County V8: a little advice, if I may...

[2 rocks]

Hello folks

Well I'm usually comfortably ensconced in the Discovery II section, but I have a hankering for a County... well I'd like a Deefer but funds don't permit.

Anyhoo, I have seen (but not yet driven) one for sale in Perth and I'm not sure if it's me, but people seem to ask a premium for what they consider to be a "classic" Land Rover. That is, if it was anything else in similar condition, it's be about two or three grand less...

The information I so far have on the car, '85 V8 with 160,000 on the clock - well more actually as apparently the odometer didn't work for an indeterminate amount of time, hmmmm :(

The dash and seats are pretty rough looking and apparently the suspension "squeaks abit" but it drives "alright". The owner advises it used to be on LPG but at some point had a backfire destroying the carbies and now has a Holley on it. Overall it seems well used, but as I say I have not yet driven it. (From what I can see in pics the firewall looks to be rust free).

He's asking $6500 - but this is sounding rather too much to me...I don't might it as a project, but I want a usable project.

Looking for a bit of sage advice from you folks in the know...:)

Thanks!
Mike

[85 county]

personaly i think a but tomuch.
the holley is a good mod untill you come to a hill.

save your money for a isuzu or even a 200tdi wich would be a bit cheeper

[andy_d110]

Is this the one at the car yards in Wangara??

[tailslide]

The pink/faded red thing that has been on Gumtree for months? I'm sure that it should come done a grand or too...

There is another county on Gumtree now in Yanchep, good for parts/restoration or so the add goes...:wasntme:

For $6,500 you could get a beat up 99 D2.:D:D:D

Happy hunting
Ron

[redrovertdi]

to much money! a good friend got a 85 v8 for $3500 with low ks, and very straight/tidy, now fitted with 300tdi and r380

[2 rocks]

Thanks guys

85 County, really? I'll have to keep that in mind...I've never had anything with a Holley - I just think of Toranas or something similar :(

Andy & Ron - yeah that one, although it's kind of brown - I did troll around Gumtree nationally and saw a fair few things (more Series on there than Countys {Is that the correct plural for the vehicle? Given that geographically it would be counties?}) and some seemed very reasonable some were a lot of money for a bucket of old scrap metal. That led me to wonder if their value was artificially inflated and you had to just suck it up...

Redrovertdi: yes, that sounds a bit more of what I had in mind/expected, given the age of them. I know it's sacrilege, but I'd bet an equivalent-vintage 75 Series at the same price point would present better than this. You can't buy character, but...

In light of this, I think I may stick with my beat up 99 D2 :D:D which seems to have been far better value for money, just a bit shy of the R380 rebuild. Poor old "Lucy" the S III with burnt valves in Waikiki looks like a better buy - nice and straight and only take a day to sort the head out...:p

Thanks again!
Mike

[85 county]

no i would stick to the county idea, just keep your eyes open.

generaly thay are stonger than a defender and much more usable than a S3

depends on what or where you wish to end up with it, a monster or a tinker eather way a county is the ticket.

and yes countys do demand a higher than exspected price but there are good resons for that. something you will not know untill you own one