Thread: Uses for a 101/ FC/ Landrover.

Originally Posted by 101 Ron

This one is interesting

Really nice, love to see inside.

Charles....are you the person who has the long wheel base 101 as a camper ?

Originally Posted by 101 Ron

Charles....are you the person who has the long wheel base 101 as a camper ?

I wish... No I have Puma Defender 110 Dormobile...

Another few days work at the farm.
This lot was hauled over steep tracks and then into town.
As a combination it went over the steel scrap yards scale at 4.330kg.

The other weekend the 101 landy was requested to do another big towing job.
It was a fully loaded dog trailer full of guns and ammo.
The big load was towed around Menangle Steam Museum parade ground.
Luckly the 101 was up to the challenge.

Originally Posted by 101 Ron

The other weekend I was thinking how far I have come with my 101.
I paid good dollars to get one with a known history and little to spend on it.
In the some thing like Six years I have owned it I have done up grades with in its original design.
Those up grades have been, dual 12 volt battery system, Overdrive, LPG conversion with the tank under the body so no payload room is lost and the tank is out of sight, engine driven compressor, air horn, front and rear lockers, 36 inch x 11 inch mud tyres,disc front brakes,up graded lights and lots of small things like jump start able Anderson plug, extra jerry cans.
It already had a good bull bar and towing bars when I purchased it.
It is now my only full time registed vehicle.
The short trip to the farm on the weekend involves some of the steepest main road grades in Australia.
The 101 pulled a ton and a half of trailer, just like it was designed to do as a army gun tractor, and it carried another ton on the back too.
It climbed the mountain in 2nd and 3rd gears sitting on about 4000rpm.
Yes it was not that fast, but my previous Defender 130 TDI did it no quicker.
The ton of weight in the back and the more than 135 kg draw bar down load from the trailer, didn't make the rear end sag, but the ride incomes into its own with that sort of weight on board.
From the main road to the start of the fire trail requires a very, very sharp turn which you only get one go at with traffic up your bum, yet the 101 turns sharper than a Disco and the constant 4wd helps with the climbing hair pin turn with load on to dirt without wheel slip and wind up.
On the fire trails to the farm the parabolics worked very well and I made good speed and the air horn wakes up the city slickers on the middle of the road on the blind corners.
Second gear is light load starting off gear in my 101 with first reserved for hill starts and heavy loads, yet that first gear is low enough to do most of the rough parts of the fire trails.
Rain had made the last part of the track too the farm soft and slippery with some steep pinches, yet the low/low gearing, muddies just made it easy.
The newly fitted discs have made a improvement towing with a load
with straight even stopping on the slippery wet tarred roads and the muddy tracks around the farm.
I off loaded the 101 and used it around the farm, I needed to chain saw up fallen trees across dams, paddocks and tracks.
Yet the 101 turns from tuff load hauler to flat bed ute, by dropping off the sides and all the saws, sharpening gear and fridge is at a nice height.
I back load with fire wood to the farm house, plenty of room in the back.
Tyres, flat on the kids bikes, no problem the 101s engine driven compressor handles it.
The tractor needed a jump start and fuel( from jerrycans)..........101 again supplies electrickery and fuel to the tractor.
The 101 is small enough to squeeze round and under the heavy timber at the farm.
Then there was that log I needed to drag out of the gully, 70 mtrs of winch cable from the back of the vehicle and a 2 to 1 gives a very good reach.
I forgot to isolate one battery and left the fridge and and other stuff running of the 101 over night.......no problem, the crank handle starts the thing, no problem.
Return home, crusing at 100 kph on the flat in overdrive, hose off the mud.
Nothing breaks, I have not spent big money except for up grades mentioned earlier.
Just normal servicing.
The missus wanted me to pick up a long timber bench top from Bunnings during the week as it wouldnt fit on the full length roof rack of the her JK jeep, the 101 swallowed the whole thing, no problem.
I may not be able to listen to the radio, and the steering with the bigger tyres and the high cabin entry gives me a work out, freeze in winter/ sweat in summer, but I love my 101 , for its tuff little package .
I will never sell my 101 , it just has been too good............I sold my much more comfortable defender 130 instead.
Ron

PS
My 101 will most likely take me to the grave as it will.... if looked after out last me and a coffin fits nicely in the back and the drop down sides removed gives people a good view of the carsket .

Just dragging up a old thread.
I have now owned my 101 for over 10 years.
I find the vehicle harder and harder to get in and out of and the steering with the muddies harder too.
Since writing the above I have to fix a steering box which appears to be a weak spot on the 101.
The old girl badly needs new paint as the paint on it is over 25 years old and is flaking off oxidized, but being alloy and gal steel underneath there is still no rush to do this.
I have had no major engine or drive train failures just a cracked exhaust manifold ( a well known 101 problem )
It has just a bit more go than standard 4x4 or 6x6 Perentie Landrover and cruises between 90 to 100 kph while burning LPG.
I have had many electrical faults due to a poor 24 to 12 volt wiring conversion by a previous owner, but it not a design fault or the vehicle, just a poor conversion job done.
I carry out a good servicing program and do uni joints , cables shockers,and stuff as they wear out........nothing unexpected.
My 101 still has its original motor.......low compression 3.5 litre and it never has given me trouble.
I am due to replace a accelerator cable and may remove the carbies and replace the piston diaphrams and needle and seats.
The stilly thing rides rough without a load and is noisey and not generally to comfortable , but it just keeps on doing the hard work I give it without asking too much in return.
The sound of its little bent 8 and general looks is a head turner at the traffic lights or on the bush tracks and I have lost track how many times I have been given a big thumbs up by complete strangers.
Despite the lockers front and rear I have never broken a axle or diff.
The other day out at Yalwal the 101 can mix it with much lifted and modified Toyos and Nissans etc.
The only mod done to help its off roading beening the lockers and modern tyres, but of the same diameter as the originals...........the suspension , clearence and low range gearing is standard.
A recent camping trip and the 101 has my swag laid out ready to go in the back with room to spare.
Fridge, food, cooking gear and every thing else is easy reach from inside or out side of the vehicle as it is boxed a round the sides and with the soft top fitted with shock cord instead of rope ,the reach to the fridge is easy.
In fact the fridge tends to empty its self if I am not around to guard it.
Dust in the vehicle is a problem being a soft top, but not often as it tend to use the 101 more in winter due to the lack of air con.
Going away in the Brindabellas with Perenties, mogs, 4x4 and 6x6 pinz soon, I expect the 101 will have no trouble holding its own.
I was just thinking how good the 101 has been to me and what it does when I ask it to do it.
After 10 years Its been well sorted for what I do and why I typed this to night.
Ron

Making me jealous Ron...

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