Saving the defender

[Andy130]

Hi all,

Well, this is something I hope you will enjoy following:

A few months ago I decided I wanted to buy a defender to rebuild and set about looking for an old 130 as a project. Only prerequisite was that it was tired and not something that had been 1/2 done by someone else.

Given my very basic mechanical skills, I had decided a 300tdi would be the right engine and I came across a few over several months - one was a rough old truck via gumtree that was located in Noosa ( I live in Sydney).

So anyway, I flew up to Noosa on the 20th of November and the owner said he would pick me up at the airport in the defender. I'm thinking "great - this will give me a chance to check it out before I buy it"

From the airport carpark, it was a total of a 500 metre drive - to the flatbed truck he drove it in on.... At this point, I'm rather bemused :D

Poking around underneath, I found rust, worn suspension etc and poking inside I found a few cockroaches, more rust, mould, a drooping headlining, torn seats...even the original cassette player...

So facing the choice of either a 500 metre walk to a plane ticket and 90 minute flight back home, or a 1200km 15 hour drive back to Sydney, with no tools or spares - the only logical thing to do was part with some cash, get the keys and head south.

The drive, which started at about 4pm- was long and uneventful - I drove from Noosa to just north of Newcastle in one hit and slept on the back seat from 3am to 5am at 'the rock' truckstop - then it was a short 2 1/2 hours from there back home to Sydney.

I think the thing that kept me awake until 3am was the NOISE !! My iphone Decibel metre was reading 90 DB.

Wife and 2 kids were happy to see me, and a bit surprised at the ' new' truck in the driveway ( which the neighbours fell about laughing when they saw it)

Now, In regards to price - All I can say, is I paid 1/2 the price he wanted, and twice what a wrecker would pay for it :D

Phots to follow once I work out how to load them.

PS: Nice to be here - this forum has been a goldmine of interesting information for me, so thanks to all of you for the threads that have been laid down over the last few years !

[Mick_Marsh]

Welcome to the forum Andy. I'm amazed at what 130s can do in the bush.

[Chops]

Welcome, I look forward to following your adventures.

[MrLandy]

Sounds great! Welcome. Looking forward to the next instalment already.

[steane]

Welcome!

Sounds a little like my Landy buying experience.

[Andy130]

Here are a few photos of the 'original' ...

[Andy130]

I'll get some close ups loaded - the closer you get, the worse it looks ! Also loaded the Decibel meter reading from my iphone - somewhere around the NSW border in dawned on me how loud it was..

[MrLandy]

Now that's a quirky beast! No one will see you amidst all the zebras that's for sure 😊👍

[87County]

Looks like you've done well & welcome to the forum.

You'll get lots of advice on here which, when sifted, will hopefully put you on the right track with any problems you may encounter :)

I guess we all have our favorite ways of reducing noise and there are some useful products around (mostly expensive), but completely sealing air gaps and holes helps.

Bunnings have a cheap polyester batting in sheets about 1/2" thick that has worked for me under mats and over the seat box.

Look forward to reading how you go :)

[steane]

An almost but not quite blank canvas :D

[Chops]

We could bolt a seat to the front and go catch us some ponies ;)
Daktari #2, here we come.

[karlz]

I'll get some close ups loaded - the closer you get, the worse it looks ! ..

I love it. Looks awesome.

[Andy130]

so, got home on the Saturday and started the strip down on the Wednesday.

Unfortunately rust has fused most of the bolts on the floor- so it was a combination of drill out or angle grinder.

Rust had also killed the door hinge bolts which also had to get drilled out...

Front passenger wing came out easy enough - drivers side is in place still as the airconditioning hose runs through it. I'll get the gas taken out and then remove the aircon radiator etc in preparation for new timing belt, new waterpump and then new rear main seal, which is also shot to pieces.

Here we are, end of week 1....

[Andy130]

here is the apprentice helping remove the rear floor...

[Andy130]

Welcome to the forum Andy. I'm amazed at what 130s can do in the bush.

Thanks Mick, Im looking forward to getting it out there. We have tentative plans for a year of travelling in 2018 and hopefully plenty of shorter trips beofre that .

[Andy130]

Now that's a quirky beast! No one will see you amidst all the zebras that's for sure 😊👍

Yep, quirky is about right mate. sadly, this decal job was done about 15 years ago, so its completely toast - then there is the hail damage....so it will be a total strip and repaint - Im actually considering a tinted upol raptor liner coat all over - just to keep the quirky.

[steane]

Yep, quirky is about right mate. sadly, this decal job was done about 15 years ago, so its completely toast - then there is the hail damage....so it will be a total strip and repaint - Im actually considering a tinted upol raptor liner coat all over - just to keep the quirky.

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/proxy/rl5Exbx6WhnVr6k58fbVe-gT9uQX7oOwypiHJ2QMrQnmtFDmAmxARqLDEdf_czwGVdmHJhCe wFBUjhRx7yLkMj1jexM3Go1etzyL6OHZfrWbo2-NiUz8uCYyJiVLjXeLdpxp8wZhJt1MEJjnxwzOoJzcvZZfaGGxg gkueaDbdZNflzlv_rHnrN5x_-4WGhzEzrv8d58PTR_re_IRlEydZIfgNTt1Hj-fNtvzeb5ffQ=w529-h278-nc

[spudboy]

OMG - you are a brave man! Hope you got it for a give away price :D

That's a big project! Respect :p

[Andy130]

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/proxy/rl5Exbx6WhnVr6k58fbVe-gT9uQX7oOwypiHJ2QMrQnmtFDmAmxARqLDEdf_czwGVdmHJhCe wFBUjhRx7yLkMj1jexM3Go1etzyL6OHZfrWbo2-NiUz8uCYyJiVLjXeLdpxp8wZhJt1MEJjnxwzOoJzcvZZfaGGxg gkueaDbdZNflzlv_rHnrN5x_-4WGhzEzrv8d58PTR_re_IRlEydZIfgNTt1Hj-fNtvzeb5ffQ=w529-h278-nc

lol, yes I saw that beast a while ago - Im thinking mine will be a little less extreme and without the military bling - as I don't want to look like the NSW riot police :D

[Andy130]

OMG - you are a brave man! Hope you got it for a give away price :D

That's a big project! Respect :p

Cheers mate, its not going to be done in a weekend :D Really though its just what I was looking for - its a genuine project.

Having stripped it back now, I think it would have gone to the scrap heap within 3-5 years, I think I got it just in time to be able to save it.

[Andy130]

Made a bit more progress today:


Front seat box out
cut the brackets off the brush bars
striped the front seats
got the seat frames and other bits into a tub of 1/10 molasses
degreased, degreased, degreased.


Given the rust, i'm going to POR15 the chassis, so a lot of attention is on getting that prepped at the moment. Also need to fabricate some body brackets, and replace the cross member under the rear of the cab - rust has won a few battles.

I'm not going to take the cab off the chassis, I'm planning to just work progressively down one side and jack the cab frame as I go.

Tomorrow is my welding course - its going to come in handy...

Hoping that next week I can get the POR15 on.

man, this is a big job...

[digger]

interesting!

few observations...
1) dont park on a zebra crossing, youll never find the bugger!
2) I reckon free entry to thye Australia Zoo, theyll think youre from there :)
3) Best bit about a rescue, you can do whatever you want to this car and be guilt free!!

Are you keeping it white? (or white black white black white :D ?)

Methinks the forlorne look on the face of the apprentice is due to the fact they can see the enormity of the job!!

Have fun with it!

[Andy130]

Hey Digger,

When I first saw it, i assumed it was from a zoo. Apparently a previous owner was a landscape gardener, but lets face it, it would not be out of place in an african safari.

Ontop of the rust, there is also the hail damage - so a strip and repaint is in order - it wont be white, but i havent settled on a colour yet.

This will never be the best looking 130 getting around as there are a few scars that are well beyond my skills, time or budget to repair. I will do my best though.

I figure that once I'm done, I'll have learned a lot and I'll have really enjoyed the process.

You're right too - this old girl was heading towards the scrap heap, so I'll do whatever I feel like :D

[cj5350]

Sounds very similar story to my 130... Bought mine from a hippy who had plans of using it for traveling... When I went to inspect it there was still chickens in the tray.. Suspention was trashed, oil leaking everywhere, holes in the intercooler pipes and a transfer case lubricated with metal shavings ...but the price was right... 8 month rebuild and I've just did cape York via the Tele without so much as a hiccup..

Enjoy

[AlecW]

Quite the project you have, respect.

All I would say is just be methodical in approach to restoration kind of like doing up a house. 1 area at a time and don't assume anything is fine until its checked, refurbed or replaced and move around the vehicle in stages. Seen some friends start something - realize its hard then move onto something else and so on, soon the whole vehicle was apart in some way and got incredibly daunting. Slow and steady wins the race.

Good luck and good on you! :p

[DazzaTD5]

Looks fine to me, I've done refurbs for customers starting with a lot worse.

The panels actually look pretty straight,most Defender have more battle scars than that!

Welcome and good luck, you will soon have the bug ......

Regards
Daz

[Andy130]

Looks fine to me, I've done refurbs for customers starting with a lot worse.

The panels actually look pretty straight,most Defender have more battle scars than that!

Welcome and good luck, you will soon have the bug ......

Regards
Daz

Thanks Daz,

What do you guys do for dent removal ? There is a lot of hail damage on this truck, I was thinking about getting a glue puller, but then read that it can do more damage and warp the panels.

Any advice appreciated mate.

[Andy130]

Completed 2 hour basic welding course, I am now ready to chop into the chassis , cut out rust and re-weld. what could possibly go wrong?

[jr1983]

Wow....

I looked long and hard at that on Gumtree and having now seen it up close, I am glad it went to someone with far better restoration skills than me!!

Well done!!

[Andy130]

Wow....

I looked long and hard at that on Gumtree and having now seen it up close, I am glad it went to someone with far better restoration skills than me!!

Well done!!

Thanks JR,

This old girl is very tired. I haven't posted the worst pics, in order to preserve her modesty lol.

QLD rego does not require the same annual inspection as NSW - there is no way this defender would have passed NSW roadworthy anytime in the last 3-5 years.

Have to say though I'm really enjoying this as a project and Im hoping to make a lot of progress over the xmas break. I'll keep you all posted.

[Andy130]

Started on the hail damage on the roof today. Should have it sanded ready for primer by tomorrow.

[Corgie Carrier]

Why don't you disassemble the body as well and check for rust between the panels. I am pretty sure the roof un screws as does the firewall and the rear window panel. This is where the rust will be hiding and the firewall is notorious for rusting as there is a hidden panel in the floor area. Not sure exactly where it is but someone who has repaired one will tell you.

Flush out the chassis with heaps of water before you start painting and make sure you coat the inside of it as well as the outside. POR15 has a silver paint, if you do the chassis in this it will look like a gal chassis :-)

Good luck and have fun learning about you new truck.

[Andy130]

Hi 'CC' - It would be logical to do a complete body off rebuild, but I made the decision that to strip the body off the chassis, or take down the firewall etc was going to be a bridge too far given the limited time I have.

I've got this garage for about 6 weeks until the end of january - less than ideal for a truck in this condition, but I've stripped back to the images you can see.

The firewall does appear to be in ok conditon, with rust at the footwells that I can re weld with the floor and seat box removed.

I will flush the chassis with water and plan to treat the inside of the rails with a rust preventative - probably penetrol.

[Andy130]

So as the rear crossmember was rusted out and the bolts all sheared, or had to be hit with the angle grinder to remove, the whole lot has to be replaced.

I was able to get a sheet of 3mm folded ( which, somehow I measured 15mm short- good one, genius ) but this close to xmas I could not get it fully fabricated- So i've seen this as a good chance to practice some metal work and welding.

I've used the old cross member as a template, drilled out and then filed the bolt holes. I've also got the angle grinder and a 1mm disc and cut out all the bits for the welding of the end caps and two main brackets that sit over the chassis.

Got the wire into my new welder ( with a trip back to bunnings to get a .9 nozzle - as the welder came with two .8's and a 1.0) and the next task will be the welding - hopefully I'll get to that before xmas.

[SG1 Bones]

Is the rear crossmember different on the SWB from the LWB?
Nathan.

[Andy130]

Pretty sure it is the same Nathan. I probably could have hunted one from a wrecker and also Paddocks sell it as a replacement part - but i wanted to have a crack at it myself.

[cafe latte]

Looking good so far :)
Chris

[Andy130]

Looking good so far :)
Chris

Cheers Chris,

good luck on your search too mate.

Now that i have stripped this down, i've learnt that when I do the next one, I will strip it right back to chassis, sandblast it, galvanise it and do a complete nut and bolt rebuild from the ground up.

As it stands right now, I'm working in sections across the chassis prepping for the KBS coatings rust and chassis paint - with the cab still on its a slow process - ironic that I don't have the time to do a complete chassis strip.

[cafe latte]

Cheers Chris,

good luck on your search too mate.

Now that i have stripped this down, i've learnt that when I do the next one, I will strip it right back to chassis, sandblast it, galvanise it and do a complete nut and bolt rebuild from the ground up.

As it stands right now, I'm working in sections across the chassis prepping for the KBS coatings rust and chassis paint - with the cab still on its a slow process - ironic that I don't have the time to do a complete chassis strip.

Thanks Andy, I will be following this thread with interest as I want to restore mine whatever I get, I just hope it wont need quite as much work as yours :)
Have you decided what colour yet? I imagine it wont be stripy :D
Chris

[cafe latte]

Completed 2 hour basic welding course, I am now ready to chop into the chassis , cut out rust and re-weld. what could possibly go wrong?

Very good indeed after only 2 hours training!!
Chris

[Andy130]

haha, those welds were fat and ugly, but unbreakable. I tried to destroy them and bent the metal instead.

Finally got my new welder working tonight so I spend an hour laying beads on a sheet of 3mm. More practice tomorrow and I might weld up the rear cross member I'm making too.

[DazzaTD5]

Thanks Daz,

What do you guys do for dent removal ? There is a lot of hail damage on this truck, I was thinking about getting a glue puller, but then read that it can do more damage and warp the panels.

Any advice appreciated mate.

Sorry for the delay in replying, I came back to see how ur progress is going!

Plenty of owners leave the character in the panels so to speak, on the odd ones I send it to the local panel shop, the guy is old school and can work aluminum correctly (as in not just bog it up).

But honestly none have been hail damage, the trouble with hail damage is it stretches the base panel all over. Taking it to a good panel guy is going to cost a pretty penny or so, I figure thats not what ur about with this project so....

If it was my own personal project then I'd google, search, get some tools and learn all about how to heat n shrink alloy etc etc... surely its like mechanical repairs when the odd person says "it cant be that hard a mechanic does it" .... right? :p :p

Hell even if u get in the ball park n need to do a bit of bog work, thats going to be more than expectable...

Regards
Daz

[cafe latte]

She will hold together those welds are fine, a bit thick but nothing is going to let go :D
DC is the way to go for easy welding, I just got (actually won) a dc welder and welding is so much easier.
Chris

[DazzaTD5]

haha, those welds were fat and ugly, but unbreakable. I tried to destroy them and bent the metal instead.

Finally got my new welder working tonight so I spend an hour laying beads on a sheet of 3mm. More practice tomorrow and I might weld up the rear cross member I'm making too.

haha welding is only practice!!
I'm really crap at it and never use my own welding skills on a customers vehicle, but thankfully my brother inlaw is some sort of welding freak god and does mig, tig whatever is needed and is spot on...... not that I tell him that pfft

Regards
Daz

[Andy130]

'Epic' is the only word I can use to describe this, as I am enjoying the process, but its just a way bigger task than I had anticipated.

Sunrise to sunset every day since the 28th December and Im not even 30% done on the chassis.

I have completed the welding on the rear cross member ( under the rear cab) and all the brackets have been sanded, cleaned, rust converted and painted.Once i get a few more coats of paint on that section of chassis the cross member will go back in.

I've also got most of the rear cab section of chassis stripped and painted. Painting is on hold at the moment due to the rain.

I've used KBS coatings rust and chassis paint - putting it on is the easy bit, its the prep that takes so long.

Hoping to have this process done prior to the Australia day long weekend, when I hope to spray the floor pans, seat boxes and the stripped cab frame and roof.

Between rust conversion processes, I've also redone the sikaflex in the roof channel, as the old stuff was cactus. Funnily enough though, a section about 3 inches long of the new stuff failed to bond into the channel, so I've cut that out, re-sanded and once the rain clears i will relay it.

What else.....windscreen frame is now out, as the top seal was cactus and needs replacing - which reminds me, the air vent hinge plates are rusted out, now that the window frame is out, I can get the angel grinder onto those easily now.

Oh yes,I also finally got the oversprayed rubber underbody gunk off the rear panel of the cab ( that really was a nightmare) and I have sanded all parts of the cab in preparation for a respray.

Here are a few photos of the work so far - I will get some of the painted chassis once its done.

[Andy130]

so, after stuffing around with 2 degreasers that did not budge the underbody tar spray one bit , I decided to give oven cleaner a go. Bingo, it works a charm.

left it on for 90 minutes and the tar underbody coating just peels off. Got more done today than in the last 3 days.

Now I know not everyone thinks this should be done, but i'm stripping the chassis back to bare metal beofre the KBS coating goes on, and as far as IM concerned, the faster and easier I can get this done, the better.

[spudfan]

Conversation at the R and D dept. at JLR.
"Hey Jerry, there's a few dozen Defender nuts on the AULRO site who want to be able to hose out the replacement Defender, do home servicing and pass the vehicle onto their grand children.
On the other hand there are a couple of hundred thousand potential purchasers who want to look as if they are going to cross the Simpson in the vehicle, generally pay to have the vehicle valeted and want to upgrade it every 18 months.
What market are we going to go for?"
No wonder JLR are taking their time to come up with a replacement

[MrLandy]

Saving the Defender you reckon spudfan? JLR already have four separate models that cater to the wannabe valet parking set! Why move Defender into that market too? when the only work vehicles on the market now are dual cab clone utes which are also softening for the family market.

Rather than saving the Defender, Jerry will preside over the death of the Defender if he goes that way.
2018 line up: RR, RRS, Disco, Disco Sport, LR Pretender, LR Pretender dual cab ute, RR 2WD mini moke.

There's another whole market being ignored: HD work vehicles. My tip is Isuzu will build a new vehicle to fill the gap between SUV and truck, to replace the demise of Defender and Land Cruiser 70 series - as both Land Rover and Toyota become solely passenger vehicle manufacturers.

The only way to save the Defender will be to do as OP Andy130 is doing. Defender nuts rejoice!

[Andy130]

There's another whole market being ignored: HD work vehicles. My tip is Isuzu will build a new vehicle to fill the gap between SUV and truck, to replace the demise of Defender and Land Cruiser 70 series - as both Land Rover and Toyota become solely passenger vehicle manufacturers.


I agree MrLandy - both defender and LC70 simply fail the new safety standards, which is why they are on the way out- but in all other respects and for all practical purposes they are ideal HD work vehicles.

Personally I would have loved to have seen landrover come out with a 130 with a v8 Diesel as standard - would have really given the LC70 some serious competition in the mines, and would have pumped a huge amount of spares etc back to the defender nuts here on AULRO once the mines were done thrashing them :D

[Wanderlust]

Hi Andy
Ive enjoyed reading your thread you've got a big job on your hands but sounds like your making good progress.
What condition are your doors in? Id be interested in what options are available as mine are pretty rusted down the bottom and good second hand one seem to be in short supply.

[Andy130]

Hi Andy
Ive enjoyed reading your thread you've got a big job on your hands but sounds like your making good progress.
What condition are your doors in? Id be interested in what options are available as mine are pretty rusted down the bottom and good second hand one seem to be in short supply.

Thanks Wanderlust. Yes, I was pretty naive getting into this - steep learning curve :D

My doors are bad. I'll post some phots of them later this week.

I think I can repair the two on the drivers side, but I think the passenger side doors are past it.

[Andy130]

well, I finally got the chassis under the cab section finished in 3 coats of KBS tonight. I also did the 'body rails' ( whatever they're called?) as they had bad rust in places.

Over the past few weeks I removed all the grease, then the surface rust, then sanded back to bare metal, then hit it with rust converter and then finally, the paint x 3. I will try and get the top coat on tomorrow night.

I do keep lamenting that I've started this project without a full disassembly back to the chassis. With more experience heading into this, I would have definitely have planned to do a full strip/ rebuild, rather than the workaround im doing.

With that said, it is what it is, so I'll just push on - there is no going back now and time is ticking.

I also got the sikaflex finished in the gutter - so im slowly ticking off the list.

I'm now thinking through my next steps - planning to hopefully paint the cab/ roof/ floorpan and seat boxes over the Australia Day long weekend then once thats done I'll be moving onto the engine ( p gasket, timing belt, rear main seal) - its all a bit piecemeal, but I have limited windows that I can spray in ( as well as a looming deadline to move the truck from its current location.

[Corgie Carrier]

I'm now thinking through my next steps - planning to hopefully paint the cab/ roof/ floorpan and seat boxes over the Australia Day long weekend then once thats done I'll be moving onto the engine ( p gasket, timing belt, rear main seal) - its all a bit piecemeal, but I have limited windows that I can spray in ( as well as a looming deadline to move the truck from its current location.

Is the rear main seal leaking?

If not, DON'T TOUCH IT!!!

I just replaced mine as a maintenance thing and $4,000, three seals, two clutches and three days off work later, I finally got someone who could fit one and not have it leak. I could have bought another car for that money. Now I think my head gasket has gone.....I need a money tree :(:mad:

[Andy130]

yikes, that sounds like a nightmare Corgie Carrier.

Unfortunately, mine is leaking, there is quite a bit of oil at the back of the engine/ bell housing- noen coming out of the wading plug though.

P gasket is also leaking - and the timing belt is due - I figure it will be best to tackle all of this in one go.

[Andy130]

Hi Andy
.....What condition are your doors in?

Well, since you asked, here is one..:eek:

[Wanderlust]

Well, since you asked, here is one..:eek:

I feel your pain with doors one of mine is real bad the others i think there is enough good metal there to weld to but Ill probably still need two or three new door sins.
There was YouTube clip buy a guy in England who was making fiberglass doors that would be the go if they were available at the right price.

[Rick Fischer]

Ahhh! Wondered where that had gone? Used to be here in Tewantin, was pretty rough but ran and still worked for a living. Tewantin?? That's the town that was here before Noosa was even a thought bubble.

Good to see that someone has taken it on.

Cheers

RF

[Andy130]

Yep, here she is Rick. I've almost got the rust under control...almost...I keep saying "one more week" but i probably have 1-2 more weeks until I've really got it sorted and can lay down some primer- then I will move onto the mechanics.

I just had the mobile sandblaster here for 4 hours today to help speed things along - I'll post a few more pics in the next few days, tonight was all about sweeping up crushed glass medium from the blaster...

[Andy130]

well, i was a little dismayed to discover sections of the rust paint coating have failed. I 100% followed all instructions, you can see here that its failed on the chassis section that had no rust - but it had been sanded back to bare metal, then cleaned and then treated with the phosphoric acid.

The coating has taken fine over the rusted sections, but failed on a few sections of ' clean' steel.

You can see by the photos that the chassis was sanded with 40 grit in both directions - it was very rough.

In other news, I've started on the sandblasted steel wheels - they will get painted tomorrow.

I also bought the spray guns ( one for the primer, and one for the raptor liner with a 3.5mm nozzle) and the primer, tint etc.

Should be spraying undercoat on the 26th, weather permitting.

The big ' near disaster' occured the other day when the paint shop sold me acrylic primer to go under the raptor liner. The raptor technical sheets dont say you cant use it - but they also dont say you can - but they recommend either an etch primer or a 2k epoxy.

Because I'm spraying in a garage I want to avoid the 2k paints.

So I decided to call the shop back and ask them some more questions , luckily I got a guy who really knew what he was talking about and he said 'thank god you called - raptor will peel off an acrylic undercoat"

Yikes - that would have been a nightmare!!

Anyway, they sent a driver over to pick up the acrylic primer and hand over 4l of a 1k etch primer, so no harm done at the end of the day.

ok, back to prepping for the paint job and refixing the paint fail on the chassis...

[manofaus]

I always etch prime from a spray can. Its really very important you only dust the surface. Dont try to colour it through. One application and thats it. No second coats. I too learnt the hard way on a previous project. The only other thing i could say about chassis painting is that there used to be a 2 pak zinc primer around made by ameron. We used to brush it on. It was hard but flexible. Full of zinc. I think ameron the aussie company got bought by ppg....

[Andy130]

Referencing the datasheet for this particular etch primer, it says to do 2-3 even coats, allowing 3-5 minutes between coats for it to flash off.

[Andy130]

well this is definitely a battle being waged one inch at a time....today I got a coat of paint onto the old tubed wolf steel rims - these may be a bit past it actually, a few are a bit worse for wear, but I will see how the tyre guys view them. I've read all the arguments on tubed v non tubed and im happy to run with them.

I also got a pile of things final sanded in preparation for the primer , but that wont go on until next monday now.

Looking at all the dents in this old truck, ive decided that I'm going to leave most of them. Lets face it, this was never going to be a showroom piece, and its going to be used as it was intended, so its only going to get more dents anyways :D

[Andy130]

Well, I finally got to try out spray painting :D.

I actually did have a crack at it, spraying outside about 20 years ago on an old Celica, which ended up at the scrapyard lol.

I'm using a $50 HVLP gun from supercheap with a 1.4mm nozzle for the primer - its probably not ideal for laying down primer and I was having a bit of trouble with the fan pattern - after about 4 hours I finally started getting it ok, then it was time to pack up and get home.

I did have a high pressure pot gun, which I was sold by the same company I bought the primer from ( second stiek against them) - I elected not to use it, as on reading more, its a piece of rubbish and no one in their right mind would use a high pressure suction gun, when a HVLP gun can be bought for $50 bucks.

Anyway, i'm using a 1k etch primer/ primer - it goes down over three coats, first one a mist then a few a bit heavier over about 25 minutes in total - I started on the floor pans and then had a crack at doing the roof - well that was a bit tough - hard to get a good positon - so I ended up taping off at the roof joint and spraying just the rear section first. I did right side, left side and then had to do the rear 'curve' to the gutter , as I couldn't get a good angle on that from the side.

I was pleased to see that the work I put into repairing the hail damage on the roof paid off - 2 1/2 days of dinking out dents then putting in the least amount out of filler possible, then sanding, sanding, sanding - its well under 1/8th inch, so i've done my best to limit its use. There are a few waves in the panels, but hey, thats part of the charm of owning a defender if you ask me. :D

I've also got the seat box 100% clean and pre treated with the KBS rust converter. IM actually really pleased wiht the condition of the seat box, just one little section of aggressive rust the size of a pea - no rust holes, its in good shape.

alright, things are moving forward ! feels really great to finally get some primer on - I hope to be laying the rest of the primer, then the top coat ( raptor liner, from a 3.5mm HVLP gun) within the next 7-10 days.

[SG1 Bones]

Looking great. [emoji106]🏻


Nathan.

[Andy130]

Well, today i'm at that point where it feels like i'm getting nowhere. After months of scraping, sanding, removing rust and stripping parts, its just starting to feel like i'm making no progress. When you look at the truck, you'll see what I mean :D.

Bit of a downer to lay the primer on the roof only to have that highlight areas that need more attention wiht the sander etc....honestly I could chase my tail fixing every dink and dent until the cows came home and there would still be dinks and dents all over it.

It is what it is.

The perfectionist in me wants to get everything perfect - the fact is that simply not going to happen.

ON the plus side, I did get 2 coats of KBS rust coat onto the seat box tonight.

Tomorrow I'm hoping to do a test spray of the Raptor liner on the floor section. Hoping that it will cover a multitude of sins, so I can then cover the roof and hide all the dinks that I dont have the time, budget or skills to fix.

[SG1 Bones]

I know how you feel Andy130, I've been planning on getting my SIII on the road for the last 12 months and it's still not ready. Just keep in mind that it isn't supposed to look perfect it's a real Landy and also think of how much fun you'll have when you drive it and remember that you rebuilt it and not just whack another coat of paint on it. Your doing a great job. Keep it up.

Nathan.

[MrLandy]

You guys might appreciate this...

The Wabi Sabi of Roving

The Japanese philosophy of Wabi Sabi might go some way to describing the intangible nature of Land Rover Series and Defender vehicles...

'Characteristics of the wabi-sabi aesthetic include asymmetry, asperity (roughness or irregularity), simplicity, economy, austerity, modesty, intimacy, and appreciation of the ingenuous integrity of natural objects and processes.'

And not only in terms of the vehicles design and manufacturing processes including being virtually the last hand built production vehicle we'll ever see, but also in terms of the experiential nature of driving one...Roving to be exact.

All of the above Wabi Sabi characteristics are what make Roving/Wandering/Experiencing the World in a Defender or Series Land Rover vehicle unique. This is what is being lost to the Land Rover brand with the end of Defender. Something far more valuable than money.

The rush to 'modernise' everything in the name of fiscal profit and luxury, destroys the very essence of Land Rovers origins.

The good news is that the more use a Defender or Series Land Rover gets, the more dents, the more patina...the more beautiful is its Wabi Sabi nature.

[cafe latte]

It is looking great Andy it is going to look amazing, I cant wait to see it finished :)
Chris

[Andy130]

You guys might appreciate this...

The Wabi Sabi of Roving

The Japanese philosophy of Wabi Sabi might go some way to describing the intangible nature of Land Rover Series and Defender vehicles...

'Characteristics of the wabi-sabi aesthetic include asymmetry, asperity (roughness or irregularity), simplicity, economy, austerity, modesty, intimacy, and appreciation of the ingenuous integrity of natural objects and processes.'

And not only in terms of the vehicles design and manufacturing processes including being virtually the last hand built production vehicle we'll ever see, but also in terms of the experiential nature of driving one...Roving to be exact.

All of the above Wabi Sabi characteristics are what make Roving/Wandering/Experiencing the World in a Defender or Series Land Rover vehicle unique. This is what is being lost to the Land Rover brand with the end of Defender. Something far more valuable than money.

The rush to 'modernise' everything in the name of fiscal profit and luxury, destroys the very essence of Land Rovers origins.

The good news is that the more use a Defender or Series Land Rover gets, the more dents, the more patina...the more beautiful is its Wabi Sabi nature.

MrLandy, this is excellent news. Now I have a great story to justify the imperfections :D I'M going to read up on Wabi Sabi.

[Andy130]

Thanks for the words of encouragement guys :D

[AndyG]

BTW they come from the factory fitted with ripples, and they are not dents or drinks, they are patina.
Well done, you've shown great commitment

[Andy130]

Finally got to lay down the raptor liner on the floor panels on Monday. I really like the finish, it has a really good look, sprayed really easily and didn't have bad fumes that I was expecting from a 2k product.

Having sprayed this now, I do think I would have preferred to spray a 2k Primer - but as a novice I was worried about all I had read in regards to needing a fresh air respirator etc when using 2k products. Of course I did use a mask rated for automotive paints - but not a respirator.

So the rest of the defender will get sprayed in raptor liner now - that is certain. I just have to decide which colour. I'm leaing towards a sandstone/ desert colour, as it wont hold the heat and will help hide the ' patina' of this well used defender.

[AndyG]

Your colours send great, but if you want to make a statement, pink panther, hugely iconic

[Phil B]

Great report, your frustrations are not lost on those who have taken on a project this large
Keep going!! From experience it will all of a sudden look finished, you've just got to get to that point
I found that diversifying your focus helps
Do something mechanical or electrical to break the frustration
Regards
Phil

[flagg]

Awesome work Andy!

I did all the rust and mechanics on mine, but was too scared to lay down decent paint.. looking through yours you're inspiring me!

For when you start to reassemble it... I used sikaflex for a sealing the gaps between lot of panels and while its great.. it is a total pain if you ever need to get them apart again.. better to use 3M Stip calk (or dum dum as some people call it) as it doesn't stick like skaflex and you can get the panels apart later if needed. You can also roll it into little balls and plug up holes in panels.

[Andy130]

Thanks for the comments guys.

Yesterday I found more sections where the chassis paint has failed - pretty disappointing - it just peels off in a few areas. So much of yesterday was lost to going over the chassis with a soft scraper testing sections. I think I ve got it all now and will re-treat those sections today. Frustrating though .

Ive now decided that I will topcoat the chassis paint with the raptor liner also.

Ive learned a lot - and specifically with painting now, in future I will only use 2k products ( 2 part product of paint with a hardener added before you spray)

1K products are never going to be a hard wearing as 2K. simple fact, despite what the 1k marketing brochures may tell you.

BTW, thanks for the reference to strip caulk Flagg, I will be getting that

PS, dont be fooled - my painting is very average - a professional would cringe - the great thing with the raptor liner is it goes on so thick that it really does hide a multitude of sins :D

[Babs]

Andy where did you purchase the Raptor Liner?
I am assuming it's a two part Polymer?

Sent from my iPhone using Forum Runner

[Andy130]

Andy where did you purchase the Raptor Liner?
I am assuming it's a two part Polymer?

Sent from my iPhone using Forum Runner

Hi Babs, I bought it online here:

Raptor Ute Liner (http://www.raptorliner.com.au/)

The guys were good to deal with and their tech guy was very helpful when I was researching questions about what spraygun to use ( Im using a 3.5mm HVLP gun, with 10% thinners ) and if I could spray over the sikaflex in the gutter ( yes) etc...

[Babs]

Hi Babs, I bought it online here: Raptor Ute Liner (http://www.raptorliner.com.au/) The guys were good to deal with and their tech guy was very helpful when I was researching questions about what spraygun to use ( Im using a 3.5mm HVLP gun, with 10% thinners ) and if I could spray over the sikaflex in the gutter ( yes) etc...

Thanks Andy, they're close to me so I will go see them.

I have used Rhino Linings many times in the past on my bed liners and have also used them in my business for industrial/Commercial applications, great product but can't be rolled on and it can only be applied with specialty spray and heating equipment.

I like the idea that this can be rolled, need to find out more technical data on the product first. And we will see how you go with yours. Cheers.

Sent from my iPhone using Forum Runner

[Andy130]

It's a sad day...i found about 15 places where the rust paint has failed on the chassis today. Bitter disappointment after so much work in prep and putting it on.

Only solution is going to be a total strip and a repaint. I actually feel sick.

At this moment i'm thinking of dumping the rust paint entirely, laying down a 2k primer and then overcoating with the raptor liner....

Disaster.

[Andy130]

I started to strip a lot of the chassis back today...this is an adhesion problem - since I followed the instructions of the tech sheet to the letter, I can only assume that whatever was on the chassis was not cleaned off by the propritary cleaning agent.

I'm in two minds on how to proceed - its either 2k primer topcoat or recoat with the rust paint, then topcoat with a 2k.

In either case, Im now using wax and grease remover to clean down the chassis - even though we are talking a well prepped bare metal chassis, this paint has not stuck. Its either the paint sucks, or there is a contaminant on the chassis.

[SG1 Bones]

I'm sorry to hear about all your troubles. I hope you are able to figure it out soon. Keep your chin up you'll get there.

Nathan.

[Corgie Carrier]

I started to strip a lot of the chassis back today...this is an adhesion problem - since I followed the instructions of the tech sheet to the letter, I can only assume that whatever was on the chassis was not cleaned off by the propritary cleaning agent.

I'm in two minds on how to proceed - its either 2k primer topcoat or recoat with the rust paint, then topcoat with a 2k.

In either case, Im now using wax and grease remover to clean down the chassis - even though we are talking a well prepped bare metal chassis, this paint has not stuck. Its either the paint sucks, or there is a contaminant on the chassis.

Sorry to hear about the problems with the KBS. I prefer the POR15 as I tried the KBS version, that is supposed to be self leveling like the por15, but it looks horrible on the rear bar and you can see every brush stroke that was made putting it on.

I even have some por15 on the diffs, as it was left over on the brush and I just slapped it on the diff to use it up and it is still there two years later. There was no cleaning or prep of the diffs just a quick wipe with a rag.

I know that people like the KBS because it is an Australian product but it isn't cheap and my results have been less that satisfactory, so I will be sticking with the por15.

Good luck with the rest of the job, it is looking great so far.

[Andy130]

At this stage I cant blame the KBS....so I will put this down to user error - though I really think they should recommend the chassis get hit with wax and grease remover before the KBS aqua kleen - i dont think these water based cleaners have the power to clean off a chassis effectively.....

Ive used POR too in the past - good stuff, i went with KBS as it was cheaper.

Regardless of the outcome , I will post an update here :D

[cuppabillytea]

In the olden days before I or very many other people realised we lived in a fragile environment, I used a paint brush and a can of Super to start with. Then came degreaser and finished off with Palmolive and water. Metho was good for drying out the fiddly bits.

[Andy130]

Epic. Finally getting the raptor liner paint on.

I love the look of this raptor liner, its exactly what I was aiming for :D:D

NOTE: word of caution for anyone thinking of spraying raptor through a HVLP gun ( as opposed to the schutz gun which will put it on THICK) - the recommendation is to use a fresh air mask, but asking around, I found a lot of spray painters simply use a spray painters mask. but on that point ,get a proper P1 spray painters mask, plus overalls, gloves and goggles. This stuff is toxic, make sure you have a lot of fresh air/ fans/ ventilation.

[Babs]

Andy it looks great, I didn't realise you were coating the exterior. Great protection.

You have probably already sorted this out but just a heads up, make sure this stuff is UV stable otherwise it will change colour as soon as it gets sun. Normally they have a UV stable clear that goes over it. Not sure about Raptor but it's still in the polyurethane family, worth looking into if you haven't already.

Can't wait to see it finished. This thing will be bulletproof by the time you're done.

Sent from my iPhone using Forum Runner

[Corgie Carrier]

Raptor is UV stable and tough as hob nail boots.

Paint job looks great Andy, keep up the good work.

[Andy130]

make sure this stuff is UV stable otherwise it will change colour as soon as it gets sun. Normally they have a UV stable clear that goes over it. Not sure about Raptor but it's still in the polyurethane family, worth looking into if you haven't already.


Thanks Babs, yes this is UV stable - this is their 'tintable' version - it comes as an opaque and you simply add the tint ( excluding binders) so you can have basically any colour you want.

Their black is not 100% UV stable - but i'm only using that under and on floor pans - seatbox etc where UV does not shine.

[Steve223]

I have my barwork covered with xtrem liner, I would not spray any liner where you likely get scratched touch ups become a nightmare and the stuff will scratch off if you scrape over rocks etc 106382

[Andy130]

I have my barwork covered with xtrem liner, I would not spray any liner where you likely get scratched touch ups become a nightmare and the stuff will scratch off if you scrape over rocks etc 106382

Everything scrapes off over rocks etc :D

[Andy130]

Started on the rust in the footwells today. Drivers side was the worst, so that was the place to start.

Basically the left and right sides of that footwell are rusted through, so is the bottom edge.

I thought about a few different ways to approach this and then decided on making a full sheet out of .9mm mild steel, then cut and bend it to fit.

First up I made a cardboard template, then layed that onto the steel, traced and cut it out with my grinder.

I then sandwiched the sheet between the legs of my ladder, G-clamped it then hit it with the butane to heat it up and then gave it a bend.

Next up was the second bend to meet the floor pan, then a heated it up again and used the pliers to fold on the leading edge to copy how the original was.

A few taps with the hammer to even it all out and it was done.

Next up will be to cut out the sections of rust, treat, paint and then I will do a combination of tack welds and structural mastic to hold it all together and hopefully prevent any rust there again.

[cafe latte]

I love the ladder clamp :D
Chris

[cuppabillytea]

Priceless. :p

[Andy130]

haha. my other thought was to use a door/ door jamb, but then I woulf have had no excuse to use the old g-clamps that I've had for 28 years and used twice :D

[steveG]

Only just saw this thread. Great project and you're making a serious amount of progress in a short time. Well done.

Steve

[Toxic_Avenger]

I admire your dedication.
While cliche`, its not the destination, but the journey you take to get there. You'll look back fondly on the build I think, even if it is beating you up a bit as of late with the paint etc!

[Andy130]

I admire your dedication.
While cliche`, its not the destination, but the journey you take to get there. You'll look back fondly on the build I think, even if it is beating you up a bit as of late with the paint etc!

No mate, its not dedication, i'm just the guy who finds himself in a hole and doesnt throw away the shovel :D

In other news, I cut the rust out of the footwell today - not much footwell left lol

[cuppabillytea]

No mate, its not dedication, i'm just the guy who finds himself in a hole and doesnt throw away the shovel :D

In other news, I cut the rust out of the footwell today - not much footwell left lol

Come on Andy. Milk it for all it's worth. Dedication is a good description and it points to what looks like being a top quality job.
Who Knows? At the end of it all you could cop a motza from Chris for it. :p

[cafe latte]

Come on Andy. Milk it for all it's worth. Dedication is a good description and it points to what looks like being a top quality job.
Who Knows? At the end of it all you could cop a motza from Chris for it. :p
:D No way I am looking forward to do my own project what I should have done in the first place :D
Keep up the good work Andy you have inspired me shed clearing starting soon and with missus permission, cost me a Mahindra though, worth it for piece and quiet!! :D
Chris

[Andy130]

and still had a footwell, but only just barely...next step prep and welding

[Andy130]

Well, this thread went silent for the last month or so as i've moved to Tamworth from Sydney.

First move in 12 years, bit of a nightmare really.

Anyway, delighted to be here, and as a result of the move the 130 rebuild was on hold.I've gradually moved all the parts up here over the last month and brought the stripped truck up on Friday night.

Still one more load to go. its a long day when its 5 hours each way from the old garage to the new one.

Speaking of which, I now have a double garage under the house, only downside is the defender did not fit in until I took the roof off :D

I probably wont be back to my regular posts for a few weeks as there is all the sorting out lifes other distractions that come with a move like this.

Tamworth is a great town - why the hell did I live in Sydney for so long LOL ?

[Toxic_Avenger]

Know them feels mate.
Been here 5 years now. It's not as bad as the surburbanites will make you think :p
A few of us do a monthly catch up at the pub for an afternoon beer. I'll send you thru some details.

[Andy130]

ha awesome, look forward to it!

[blackapache]

[QUOTE=Andy130;2520512]

Speaking of which, I now have a double garage under the house, only downside is the defender did not fit in until I took the roof off :D

Time to raise the house stumps by the sounds of it..:angel:

[Andy130]

Not sure the landlord would approve :D


[QUOTE=Andy130;2520512]

Speaking of which, I now have a double garage under the house, only downside is the defender did not fit in until I took the roof off :D

Time to raise the house stumps by the sounds of it..:angel:

[Andy130]

well, its been a while since my last update, but relocating to a new life has got in the way and there has been no time for side projects.

But along the way I have managed to pick up a old 4bd1 from a county for a price too good to refuse - so there is now a big twist in the 130 rebuild project.

I'm now going to pull out the 300tdi and put the 4bd1 into it ( plus I'll add a T for Turbo)

So this means I'm now going to doing a full strip back to the bare chassis, get it sandblasted and rebuild from the ground up.

I'm also going to strip down the 4bd1.

And i've got to decide if i use the R380 gearbox or the lt95 that came with the county motor.

No idea where I will get the time for all of this, but on the plus side, we are settled into our new home and not going anywhere for a while, so the urgency has come out of this project for now.

happy days though, totally stoked I got the 4bd1.

[steveG]

Good stuff. You've got a lot of fun ahead.
Seriously though, do you know the history of the 4bd1? Unless you know it's got issues or has done over about 500K I wouldn't bother pulling it down. Replace the rear main seal, pull the sump and have a quick look at the bearings if you feel the need (comfort factor mainly as they will likely be ok), throw the turbo on it and drive it!!!
Spend the time and money you saved on giving the ancillaries like starter, pas pump and alternator a birthday as they do require it.

And just run the LT95 for starters. Get a tapered roller intermediate shaft if it hasn't already.
Once you've driven it for a while if you are really that unhappy with it then look at the options.
Turbo, Lt95 and 255/86-16s are a really solid practical combo.

Steve

[flagg]

Speaking of which, I now have a double garage under the house, only downside is the defender did not fit in until I took the roof off :D


let the tires down ;) (unless you're working under it) it is much easier to work on that way anyway.

[Andy130]

Hey Steve,

Thanks mate - appreciate your advice - and no I don't know the history of the motor - other than its been sitting in a shed for a long time due to the county rusting out, and apparently has under 400k on the clock.

I'll take your advice on just removing the sump and check the bearings and see how they are first.

The gearbox is a complete unknown, as the guy I bought it from never used it.

[cafe latte]

Hey Steve,

Thanks mate - appreciate your advice - and no I don't know the history of the motor - other than its been sitting in a shed for a long time due to the county rusting out, and apparently has under 400k on the clock.

I'll take your advice on just removing the sump and check the bearings and see how they are first.

The gearbox is a complete unknown, as the guy I bought it from never used it.

A fellow shooter has a 4bd1 in his Landy it has 550K on it and it is still as tight as can be it sounds and runs perfect. I would not worry about yours unless there are obvious problems.
Chris

[JDNSW]

A fellow shooter has a 4bd1 in his Landy it has 550K on it and it is still as tight as can be it sounds and runs perfect. I would not worry about yours unless there are obvious problems.
Chris

My next service, in a few hundred km is 600,000. Still running pretty much the same as it was 23 years ago when I bought it. New seals at both ends of the crankshaft, several thermostats, new manifold and sump gaskets, injector overhaul, that's it on the engine apart from regular servicing.

John

[MrLandy]

My next service, in a few hundred km is 600,000. Still running pretty much the same as it was 23 years ago when I bought it. New seals at both ends of the crankshaft, several thermostats, new manifold and sump gaskets, injector overhaul, that's it on the engine apart from regular servicing.

John

Nice work JD.

[cafe latte]

Any updates?
Chris

[Andy130]

As John Lennon famously said " life is what happens while you're busy making other plans" :-)

Its been a massive year - the move to Tamworth in April has completely derailed my progress. It took a few months to move all the parts up - and theres been a lot of travel up and back for work....etc and so on...haha

However, I did meet up with a great bunch of Landy owners in Tamworth the other night - its time to get things back on track !

stay tuned.

Andy

[cuppabillytea]

They all hid under their woodpiles last time I was there. :confused:

[Andy130]

Well, its been quite the journey.

I've finally got around to exhuming this thread and kicking it back to life.

The same cannot be said for the defender 130 I began building over 12 months ago - however its definitely still a work in progress and steadily coming together ( well - actually, steadily coming apart - more on that soon)

Since the move to Tamworth last April, it took a few months to relocate, took a while longer to get the 130 here, and then my wife got sick, and then we found out she was 4 months pregnant, and then my wife got better and my son was born, but he was sick, so then we spent two months in Westmead Childrens hospital, where we spent a good deal of time, including Christmas.. and New Years, and then he got better, and then we all came home...and then I started working on the defender again:D

Now, for those few of your who followed this thread last year, well, let me just say its nice to be back. For great majority of you who have no idea who I am and never saw or followed this thread a year ago - hello and welcome to what can only be described as a rather large rebuild of a totally clapped out 1998 300tdi 130, that I bought because I lived in Sydney and it was rusting to death in Noosa, and I decided one day that I had always wanted to rebuild one.

A one way ticket to noosa with a pocket full of cash, and I bought the 130 off the back of a flatbed truck and drove it for 14 hours to Sydney.

I've been told I'm impulsive.

Turns out, I'm lucky I didn't kill myself. The old 130 was...ahem...more or less roadworthy....

...Aside from the fact that the brakes were completely shot out ( including the discs, pads, pistons, seals and hoses ) and aside from the fact that the steering ball joint off the drop arm was literally held together by a tourniquet made from a torn kids t-shirt, and aside from the chassis that was rusted out in about 10 places, and aside from the suspension which was kaput..and the rear main seal that leaked..aside from all those things, this 130 was a diamond in the rough.... oh, except for the cracked windscreen...and the torn seats...and the mouldy head lining.. and the hail damage...aside from all those things, this old 130 was in mint condition :D

And now the restoration journey begins...

[Andy130]

When I left you all last year, the defender had arrived in Tamworth and I had to take the roof off to fit it in the garage.

It was not long after that and she was stripped back to discover just how bad the rust was...it was much worse than expected.

Passenger side dumb iron and outriggers were shot out and , the big one - rear main cross member was beyond repair. The dumb iron and other parts of the chassis were all repaired with 3mm - as for the rear cross member, it was beyond repair and now has a donor cross member from a county.

The rust repairs were done steadily over several months, then the chassis was sent off to the sandblaster and when it can back I gave it 3 brushed coats of KBR rust paint, followed by two sprayed coats of a 2K polyurethane.

The inside of the chassis rails were also closely inspected, then cleaned out and they will be flooded with Penetrol.

[Andy130]

so, the brake pads were down to less than 1mm - the safe tolerance I think should be 5mm?

I suspect that due to the worn pads, the pistons were fairly proud of the caliper and about 5 mm from the ends weren't touching the wiper seal - as a result the pistons all had bad rust damage and the chrome had eroded to a point where the only solution was to replace the pistons and seals.

That was a bugger of a job. Trying to reseat a piston into the caliper takes a bit of practice - there is a certain 'feel' to knowing when the piston has been seated square and can slide home.

I ruined the first piston as it wedged off square, and I also ruined a few of the metal retaining plates until I worked out how to do this correctly.

Essentially its a case of coating the piston and seal with some lubricant ( not oil) and then put your hands over the caliper and set the piston on your index and middle fingers of both hands - a bit of a wiggle side to side until you feel it is square and then they push up into the caliper with just hand pressure.

To seat the wiper seal and metal retainer, I pushed them over the seated piston, put a 5mm piece of steel plate over the piston and then using a small f clamp gently seat the piston, wiper and retainer square and flush into the caliper.

[Andy130]

The front axle has been stripped down and all seals will be replaced in the swivel housings etc. Basically the diff is fine, but the axle shafts, CV joints and end caps have enough play in them to suggest they should be replaced now - the stub axles and bearings are also all a bit tired - they are all close to end of life - however, they aren't essential to replace right now and with other essential items to be replaced first, these will go back in for the time being.

The front axle housing was sandblasted and I gave it three coats of KBS rust paint, I'll now sand it back and give it two spray coats of the 2k poly prior to reassembly.

[REDTD5110]

Looking good. The safe tolerance on brake pads is generally 2-3mm.
Are you going to brace the front axle housing for the weight of the isuzu?

[Andy130]

Looking good. The safe tolerance on brake pads is generally 2-3mm.
Are you going to brace the front axle housing for the weight of the isuzu?

I've changed my mind on the 4bd1 for this build now and I'm going to save it for the next one - built off a county chassis with the 4bd1 engine mounts - and yes I will brace the axle on that one.

In a few weeks I hope to start the pull down the 300tdi motor and rebuild it over the next few months.

[Andy130]

The steering box got a degrease today and then I separated the ball joint from the arm and pulled it apart - very simple job, it just fell out - probably because the joint was so worn :D.

Before I install the new joint the steering box and arms etc will get a proper clean and a repaint.

[Andy130]

Well its taken a while but the front axle is finally done. It was cleaned, stripped, sandblasted, painted and got all new seals, new discs, new brake hoses and lines - the brake calipers have also been rebuilt with new pistons and seals. Existing bearings were repacked and preload was checked, the diff was checked for run out and backlash and I also checked the end float. All are within tolerance.

The bearings, stub axles and axle shafts are the originals and all a bit tired, but they are serviceable enough so they will go back in for now - once the rebuild is complete and the 130 is back on the road I will progressively replace these parts with new -but there is enough to spend for now on unserviceable missing or broken parts - so anything serviceable can wait a while.

119891119892119895

[Andy130]

another brick in the wall - long range tank has been cleaned, de-rusted, sanded and painted x4 coats of KBS rust paint.
.119936119937

[Andy130]

i've had a mollasses bath going for the last month for various corroded bits and pieces - whilst sandblasting is optimal, the costs add up when everything is rusted.

Anyway , the tow hitch has been through the whole process including painting now - its come up really well considering how badly rusted it was.

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[Andy130]

radius and trailing arms came out a while ago - the bushes were completely spanked lol. they have now been sandblasted, painted and the new superpro bushes have been put in.

You can see the rear upper bush is the last photo - its totally spanked lol. I've put that arm back into the molasses for another week ( its already been in for 2 and the corrosion is already 90% gone) , then it will get painted and go to the suspension guys to get the new superpro bush pressed in.

anyway, progress, progress, progress...


119942119943119944119945119946

[Andy130]

Continuing this thread due to the overwhelming response and obvious popularity with site members...the update du jour....today I bbq'ed my extractors.

They went into the rust bath a month ago, got a good wash last week and then I sprayed them with VHT extractor primer and followed with the VHT clear coat - on account of the fact it was on sale for $9 a can.

This paint needs heat to cure and as the 130 wont be started for a few months yet I decided to light up the BBQ and bake them instead.

30 minutes at 100 degrees, cooled for 30, then 30 minutes at 200 degrees.

These will be wrapped before they go on the engine, as I want to get as much heat away from the turbo as possible. the VHT paint was put on to delay any rust forming under the wrap.

The next section of exhaust pipe will also get the same treatment, its currently soaking in the rust bath. I'll cure that on the engine though as its too big to fit in the bbq [biggrin]

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[gusthedog]

Nice work. Love the support from all the forum [emoji5] . The amount of replies is staggering [emoji12].

I reckon you're doing awesome (for what it's worth)🖒. I wouldn't have the patience and don't have the skill.

[Andy130]

Nice work. Love the support from all the forum [emoji5] . The amount of replies is staggering [emoji12].

yep lol, overwhelming....i'm only continuing out of curiosity now :-) Seems as though the Forum has changed considerably. Never mind, i'm having a great time doing the project.

[gusthedog]

yep lol, overwhelming....i'm only continuing out of curiosity now :-) Seems as though the Forum has changed considerably. Never mind, i'm having a great time doing the project.
It's great to be able to track your work though on the forum so you can look back on it once you get further down the track. I get inspired by work like yours to tackle tricky jobs on my D2. Tricky for me but probably pretty easy for some - like those new engine mounts I've yet to put on that have been in the shed for 12 months [emoji5]

Keep up the hard graft Andy 🖒

[Andy130]

Ahh damn it !! chose the $8 steering ball joint kit and not the $32 one didn't I....

This is the last time I ever buy cheap parts and I really don't know why I cheapskated myself on this purchase ?

Simply put, all the parts of the cheap balljoint kit look the same, but with the cheapo kit they are all slightly larger - .05mm here and .032mm there and so on - which adds up to an extra 1mm overall - and as a result the spring cant compress down far enough to allow the circlip to lock into place.

End result - what should have been a 5 minute job has taken 4 hours of mucking around trying to make a badly made part fit...now I have the added insult of sorting out a return, a refund, plus postage - and I still need to buy the $32 part I should have got in the first place.

DOH !

On a positive note, the little kit they sell to push out the bearing cup etc works a treat.

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[Andy130]

First, a massive shout out to Toxic Avenger - who is a legend. Without his help this project would not be where it is today.

Trying to tackle a project of this size on my own would be near impossible and TA has been right there when needed to help out. huge props to you mate !!

______

Well, what an awesome day yesterday was. I haven't felt that excited since I was a kid on the night before christmas [biggrin]

After almost a year of stripping parts, cleaning, painting etc and with more than a few setbacks from rust and rookie errors, the process of reassembly has finally begun.

Anyone who has done a complete rebuilt will know what I mean - after months of dirst, grease and rust, there is a huge feeling of satisfaction putting that first clean bit back on a clean chassis.

Yesterday went really well - we got the front axle, steering box and front suspension in place - changed over the driven ends to the HD ones I lashed out on, and put the front calipers and brake lines in place.

We also got the rear axles stubs on and shafts in ( but not under the vehicle yet) and we bolted the rear upper A frame to the chassis also.

I also got a few little bits on the chassis like the bump stops and the rear bolts for the fuel tank. We started at 10am and called it a day at 7pm - super productive and just an awesome feeling.

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[Toxic_Avenger]

It's always good fun out in the shed.
It was good to finally see the boxes of bits and parts in your 'restoration parts filing system' coming back together!

[Andy130]

yes, when you want to restore something, you need a good system for filing things...I recommend see thru plastic bags, labelled in alphabetical order and filed according to the vehicle sections - or the floor....I just drop **** on the floor...gravity is my filing system.

[ramblingboy42]

couldn't help noticing one of your box of bits was labled Corona.

[Toxic_Avenger]

Why not I say?! Signs of a struggle. There might have been one or two consumed over the past few months. It's the cross we bear I guess...

The corona boxes are surprisingly sturdy. I'd recommend they be used for any serious rebuild. I moved house using beer boxes many years back. They used to be two ply cardboard stapled together with inch wide staples.

[Andy130]

couldn't help noticing one of your box of bits was labled Corona.

yes. Corona are filed in the category "essential lubricants"[biggrin]

[Andy130]

progress continued...

We got the rear axle and rear suspension in today. I need to get the rear brakes honed, plus I need to clean and rebuild the calipers and repack the wheel bearings- so no wheels on the rear yet.

Also got to the process of putting gearbox mounts, engine mounts and various other bits ' in place' to help the assembly process when we get to those parts.

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[Andy130]

Well we got the engine back onto the chassis this weekend. Hurrah !

I had been toying with the idea of completely rebuilding the engine first, but in the interests of seeing the old girl back on the road some time in 2017 - and given that it seemed to run just fine on the drive from Noosa to Sydney - I've decided to just do rear main seal and timing belt/ seals etc and give the turbo, intercooler, radiator etc a good clean up for now.

So - on Saturday morning we dropped the engine back in place - with two new engine mounts as we discovered one was split in half when we pulled it out a few months ago.

Prior to putting it on the chassis I changed the rear main seal, cleaned up the flywheel and put in a new spigot bearing. Once we got the engine in place we cracked the dog nut at the front and pulled the timing cover off.

There was a decent smatter of oil and crud within the timing case which looks to have been coming from the crank seal.

We set TDC, locked the fuel pump and then pulled the belt off...lucky Toxic Avenger was there at the time [bigwhistle] ...

I've got the new crank seal here, but I was unaware of the o-ring on crank - and also don't have the cam seal - so ordered a few parts tonight and hopefully they will arrive before next Saturday when I'm set to continue.

We also took the extra step to pull the water pump and replace the P- gasket only to find there was no P gasket there. The old paper gasket was 100% deteriorated - which would explain the leaks down the side of the block.

Having read a few stories about P gaskets continuing to leak, i'm actually thinking of redoing this task again as the gasket is not totally flush along the top edge of the block - its bowed slightly - less than 1mm - between the single bolt and the three bolts that are the long ones through the pump and around the water passage. the actual seal around the water passage looks 100% ok - interested in any thoughts on this one.

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[Andy130]

So, optimism bias gets people into all sorts of difficulties - like deciding to jump into a croc infested river - or to rebuild a clapped out and rusted defender [biggrin].

Once you've made the decision to jump, sooner or later, reality slaps you in the face, and then you realise you just have to get stuff done, or drown, get eaten, or have a pile of carparts in your driveway, garage, backyard and living room...for the rest of your life- or at least until your wife leaves you, takes half the house, and unceremoniously has your "piles of junk" taken to the tip - and puts the charge for that, onto your credit card.

The struggle is real.


I remember reading a book in high school (a long time ago) - it was called "Things fall apart." basically, its about the chaos that occurs when a system is dismantled. I read the book, but missed the message. 20 years later I pulled a defender apart - message received [biggrin].

[Andy130]

well continuing to tick things off the list...

Rebuilt the clutch slave cylinder.

I bought a rebuild kit in a little blue box - but the rubber looked so cheap and nasty that I just pulled the piston out of the original, cleaned it up, put in some rubber grease and put it all back together. It wasn't leaking, but the cylinder was fairly cruddy. I'll keep the cheap rubber as a backup if this one fails.

Rebuilt the two rear brake calipers

Once again, those little tin retainers are a pain in the ass. You need 4 to replace 2, as you will bend two trying to get them in place. Three of the pistons were in bad condition and one was clearly newish - so that has also gone into the spares box. These calipers are not the AP originals and look to have bene replaced only in the past few years - but they must have been dunked in sea water a few times as they were in pretty bad condition. All cleaned up ok though.

Replaced the rear brake line that I cut through with an angle grinder

Yes, I was a bit hasty cutting through some rusty bolts for the rear sway bar and sliced through the brake line. $35 later I've got a shiny new replacement in place.

Replaced the 4 bolts ontop of the rear axle to A frame

These little suckers were rusted badly - the 12 point heads were almost rounded as a result. One had been 'repaired' by glueing a large hex bolt over the 12 point head - clever solution really. the challenge here is you cant buy these 12 point bolts soI had to go to a bolt shop and get the best solution using a standard hex and a washer under it - as the bolt hole is recessed into the axle housing only 1/2 the bolt head remains for the spanner/ socket - which is not enough to get the torque onto it.

Pulled the seat frames out of the molasses bath

They have been in for over a month now as I was busy on other tasks - certainly cleaned all the rust out of them, they will be KBS coated now, then the new seat foams will go in.

Soaked the turbo intercooler in diesel and flushed it out.

This was full of crud, so im hoping this clean out will help somewhere with 'performance'

Cut a few gaskets

The last order I was sent the wrong gaskets for the rear stub axles- they sent front gaskets instead - I had the old one and some gasket paper, courtesy of Toxic Avenger, so I cut out a few gaskets and put those in.

Put in another order for parts - little things hold up bit events - for example the plastic retainer for the clutch to slave arm was broken - its a 12 cent part, but without it you cant mate the gearbox to the engine ( which was scheduled to be done last weekend) . In another example - we did the timing belt last weekend, but couldn't complete that task as I need to replace the O-ring behind the crankshaft pulley and the seal behind the camshaft - so I end up with lots of tasks 1/2 done as I try to make the best of the available time to work on moving some part of the project forward.



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[Andy130]

Well, another milestone met today. Finally got the clutch in and bolted the gearbox onto the engine.

I had all sorts of trouble trying to mate the gearbox to the engine, as I had the gearbox in neutral when it should have been in gear so I could align the input shaft with the clutch splines. Anyway, thanks to the guys here who gave me some tips on how to get it in.

I also used a G-Clamp on each side to help mate up the box once I was sure the splines were right - that box is a heavy bugger and i couldn't push it closed on my own.

Next step will be the drive shafts and I'll work my way around the axles and suspension and tighten everything, as currently everything is just nipped up.

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[Andy130]

Well today was another milestone.

I finally got the brakes onto the axles, the fluids into the axles and the wheels on.

In other good news, I also realised i've got Maxi Drive axles and HTE drive flanges in the rear - and I have to say, after 20 years of abuse they are still as good today as the day they went in. Axles are stamped MDE 1725X (which I understnad means "maxi drive engineering"...the X is the longer one...not sure what the 1725 means)

Next project is welding and painting the firewall so I can get it back onto the chassis.

Once it's on I can run the wires back through the chassis, get the tank on and then the body rebuild can commence.

I've still got to tell the story about the transfer case, which is now in pieces on the garage floor - but that can wait for another day.

[gusthedog]

Nice find on the Maxi Drive axles. I had them in my old 110. Awesome bits of kit.

[Andy130]

I got around to stripping the seat frames last week when the kids were asleep, and it became clear that it would be much easier to send them off to get powder coated, rather than me doing a KBS coating ( the seat frames, not the kids [tonguewink]).

It only cost $60 per frame ( in pieces )and I'm happy with that. End result was excellent. Unfortunately forgot to take the bases didnt I - so tey go off next week.

I got the frames back together last night and put seat back foams and trims on both seats this morning. Looks excellent and it was an easy job after watching the britpart video on youtubes.

- just remembered also - customs removed the spray glue from the re trim kits...the buggers.

1. dismantled to go off to powder coaters
121569

2. frame reassembled:
121570

3. seat foam in place:

121571

4. Rear trim in place.
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[cuppabillytea]

This is a great thread. It's almost paleontological watching this 130 go together bone by bone.

[Cheraglenn]

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/webkit-fake-url://3eba2259-1435-4092-ac3c-7864be2093ac/imagejpeg I am liking the way 130 is coming along

[Andy130]

Lets see...

1. Front seats are finally re-trimmed and in storage waiting for the build to catch up:

122352

2. Cut out the rust, welded and then painted both the footwells.

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3. replaced the faulty ball joint of the steering arm:

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4. sanded, repainted and installed the sump cover:

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Next jobs will be seam sealer on the firewall welds, penetrol into the cavities, sound and heat shields onto the firewall and then firewall onto the chassis ! hopefully this will all happen over the next 1- 2 weeks.

[Andy130]

Well, finally got to put some paint on the firewall today.

I've gone a very unconventional direction here and I'm using a tintable UPOL Raptor liner as the body paint. It's intended to be a spray on tub liner, shot through a shutz gun - but if you thin it down 10% you can shoot it through a 3mm nozzle HVLP gun and ( in my opinion) you get an awesome finish as a result.

This is not a high gloss finish for the untrammelled eye to admire a dent free restoration. Oh no. This is the stuff of thick orange peel complexion that you use to hide all sins :-)

Personally, I love it. Others will think i'm nuts.

Here is the original, with the vent hinge completely rusted off...

123066

And here is the new paint, with a residential door hinge I bought form bunnings and cut to suit :-)

I should have nipped the welding dag off the right edge of the new hinge, but I got carried away with paint. Al well, perfection is a myth, as they say.


123067

[Andy130]

Got most of the heat shield onto the firewall today, so tomorrow the firewall is going back onto the chassis and then I'll finish it off.

Once its onto the chassis I'll do the footwells with stage 1 sound barrier.

For these products I went to carbuilders.com.au and got 2 sheets of the heat shield and 1 box of stage 1 sound deadener.

2 sheets of 'peel and stick' heat shield is enough to do the firewall and under the exhaust to the rear of the seatbox.

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[gusthedog]

Love the Raptor liner paint and heat shield Andy. Wonder if the Raptor would look any good on a D2.... :)

[Andy130]

Love the Raptor liner paint and heat shield Andy. Wonder if the Raptor would look any good on a D2.... :)

I think it would look great :-)

[Toxic_Avenger]

Matte black, Murdered out. Do it.

[cuppabillytea]

Matte black, Murdered out. Do it.

X2.

[Andy130]

The firewall is on, thanks to Toxic, it only took us 5 minutes and was motivated somewhat by a bribe of pecan pie.

Thats how I remember it anyway.

I also got the heat shield finished on the firewall and most of the sound barrier in the footwells/ inside of the firewall today.

Next part of the project is covering the seatbox with same.

firewall showing the peel and stick heat shield :

123358

peel and stick sound deadener:

123359

Firewall back on....hallelujah :

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[Toxic_Avenger]

It was exactly like that. The pie was amazing.

[Andy130]

Surprising how long this job takes - probably a total of 2 days work so far just to get the first two boxes of sound deadener and heat shield on.

This is the sort of job you only want to do once on a vehicle, so I guess I'm taking my time to ensure its a quality job.

Many months ago now, I had the seatbox sandblasted and then gave it 3 coats of KBS rust seal. I also seam sealed the gaps in the joins after that. So, I'm comfortable to now cover it in heatshield and sound deadener, as the surfaces are newly paint and the box was 100% rust free.

Before putting on the heatshield I have lightly scuffed the surface of the paint - I figure a scuffed surface will give a better purchase than a very smooth shiny one.

Seat box from rear showing progress of sound deadener:

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Underside of the seat box where I've started placing the heat shield - should have this finished today :

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The peel and stick sound deadener is easy to work with. I've opted to cover 100% of the seatbox, firewall and front floor - though you could get away with 60% coverage :

123430

[Andy130]

There have been more than a few occasions over the last several weeks that I've wondered "now where the _ does THAT go?" I really understand now the ability to pull something apart, put it back together - and still have a few bits lets over [biggrin].

However, on the whole, give or take a few bits here and there, things seem to be coming along nicely.

I got the rear of the cab sprayed last week and with the help of Grant, got that back onto the chassis on Sunday:

Before:

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After:

123886

I even managed to get the glass back into the corners.

Next in line, the heater box has been cleaned, treated for rust and is now awaiting 2-3 coats of KBS rust paint:

123887

note, the excellent state of the foam 'bits' which all need to be replaced.

Moving on....the new door hinges also received their first 2 coats of raptor. I think one more coat and we can call then done:

123888

Last of all, the mess of wires that used to run down the inside of the chassis to the rear were cleaned of mud and muck, inspected and then re-wrapped in fireproof electrical tape. They now live ontop of the chassis rail inside conduit, as getting them back down the chassis rail will be mission impossible given the baffles in the 130 chassis.

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[Andy130]

Well I got real busy building a business... Nothing like the taxman and the debr collector calling to get you to down tools and go earn a few dollars [biggrin][biggrin]

Finally, I got back to the defender last weekend, and finished off the interior stage 1 sound deadener and the heat shield on the seatbox and firewall.

127969127970


I found homes for a number of nuts bolts and brackets on the rear parcel shelf and even got the rear section of the exhaust in place.

Feeling motivated and inspired, I decided to start on one of the doors.....only to find my motivation and inspiration depart...oh man there is some rust in these suckers...

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And just to remind you all of the glory that was the decals on this rusted beast, I submit to you, the other side of said door:

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[Sam]

Just read through this whole thread and wow! What a project. Good on you for trucking along mate, coming together nicely. Will be following this for sure.

[Andy130]

Just read through this whole thread and wow! What a project. Good on you for trucking along mate, coming together nicely. Will be following this for sure.

Thanks Sam, appreciate your feedback mate.

Yes, this has been much bigger than I ever expected, so its just a case of moving it ahead one bit at a time as time and money permits. Both are in short supply, but aren't they always. [biggrin] On the upside, I'll end up with a nice 130 at the end of it - sure, for twice the cost as if I'd just bought one already rebuilt... bet hey, who's counting :-)

[cuppabillytea]

At least you'll have the advantage if knowing it inside out. Not many people know their vehicles that well.
What price Education?

[Andy130]

A package turned up from Ashcrofts today - less than a week after I ordered it - those guys are good!

Transfer case has been delivered to Retorque for a hot bath and a good reaming :-)

Once the steel casing bush goes in, it will get a new intermediate shaft, a bit of a spruce up and then back into service she goes.

I also got the extra large sump cover, as the Lt230 is know to run better with a bit more oil.

Next package to arrive is the big one - hopefully the second last bag of goodies required to get the fender back on the128690 road

[gusthedog]

Ooh shiny! [emoji106]

[Andy130]

never liked the word myself.... " tinkerer" - never liked being called it...though, I guess if the shoe fits....

Recent tinkering has included finishing the timing belt and putting on a new timing cover. The bearing in the previous cover was noisy and the four bolt flange was a three bolt, on account of the fact one corner has sheared off.

130259130260

I suppose now I'll have to put all the bits and bobs back on so it will go again...which is why my attention was diverted to lining the roof with stage 1 sound deadener followed by sound insulation....

130261130262130263

[Andy130]

Well, the rear section of the cab is almost done. In this week has been the rear glass, insulation and carpet to the rear shelf.

The frame which held the sliding glass was in terrible condition, with one side of holding a sheet of perspex and both slider locks missing !

So the whole frame was dismantled, painted and reassembled with new window felt.

I also got the glass tinted ( 35%). One of the glass sections was a gift from one of the members here -I cant recall who - but thank you, and just to let you know, it has been put to good use. [thumbsupbig]

The locks were also replaced, so its all looking like new at the moment....because it all is [biggrin]

The two corner windows were also tinted and then put back in.

The whole rear shelf has been lined with stage 1 sound deadener, insulation foam and carpet.

Also got some work done on the front steering and suspension, and got started on the crank pulley reassembly...so, progress.

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[gusthedog]

Any updates Andy? Was wondering how it was going?

[towe0609]

One of the glass sections was a gift from one of the members here -I cant recall who - but thank you, and just to let you know, it has been put to good use. [thumbsupbig]

Glad it helped the project :BigThumb:

[Andy130]

Hi All,

Just dropping in for a very belated update !

The short story: Bought a house late last year that was built in the 1880's and is in desperate need of total renovation, so whilst I get it habitable the defender is safely tucked into its new garage ( Yes, i now have a 3 car garage !!! ) awaiting the day when I get the time/ money to continue. Im hoping that is not too far in the future/ later this year.

In other news, I also bought a 1989 RR classic for $500 thats been sitting in a shed for the past 5 years and is a small stretch to get back on the road as my daily driver. Cleaned the plugs,the MAF and the stepper motor, drained the fuel, changed the fuel filter and it started first ( or maybe third) turn of the key.

Makes me think, there is no thread here on AULRO for home renovations....[biggrin]

[Corgie Carrier]

Hi All,



Makes me think, there is no thread here on AULRO for home renovations....[biggrin]

If there was you wouldn't be able to read it, as it would only contain ***********

I am trying to get the diffs out from under my RR so I can sell the 2 dr and my house is taking up all my time and proving to be more unreliable than any land rover[bawl][bawl][bawl]

[bucklrya]

Awesome read Andy!