Need advice

[Steve in Cairns]

Evening.
I am very new to this and have just purchased a s2a LWB with an original engine. My first idea was to swop the good bits from this onto a SWB but that fell through. I am now thinking of stripping the engine down, cleaning up the the running gear, and putting it back together.
I have no experience and intend to use a workshop Book and YouTube for assistance.
Any advice on what I should do and not do, where to get parts and general ideas would be most welcome.

Thanks
Steve.

[JDNSW]

Step 1
Have a look at the section headed Series 2/2a, and read as many of the threads as you can manage - probably starting with the most recent and working backwards.

These will give you a good idea of what you are likely to need to do, and also a very good idea how to do it and where to get parts.

(A lot of the Series 3 forum threads are applicable too)

Step 2
Go to "shop" in the title bar just below the banner, and order the SERIESIICD, which includes the workshop and parts manuals on CD (last item in the list of CD/DVDs). The parts manual is useful for more than just ordering parts - it tells you where parts have changed (the letter suffix on the chassis number is the important bit), and it also has a lot more pictures than the workshop manual, which often really helps to show you how the bits go together (or come apart).

You need to be aware that many parts are interchangeable across all Series Landrovers, so that you are likely to find bits on your car that are from a different model. This can apply particularly to things like screw threads, which started off BSW/BSF/BA, then gradually went to UNC/UNF, and late Series 3 started to get metric; and this long after it was made, original bolts and nuts could have been replaced with anything! You will need Whitworth, AF (Imperial) and possibly metric spanners. AF spanners are readily available, Whitworth are harder to find, in my experience best place tends to be markets, garage sales and Opp shops! But any worthwhile tool shop will get them in for you, but don't expect them to be cheap if you are getting new spanners.

John

[Steve in Cairns]

Thanks
Will get onto ordering the CD, have been reading the threads and am getting a little overwhelmed as to where to start.

Steve.

[pop058]

Thanks
Will get onto ordering the CD, have been reading the threads and am getting a little overwhelmed as to where to start.

Steve.

Open the bonnet :D and go from there. Heaps of help on the forum and there is bound to be a few members up near you as well.

[Ozdunc]

What are you intending? Having a runner, or doing a full restore.

If a full restore, start with chassis, then go for a rolling chassis and onward from there.

If just getting it running, start by making a list of what doesn't work, what needs to work, then what would be nice to do as time/money allows.

I wont lie and say its all beers and skittles, there will be times you hold your head in your hands and swear alot, but its a fun thing to do and at the end of it you will have one of the most character filled vehicles ever created. Every drive is just fun.

Good luck
:ttiwwp:

[Steve in Cairns]

My three year old daughter has just got me my Father's Day present, 55% off engine crane and stand at SuperCheap. She's such a considerate child for her age.

I am looking at doing a full restoration.
Not to show room standard, but so that it works, is safe and well last another 40 years.

[korg20000bc]

I did the same thing a few years ago. Here:
http://www.aulro.com/afvb/remlr-projects/85760-my-2a-gs-project.html

I had no Land Rover knowledge at all. I was a long-term appreciator and had a definite purpose in restoring the vehicle- my father was a Vietnam veteran and I grew up doing "army" stuff, watching all ANZAC Day marches and being very proud of him.

So, I had a love for Army Land Rovers and wanted to restore it, as close as my budget and skill allowed, to Army spec.

Restoration can seem daunting at the start but if I, with no mechanical experience but with some manual ability, could do it with a few manuals and the AMAZING help of people on this forum I'm sure anyone can have a go and get a good result. Since I started the restoration the Land Rover bug has bitten and my knowledge has grown heaps.

I'll help as I can on the forum here. I'd love for you to post up some photos.

Matthew

[Steve in Cairns]

82589

First pic of Peggy, will try to get up a couple more

[Steve in Cairns]

82591


Apologies this is the first time I have posted pictures, I will try to get a bit better at it.

[korg20000bc]

82589

First pic of Peggy, will try to get up a couple more

Looks like a great foundation for a restoration!
Love the cup holders and grab handle.

I can see you might need one or more seat-box lids.
Lovely straight panes and it looks like it has a shovel pioneer tool mount?
Wipers mounted above the screen is unusual too.

[debruiser]

not a bad little rig! I like it.

Like others have said, read through lots of threads. Google is also a really good resource, I find lots of stuff that way. Google images is great as well!!! You can find pics of "how that thingy" goes back in :D

I'm working on one of these at the moment. my thread is in the members section - http://www.aulro.com/afvb/members-rides/183428-nicks-1975-series-3-swb.html

I'm by no means a mechanic (actually I'm a music teacher) but I just read my manual, read some threads, use google and a bit of fiddling around and I figure out most stuff. If not I put a panicked thread on here for some experienced person to answer.

Good luck with your project, make sure you keep posting those pics so we can steal ideas for our trucks! :D

EDIT: I find the parts manual an awesome resource as well - you can find the part number and google that! the part number for my book is RTC9841 CE - but that's a series 3 book (mostly the same but would be better to get the right one for your car) here's a link to what I have http://www.ebay.com/itm/1972-1985-Land-Rover-Series-III-Illustrated-Parts-Book-Catalog-Catalogue-/161360844364?pt=Motors_Manuals_Literature&hash=item2591db164c

[Steve in Cairns]

I am looking forward to the day I am going to need seat box lids, seats are a far off fantasy.

[Steve in Cairns]

Thanks for the link debruiser, hope that I can get Peggy looking that good.

[debruiser]

No worries, I'm glad I can help someone. Plenty of people help me out with stuff so only too happy to return the favour where I can.

I'm sure you will get peggy looking great.

[JDNSW]

Looks to be agood vehicle tostart from. All the best!

John

[korg20000bc]

Thanks for the link debruiser, hope that I can get Peggy looking that good.
You can get the same thing pluse more from the site owner here:
Dave's Interesting Things (http://www.davesitshop.com/emporium/index.php?_a=product&product_id=11)

or, just click on the "SHOP" link at the top of the page and search the manuals.

[JDNSW]

You can get the same thing pluse more from the site owner here:
Dave's Interesting Things (http://www.davesitshop.com/emporium/index.php?_a=product&product_id=11)

or, just click on the "SHOP" link at the top of the page and search the manuals.

See post #2

John

[korg20000bc]

See post #2

John

Whoops!
Sorry mate.

[SII Josh]

looks nice, i remember starting my project and got overwhelmed pretty quick but with the help of all the peeps in here i have slowly chipped away :D

post up pics when you can :D

[ezyrama]

They are not that hard. Ralph was a lot of fun to rebuild but then people (especially the wife) tell me I am strange to find it fun and /or therapeutic!. Just do one thing at a time and zip lock bags,ice cream containers and permanent markers are the best for not forgetting what went where. All the guys here are great for a bit of info if you get stuck. And remember, rule no.1 PHOTO'S, PHOTO'S PHOTO'S!
Cheers Ian

[debruiser]

^^ theres a good tip. Take lots of detailed photos BEFORE you pull stuff apart. Then you can look at them to check how things fit back together in 6months time when you forget exactly how it fitted. :D Take more photos than you think you will ever need.

[Johnno1969]

I am looking at doing a full restoration.
Not to show room standard, but so that it works, is safe and well last another 40 years.

Bravo!! That's the spirit!!!

[ezyrama]

^^ theres a good tip. Take lots of detailed photos BEFORE you pull stuff apart. Then you can look at them to check how things fit back together in 6months time when you forget exactly how it fitted. :D Take more photos than you think you will ever need.

6 Months??:Rolling: I need photo's after 2-3 days!!