state it was in! (see pics in post above) and I'm now verymuch looking forward to getting these on



In other news, Ive decided to finish the rebuild of the original gearbox and then save the reinstallation until I can fit a rebuilt replacement engine with it. The block is holding water fine at present with the help of some K-seal and JB weld and although Im not going to do the long drive up to Leafers on it this year, I feel I should be able to get a block and re build it by this time next year and fit the whole engine and gearbox together next spring. (obviously this will be hastened if the block blows up in the mean time but fingers crossed)


Offline Samo88

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Incase anyone was wondering,

The bits I tested with Paintman's paint was this enamel mug which Ive (obviously) done in Marine Blue, and will (if there's any spare) get its innards done in Limestone so I have a nerdy detailed mug for use in my Marine Blue and Limestone Land Rover.



Sometimes even I worry about how much of a geek I am...

Then I go drive my Landy and stop caring!

Offline Viamphie

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Ahh yes the old money pit bites another land owner. Nice thread though sammo keep it up. Hope to see you at some of the outings.
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Offline Samo88

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 Thanks Viamphie

You will def see me at some event or other. I was hoping to get to leaders this year. But it’s a VERY long way from Cornwall and until I get this engine replaced I don’t fancy risking it. Also I believe you guys go to shell island each year? I’d love to make that trip as I learnt to drive in shell island at the age of 10 in a series 1 with my father. I’d love to go back in my own landy one day.

Offline Viamphie

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Well keep yours eyes on the events thread. I’m sure we’ll be heading over to Shell a few times a year. 
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Offline mickandpaula101

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shell will be just the same as you remember......it's flippin ace
Diabolus fecit, ut id facerem!

Offline Samo88

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The good news continues!

After the saga of stripping, painting, re-stripping, and re painting, the wheels ended up looking like this:

Finally I had enough spondoolies saved for some tyres last week. And they arrived, and I took them to a local tyre place for tubes, fitting and balancing: 


And then I took them home and removed the old wheels and comparing them side by side the new ones were definitely going to give the old girl something of a lift: