Time for a Re-fit

[wally]

Have you lost interest again?

[Johnno1969]

Have you lost interest again?

You'd like that, wouldn't you? You bitter little man - you'd love to see me fail.

[Johnno1969]

P.S. Just to spite Wally, I will be getting stuck back into the Landy this weekend after yet another hiatus. I'll hopefully be putting in the new shockies and doing a number of other timely little jobs....

[wally]

Get the billy on...

I had the billy on but it boiled dry and I got bored waiting. I bought my own bun loaf.

[Johnno1969]

Got a little bit done today: got the rear shockies on (will add something to that other thread on that...), fitted the seals to the door tops and fitted the tops to the doors temporarily to start to get the "hang" of the doors right, changed the u-bolts on the front axle (also another thread...) and cut and fitted the door rubber for the passenger side door. Still a bit of work to get the door to line up nicely (determined this time not to start butchering stuff to make it fit).

Using non-standard stuff like the pinchweld for door seals does make the job a bit fiddly - but hopefully all these little tweaks will be worth it.

John

[Johnno1969]

More photos.

[marting]

Hi John
Those shocks look the goods. Waiting for the word before I place the order!!

You are doing a great job. Really starting to come together now.

Will be up your way next week. Would love to call in and have a chat and admire your work if you will be around.

Cheers, Martin

[bell1975]

Stop fiddling around with the bloomin thing John!

[Johnno1969]

It's very enjoyable adding little touches like original gaskets between the door handle mechanisms and the doors - the sorts of things I never even knew were on the vehicle originally.

The other photos show the passenger-side door being lined up. Basically, I loosened off the hinges completely, clamped the door where I wanted it to lie, then tightened the hinge to the firewall, then tightened the hinge pin, then lastly tightened the hinge to the door itself. This seemed to work pretty well to use all the adjustment in exactly the direction I needed it.

[Johnno1969]

Here are some photos of the pinchweld in place on the driver's door. It is a bit fiddly getting things to fit, but it works. The driver's door does not fit as easily as the passenger's, but that is because there is less of a margin of room between it and the rest of the bodywork (blame my workmanship, rather than Land Rover's build quality). I'll get it sorted, eventually.

One annoying thing is that one of the threads on the captive nuts on the driver's side appears to be cream-crackered. It was fine (I thought) before. Anyway, I hope it all holds, as I am not pulling it all apart now.

This shot of the interior of the passenger's door shows how it's coming along.

John

[debruiser]

Did you find you had to grind off the lip around the door frames to get the pinch weld to fit? I purchased defender door rubbers (single piece) they would have gone on with the lip, but not as neat so I ground the lip down.

[Johnno1969]

Did you find you had to grind off the lip around the door frames to get the pinch weld to fit? I purchased defender door rubbers (single piece) they would have gone on with the lip, but not as neat so I ground the lip down.

I was aware of the fact that the accepted thing seems to be to remove the lip if using pinchweld, but thought I'd have a go at it first without cutting or grinding anything, as this time around on the ol' Landy I am doing everything I can not to cut/remove/butcher in ways that I did in the past.

The fit is pretty tight, but I managed to do it without removing any of the lip. It is harder to do, certainly, and would be easier and neater in places if I got rid of the lip.

The driver's door doesn't shut quite properly yet, but I will sort that out with some adjustment of the striker.

[Johnno1969]

The driver's door doesn't shut quite properly yet, but I will sort that out with some adjustment of the striker.

P.S. That's not because of the pinchweld, by the way. The bodywork is slightly out of alignment, and the aperture for the door is a little tighter on that side. But I'll get there. Just got to be patient...

[Johnno1969]

Still plugging away today. No photos... but fiddled with the driver's door alignment (still not happy), put in the passenger's seat (it is starting to look like a car), adjusted the brakes (won't really know how they are until I hit the road (and preferably not anything else)) and various little housekeeping jobs not really worth mentioning.

Oh, one thing worth mentioning is that I have decided not to fit the brake drum retaining screws at the moment. I know how useful they are in keeping a drum on if a wheel is lost, so the brakes don't disappear - but the ones I've bought sit out proud of the drum and don't allow the wheel to sit flush - which is really not good. I'll look into a little more counter-sinking on the drums down the track or, preferably, different screws.

Related to the way the wheels sit, I am going to post another thread related to wheel nuts.

She's getting a new exhaust on Monday - which will mean......... driving.

[450Dan]

Not being an expert on the subject I would imagine that if a wheel were to fall off one would have more immediate issues than losing a brake shoe or two :eek:

Still, I guess it would be nice to not have to search the highway for them afterwards assuming walking is still an option, I mean we all know how fast these old land rovers go, at such supersonic speeds the damage would be catastrophic lol

On a more serious note it's good to see the progress, makes me want to speed ahead with bob all the more but I must remind myself that there's no point rushing too much and having to come back and redo bits later. Keep up the good work!

[Johnno1969]

Got stuck in today: Sprayed Penetrol into the chasiss using an airgun-thingy connected to a long plastic hose which I taped to a bit of heavy wire and poked down the length of each chassis rail. I found that, with the length of the tubing and and the friction inside it along the way, the pressure out of the business end was not as much as I hoped, so I followed that by using a sort length of hose (without the nozzle thing on the end) and poked it into every gap and hole I could find. Then I used the short hose to do the rear and mid crossmembers.

I sorted out the "Land Rover" badges (yes, it is getting that close) by wire-brushing them, then spraying them black, then carefully sanding back the raised lettering. I accidentally scratched the black on the grill badge, then tried to touch it up with a brush.... which didn't work too well (pic in next post), so I have since carefully masked the good bits and sanded and lightly resprayed the damaged area.

[Johnno1969]

Then a thing happened: I was going to be patient and wait to take the Landy out onto the road tomorrow to get her new exhaust (the old one is hanging by bits of crappy wire), but the more I looked at it, the more I thought about it and the more it seemed that mid afternoon on a sunny Sunday really was the best time for a quick test drive, even with a crappy old exhaust hanging from crappy bits of wire. The right time.

So, I took a quick trundle around the neighbourhood. Then Wally showed up, and he came with me on a second drive. It was all very exciting. "It's a car again!" was pretty much the theme of the afternoon. We went to the service station and got fuel and everything, just like all the other people there do with their cars all the time - except it was more fun. I haven't had so much fun at a servo ever. All sorts of good stuff happened, like pouring diesel all over the forecourt because I'd forgotten to tighten the screws on the sender unit on the right-hand tank.

I was somewhat surprised to find that, after four years' work, the Landy didn't feel like a Rolls Royce on the road. But it feels good.

Watch this space.

[Cannon]

That's awesome. Congrats mate :D

[Johnno1969]

Thanks mate. We're getting there!

[bell1975]

Mighty fine job. It's been a treat watching the reincarnation of your truck John. It gives me hope that one day in the future (NZ next year maybe) I'll have a crack at a restoration on a Landy or an old bike. Thanks for all the laughs along the way mate.

Did Wally get any action photos? I expect he'll be along soon with the lighter side.

[450Dan]

Awesome job! Nearly finished

[Johnno1969]

They're never finished! But, yeah, this particular big job is almost over. I still have to keep at it to finish the tasks I have listed; until then it is "undergoing sea trials" and not quite there....

[Johnno1969]

Mighty fine job. It's been a treat watching the reincarnation of your truck John. It gives me hope that one day in the future (NZ next year maybe) I'll have a crack at a restoration on a Landy or an old bike. Thanks for all the laughs along the way mate.

Did Wally get any action photos? I expect he'll be along soon with the lighter side.

We're not done yet. There's still a bit to do - but yeah, we're almost over the line.

The camera was in the Landy so that Wally could get some action shots as we stormed along at 25mph, but in his excitement he panicked and forgot.

[Johnno1969]

The old girl's in getting a new exhaust now. As a special treat, she's getting an overnight holiday at the exhaust shop folks. The bloke fitting it told me that he "used to trundle around the paddocks in these old things" - which is a good sign. I had a look at progress when I dropped into the workshop late today....the new exhaust is looking great.

It's funny, though.... After years of being nurtured at home, the Landy is staying out overnight in the wide world. I can't help but feel some natural apprehension. I mean... we do what we can, we bring 'em up, pull 'em apart and put 'em back together right and send 'em out into the world and just hope they'll be OK.

It just seems like the other day when large bits of Landy were sleeping at the foot of my bed. *sniff*

[marting]

Great news John to hear you are finally driving her!
The planets will align one day and I will get to see it!
Cheers, Martin

[Johnno1969]

Great news John to hear you are finally driving her!
The planets will align one day and I will get to see it!
Cheers, Martin

Thanks Martin - I am sure that you'll get to see her down the track.

Cheers,

John

[Johnno1969]

Picked up the Landy from the exhaust shop this afternoon. The new exhaust seems very good.

But, when the fitter was tightening the exhaust to the manifold flange, the manifold cracked. That's a pain in the arse.

Anybody got a spare exhaust manifold for a 2.25D?

John

[debruiser]

Picked up the Landy from the exhaust shop this afternoon. The new exhaust seems very good.

But, when the fitter was tightening the exhaust to the manifold flange, the manifold cracked. That's a pain in the arse.

Anybody got a spare exhaust manifold for a 2.25D?

John

Bugger ay. I should have one somewhere, if you want me to look for it let me know. It'll be cheap. :)

[Johnno1969]

Bugger ay. I should have one somewhere, if you want me to look for it let me know. It'll be cheap. :)

Mate, you're a champion. Yep, it looks like I'll need one. I send you a PM.

Thanks,

John

[Johnno1969]

Here's the overhead console after the afternoon spent covering it in marine vinyl. It's come up alright.

[Johnno1969]

A while back, I picked up some sun visors (think they're out of an eighties-vintage County or something): here they are being cleaned up.

Then it was time to fit them to the console (with the stereo) and whack the console in, which was pleasing to see finally in place.

It looks a little bit dingy at present... just needs all my paw marks cleaned off it.

[JDNSW]

Yes, they look like the ones in my County. The Series ones (optional deluxe trim) are narrower.

John

[Phil B]

Really nice! Great job
Phil

[Johnno1969]

Just got the manifolds off. I've decided to have a go at getting the crack in the exhaust manifold welded, as well as to get the manifold which Debruiser's offered.

Photos later.

John

[Johnno1969]

Here are some photos. It's a pretty decent crack.

[Johnno1969]

Then I got down to making speaker boxes for the stereo. It was fun to be working with wood. It's so much nicer than steel or aluminium...

Basically, like all such things, the result doesn't betray the time and thought that went into making them. I managed to come up with a way for mounting them in the rear of the hardtop, utilising bolts from the tropical panel and the hardtop sides and a few brackets.

They're not perfect, but they'll do the job. They're certainly a lot better-made than the previous efforts.

[Johnno1969]

Fitted the manifolds again this afternoon. Will give it a run in the morning.

[bell1975]

Fitted the manifolds again this afternoon. Will give it a run in the morning.

We wanna see the video this time John.

Take it to Bauple, see the fairies, and give Wally back his sandblaster! (Brumby's spicy fruit bun loaf required)

[Johnno1969]

There's been a little more progress.

Here's the repaired manifold. It seems to have come up alright.

Driving around, the exhaust seems pretty good now. It even sounds, er, sporty...

[Johnno1969]

On the weekend, I fitted an interior light and a rear work light.

I was particularly happy with installation of the interior light: I managed to drag the wiring through the strengthening rib in the roof and hide it completely.

[Johnno1969]

Here's a pic.

[Ozdunc]

Here's a pic.

Oooh. Arty.

[Johnno1969]

Oooh. Arty.

Hehehehehehehehehehe......

[Johnno1969]

...and another...

[Cannon]

Registration is yours. Congrats:)

[Johnno1969]

Registration is yours. Congrats:)

Thanks mate - but there's more to the story than that: Guess which idiot has kept his Landy registered for four years, thinking that "any day now" it'd be back on the road? No prizes on offer for a correct answer.

The way I look at it, it's all been part of my personal economic stimulus package to buoy-up QLD Transport.

[Chris66]

But you did save hundreds (or maybe one hundred) on getting a Road Worthy.

[Johnno1969]

But you did save hundreds (or maybe one hundred) on getting a Road Worthy.

Exactly. I'm no idiot.

[debruiser]

That's hilarious! :D

[wally]

That's hilarious! :D

That really is hilarious. I already knew but it gave me a laugh all over again. For years there was a road registered pile of parts spread around John's house and shed. Anyway... strap yourselves in folks - I feel a photo shoot coming on. The billy's on, the Land Rover tea cosy's poised, the sun's shining, the Kodachrome's loaded. All we need now is a one-legged chicken, some Granville bacon, and a bottle of Stone's and everything will be ready. This really is an historic moment for the half dozen of us who've had the patience and stamina to follow this thread without occasionally nodding off or losing interest altogether.

[wrinklearthur]

----- This really is an historic moment for the half dozen of us who've had the patience and stamina to follow this thread without occasionally nodding off or losing interest altogether.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2014/10/798.jpg

Snort! Snuffle! Scratch! Hmm what's going on?
.

[Johnno1969]

Yesterday evening, the unthinkable happened: I took the Landy out the gate, down the street, down another street and then another street and then a road and then another and I just kept going......

In an unexpected twist, I had Wally onboard for the expedition. This made sense, as, rather than wait for me to arrive at his house to start complaining and criticising, he could yap at me all the way as we launched the expedition to find the fabled Northwest Passage from my back yard to his farm.


So, with the whine of the overdrive competing with The Who on the stereo (it was pretty-much a tie), we set out. Through valleys, across cane fields, over bridges, spanning great plains, corners, intersections, a traffic light and several gentle, undulating rises and a small pothole.... on we ploughed in the gloaming.


The Landy took it all in her stride, purring along at forty-four miles per hour and – on one or two tense moments when reckless enthusiasm overcame prudence and momentarily put the brave expeditioners in peril – fifty on some stretches.


At the far-off destination, hope was in the air. A crowd (small dog) had gathered, when, just on nightfall, an engine was heard in the distance. The far-off auditory oscillations rose to an approaching rumble – then a triumphant clattering as the advance party drew into view.



Finally, as the motor was cut, few words were spoken. A firm handshake, a muttered “Well done, old chap...” and the crowd suddenly erupted in cheers (barking) and carried the explorers (idiots) shoulder high (ran behind them barking) to the awaiting formal reception (enamel mug of Stone's Green Ginger Wine).

[Johnno1969]

Prior to setting off for the horizon, I put some new shoes on the handbrake. I also adjusted it properly, reading the manual this time and not just ****ing around tightening rods like I used to.

Result: the handbrake is brilliant. I only hope that it doesn't score too much of a mouthful of oil from the transmission down the track and get ruined...

[Johnno1969]

....and not just ****ing around tightening rods like I used to.

That's odd. I only wrote "Eff EEE See Kay", Father Ted style...and it still got censored. What's the world coming to when the words of Father Ted and Dougal are deemed unacceptable???

[Johnno1969]

A few more sneaky piccies....

[Ozdunc]

Huzzah!!!!

Tea and medals all round!

:twobeers:

[debruiser]

Nice work. Is that a home made snorkel?

[wally]

OK, enough with the teaser shots. Here it is - what you're all waiting for - a shot of Johnno's fully re-fitted Land Rover in its entirety. In all its immaculate, gleaming, bronze olive glory. I think I really nailed it.

85848

[bell1975]

Priceless Wally. PML.

Well done John. A restoration truly worthy of the title.

Now give Wally back his sandblaster, unless you have a Corolla you're planning to start on...

[wally]

Nice work. Is that a home made snorkel?

Yes that is a homemade snorkel. Sorry, the last four years have taken a heavy toll on John, and now that it's "finished" he's decided to sleep for a week. In the meantime I'll be taking questions for him. Try to keep them fairly basic - debruiser's question is a good example. Please hold the more technical questions until John awakens - shouldn't be more than another couple of days. Thanks.

[wally]

Disregard this post. Pretend it's not here.

[wally]

I called in to check on John and I found him 'round the back like this.

85969

Poor little bloke. It's sad. This project's really taken it out of him. It looks like he's managed to access the forum long enough to add his thanks to somebody's post but I can only imagine, given his current state, that dragging himself up to make that one mouse click would have taken every ounce of his energy - and that he then fell back exhausted and hasn't moved since. I couldn't rouse him so I dragged him by his boots inside out of the weather. I'll check on him again in another week or so.

[Ozdunc]

Onya Wally,

Johnno should be glad he's got mates like you:D

[wally]

I called in again today. I opened the back door to find that he'd dragged himself to a corner about six feet from where I left him and was sitting up. I think that's a good sign. He didn't seem to notice my presence - he just stared at the opposite wall. Undeterred, I took a rag from the bin and put it behind his head to make him more comfortable. He looked very hot so I gave him a light spray with the garden hose. Then I took a bowl from the kitchen bench, carefully tipped out the nuts and bolts, filled it with water, and placed it on the floor beside him. I noticed a tin of Spam on a shelf so I took that down, opened it, and placed it next to the water. Since I know you're all interested in how he's getting on, I thought I'd reassure you that he's in good hands and that he's recovering well. Hopefully he'll have the strength soon to type out a few words of his own.

[wrinklearthur]

You could try and leave a favorite toy with your patient.
.

[wally]

You could try and leave a favorite toy with your patient.
.

That's a good idea, Arthur, but I didn't want to overwhelm him.

[debruiser]

That's a good idea, Arthur, but I didn't want to overwhelm him.

lol

[Johnno1969]

ludj,j,;,gbdgzewry455rtink jngdc;JBfgb,n .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. ..............likyhnfg............................ ............jkhfbyj kcv k IIA /,jhinkml.......................................... .....................zzzxyu....................... .....................................

[wrinklearthur]

ludj,j,;,gbdgzewry455rtink jngdc;JBfgb,n .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. ..............likyhnfg............................ ............jkhfbyj kcv k IIA /,jhinkml.......................................... .....................zzzxyu....................... .....................................

Why, thank you for your kind comments. :p
.

[wally]

ludj,j,;,gbdgzewry455rtink jngdc;JBfgb,n .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. ..............likyhnfg............................ ............jkhfbyj kcv k IIA /,jhinkml.......................................... .....................zzzxyu....................... .....................................

Whoa, take it easy mate. You need to get your strength back. You don't want to have another one of your episodes.

[wally]

I checked on him again. He's speaking now, if only in a hoarse whisper. I had to lean in close to hear but I think he said that his recent garbled message was supposed to read "If I don't make it through this tell all the good folks on this forum to take good care of my IIA. I've put quite a lot of work into it." Well, that solves that little mystery. Anyone paying attention to detail would have noticed the "IIA" part of that message - the only bit that seemed to make any sense. He's starting to smell a bit so I gave him another spray with the garden hose, a good soaking this time. He'll be alright.

[Johnno1969]

Things are looking up. I was discovered by a passing encyclopaedia salesman and rushed to the Sad Little Man unit at the Royal, where they have a special ward for people who have undertaken Series Land Rover projects. It’s been a long road (my clinical psychologist tells me it is good to start using words like “road” and “drive” again), but the amazing staff at the unit have brought me back from the brink. Their procedures are cutting-edge: when an emergency patient is brought in, they resuscitate using the crankcase breather hose and EGR valve from a 2.25 petrol, then begin the immersion programme (full immersion of the patient in EP90, with a breathing apparatus developed from Camel Trophy vehicles).
Gradually, the uncontrollable shaking abated (I must say, I was impressed to see at first hand how the EP90 behaved under load ) and I was able to be moved to the main ward. They change my dressings twice a day, as per the patient service schedule, and I am more comfortable (though some are saying now that the original schedule is not adequate under ward conditions and that bandages should be changed at least twice as often and apparently somebody has developed a kit that, when fitted, means that the bandage changes are no longer necessary).

[Johnno1969]

My aunt dropped in to the ward this morning. She’s an old dear – she’d knitted me a beanie and also brought books and some grapes.

[Johnno1969]

By this evening, things were returning to normal. After a bracing supper of cheese on toast, I have regained enough strength to begin looking through recent photographs of the Landy.

Here she is at Wally's a few weeks ago, following the mugs of Stone's Green Ginger and a bit of a wash.

[Johnno1969]

A few more photos. Plenty more to come.

[sisyphus]

Glad to hear your recovering,it certainly is a thing of beauty , looks great a real credit to you :) just hope to cost to your health hasn't been to high a price to pay:p

[Johnno1969]

Glad to hear your recovering,it certainly is a thing of beauty , looks great a real credit to you :) just hope to cost to your health hasn't been to high a price to pay:p

Thanks mate. I will post more photos and lots of detail on the project in the coming days.

Yeah, apparently this morning the nurses found me in the hallway curled in the foetal position. When they approached me, I started screaming "The grinding wheel!!! It has eyes!!!!!!!!" I don't remember any of it. I guess that the night terrors will keep coming, but the medication is pretty good (Talisker) and the poor, gibbering wreck in the next bed apparently tried to bleed the brakes in a 109 - which helps me keep my condition in perspective.

John

[Johnno1969]

One thing that is really nice is that, although I have really only been on a few short drives, every time I take the Landy out I seem to run into other Landy drivers. In town on Saturday, a fellow on the side of the road with a very nice 130 twin cab gave a cheery wave as I went past, then moments later a bloke in a lovely little grey 90 slowed up in his lane at the lights to say G'day. Then I passed a P38, waved and got nothing in return. I guess the bloke was just too worried about his pneumatic suspension to have a hand free. Then after that, I waved at a Defender and the bloke ignored me - which means it must have been a stolen car.

[wally]

I'm pleased to report that due to the care that I've given him, John has made a speedy recovery of late. I'd been holding onto these photos out of respect for John and his condition. I have many. Here are four. If anyone is interested I can share more of them.

86875

86876

86877

86878

[Johnno1969]

I have fitted one of those nice Roamerdrive alloy bottom covers to the transfer case. I am pretty sure it doesn't leak, but will have to sort out the oil weeping out from around the end of the intermediate shaft before I'm certain.....

[Johnno1969]

I'm pleased to report that due to the care that I've given him, John has made a speedy recovery of late. I'd been holding onto these photos out of respect for John and his condition. I have many. Here are four. If anyone is interested I can share more of them.



Yeah, I'm interested. That Land Rover in those photos looks pretty good.

[Johnno1969]

I notice some uncanny similarities in some of the photos.

[marting]

Good work John.
It looks fantastic!! A few health issues is a small price to pay!!
Cheers, martin

[Ozdunc]

I notice some uncanny similarities in some of the photos.

That is a great photo.
Your old bus looks fantastic mate. I dips me lid.

[Johnno1969]

That is a great photo.
Your old bus looks fantastic mate. I dips me lid.

Thanks mate. Much appreciated. She's far from perfect, but she's tidy - which is all I really was aiming for...

[debruiser]

I have fitted one of those nice Roamerdrive alloy bottom covers to the transfer case. I am pretty sure it doesn't leak, but will have to sort out the oil weeping out from around the end of the intermediate shaft before I'm certain.....


ooooo nice! I want one! :ohyes:

[Johnno1969]

Good work John.
It looks fantastic!! A few health issues is a small price to pay!!
Cheers, martin

Thanks Martin. Yes, a small price indeed. Nurse Anna Mikhaylovna has just arrived for my 4pm sponge-bath: She doesn't speak much English, but these little things make the suffering all worthwhile....

[Johnno1969]

ooooo nice! I want one! :ohyes:

Yeah, it's a nice little bit of kit. I really am not sure how much effect it will have on running temperatures, but it is solid and sure looks purty.....

[Johnno1969]

It's just occurred to me that, as empires have risen and fallen since I first wrote that I was going to "tinker with my 88 this year" in 2010, it might be fun to juxtapose a few "before and after" photos.

Here she is, waaaaaay back in 2010, posing next to Wally's ex-military IIA (he's too lazy to do anything with it) and one of the recent piccies:

[Johnno1969]

More.

[Landy Smurf]

Now that is Schmick

[Cannon]

Excellent work mate :)

Congrats

[grey_ghost]

Great work - can we have some interior pics as well? :)

[phin]

Looks fantastic. Did the soundproofing cut down a lot of the diesel engine noise?

cheers

[Johnno1969]

Great work - can we have some interior pics as well? :)

Yep, no worries. I'll be taking some this weekend. But it's not complete until I get the seat covers in January...

[Johnno1969]

Looks fantastic. Did the soundproofing cut down a lot of the diesel engine noise?

cheers

Well, engine noise has never been my major worry (believe it or not): it's the Fairey overdrive that's the noisy bit. But yes, certainly, the insulation seems to be working pretty well: the engine noise is not too bad at all (though I guess it's all relative). Most pleasingly, the firewall has not even looked like getting hot yet. Admittedly I have not done a long run on a hot day yet, but I have a feeling that all those great wedges of insulation will have a pretty good effect upon proceedings.

I will be adding more soundproofing for the transmission, the 85W140 oil in the overdrive not being the panacea I had hoped it would be....

John

[phin]

Very interesting, I'm about to install a Fairey overdrive and I was thinking of wrapping it in a sheet of mass loaded vinyl. The issue I suppose is that the vibration is transmitted through the gearbox.




Well, engine noise has never been my major worry (believe it or not): it's the Fairey overdrive that's the noisy bit. But yes, certainly, the insulation seems to be working pretty well: the engine noise is not too bad at all (though I guess it's all relative). Most pleasingly, the firewall has not even looked like getting hot yet. Admittedly I have not done a long run on a hot day yet, but I have a feeling that all those great wedges of insulation will have a pretty good effect upon proceedings.

I will be adding more soundproofing for the transmission, the 85W140 oil in the overdrive not being the panacea I had hoped it would be....

John

[Johnno1969]

Very interesting, I'm about to install a Fairey overdrive and I was thinking of wrapping it in a sheet of mass loaded vinyl. The issue I suppose is that the vibration is transmitted through the gearbox.

Yes, exactly. I will continue to do what I can with the panels and space between the overdrive and the cabin, but things are exacerbated by the vibration carrying through the entire transmission. I could kick myself for making that age-old mistake many years ago and letting the Fairey run dry: from memory, before that it was not particularly noisy and since then even an overhaul has not quieted it.

I would be interested to see the material you mention. Are you still planning to use it? I would imagine heat being a problem if you wrap the overdrive.

John

[Johnno1969]

P.S. I will eventually get around to posting a thread on the rebuild and modifications of my overdrive. I sourced bits from all over the place, added an extended sump and now have a temperature sensor keeping an eye on it....

[wally]

87014

[phin]

Yes, exactly. I will continue to do what I can with the panels and space between the overdrive and the cabin, but things are exacerbated by the vibration carrying through the entire transmission. I could kick myself for making that age-old mistake many years ago and letting the Fairey run dry: from memory, before that it was not particularly noisy and since then even an overhaul has not quieted it.

I would be interested to see the material you mention. Are you still planning to use it? I would imagine heat being a problem if you wrap the overdrive.

John

Ahh yes, heat. I forgot about that. I could imagine encasing the overdrive would be a bad move...

The material I mentioned - mass loaded vinyl - is simply vinyl loaded with barium to make it much heavier thereby improving its properties as a sound barrier. I've been using it quite a bit to reduce noise from the engine. Haven't got fast enough to really test it, but cabin noise seems a bit lower already.

cheers

[Johnno1969]

Ahh yes, heat. I forgot about that. I could imagine encasing the overdrive would be a bad move...

The material I mentioned - mass loaded vinyl - is simply vinyl loaded with barium to make it much heavier thereby improving its properties as a sound barrier. I've been using it quite a bit to reduce noise from the engine. Haven't got fast enough to really test it, but cabin noise seems a bit lower already.

cheers

Any chance you could post a pic of this stuff? Where do you get it?

[Johnno1969]

A little fillum. I hope it loads alright...

[phin]

Any chance you could post a pic of this stuff? Where do you get it?

I've been using two types: the first is just the vinyl itself, around 3mm think, straight off the roll. The other type is stuck to 5mm closed cell foam with a self adhesive backing. The foam acts as a decoupling layer and improves the performance of the barrier (or so I'm told). This is what the closed cell foam/mass loaded vinyl combination looks like:

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2014/11/222.jpg

I got it from http://www.higginsinsulation.com.au/ - they are in Footscray which won't be much good to you but also have a Brisbane warehouse which might be more helpful. Their website appears to be broken though.

cheers Phin

[Cobber]

Good grief there's been some progress here since I saw it last! :o:D

It looks the business and is a real credit to you, well done, now all the hard work will pay off :BigThumb:

[Johnno1969]

Hey up,

Nothing new to add, except that "normal" service will be resumed on this thread soon. Still a little way to go....

Cheers,

John

P.S. Happy New(ish) Year.

[Ozdunc]

Blimey! He breathes...



I hope it was a darn good hol :)

[Johnno1969]

He does indeed. Yep, it was a blimmin' terrific break (though I of course missed the Landy very much).

I arrived home, hit the starter button on the Landy and headed to the shops for some milk for a nice cup of tea and a sit down. Only thing missing was biscuits.

More thrilling adventures like that to come.

[Johnno1969]

A thing arrived today.

But let me start at the beginning.

Along with "Frozen ****in' Bananas", one key expression has become vital to the success of this project: "Mass Loaded Vinyl".

After seeing Phin's advice, I did some interweb searching and today this thing arrived at my house. It's very heavy. I guess that's where the "mass" bit comes in.

I bought 3m of 8kg/sq.m mass loaded vinyl (MLV to its friends). The 10kg/sq.m stuff wa not available from the supplier at the time and, well, since I bought a lot I thought "Mustn't grumble".

I'll start with the transmission tunnel and front floor, then think about what I might do with the seat base (though I don't want to cover it and will avoid doing so if possible) and rear loadspace.

I'll back it with some closed cell foam and then just take it from there. Got enough for quite a sandwich over the ol' transmission tunnel. Whatever I finish with will be covered by some nice chequer-finish rubber mat.

Righto, I'm off to eat a frozen banana.

John

[garrywlh]

John, I have been a delinquent Land Rover owner and forum supporter over the past few months and it seems I have missed out on so much goodness.

Sorry to have missed the news of your extended hospitalisation last year. Reading back through the well-wishes and messages of commiseration I note what a kind, sensitive and caring community this is. It must have made all the difference in your time of need.

I also didn't know you were away 'elsewhere' recently.

But, 'welcome back' anyway.

Oh, and mate, your Land Rover is bloody marvellous. Congratulations and I hope to see it close up someday. Your rebuild is truly inspirational. Those photos of her standing proud in the sunset bring a lump to the frote!

[Johnno1969]

John, I have been a delinquent Land Rover owner and forum supporter over the past few months and it seems I have missed out on so much goodness.

Yes, I often wonder how those people who never have Land Rovers in their lives must fare. Truth to tell, though, I was absent from the forum for some months myself.

Sorry to have missed the news of your extended hospitalisation last year. Reading back through the well-wishes and messages of commiseration I note what a kind, sensitive and caring community this is. It must have made all the difference in your time of need.

Oh yes, the display of compassion was overwhelming. I still have the garden hose.

I also didn't know you were away 'elsewhere' recently.

Yeah, I was in a few elsewheres. They were brilliant. Should be more of it.

But, 'welcome back' anyway.

Thank 'ee.

Oh, and mate, your Land Rover is bloody marvellous. Congratulations and I hope to see it close up someday. Your rebuild is truly inspirational. Those photos of her standing proud in the sunset bring a lump to the frote!

Thanks mate. Kind words much appreciated. Yeah, she has taken a bit of work. Far, far from perfect - but just nice and tidy and functional. A little way to go to "finish" her... as if these things are ever finished anyway. Yeah, I'd be happy for you to take a look at the old thing (fifty years old this year!).





Cheers,

John

[Johnno1969]

This thing's not over yet.

Sound insulation time. Again.

Made some progress today in making the Mother Of All Transmission Tunnel Covers. I used some other multi-layered sound insulation stuff I've got lying around to create a nice even surface for the top of the tunnel, then got to work in layering on the mass loaded vinyl. I'm trying to make this thing so that it is not too fiddly when it is lowered over the forest of various levers sprouting forth from the verdant Deep Bronze Green pastures of the transmission tunnel.

Anyway, the way it looks in the last photo is as far as I got today. I still have a few more layers of MLV to go, then the chequer-finish heavy rubber.

Toodle pip,

John

[Johnno1969]

A few more photos.

Firstly a bit of a cross section of the stuff over the top of the tunnel whilst I was making it. In the photo, there is one layer of MLV over the other insulation: now there are four, and then the rubber on top.

I haven't driven the Landy yet to check the difference - but I'm not finished, either. I have more of the MLV to go under the floor mats and, well, er, anywhere else I can stick it.

At the end of the job, I will keep a few little bits of leftover MLV and, if the transmission noise is still too much, I will jam them in my ears.

[450Dan]

Can you send me a couple too, would block out the sound of the missus telling me we can't afford to spend money on parts right now!!

Though on second thoughts I wouldn't be able to hear when dinner is ready or the suggestion of an early night... Gah the dilemma

Looking good on the Landy btw, been a while since I looked in on the thread, or anything for that matter and I appear to have missed a fair bit

[debruiser]

Have you tried a rubber mat in the tub? I found even a piece of this in the back kept a bunch of noise down!

Ute Matting | Clark Rubber (http://www.clarkrubber.com.au/ute-matting.html)

[Johnno1969]

I'm kind of doing house-things at present, so the emphasis of my weekend travails has shifted from Solihull products to bits of 4x2 and M12 threaded rod.

All the same, I have been meaning to post a basic summary of what happened with my Landy between the latter part of 2010 and November 2014, when I fled to Europe to see Pete and Roger kick off The Who's last big tour (complete with songs "involving dead people", as Mr Townshend put it before a few numbers with cleverly-synched bits of Entwistle and Moon magnificence).

There'll be a bit more on this thread (some more pictures are well overdue), but for the moment I thought I would summarise the main points to date.

Drum roll........

[Johnno1969]

Landy
2010-14

Chassis



Front dumb irons repaired
Engine/gearbox crossmember replaced
Mid-section (third) crossmember repaired
Rear outriggers repaired
Stripped and repainted
Penetrol sprayed internally
Bullbar re-fitted on replacement bumper bar


Body


Doors replaced (upper and lower)
Door hinge pins replaced
Radiator panel replaced
Firewall replaced
Transmission tunnel replaced
Bonnet repaired
Extended aluminium inner guards fitted, front
Tropical roof fitted
All panels stripped and repainted
Fitment of lockable rear doortop release
Fitment of tailgate chain sleeves
Fitment of genuine spare wheel retaining plate in tub
All boots, rubbers and grommets replaced
Bodywork reassembled with new stainless steel fastenings
Fitment of new Bailey channels in door tops


Electrics



Loom reorganised, re-routed and most wiring replaced (including within RH chassis rail)
Most connections replaced
New switches and/or wiring for: wipers, engine fan (forward of radiator), interior light, rear work light, stereo, driving lights
Fitment of exhaust fan in engine bay
Fitment of marine plug
Fitment of battery isolator switch
Replacement of all indicator units, parkers and headlights
Wiper motor fitted to passenger side


Engine/Cooling/Exhaust


Replacement of injector shroud, no. 1 piston
Misaligned rocker arms re-positioned
Engine cleaned and painted
Fitment of "Watchdog" engine alarm
Radiator and block flushed
Fitment of electric fan, radiator
Fitment of electric engine bay exhaust fan
Complete new exhaust system

Fuel/Air System


LH long range tank replaced with aluminium tank (same capacity: 75 litres)
RH standard tank replaced by long range tank (75 litres)
All new flexible fuel lines
New fuel lift pump
Injector pump overhauled
Injectors overhauled
Fitment of 200Tdi air cleaner
Fitment of engine snorkel

Transmission



Overdrive housing modified to increase sump capacity
Replacement of all bearings and seals in overdrive
Fitment of alloy transfer case bottom cover with cooling fins

Suspension


Front road springs replaced
Front and rear road springs disassembled, treated with Lanox, reassembled
All spring bushes and chassis bushes replaced
Front U-bolts replaced
Fitment of heavy-duty shock absorbers
Fitment of new bump-stop rubbers


Steering



All balljoints replaced
Steering box and column stripped, checked, reassembled
Upper swivel pins replaced
Railko bushes replaced
Lower swivel bearings replaced
Swivel balls repaired (rust pitting)
Swivel seals replaced


Brakes



All solid brakelines replaced
All flexible brakelines replaced
All wheel cylinders replaced
Master Cylinder replaced
Handbrake shoes replaced


Axles and propshafts



Front axle stripped and checked, reassembled
Front halfshaft seals replaced
Swivel universal joints replaced
Fitment of extended axle breathers


Wheels



All wheels standardised to LWB rims
Rims sandblasted and painted
Tyres refitted and wheels balanced



Miscellaneous



Fitment of extensive sound and heat-proofing in engine bay and under cabin floor, transmission tunnel and seat base
Fitment of County front seats (and canvas seat covers direct from Arusha)
Fitment of overhead console and stereo head unit and speakers
Rear vision mirror replaced
Fitment of wing mirrors
Fitment of interior light
Fitment of rear work light

[Ozdunc]

Is that it?

Thats not very impressive.















































:BigThumb::BigThumb:

[Johnno1969]

Is that it?

Thats not very impressive.















































:BigThumb::BigThumb:


You've been hanging around with Wally, haven't you??

[Cobber]

You never really appreciate the amount of work you've done until you start listing it! :o

[Johnno1969]

You never really appreciate the amount of work you've done until you start listing it! :o

Yeah, that's right. When it's all written down it becomes easier to see where four years went.

Now, where did I leave that hammer......?

[debruiser]

Very impressed! You've NEARLY inspired me to list what I've done... but that sounds too hard :P

[Johnno1969]

Thanks mate. Well, the thing is that all along I have had a word file on the ol' computer where I listed a lot of tasks to get done on the Landy, which gradually changed from the "to-do" list to the "done" list. I just thought it might be interesting to put it all down in one post after it had kind of dribbled across pages and down years...

[Johnno1969]

I've been slack: time for a wee update.

The Landy has done a few thousand miles since getting back on the road (not exactly sure how many, as the speedo is on the fritz). This whole rebuild thing is not quite finished yet, but kind of on hold for a little while while I get some other things done. She's been running really well, and doing what I need her to do without any fuss, which is great. Here are a few observations:



Noise when overdrive is engaged still bothers me. There is more soundproofing to go in, and I will strip and check the overdrive as a matter of course soon-ish (I have scored some anti-scuff paste from a Landy contact in Scotland and will be putting some where it belongs, as well as trying to pinpoint where exactly the banshee living inside it is hiding).
Engine has run between around 60 deg celsius and high-sixties (by gauge and by engine watchdog)
Transmission temp sits between 75 deg and 88 deg on prolonged high-speed (well Landy high-speed) runs.
Oil leaks are.....actually pretty-much non-existent. Hardly a drop ever appears under the vehicle. Really.
Only cloud on the oil-dropping horizon is that this engine has always exhibited the symptom of spitting oil/oil vapour out the top breather with prolonged high revs. It did it before a full rebuild some time ago, and nothing changed afterward. If speed is not too high, it doesn't happen at all. A lot of the usual suspects for this sort of thing are ruled out; I am currently doing a few experiments to nail down a cause or at least mitigate the situation.
No problems so far on running - only a new indicator relay required (and I will check the speedo cable soon-ish).
Oil change due very soon (even though I don't know the exact mileage, it will be under the usual 3000 mile/5000km I've always done for this engine).

Cheers,


John

[wally]

You've been hanging around with Wally, haven't you??

No he hasn't. It's just not very impressive.

[Johnno1969]

No he hasn't. It's just not very impressive.

What are you doing back here, you nasty little man? I thought you'd decided that the three or four cents a day for subscription was too much for you to contribute.

[Johnno1969]

It ain't over 'til it's over.

Technically speaking, this thread is still going: I've been away an awful lot and the old girl is in many ways still on her sea trials. There are still a few fit-and-finish jobs to do, as well as an overhaul on the overdrive and more soundproofing and cabin fittings.

Today I drove her in pouring rain. Get this! She doesn't leak. Well, she doesn't leak much. Well, she doesn't leak much from most places.

Actually, it is all very pleasing. There doesn't appear to be any water in the back (though I know that is a situation I could never guarantee). The front air vent seals are pretty good. Slight fit and readjustment needed on one of them. The doors are (of course) more problematic. When I get myself motivated to get to the tools again, I will be doing all I can to improve their fit.

The overdrive overhaul (when it happens) is not actually necessitated by wear (it's all new inside). I have just been doing some research on noise reduction, and may be trying out a few more modern bearing/bush materials to see if I can make it a little more quiet. But I will one day put all the Fairey overdrive stuff in another thread.

Only "problem" so far is that the speedo cable appears to be on the fritz.

Cheers,

John

[Johnno1969]

Interesting. I was just checking the old girl over the other afternoon, prior to a run this weekend (which I ended up never doing), and I noticed something to do with the front springs.

When I put in the new bushes, I put a film of grease on the outer surface so that, if and when I ever had cause to remove them, I would be able to remove them more easily than the traditional bush-hacking bloodbath.

I've now noticed that cornering stresses have resulted in the bush that attaches to the rear spring hanger actually moving a little laterally within its home in the main spring.

I will tinker with this and probably work a plan with a spacer and washer arrangement.

John

[schuy1]

Funny that you have noticed the bush moving. I found the same thing when I greased the bushs with the same forward idea you have. Only when I used the landy on the road though, while I ran around the paddock nothing happened. I just went back to not greasing and using a heat gun on the spring eye to aid removal.
Its great to see yours running well. I have never seen an overdrive yet that did not cause total deafness within 100 miles! :)
Cheers Scott

[Johnno1969]

Funny that you have noticed the bush moving. I found the same thing when I greased the bushs with the same forward idea you have. Only when I used the landy on the road though, while I ran around the paddock nothing happened. I just went back to not greasing and using a heat gun on the spring eye to aid removal.
Its great to see yours running well. I have never seen an overdrive yet that did not cause total deafness within 100 miles! :)
Cheers Scott

Hey Scott,

Thanks for your observation of same; I reckon I will go with some added spacers of some sort, though, as I rather like the idea of easier-to-remove bushes. Mind you, it's not as if I do the job every year. Or every ten years. But, anyway, I like things that are easier to disassemble when the time comes.

Thanks - yes, she really is running well, which is pleasing. The overdrive is of course still pretty noisy, but the soundproofing either reflects or absorbs most of it. It is also due for some further tweaks, as I mentioned.

Cheers,

John

[Ozdunc]

I had the same thing. I suspect with all the effort to remove the bushes the eye enlarges a bit. I use some anti bacterial chopping board and a hole saw to create spacers as the board is plastic so won't case wear on the other components. Works pretty well.
Cheers

[JDNSW]

....... as the board is plastic so won't case wear on the other components. .....
Cheers

Unfortunately, this is not what happens, as I found out when I had a nylon fuel line touching a steel brake line on the County. The steel wore through, not the nylon. What happens is that in these circumstances, the softer material gets grit off the road embedded in it, and then acts as an abrasive.

I wonder how many enlarged spring bushes are the result of previous use of poly bushes. Not many I suspect - the main culprit on spring eyes is probably the rust that you cleaned off!

As an aside, bushes that are tight in spring eyes can be easier to get out if you spread the spring eye slightly by driving a cold cisel between the eye and the top of the spring. Don't overdo it.

You can tighten a bush in a spring eye by wrapping it in thin shim steel.

John

[dickyjoe]

Loving reading through this refit! The series looks so good. I love your have a go attitude!

[Johnno1969]

Loving reading through this refit! The series looks so good. I love your have a go attitude!


Thanks mate,

I've just got to apologise that it's been a fits-and-starts thread. It really is pretty-much finished, in that the vehicle has been on the road since late 2014. But the Landy hit the road with a few little jobs, which were part of the re-fit, as-yet undone - and I have hardly had much time with her since.... I really would like to add these little bits from her sea trials before all is said and done.

At present, I am looking through the several thousand photos I took of the work and realising that I was quite stingy on what I posted (As GG has cornered the market in high-definition photos of threads and bits of alloy, I didn't see much point in a double-up. Hehehehe....). Maybe I will post a few more.

A quick question: I took some cool little videos with a phone when things were nearing completion. I can open and run them with Quicktime - but I need to rotate them through 90deg before they can be watched without people getting sore necks. If I run them in other programmes, I can manipulate the image but I lose the all-important sound....

Does anybody know how to fix this????

[Johnno1969]

One thing I have had in my head through this entire rebuild would be to set up the door tops so that they could be folded over, rather than removed. Then, lo and behold, I managed to find a photo which shows that somebody else (unsurprisingly) has already done it.

I might look into this. Then again, I might not.

[Johnno1969]

A quick question: I took some cool little videos with a phone when things were nearing completion. I can open and run them with Quicktime - but I need to rotate them through 90deg before they can be watched without people getting sore necks. If I run them in other programmes, I can manipulate the image but I lose the all-important sound....

Does anybody know how to fix this????


In fact, I am having trouble posting any videos here...rotated or otherwise...

[debruiser]

One thing I have had in my head through this entire rebuild would be to set up the door tops so that they could be folded over, rather than removed. Then, lo and behold, I managed to find a photo which shows that somebody else (unsurprisingly) has already done it.

I might look into this. Then again, I might not.

thats a great idea that I may pursue.... BUT wouldn't you be concerned if you were in tight trees etc that the windows become more prone to damage? there again if you dont drive through tight stuff then it doesn't matter....

[schuy1]

My first thought about seeing the windows hanging down was, He aint gonna have them long if a tire flicks up a stick........... them I thought well if its desert country or well made gravel roads it unlikely. Beats finding somewhere in the back or on the roof I suppose.
Cheers Scott

[Johnno1969]

I think I'd balance the hundred-thousand-to-one chance of the window-breaking scenario against all that lovely coooooooool air.......

I would have done this a few years ago, in the middle of the rebuild (actually have some plans on my noticeboard at work!), but the doortops I found for the rebuild were so nice that I couldn't bring myself to cut into them.

I still want to look at it one day. Just seeing that Landy in that photo in Bots reminds me of exactly how I pictured the whole thing working.

It is great to simply take the door tops off - but how good would it be to have the best of both worlds????

John

P.S. My subscription runs out tonight. I may be silent here until I sort out how to pay it......

[debruiser]

I think I'd balance the hundred-thousand-to-one chance of the window-breaking scenario against all that lovely coooooooool air.......

I would have done this a few years ago, in the middle of the rebuild (actually have some plans on my noticeboard at work!), but the doortops I found for the rebuild were so nice that I couldn't bring myself to cut into them.

I still want to look at it one day. Just seeing that Landy in that photo in Bots reminds me of exactly how I pictured the whole thing working.

It is great to simply take the door tops off - but how good would it be to have the best of both worlds????

John

P.S. My subscription runs out tonight. I may be silent here until I sort out how to pay it......

Agreed. the cool air would be great. I guess the window would be no more exposed than a normal car window that is normally down that low (or near enough).

Best of both worlds? do you mean like a wind down window from a defender??? :wasntme: haha. I'm planning on running no windows on my 88".

Have you seen the 'soft' windows from .... ummm.... America? they zip into the frame... I'll see if I can find the link

EDIT: OK OK, i was wrong... it's not from America! Exmoor does these http://www.exmoortrim.co.uk/store/series-2-3/removable-door-tops/removable-door-tops-detail.html
I think they're a great idea, don't know how looking through that soft plastic would go though.

[dickyjoe]

I reckon the fold down idea is the go!

[Johnno1969]

I still haven't quite finished this thread.

The final bits of the refit are still underway in dribs and drabs. They still fit into this thread, as the whole point was to get the vehicle to exactly how I wanted it when I started stripping paint off panels back in 1924.

Work's just kind of slowed down since late 2014, due to time away and stuf like that.

Currenly: boxes.

A handful of weeks ago, I got stuck into making a cargo box for the passenger side of the tub. I wanted one which fitted into the shape of the tub side and was tidy in its finish, so I could stow away oils, fluids, spares and whatever else I could cram in there. I am sick of open cardboard boxes and milk crates of greasy paraphernalia bouncing around in amongst the rest of my gear...

A competent metal worker could probably have knocked this box up in a few hours. It took me several weekends.

Here are some pics of the early stages.

[Johnno1969]

I wanted this box to fit nice and snug and not bounce around in the back of the Landy, so I put some thought into how I'd attach it. I am really not keen on drilling lots of holes in the old girl after spending years tidying up the damage from old rough repairs and modifications, so I wanted something neat, with minimal alteration to the bare tub.

I sorted out a way to have the rear vertical surface of the box hook into the little slots in the galvanised capping at the top of the tub's side, by attaching two angled "hooks" to the rear side of the box. Then I fitted some over-centre clips to the front, which lock into the aluminium cargo rail I have fitted to the vertical surface of the wheel well. When the back is hooked into place, the front latches are hooked up and tightened and the box is locked into place.

The pics are of one of the rear hooks in cross section before assembly, then one of the over-centre latches at the front. Apologies that the focus is not sharp.

[debruiser]

what about a lid???

[Johnno1969]

what about a lid???

Yep, it's got one of those too.

I put some nice stainless steel latches on the lid. All finished now: fits in pretty well with the rest of the Landy.

[debruiser]

I like it

[67hardtop]

So do I

Cheers Rod

Sent from my GT-I9507 using AULRO mobile app

[Johnno1969]

Pretty new box onboard or not, she still does her share of work around the place...

[debruiser]

Pretty new box onboard or not, she still does her share of work around the place...

wow, she really is a workhorse!

[Johnno1969]

Well, as much as part of me would prefer not to fill her up with stones and all sorts of materials and cart them around the landscape, I don't avoid using the Landy like that when I need to.

I'd love to keep her pristine after the long rebuild, but as long as I am not too rough in chucking things in the back she should be alright...

[debruiser]

I wont tell you that I tipped mine over the week I got it registered.... :wasntme:

[Johnno1969]

I wont tell you that I tipped mine over the week I got it registered.... :wasntme:

Oh no! Really?? Sorry - I didn't know, as I have hardly been on the forum for over a year. Is all able to be mended?

[debruiser]

Don't stress! It was a really slow fall on its side and only went just past the balance point. No real damage and no injuries so it's all good. Scared the crap or if me though. ...

[Johnno1969]

Don't stress! It was a really slow fall on its side and only went just past the balance point. No real damage and no injuries so it's all good. Scared the crap or if me though. ...

Ah. Good. It just fell over a little bit.

[67hardtop]

It was tired, just needed a little rest from all the hard work it was doing hey Nick? 😆

Cheers Rod

Sent from my GT-I9507 using AULRO mobile app

[debruiser]

Yea thats my story and I'm sticking to it.

Back on topic though. ... what's next on the to do list for the ol girl johnno

[Johnno1969]

Yea thats my story and I'm sticking to it.

Back on topic though. ... what's next on the to do list for the ol girl johnno


Yes, sometimes they do get tired and need a little lie down, like we all do.

Ah, yes....back to the topic. Good question, Nick: the next thing has been to begin work on a box for the base of the tub to keep all the recovery gear safely and neatly out of the way. I have gone through several plans, including a nice aluminium one like the one I just made for the tub side with all sorts of ways of fixing it to the cargo rail envisaged.

But, in the end, to save time, money and hands acheing from riveting, I opted for a plywood false floor. I still haven't worked out how I will secure it, but it will involve fixing it to the cargo rail on either side of the tub well.

It will be finished using Deep Bronze Green, some aluminium angles and rubber matting to keep it looking like the rest of the motor car.

The forward-facing vertical surface has a gap cut into it so I can poke the top end of the Hi-lift jack through into the "dead" space next to the spare wheel. There's room in the enclosed space for the hi-lift, hand winch with 30m of cable and various straps, shackles and implements of destruction.

I have hinged the last little bit of the top and left the rear open to facilitate ease of access to equipment hidden down there.

Here's how it looks so far. Mostly, it looks like bits of plywood....

[debruiser]

nice work. That's very thick ply though isn't it? I used 9mm marine grade ply for mine, but I did do a double thickness across the front and rear edges, maybe 50mm wide.

[Johnno1969]

Yeah, it's one inch thick. A bit of overkill in some places, but I had some of it lying around that needed using.

It's heavy, and I am trying to keep weight down...... but then again, the old girl rode so beautifully with the tub full of stones last Friday....

[debruiser]

Yea i've been trying to keep weight down too. Mine rides fine empty! It's pretty amazing really... was expecting it to be rough as guts... I am on 33's though.... maybe that makes a difference.

[OneOff]

What a great thread, I spent a lot of time yesterday reading it instead of working, (of course I kept my work open in the background so I could flick back quickly should someone come in...).

Brilliant watching it all come together bit by bit, and over a time frame which is probably similar to what I am facing once I actually get started.

That list is a bit daunting when you put it all together in one place, especially when you consider it started out as a "quick spruce up" sort of project.
Totally in sync with storing bits and peices around the house, but as others have said, it would definitely require a divorce to acheive that.

Bloody well done, it's a credit to you.

Pete.

[Johnno1969]

Thanks Pete. Well, yeah... it started out as a quiet little affair just tidying the old girl up a bit, then it got out of hand. The finish is far from perfect, but she's very serviceable now, which is really all I want.

I'm glad that you have enjoyed reading the thread. It's been going a while. Just the other day, I went back and read what I said in the first few posts and said "Ha!!! Idiot!!"

John

[OneOff]

It's been a month. Did you finish the false floor?

[Johnno1969]

It's been a month. Did you finish the false floor?

Good question. The answer is yes... and no....

As in "Yes, I did", but also, equally, "No, I didn't".

I am yet to get to Clarke Rubber (about 200km away) to pick up some of the matting I want to use to finish the false floor, so I have been kind of waiting until I have something new to photograph before adding to this thread.

I might try to get myself into gear soon and get it done. Thanks for the nudge.

Mind you, I have just begun a large-scale restoration on what appears to be a very rare Series II, so I may be preoccupied with that particular job this weekend...

[Johnno1969]

Hey does anybody know where to find the original top tailgate prop rods? I think the part number is RNB 810.

John

P.S. Yes.... back into it.

[Johnno1969]

Got back to working on the false floor jobbie for stowing the recovery gear.

First up, I threw on a coat of Penetrol.

[Johnno1969]

Could that be a bit of Deep Bronze Green sneaking in...?

[Johnno1969]

Next up will be the rubber matting and the aluminium angle..

[Johnno1969]

Starting to come together. A nice quick job.... it's only taken about six months.

[OneOff]

Looking good Johnno, you can't rush these things you know...

[Johnno1969]

Righto....finally got this false-floor thingy assembled. It's for storage of recovery gear and other such messy heavy items underneath the main cargo area.

It's a tad heavy 'cos of that thick ply, but at least it's strong.

[Johnno1969]

Here's how it looks in the Landy. Apologies....she's a little dusty and grubby at present....

It seems that I somehow got my measurements correct, as the false floor sits neatly just beneath the tie-down points. In time, I will sort out some over-centre clips to hold it firmly in place, but for the moment it's actually held pretty snugly by the pins of the tie-down points: it can't go far.

The rearmost bit of the top is hinged to allow for better access to the bits and pieces stored below.

[Johnno1969]

Here's a little more.

The whole "Re-fit" thing has always been not just to give the Landy a thorough going-over, it has been to get it to being the sort of set-up which I would always have liked to it have been, in the respects of tidiness and practicality.

So all this latest stuff with the stowage arrangements fits into that. After making the box for spares, tools and other bits and pieces and the false floor under which the recovery gear will sit, the next bit has been to sort a proper tuckerbox. I have had a few others in the past - never quite what I wanted - and I was considering making one...

But then...! I found a cheap galvanised toolbox which was exactly the size I wanted. It just needs some sealing rubbers on the lid and two nice over-centre clips to replace the original, pretty rough, central fastener.

I have fitted it with some brackets which allow it to be affixed to the cargo rails and hooks with turnbuckles (I was originally planning for over-centre clips, but the turnbuckles are pretty good). This means it is held securely and neatly in place. It is not only clamped down to the false floor below it, it also clamps the false floor to the floor of the tub.

The space forward of the tuckerbox is for my water containers and various bits of sundry gear.

After years and years of having the back of the Landy the the domain of cheap plastic tote-boxes and crappy cardboard boxes of oil containers, this is all very pleasing.

[Johnno1969]

Let's just pretend that it isn't over a year since I last posted on this thread.

It ain't over 'til it's over.

A week ago, the Landy got her new locks. When I say "new", I think they are the first ones she's ever had. Certainly the first ones since 1991, anyway...

It took a little fiddling to get the set I ordered from the UK to fit. The outer diameter of the barrels was greater than the aperture in the driver's side door handle mechanism - and the passenger's side mechanism didn't have any hole in it at all.

Now they combine with the lock on the tailgate top and two tailored lengths of dowel to hold the front windows shut to create a state of the art security system.

That is, of course, if your art is in a pretty antediluvian state. Stick figures, rhinos on rock faces, that sort of thing....

More to come.

John

P.S. Yeah yeah yeah... this thread really is nearly finished....

[grey_ghost]

Hi John,

Getting the Landy ready for the 70th at Cooma I see - great work! [thumbsupbig]

[OneOff]

Cheers Johnno

Still my favorite build, err... re-fit thread!
After all this time, do you think all that heat insulation/ sound deadening foam stuff was worthwhile?

[Johnno1969]

Hi John,

Getting the Landy ready for the 70th at Cooma I see - great work! [thumbsupbig]


Now there's ​an idea......

[Johnno1969]

Cheers Johnno

Still my favorite build, err... re-fit thread!
After all this time, do you think all that heat insulation/ sound deadening foam stuff was worthwhile?


Thanks for that! Truth to tell, whenever I pop up again just when everybody must think this thread is dead and buried, I wonder if people just want the agony to end.

Yes, the insulation has been absolutely worth it. In the sticky heat of this week in SEQ, today I hammered along in the mid-afternoon from the Sunshine Coast through Kilcoy and up through Somerset and Mt Glorious. I was able to put my bare foot against the firewall quite comfortably. Yeah, it was warm, but not awfully hot. It definitely stops a lot of heat coming into the cabin. As for noise, much the same story: the only thing the sound insulation has not (yet) tamed to my satisfaction is the (you guessed it) Fairey overdrive (more on that particular overdrive later in another soonish-to-be-resurrected thread). There is still plenty of the usual IIA road noise, but, when the overdrive is not engaged, engine and driveline noise is quite acceptable. I'm really glad that I went to the effort - and I am not finished yet!

Other stuff has just prevented me playing with the Landy much in the last few years, so the stuff I am doing now is still part of the original "re-fit" plan. One day, I hope to write a thread which actually involves going places and doing things with the Landy....

On the subject of heat, as the old girl was pretty heavily loaded, I ended up in first going up some of the steepest pinches of the road*. The temp gauge climbed as expected (as did the Engine Watchdog) and I gave the fan which sucks hot air out of the engine bay near the exhaust a bit of a whirl (as well as the second radiator fan). Though still grinding upward in first in stinking heat, the temp did start to slowly drop. So, that was pleasing.

Righto, that's it for now.

John

P.S. G'day to whoever waved to me from a dark blue Defender near the Stanley River and the white Disco a little after that.

*Mind you, I probably would still have ended up in first loaded with one person, a small dog, a piece of toast and a silk handkerchief.

[Johnno1969]

Now, just to prolong your suffering:

I have got all the recovery gear sorted out in its cosy home under the false floor. Hi-lift jack, hand-winch, cable, recovery straps, shackles, crowbar, entrenching tool, big ol' hammer. All sit nicely under the floor and out of the way. Nice little canvas webbing bags (none of that modern nonsense here) to stow things in, too.

Here are some pics....

[Johnno1969]

I have also had a muck around with working out the setup for camping in wet weather. I'm using a cheap poly tarp at present as a template and working out exactly what I will be getting made in good ol' canvas when I've sorted my dimensions.

I know there's another area of the forum for that sort of stuff and I probably should put this post there....But, for the moment, to spare the Trailers, Vans and Campers part of the forum from a thread called "Look at how I stretched a tarpaulin behind a Land Rover using some sticks and old rope", I thought I might just mention it here.

As we have observed, this is not a build thread. It's a Re-fit. So, as I seem to be pretty well able to define "Re-fit" to be whatever the hell I want it to mean from one incoherent post to the next, we'll just run with this, eh...?

[grey_ghost]

Almost reminds me of an episode of Top Gear, when Richard Hammond “converted” a Land Rover into a motor home... [emoji6]

[Johnno1969]

Almost reminds me of an episode of Top Gear, when Richard Hammond “converted” a Land Rover into a motor home... [emoji6]

I'm just trying to work out where to fit the lounge chairs.

[Johnno1969]

Took delivery today of my you-beaut new canvas tarpaulin for deployment during inclement weather. This is a critical part of Stage XIV of the Re-fit.

Remember, folks, that re-fits don't just involve Lucas electrics and fumbling with felt half-shaft seals and hitting recalcitrant steering relays with heavy objects and screaming: they can also involve things which have long been on a fellow's wish-list for the day he finally gets his beloved Series IIA just-how--he-wants-it after twenty-seven years of ownership.

Twenty-seven years of progressing from re-using electrical spade connectors in the depths of student poverty to saying "**** it! I want a great big expensive tarpaulin" and buying it....

[Johnno1969]

P.S. That's odd. I definitely put an "e" after the "f" in that last post. It still came out as "xxxx it". I was simply using an old Irish expression.

Oh, well. Xxxx it.

[wally]

So is it finished?

[Johnno1969]

So is it finished?


Nah.

Got cracking on the cubby box recently.

Started with some nice 9mm plywood. Even did some drawings. Mucked around, working what might fit. Brought out the trusty Herbert bench saw (they don't make 'em like that anymore)...

[Johnno1969]

It started to take shape nicely and the vinyl covering started to go on.....

[Johnno1969]

A chief design feature had to be placement of my enamel mug. Measurements carefully made so that it could nestle safely in the front bit.

I decided to insulate the main compartment and then spent some time considering whether to incorporate a little Peltier module for cooling or just have it as a wee coolbox.

More to come.

[Johnno1969]

There was a bit of fiddling about, sizing the bits of styrofoam (courtesy of the local fruit shop) and some leftover aluminium sheet. I had to get those bits sorted and sized properly before finishing the vinyl covering for the exterior.

[Johnno1969]

Oh, and I discarded the Peltier idea, as interesting as it was.

[Johnno1969]

I decided that a good way to fix the cubby box in place would be clips to anchor points: in the rear, to to the cover plate above the transfer box and in the front, to the seat base.

Here's the rear anchor point.

[Johnno1969]

Once the vinyl covering was on, the toggle latch could be attached to the rear with wee bolts, before the insulation and lining for the coolbox were installed.

The front toggle latches went on last of all, when everything was finally lined up in the vehicle.

[Johnno1969]

The exterior finish came along nicely and indulged my growing penchant ​for toggle latches.

[OneOff]

I like it! And I think it may be an option for mine down the track.

[Johnno1969]

I like it! And I think it may be an option for mine down the track.


Thanks mate. I'll be happy to send you the drawings if I can find them....

[Johnno1969]

The aluminium lining came out pretty nicely. It makes for a nice water-tight compartment for when I might want to use the cubby box as a small esky and also give the whole thing a lot more rigid strength (I can stand on it if I want to). A rubber seal around the top and it's all set.

[Johnno1969]

It's worked out as a pretty useful sort of cubby box and keeps things cold quite well when on esky duties. It fits well with the rest of the re-fit of the interior and one really good thing is how easily it can be removed, if ever I don't want it there for whatever reason.

[Johnno1969]

The re-fit sea trials are coming to an end. It's time to whip out the overdrive and strip it. It's only done 1500 miles since being rebuilt, but there are a few more modifications to be incorporated which I didn't quite get to do before the vehicle hit the frog and I also want to check the wear on the clutch sleeve splines.

Details in the thread I started on the overdrive about two thousand years ago, soon to be resurrected....

[OneOff]

Yarr well... Ye caint rush these tings y’know...




[bighmmm]

[Johnno1969]

Whilst I'm reviewing various modifications or tweaks which came along in the re-fit, it's worth providing technical data on the performance of the insulated cubby box. It appears to be performing well as per specifications.

[Johnno1969]

This post belongs as much in this old thread as anywhere else, as it's basically a small tweak of a "Re-fit" modification and something which I had in mind several years ago anyway.

For those of you who remember this thread, the Chappell years and the horse-drawn Zeppelin - read on:

I have been really pleased with the aluminium inner guards which went into the vehicle when it went back on the road, as they have protected the exterior surface of the footwells from being sandblasted by gravel whilst driving. A few weeks ago, I decided to extend them to also protect the chassis outrigger and prevent mud being thrown into the various nooks (not so worried about the crannies) in front of the fuel tanks.

It looks pretty tidy and definitely keeps other bits of the vehicle cleaner without (I would hope) detracting from the appearance of the vehicle.

Cheers,

John

[wally]

Detracts from the look of the vehicle a bit.