1958 Series 1

[lrdef110]

I have been trying to get my hands on a reasonable 1955 Series 1 for ages and recently came on one advertised as a 1954 second owner. Went to have a look at it but it is a 1958 which is pretty original except for the 'bull bar' (as if it would work), the lindicator ights and a holden carby and air cleaner. Anyway while its not a 1955 it was 'too good' not to take so went and picked her up on Friday.

Probably have to call it 'Too Good' now.
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2009/02/530.jpg
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2016/02/155.jpg

She goes pretty well but is not registered. Not sure whether to do a chassis up rebuild or keep it as it is with character of 50 years of use.

[Col.Coleman]

Nice find:D

Leave it as is.

Restore later if needed

CC

[chris1983rangie]

G'Day Mate,

thats a nice find, very straight body. whats the bulkhead like?
looks good with the cab roof something different.
I'd get rid of that home made scrub bar, you should of seen the one i had it was the first thing to go. the day i drove it home the roof rack was almost ready to fall off! :D

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2009/02/529.jpg

Enjoy the new ride.

cheers

Chris

[chazza]

What an absolute purler!

That roo bar looks like it would make a nice pair of gates, with a hinge or two in the middle.

Give it a polish and keep it as it is :D

[JDNSW]

It looks to be in quite good condition. I agree 'too good' to pass by.

I have not seen a bullbar exactly like that, but except for the double post in the middle it is similar to dealer fitted ones from the sixties, so it is probably copied from them, although it looks as if a couple of gate frames were used! They are actually quite effective, but have the drawback that they are likely to damage the bulkhead if you hit anything solid, instead of just the bumper and guards.

I would worry about the large mirror - it is likely to damage the mudguard (original, as you probably know, was a small convex one. I would be inclined to fit a mirror to the door or bulkhead, and you will most likely need two of them for registration.

John

[ellard]

Hi there

Nice find - quick cut and polish, remove the two gates of the front which sort of resembles a bullbar......

Most importantly keep it original - and it will be treasured forever...

I dont beleive its done much work - its very straight and almost perfect front bumper

Wayne

[Shonky]

WOW! :D

Thats a very nice little truck mate - very nice indeed!

I can only echo the comments of the others on here. Don't restore it unless you have to!

I was going to restore my ambulance originally, but decided to keep it in it's original (good) condition. I'm really glad I did, as it has a lot of character and besides - any old hack can undergo a concourse resto, but only the best can be displayed as is without rebuild!

Arm thyself with a rotary buffer and a tin of Septone "Mr Buff" watered down a bit and set to work. Buff the paint up, give it a good wash, then give it a good coat of high quality polish (the best you can get)

You will be amazed what It can do!

[lrdef110]

Thanks for the comments, really appreaciate others thoughts.
Was purchased second hand in 1959 by a farmer and was passed onto his son in law. The bloke I bought it off wanted to pass it onto someone who would look after it.
The bulk head is really good, the only rust is a couple of pinheads in the angled floor under the pedals.
Yes I do need an original mirror - anyone know where these can be sourced?
The interior is dent free but the previous owner repainted it in an unoriginal volour and painted over most of the galvanised parts inside.
The truck cab is not original (but an option I believe) but he also gave me the original windscreen so I can take it back to the canvas cover.
Anyway thanks again for all you thoughts. Will probably be annoying a few of you for assistance when I work out what to do.
Regards, Barry

[JDNSW]

Thanks for the comments, really appreaciate others thoughts.
Was purchased second hand in 1959 by a farmer and was passed onto his son in law. The bloke I bought it off wanted to pass it onto someone who would look after it.
The bulk head is really good, the only rust is a couple of pinheads in the angled floor under the pedals.
Yes I do need an original mirror - anyone know where these can be sourced?
The interior is dent free but the previous owner repainted it in an unoriginal volour and painted over most of the galvanised parts inside.
The truck cab is not original (but an option I believe) but he also gave me the original windscreen so I can take it back to the canvas cover.
Anyway thanks again for all you thoughts. Will probably be annoying a few of you for assistance when I work out what to do.
Regards, Barry

I believe the original mirrors are made of unobtainium, but I have seen suggested that haunting places specialising in motorcycle (particularly old motorcycle) and cycle bits is likely to be productive. What you find will be probably chrome not black, but that is easy to repaint. The arm is simply a bit of 1/2" (I think) bar with a 45 deg bend and threaded for about an inch with two nuts and washers. Head is held on by a simple clamp, which clamps the arm with the bolt and nut on the mirror head, and everything painted black except the glass.

While the small convex mirror is original, I am not sure they will pass rego, and in any case are pretty useless.

John

[olmate]

Hi there

Nice find - quick cut and polish, remove the two gates of the front which sort of resembles a bullbar......

Most importantly keep it original - and it will be treasured forever...

I dont beleive its done much work - its very straight and almost perfect front bumper

Wayne

A great find mate - as Wayne says... keep it original ;)

[Sleepy]

That's a ripper !:cool: As said already, tidy her up and it'll be sweeeeeeet!

[Larry]

I'm with the others, just give it a tidy up.:thumbsup:

The little utes look great don't they?;)

My 80" may have had a similar bar at some point in time, as there holes in the side of the bulkhead where the side rails on yours attach.

[lrdef110]

Meant to say also, Ol' Mate I bought it off threw in a couple of manuals.

One is a Land Rover Series 1 Workshop Manual dated March 1951. It has a leather front and rear and metal hinges holding the sections together inside. A bit early for my 88" but would it be fair to assume there would not be a lot of these around or are they fairly common?

The other is a Series 2A Owner Handbook which does have a bit in common with the 1958 Series 1.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2009/02/508.jpg

Barry

[numpty]

Great looking little beasty and as others have said.........leave it as it is.

Don't know why you would need two mirrors for rego, unless it is a State thing. We got our 2A registered a couple of weeks ago with one mirror, although our S1 has three.:p

[Lotz-A-Landies]

Meant to say also, Ol' Mate I bought it off threw in a couple of manuals.

One is a Land Rover Series 1 Workshop Manual dated March 1951.

BarryBarry

There is not a lot of stuff in the March 1951 Workshop Manual (TP/138A) that relates to your car although it would be useful for someone with an 80". The manual is the second of the workshop manuals (note the superseding note in the bottom RHS) and as an original are sort of valuable but are the not as rare as the earlier document. In fact there are very few of the 1948 publication complete as the instructions from Rover read that dealers were to remove the amended pages and replace them with the 1949 versions etc. TP/138A has been re-printed and is available from the LRSOC in the UK (http://www.lrsoc.demon.co.uk/html/clubshop1.html) That said I would keep your TP/138A if you are interested in the marque, or otherwise pass it on to another enthusiast. (or God forbid you ebay it.)

The LRSOC also has reprints of the later (but original) workshop manuals for the S1 86/88/107/109 also at £30.00 or you could acquire one of the reprinted Rover Co. 1948 - 1958 Series One Workshop manuals available through Brooklands Books or more recently through Haynes publications.

Diana

[Lost Landy]

What a top little 58 88" I would have to agree with all the previous posts, abit of the old spit & polish and a service then enjoy some fine series 1 motoring. Top stuff.