Dumb question?

[DT-P38]

So I have been getting close to bidding on various 101's on ebay UK a couple of times and even though I really don't have room for an import of any kind I am real curious to know how these things actually go.
Are they powerful?
Do they roll easy?
Is there a more desirable version?
Was thinking Ambo to camper conversion with beds for 4 or 5... Is this "butchering" considered sacrilege?

Any feedback on any of this appreciated.

Hoo Roo, Dave.

[JDNSW]

The 101 was designed as a gun tractor, and was never sold to civilian customers. While very capable offroad, it is low geared and hence (unless modified) not terribly good on the highway. As standard it is not particularly powerful by modern standards, although power was good by the standards of military vehicles of the 1970s (think Series Landrover). Many owners other than collectors have upgraded engines.

The driver's position is cramped and the ergonomics not good, plus you are in very close proximity to the engine, so that as standard the driving position gets very hot in hot weather.

I have not heard any suggestion that they are prone to rolling, unlike the 2a FC.

While I find them an interesting vehicle, I doubt that one would be attractive to me as a camper. Also, parts are nowhere near as easy to come by as for other Landrovers of the same vintage - few parts are shared with other Landrovers or, indeed, any other vehicle - the engine is a Rover V8, but has some unique bits to make it fit.

I have not owned one, but have thought about it. The reason I have decided against it is that I cannot see a practical use for one in my position, and although I would love to have one as a collectible, I can't afford it!

John

[wagoo]

101 diff/axle assemblies are very heavy duty and share some consumable diff components with other LandRovers,so parts availability is not a,real issue there.Wheel brake assemblies except for drums are same as series 6cyl/v8 .Master Cyl is 101 specific. Basic engine is common Rover 3.5 v8 with special 101 specific exhaust manifolds and ignition system. Gearbox/t/case is LT95 4spd common to RRCs, Stage one V8s,110s and current Aus Military Perenties. Chassis, leaf springs, bodywork and fittings are 101 specific.Although the chassis is externally coated in a bituminous substance from new,They will rust from the inside, and examplesi imported from the UK, where they salt the roads in winter can be quite rusty.Like all LandRover chassis they are constructed from thin steel.Top of chassis is high and dead straight from front to rear, so floor height and overall height for stand up headroom with a camper body may be excessive and compromise stability.
Nicely low geared for offroad work but sorely lacking suspension articulation, they are very ordinary offroad performers unless the axles are fitted with difflocks.Manual steering is too low geared and as already mentioned ergonomics are simply terrible. Really a vehicle for Military Land Rover Tragics:) I would personally look for one of the Japanese 2 ton forward control trucks as a basis for a camper.
Wagoo.

[Mick_Marsh]

I luv'em.

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/members/mick_marsh-albums-my+101+gs+29-417+%28101-1%29.html

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/members/mick_marsh-albums-my+101+rapier+tractor+30-248+%28101-2%29.html

Buy one. You know you want to.

There are two kinds of Landrover enthusiasts, those who have a 101 and those who want a 101.

[DODGE]

Exactly what mick said:D. i love mine and find it no different to drive than a series landy. having said that i dont think i would want one as a camper unless you are a 101 tragic.

Gaz

[101 Ron]

I like my 101 and I will take it to the grave.
Stock bog they are a 1970s gun TRACTOR and drive like one.
They can be up graded fairly easily to suit civie requirements.
Overdrive, LPG and a locker to make them useful.
steering is hard work and a aussie summer in one of these things will kill you.
suspension. as stock needs a tonne weight in the back for it to work.
They perform OK , but still slighty slow by todays standards.
A camper body or Ambo version will slow things up alot more.
All camper versions I have seen , the job could have been done much, much better by a light Jap 4x4 truck.
I use the 101 around the farm and recreational 4w driving and and just sleep in the back of a standard vehicle and for this it is very good.
Parts have never been a real problem.
Engine conversion I feel are no advantange over stock and spoil the charactor of the vehicle , as that liitle pommie 8 is one of the best parts of it.
As a tough payload carrier off road the 101 is good.
As a camper......very bad.
A perentie 6x6 rover coming up for auction soon would be a better buy.

[DT-P38]

Thanks for the feedback everyone. So I'm thinking I really need to find a cheap light (canvas covered) aus army one (with the mad truck pulling std factory winch I've seen on youtube) and just chuck swags and boxes of gear in the back for camping... The seem to look top heavy though and I would want to take it as far off road as the P38 can get. Happy to bang the mentioned locker in to help, but am I still being too optimistic that these things can go bush properly?

P.S. Sounds silly, but perenti's don't do it for me like these old clinkers do at the moment!

[101RRS]

So I'm thinking I really need to find a cheap light (canvas covered) aus army one (with the mad truck pulling std factory winch I've seen on youtube)

Well you will need at least $15 - $18K for a registered and roadworthy example that is in very average condition.

I have just covered 3000km in the last 3 weeks in mine - I have my earmuffs and feel I have been in a sauna but otherwise feel pretty good. They are great for occasional use but there are better tourers. The "101 rumble" from the front driveshaft starts to wear a bit thin after about the first 100km.

Garry

[wagoo]

Well you will need at least $15 - $18K for a registered and roadworthy example that is in very average condition.

I have just covered 3000km in the last 3 weeks in mine - I have my earmuffs and feel I have been in a sauna but otherwise feel pretty good. They are great for occasional use but there are better tourers. The "101 rumble" from the front driveshaft starts to wear a bit thin after about the first 100km.

Garry

Shortly after the 101s release from the Aust Military many years ago,we modified a couple of front axle assemblies by pulling the axle tubes out, rotating them 17 degrees and rewelding them back in. This gave significantly reduced universal joint angles, but they were equal and parralell angles(no rumble) instead of the standard equal and opposite angles.A raised oil level plug to protect the pinion bearings and all was good with the world.It's not really a job for a home handyman because the factory plug welds are glass hard, and there is some welding and remachining of the axle tubes involved, but McNamara Differentials in Moorabin have done a couple a few years ago at the cost of around $500 (bare housing).
Wagoo.

[101RRS]

Can you confirm the rumble went as I have not come across anyone who can swear on a pile of virgins that their idea actually works. Plenty of ideas on how to fix but non yet proven.

Other options are:

Lower the drivers side engine and gear box
Fit a double carden shaft
Make the 101 part time 4wd

Of course the hardest to do is the one you suggested - I was going to pull my front axle housing out to send it to a diff specialist to put an ARB airlocker in so if it was easy to separate the axle housing into its three parts and rejoin then I would consider it. Adjusting the oil levels to compensate means there is more oil in the diff = was there any indication of pressuring the diff - if I did this I would make the diff breathers larger with larger pipe to ensure any pressurisation did not occur.

[wagoo]

Thanks for the feedback everyone. So I'm thinking I really need to find a cheap light (canvas covered) aus army one (with the mad truck pulling std factory winch I've seen on youtube) and just chuck swags and boxes of gear in the back for camping... The seem to look top heavy though and I would want to take it as far off road as the P38 can get. Happy to bang the mentioned locker in to help, but am I still being too optimistic that these things can go bush properly?

P.S. Sounds silly, but perenti's don't do it for me like these old clinkers do at the moment!

Lateral stability of a 101 is probably on a par with other LandRover models.They have been known to stand on their noses on very steep downhills, but I would think that was due to panicky overuse of the brake pedal from operators unfamiliar with forward control vehicles in off road situations. Personally not keen on the Kockums(SP?) winch cantilevered off the side of one chassis rail. In addition to one or two lockers, a quick release on the front antiroll bar would aid lightly laden offroad ability.
Did think about owning one years ago, but at the time for around the same cost I could have a holiday in the UK and buy a low mileage Volvo C303 4x4 or a 306 6x6 that have difflocks and portal axles standard, ship it to OZ and have enough left over for a cup of coffee.Didn't do either in the end unfortunately.
Wagoo.

[wagoo]

Can you confirm the rumble went as I have not come across anyone who can swear on a pile of virgins that their idea actually works. Plenty of ideas on how to fix but non yet proven.

Other options are:

Lower the drivers side engine and gear box
Fit a double carden shaft
Make the 101 part time 4wd

Of course the hardest to do is the one you suggested - I was going to pull my front axle housing out to send it to a diff specialist to put an ARB airlocker in so if it was easy to separate the axle housing into its three parts and rejoin then I would consider it. Adjusting the oil levels to compensate means there is more oil in the diff = was there any indication of pressuring the diff - if I did this I would make the diff breathers larger with larger pipe to ensure any pressurisation did not occur.
Who else do you know that tried tilting the diff? And more importantly where did you find enough virgins to make a pile?
I can only confirm that the rumble was cured on the 2 vehicles we (4x4 motors Blackburn)did.Otherwise we would have only tried it once.
About your other 3 options. The double Cardan joint on only one end of the propshaft wouldn't be successful unless you tilt the pinion up so that the single joint is not operating at more than around 3 degrees.
The transmission on a 101 is already exposed and vulnerable. Not keen on lowering it further.
As I informed on another thread, Early Dodge Power Wagon Free wheel hubs were modified by Warn Industries in the US and supplied 2 sets to Russell and Jeff Hampton in Melbourne about 20 odd years ago. Maybe they will do them again if asked.If AVM in Brazil do them I wouldn't bother, as their hubs are crap.
Wagoo.

[101RRS]

Who else do you know that tried tilting the diff?
Wagoo.

I do not know anyone who has actually done - it has just been mentioned on a few forums - as I said a lot of people have ideas but until your post above never come across anyone who has actually achieved success. So you would see to be the first.

As far as stability goes - I agree - I doubt the 101 is any different to any other landie - maybe a little better because it is a bit wider. The main issue is the FC characteristic of wanting to tip a bit if it drops a front wheel into a hole while descending a steep hill but you soon learn to handle it - likewise descending a steep loose hill when unloaded - the back wants to overtake the rear but minimised by being in the right gear/range cdl locked and light braking to correct or a bit of throttle - like all vehicles really - just avoid the deep holes.

Garry

[wagoo]

I do not know anyone who has actually done - it has just been mentioned on a few forums - as I said a lot of people have ideas but until your post above never come across anyone who has actually achieved success. So you would see to be the first.

As far as stability goes - I agree - I doubt the 101 is any different to any other landie - maybe a little better because it is a bit wider. The main issue is the FC characteristic of wanting to tip a bit if it drops a front wheel into a hole while descending a steep hill but you soon learn to handle it - likewise descending a steep loose hill when unloaded - the back wants to overtake the rear but minimised by being in the right gear/range cdl locked and light braking to correct or a bit of throttle - like all vehicles really - just avoid the deep holes.

Garry

Trying with some difficulty to cast my memory back 20 odd years to who ended up with the vehicles with the modded front ends.We had a lot of 101s pass through our hands. I think Rod Genn From Melbournes truck might be one.And the proprieter of 4x4, Don MGilivray owned the other for awhile, but on sold it to god knows who.There may have been a third one that we organised through MCNamaras on a beautifully restored 101 belonging to a Rod Stokes, but he sold that to someone from Nauru unfortunately, and it probably has rotted away over there by now.
I assume you 101 enthusiasts have a register of names and contact details of past and present owners.
Wagoo.

[101RRS]

I assume you 101 enthusiasts have a register of names and contact details of past and present owners.
Wagoo.

Nope - the 101 page on REMLR is about as close as it gets :(

Garry

[wagoo]

Nope - the 101 page on REMLR is about as close as it gets :(

Garry

Not certain but I think Anthony Jonson of British 4wd Imports in Melb may have compiled a reasonable list over the years. He's a bit of a 101 tragic, and I attended a couple of 101 get togethers at his residence some time ago.
Wagoo.

[101 Ron]

A rolled diff.
It does work.
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/03/30.jpg
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/03/31.jpg
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/03/32.jpg

[loanrangie]

I luv'em.

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/members/mick_marsh-albums-my+101+gs+29-417+%28101-1%29.html

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/members/mick_marsh-albums-my+101+rapier+tractor+30-248+%28101-2%29.html

Buy one. You know you want to.

There are two kinds of Landrover enthusiasts, those who have a 101 and those who want a 101.

Totally agree, who cares how impratical they may be i still want one !