Ben's 107 [Archive] - Australian Land Rover Owners

whitakerb

27th September 2015, 10:55 PM

I thought I'd put something together to document the rebuild of my 107.

I picked it up in May this year, with the intention of stripping it down once I had built a workshop in the back yard.
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2015/09/115.jpg (http://s1094.photobucket.com/user/Ben_Whitaker/media/Series%201/IMG_2657.jpg.html)

I believe it was sitting next to this shed for the last 4 years or so, and we were able to drive it out of its resting place without too much trouble.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2015/09/116.jpg (http://s1094.photobucket.com/user/Ben_Whitaker/media/Series%201/IMG_2652.jpg.html)
The interior is complete, in fact the whole car is.

Chassis number is 57261794, which makes it 1955 but it isn't a CKD. Unfortunately the Fawles records appear not to exist for 1955 so I'm not expecting to uncover much on its history.

whitakerb

27th September 2015, 11:08 PM

Got it home and thanks to Andy, it has arrived with a whole heap of spare parts.https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2015/09/113.jpg (http://s1094.photobucket.com/user/Ben_Whitaker/media/Series%201/IMG_2703.jpg.html)

Couldn't resist taking it for a quick drive before I pulled it apart.https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2015/09/114.jpg (http://s1094.photobucket.com/user/Ben_Whitaker/media/Series%201/IMG_2806.jpg.html)
With safety being an absolute priority, the temporary fuel tank was strapped to the battery. :D It was quite difficult to drive as the farmer who was using it before it was parked up drove through a fence and ripped out all the brake lines. It has given me some confidence as to the condition of the engine and gearbox though. Everything seams to work except it won't drop out of 4wd when you shift back into high range.

whitakerb

27th September 2015, 11:54 PM

I've been sick over the last few weeks, so my weekends have been spent at home. I have an old BMW R65 that I'm supposed be rebuilding so I can ride to work, but the series 1 has been sitting out the back for about 4 months with nothing being done.

I started by removing the aluminium off the hood sticks. This involved drilling out over 100 rivets. <_<https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2015/09/109.jpg (http://s1094.photobucket.com/user/Ben_Whitaker/media/Series%201/IMG_2791.jpg.html)

The frame obviously isn't original as an entire unit, but I'm assuming the 3 uprights are possibly original. Getting the bolts out of these was quite simple, the snapped after a quarter turn. I thought this was going to set the standard for the entire strip down.

As it turns out, I have only had to drill out 2 bolts on the body. This was because the pickup tray had deformed over the nuts on the back crossmember and I couldn't get under there with a socket. I have managed to get it stripped this far, in the space of a week, just doing half an hour or so after work each night.https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2015/09/110.jpg (http://s1094.photobucket.com/user/Ben_Whitaker/media/Series%201/IMG_2911.jpg.html)

I've even managed to pack it all up small enough so I can still park the car in the garage.:)
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2015/09/111.jpg (http://s1094.photobucket.com/user/Ben_Whitaker/media/Series%201/IMG_2912.jpg.html)

crackers

28th September 2015, 09:04 AM

Fast work. Mine took a bit longer.

I notice you didn't remove the bolts that hold the firewall up - coward :twisted: (read my sage in The restoration of Wombat - mine proved a tad difficult).

You did well to stack it up so neatly too, mine's scattered in all sorts of odd places.

Looking good. :BigThumb:

whitakerb

28th September 2015, 11:21 AM

Fast work. Mine took a bit longer.

I notice you didn't remove the bolts that hold the firewall up - coward :twisted:

Looking good. :BigThumb:

I don't know what all that fuss was about. Ive stripped it down this far with nothing more than a 3/8th metric socket set; every bolt practically fell out.:wasntme:

It does baffle me though. Most of these bolts look like they've only been in five minutes, they don't have any corrosion on them, yet right next to it is a totally rotten section of chassis.

crackers

28th September 2015, 11:30 AM

I've had bolts that undid as though put in yesterday and ones four inches away that were a mass of rust. Weird beasties these Landies.

I'm interested that you've got away simply using your metric socket set. I started with that but quickly had to buy a Whitworth set (cheap on ebay, no biggie) as the metrics were close but not right, certainly not good enough for the more recalcitrant nuts.

As they say with British cars - when things are going well, get in some supplies for the after disaster recovery because it's just around the corner :twisted:

It's fair to say that I've had my fair share of nuts that just sheered off, nuts that needed the angle grinder, nuts that complained every turn of the way and a surprising number that simply came off as though new with only those two firewall bolts that have seriously tested me. Mind you, I haven't got the suspension off yet :angel:

Planning on a 'full restoration' or just a tart up and drive job? Having a complete vehicle is a good start, at least you only have to 'fix' things.

whitakerb

3rd October 2015, 10:21 PM

I joined the Series One Club in the UK last week; they have loads of information available on their forum. One article of interest was converting the rear axle to fully floating. I had always wanted to do this but didn't want to change the rear axle as it would prevent me from licensing the 107 as a historical vehicle. Turns out I can have my cake and eat it too.

I had to drop an old red motor off for a friend and ended up coming back with some goodies.
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2015/10/944.jpg (http://s1094.photobucket.com/user/Ben_Whitaker/media/IMG_2918.jpg.html)

The axle is circa 1962 (Although the diff centre doesn't look like it is) and with some parts off this and some creative machining I should have fully floating axles and still maintain the series 1 wheel track

I also managed to pick up a half decent radiator panel :) I realised my original radiator panel was held in by the radiator hoses.

Crackers: Im planning on restoring it as best I can without outsourcing too much. Painting will be fun as I'm colour blind!

I also spent half of the day working on our other project ready for its race in a couple of weeks.
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2015/10/945.jpg (http://s1094.photobucket.com/user/Ben_Whitaker/media/IMG_2920.jpg.html)

crackers

3rd October 2015, 10:28 PM

Hmmm, swapping a Holden motor for Landy bits is probably a good trade :twisted:

What's this 'Series One Club' of which you speak? :confused:

whitakerb

3rd October 2015, 10:50 PM

Hmmm, swapping a Holden motor for Landy bits is probably a good trade :twisted:

What's this 'Series One Club' of which you speak? :confused:

Without taking any credit off Aulro, which is likely the best single marque forum on the internet, LRSOC.com have a very good forum specific to the Series 1. You have to be a paid up member to the club to access the forum however.

And yes I was glad to get rid of that boat anchor. It was starting to make the place look untidy.

Dinty

4th October 2015, 08:01 AM

G'day Ben,
Mate you do not have to be a fully paid member to access the Series 1 forum in the UK, I have been a lurker/user for quite a few years, if you are a fully paid up member that gives you access to other areas within the site + their magazine which is published ? times throughout the year, the only thing that you have to be super careful about is your language as it will draw scorn ++, I don't have a language issue on the net.
Ben don't let colour vision put you off, I'm the same and I have painted all 9 of my restored Land Rovers, some in Deep Bronze Green, others in Olive Drab, here is an image of my Series 1 (unfinished)
http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/uu319/DJM110/1955%20Series%201%20rebuild/IMG_4222_zpsnmyndbwf.jpg
anyway your doing all right with yours, Crackers has hit a wall a few times, it's just the luck of the draw LOL cheers Dennis

whitakerb

4th October 2015, 07:30 PM

Ok, it has come to may attention that I need a set of whitworth spanners.. I finally found a nut I couldn't undo easily with a metric socket set. The Drive shaft bolts on the back of the transfer case were a total pain..

We can't let a little thing like a bolt stop us, so I removed the driveshaft from the diff and separated the driveshaft.

We took the engine and gearbox to work and knocked up an engine frame for it to reside in for the time being.
[https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2015/10/917.jpg (http://s1094.photobucket.com/user/Ben_Whitaker/media/IMG_2923_1.jpg.html)

I was hoping someone might be able to shed some light on this. I hit the engine and gearbox with the steam cleaner whilst it was at work, and the gearbox numbers tell me that the gear box is 1955, but is it possible that this is a series 3 transfer case (Judging by the numbers on the transfer case itself)?
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2015/10/918.jpg (http://s1094.photobucket.com/user/Ben_Whitaker/media/IMG_2924.jpg.html)
I've also uncovered the worst section of chassis. There has been a repair at some stage in the past, but now there is a crack all the way up past the shackle bushes. https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2015/10/919.jpg (http://s1094.photobucket.com/user/Ben_Whitaker/media/IMG_2925.jpg.html)

crackers

4th October 2015, 07:37 PM

Doing a proper job of it eh? Looking good.

I was advised to start putting penetrating oil on the shackle nuts long before wanting to remove them. May I pass that advice on to you, though the close up of that shackle nut shows remarkably little rust?

Brute

4th October 2015, 09:03 PM

When you get the chassis sandblasted you will find areas a lot worse than that. It's all easy fix tho.

Dinty

5th October 2015, 07:01 AM

About your question re S3 T/case, the Series 1 & early S2's have a small diameter intermediate shaft, the later S2A & S3 have a much larger diameter shaft, I can't access anything ATM but I will attempt to look today cheers Dennis

Dinty

5th October 2015, 11:35 AM

The diameter of the Intermediate shaft for the S2A/3 is 1.626" or inch n five eights, the Series 1 early S2 is much smaller, cheers Dennis

Timj

6th October 2015, 01:22 PM

For a series 3 the actual gearbox series number is on the top edge of the transfer case and that number does not look right for that. It could have been rebuilt at some stage and had numbers stamped on by the rebuilder. As Dinty said, the transfer case intermediate shaft changed size part way through series 2A (Suffix B ) so anything from late sixties on will have the larger intermediate shaft. You can see the shaft on the back of the transfer so don't have to take it apart to tell.

Cheers,

TimJ.

whitakerb

9th October 2015, 12:11 AM

Thanks for the help guys.

I did mean to post something up a few days ago. I measured the shaft and it is defiantly not series 3.

As far as the box rebuild goes, it was rebuilt shortly before it was parked up so that must explain the markings.

Cobber

12th October 2015, 06:54 PM

One of the happiest moments of my (re)build was steam cleaning many years of grime off and being able to read the various serial numbers :D

You're doing a super job, well done :BigThumb:

whitakerb

7th March 2016, 09:41 PM

Things have been slow over the last couple of months. I've rebuilt the axles on my daily drive after finding metal in the back diff....

Anyway, I came across another 107 that has been sitting on a farm for 30 years. It was also at the right price.. so
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2016/03/706.jpg (http://s1094.photobucket.com/user/Ben_Whitaker/media/1496913_10153508194235829_4806532571219028038_n.jp g.html)
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2016/03/707.jpg (http://s1094.photobucket.com/user/Ben_Whitaker/media/12800213_10153519922115829_2351727761967634972_n.j pg.html)
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2016/03/708.jpg (http://s1094.photobucket.com/user/Ben_Whitaker/media/12795339_10153519922180829_6026229551571099085_n.j pg.html)
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2016/03/709.jpg (http://s1094.photobucket.com/user/Ben_Whitaker/media/12705641_10153519922230829_8928782002914464663_n.j pg.html)

This one will be used as a parts mule for the 107 and Brute's 86 as the chassis is rotten.

An interesting point is that the front wings have WAPET sign written on them. All the research I have done so far has not given me any leads as far as the vehicle is concerned. Anyone have any Ideas?

We were excited that when we dropped a battery in it, the dashboard lit up and the engine turns over on the starter. Also, we discovered that the engine belongs in a 53 80" so it will most likely get sold. Unsure about the gearbox yet.

We should have it stripped down in the next few weeks.

LandyAndy

7th March 2016, 09:48 PM

Nice Ben.
WAPET,look up WA Petroleum or similar.You may have an old exploration vehicle there:cool::cool::cool::cool::cool::cool::cool::co ol::cool:
There was a grey 107 with that style tray in Albany,somebodys every day driver.Havent seen it for some time,it was in showroom condition.
Andrew

whitakerb

7th March 2016, 09:57 PM

I've done a fair amount of reading on WAPET so far, it has quite an interesting history. I've emailed Chevron to see if they can help me find the history on this car, but I'm not holding my breath.

Ideally, I'd like to find out if it had any historical significance as it was built in the early years of WAPET's exploration in the North West.

LandyAndy

9th March 2016, 09:50 PM

Mate.
Dont part it out.
Get some pics from the WAPET mob and restore it to what it was ONEDAY complete with the WAPET signage.
Andrew

digger

10th March 2016, 02:32 AM

wa pet did some large exploring...

this is from the 60's and mentions Land Rovers

DIVISION OF NATIONAL MAPPING (http://www.xnatmap.org/adnm/docs/wapet/wapet.htm)

JDNSW

10th March 2016, 05:11 AM

West Australian Petroleum (WAPET) was a joint venture between Shell, Woodside and Chevron. They were responsible for the major oil exploration effort in WA from the late 1940s. Most of their senior technical people were from Shell initially, with Chevron becoming involved more from the early 1950s.

From memory, Shell exited the consortium in the 1970s, and I am not sure whether it is not just Chevron today or whether the name is still being used.

John