Oh Dear, I bought another one.

[Surly One]

While driving to work this moring I spotted a decent looking series 1 in the main street, being rather curious and foolish I stopped to enquire about it on my way back this afternoon, now I am buying it for $400.
The chassis is buggered from what I can tell, no worries I have a good chassis already, this one has all the bits and pieces in good and straight condition that I want for my '57, even thogh it wold be a '54-'56.
Rear tub is nice and straight, it has the orig. 2L petrol, need a starter motor and possibly fuel pump, we will see, motor turns over ok with the starter handle though.
I just look at it as a pile of spares that happens to be in one piece at the moment.

Yes, pics will follow soon.

[Surly One]

I forgot to add that I hoped to walk around the back of this vehicle and see a good set of pork pies but was faced with d-lamps, my '57 had della red beacons (with only the cast bases left now) which I don't think I have ever seen a pic of, unless they are the same externally as pork pies.

[Surly One]

Shes Home.
No. 47660460 Eng No. 47101475
Actually got the engine to run briefly today with a good amount of crank starting, should be ok with a bit more tinkering and some new bits.
She had a few tools and a jack still with her, they look original.
So much to do.

[Grockle]

Looks agood buy at $400.00

[The ho har's]

Wel done!!!!!


Mrs ho har:angel:

[Sleepy]

Nice :BigThumb:

[ellard]

Hi there

Well done - top purchase, did the hard top come with the deal as well.

I have a 1954 which is also a simular colour.......must be a few around.

All the best

Wayne

[olmate]

Very nice - Well done mate ;)

[Surly One]

The hard top came off an 88" in Kempsey NSW, there was a lady had 4 series ones that her ex left behind and I wanted a good hard top for my project, I would have taken the lot if I had room.
My '57 came with a couple of 2.25 diesels but I really wanted a 2 litre petrol, so when I saw this one I grabbed it right away (actually I have bought both my landies from places no more than 4 blocks away).
I'll have a bit of a better look at the 2 litre on my next couple of days off, shes only done a smidge over 71000 miles. She has not been started for around 5 years but seems to have pretty good compression, I will have to find a new starter motor for her though, her orig. starter was sent in for work and dissapeared, thats what forced her retirement.

[Newbs-IIA]

hey mate where abouts are you? I may be interested in one of those 2.25L Diesels if they are on offer?

Congrats on the great buy, $400 seems the going price these days - I payed that for my series I (1951 80") and my ex-mil IIA

Cheers

[Surly One]

If I can get the 2 litre going ok enough to find out if there are any problems with it then I will be looking at selling the diesels. One is a bit old and smoky, so I'm told, looks it too, the other is in really good condition, just needs a few bits and peices. The funds will go toward more bits for the seies 1.
I'm down near Tamworth in northern NSW.

[Newbs-IIA]

old and smokey is good, i can rebuild :D

Tamworth's not that far, we also have a property near warwick for conveniance

Keep me posted if/when you are in search of more funds :p

[Lost Landy]

Thats a top find, you have to be happy with it ;) Looking forward to hearing how you go with get the old girl running sweet again.

[Surly One]

Well after a little work today the '54 siamese bore fired up quite happily, until she spluttered to a halt and we realised she wasn't sucking any juice up from the tank (I suspect a fair bit of crap in the fuel lines and air leaks).
After a bit more work we got her going with the pump drawing fuel from a tin, I was quite surprised how well she went. She seems to be blowing a fair bit of smoke though, does'nt seem to be oily more of a combo of too rich a mixture and crud.
Any wise words from others who have a bit more experience with these charming old beasties.

[Lost Landy]

All the smoke that you saw might be the crap thats been sitting inside the motor as by the sounds of it hasnt been run in a while. You can let it run for around 30mins as it will get up to opperating temp and get every thing moving again. If it is still smokey try looking at spark plugs as they could be gumed up or budded. Also might be worth doing a comp test while the motor is warh as it give a more acurate figure as oppsed to taking a reading with a cold motor. Do a "dry" test 1st then do a "wet" test the dry test will give an idea of the over all cond & a wet test will show if you have any ware in the bores. Hope this helps.

[Surly One]

Heres the couple of diesels I got with my '57 for those who are interested.

[Surly One]

Heres a couple more pics, one of my not too bad d-lights, a bit of paint on my 57's bulkhead.
Pulled the carby apart today and gave it a good clean too.

[Surly One]

Some progress on the '57, reset springs (endorsement for Tamworth Spring Works) and some work on the axle/diff housing.
Slowly but surely...

[Surly One]

Starting to look quite promising now, I think I might even be surprised how well she is going to turn out. I'm starting to tire of spending most of my spare time on her but now I'll finish if it kills me.
Does anyone know if Classic Fasteners are still operating, tried to call them a couple of times after some bolts but so far have not been able to get hold of anyone.

[olmate]

Starting to look very good indeed - Keep it up fella, I am impressed ;)

[series1buff]

Does anyone know if Classic Fasteners are still operating, tried to call them a couple of times after some bolts but so far have not been able to get hold of anyone.

I think its a home based family business and they go on holidays now and then... I bought the long BA screws for the SU petrol pump body from them . Good to deal with . I really hope they haven't gone permanently ..would be a disaster for us .

Good Luck
Mike

[Lost Landy]

Looking good, it may seam like its taking forever to get anwhere with your Landy but it will be worth it ;)

[Landy Smurf]

hey do you have any good d-lamps

[Surly One]

Yep, I have a couple of D-lamps, one needs a new lens (pic should be on page 2 of this thread.), not really sure if I am going to put them on her yet, being a '57 it had Della Red Beacons (only the cast base left though.)

[Surly One]

Weather and work has been preventing me doing too much of late but I put the bulkhead back on this morning and have my reset rear springs on now.
Repainted the rear axle casing too but that can wait for tomorrow to go back on assuming the weather holds out.
Heres my home refurbished steering wheel too.
Starting to actually look like a landrover again.

[Mick-Kelly]

Thats a nice job, would you give us a bit more detail on the steering wheel refab.

[lane]

+1 on the steering wheel, Surly.

Steering wheel, firewall and chassis look sensational.

[Surly One]

Luckily my steering wheel wasn't too bad just a bit cracked in spots but the bakelite was starting to deteriorate.
I sanded the wheel back to the good bakelite and used a 2 part epoxy I bought years ago from a FDB's type discount place (it was only $2.50 a box but the stuff sets like hard plastic and is really easily worked for a while, I'm sure there would be a sellys or otherwise equivalent.) I filled in any cracks and gaps with the epoxy and when cured filed and sanded it match the bakelite.
I then gave it a few coats of penetrol (magic stuff) with a light sand between coats from there I just gave it a few heavy coats of a satin black spraypack with a light sand between.
Time will tell how sucessful the job is but seems to be good so far.

[Surly One]

Been a bit lazy the last couple of weeks but I went and had a look at a garage sale today where they had series 1 parts advertised. I wasn't expecting too much but the bloke had around 4 various series 1's in states of disrepair and a really nice '53.
Think I might buy a 2 litre spread bore off him and a few other bits.

[Oowie]

Your Bulkhead looks great! I have a '54 86" and have just strarted the fun job of cleaning it up with the wire wheel. I have rust in the usual places -footwells and the around the vents.

Any tips or tricks on cleaning and repairing the bulkhead you can pass on would be appreciated.

Oowie

[Surly One]

I think a decent mig welder is a must and if you don't know how to weld get a lot of practice with it.
Penetrol is your friend, I gave nearly all the bulkhead a coat of penetrol and anti rust primer.
I was quite lucky rust wise, it was all just surface rust, but I did have a fair amount of cracking on welds and in the floor. I have still got the orig. foot well panels, a little lumpy but it just adds character.

[Surly One]

Motivating myself a bit, reshuffling bits in the yard so I can work a bit easier.
The '54 does look quite good with the hard top on though, handy for storing other bits from the '57 in too.
Just starting to fix a few dents in and sand back the better of the rear tubs.

[chris1983rangie]

Your Bulkhead looks great! I have a '54 86" and have just strarted the fun job of cleaning it up with the wire wheel. I have rust in the usual places -footwells and the around the vents.

Any tips or tricks on cleaning and repairing the bulkhead you can pass on would be appreciated.

Oowie

Just a suggestion, if youre going to make repairs to your bulk head especially when welding new bits on. i would keep it bolted to the chassi, as to prevent it from warping. it happened to me then realised i better bolt it to the chassi, and it helped.

cheers,

Chris

[chazza]

Good tip Chris!

It reminded me that when I did mine I made a jig that fitted between the chassis mounting holes - two close fitting shafts welded to a piece of SHS. The advantage was that I could put the thing up on trestles to save my back :)

Cheers Charlie

[Surly One]

It never occurred to me that the bulkhead might warp, reckon I would have found out when I was bolting it back on, bit of luck there I guess.
What did some of you blokes do underneath the tub, leave bare or paint.

[Lost Landy]

I never painted the underside of my tub on my 88" just took it off degreased & preasure washed it. From what I have read only the wheel arches got painted as the underside of the tub was left bare.

[Surly One]

The only paint that was under the tub was a bit of overspray round the wheel arches, thought I might give at least the inside of the arches a spray with chassis black or just a quick hit of bronze green.
Found this old pic in a fishing book, it's part of the begining of my series 1 fascination, ogled it as a kid a lot.

[Mick O'Neill]

I just bought a 1954 86 inch for $300, but the chassis cross members are rotten, and someone has chopped the front guards. Does anyone have spare parts.??

[Surly One]

It seems the best option for spares is to find another series 1 with the bits you need unless you can find someone with a few already.

[disco2hse]

Shes Home.
No. 47660460 Eng No. 47101475
Actually got the engine to run briefly today with a good amount of crank starting, should be ok with a bit more tinkering and some new bits.
She had a few tools and a jack still with her, they look original.
So much to do.

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/attachments/series-i-land-rover-enthusiasts-section/15538d1242474216-oh-dear-i-bought-another-one-54-3.jpg

Hey I have one of those jacks but I bought it in a junk shop over 20 years ago. It stays with the series anyway :cool:

I don't have the handle though.

Alan

[Surly One]

Apparently the jack is supposed to have some kind of wooden handle, never seen the original handle. Not sure if the wheel nut spanner is orig. very old and work though.

Gotta love the King Dick brand spark plug spanner that was with it though.

[Surly One]

Well after a fair bit of a hiatus I actually started to do a bit of work on Lumpy again, been too busy keeping work vehicles on the road and other unpleasantness, but I started to get the urge again after not being too sure what I was going to do.
Now to get rid of the other 2.25 diesel I have and get a proper spread bore 2 litre motor for her.

[The ho har's]

Good to see you have started work again:D

We are about to start our next project "bessie" as soon as we can get all our friends Landy's fixed and painted so we can get her in the shed;):D


Mrs hh:angel:

[Surly One]

I was starting to miss my landie, working on a 22 year old Hilux just isn't quite the same.
I have this strange idea of painting it like the Antichrist from The Gods Must be Crazy.

[mildred]

I was starting to miss my landie, working on a 22 year old Hilux just isn't quite the same.
I have this strange idea of painting it like the Antichrist from The Gods Must be Crazy.

I have allays wanted to paint a car in that hammer finish paint (sic)
all you need is a paint brush, no fancy spray equipment. so simple isn't it? Imagine a RED Ferrari in hammer tone paint, Richard Hammond would just love it!
The trouble with it is that it faded very quickly, I did my trailer with it in subtle 2 tone, black and grey. Looked fantastic for about 6 months, then faded. The best part was that I again started taking rubbish to the tip in it.Who cares about scratching faded paint?
The colour card now has a very nice land-rover green and .........
Peter

[Surly One]

Well it looks like I have found myself a spread bore 2 litre and a few other bits I want in exchange for the '54 I have minus a few parts.

[disco2hse]

I have allays wanted to paint a car in that hammer finish paint (sic)
all you need is a paint brush, no fancy spray equipment. so simple isn't it? Imagine a RED Ferrari in hammer tone paint, Richard Hammond would just love it!
The trouble with it is that it faded very quickly, I did my trailer with it in subtle 2 tone, black and grey. Looked fantastic for about 6 months, then faded. The best part was that I again started taking rubbish to the tip in it.Who cares about scratching faded paint?
The colour card now has a very nice land-rover green and .........
Peter

Probably one of the worst things you could do a to a series Landie. Seen it done on one vehicle and looked crap, that and the paint is a real b*****d to get off again.

[Surly One]

Sometimes the Landrover gods smile upon me, I left home with a siamese bore and come back withtwo spread bores.
Pics and numbers will follow after a bit of sorting out tomorrow.

[Surly One]

Looks like I have got engines no. 57104669 and 57102768, moved a heap of other crap around and got them safely stowed in the shed, still short a starter motor though.

[Landy Smurf]

are any of those engines any good

[Surly One]

After a rebuild, I hope at least one of them will be good, the bloke I got them off has a heap of spare bits so I should have no worries finding the few missing bits.
They are both 55 models if interpret correctly.

[Landy Smurf]

im going to be doing up a 2lt engine myself soon.when do you think you will be doing yours

[Surly One]

I'll be starting to pull the motors apart during the week so I can see which block seems better and find out what I will have to replace.
Finding time to do things is the killer, I'll just have to force myself to try and do a little each day

[shaunh]

After a rebuild, I hope at least one of them will be good, the bloke I got them off has a heap of spare bits so I should have no worries finding the few missing bits.
They are both 55 models if interpret correctly.

will you be doing the rebuild? i have a 2lt and am wondering how to clean the 'water cavitys' any help will be much appreciated:)

[groucho]

The good old molasses bath and a pressure washer will clean a block
to new........

[Surly One]

Yep I'll do the rebuild myself, not that I'm a mechanic, but I learn quickly, and there is a fair bit of info about on the 2 litre spread bores.
It will be buying any new bits that will be the problem.

[shaunh]

yer i learn realtively quickliy aswell
but what is molasses?

[Landy Smurf]

yer i learn realtively quickliy aswell
but what is molasses?
molasses is what farmers give to their cattle to make them eat more or eat other grasses they use it in the drought alot its like a thicker syrup.i would have thought that to clean it you might put it in an acid bath

[groucho]

you might put it in an acid bath
Cant think why i mentioned Molasses then.......
Google.......

[Landy Smurf]

does anyone know roughly how much it costs to get it cleaned in an acid bath

[groucho]

Get a big container big enough to fit a block fill it with a couple of gallons of molasses and water, warm preferably mix it up dunk the block in and leave for a few weeks Be sure to degrease the block as molasses don't do mutch with grease and see how you go..........

[Landy Smurf]

have you done this before or have seen it done,just curious as i have never seen or heard of this

[shaunh]

neither have i,

[Surly One]

From what I have seen the results are quite good, I'll probably try elbow grease and high pressure first though.
I'm pretty sure there were some photos of the results somewhere, might even be on the Series 1 Trans-Tasman site.

[Landy Smurf]

the molasses method or acid method

[shaunh]

http://www.stovebolt.com/techtips/rust/rust_molasses.htmst type

just did a bit of reasearch looks to come up a treat
just type mollasses rust removal in google and go from there
when i do my parts ill let you guys know how i go

[numpty]

Get a big container big enough to fit a block fill it with a couple of gallons of molasses and water, warm preferably mix it up dunk the block in and leave for a few weeks Be sure to degrease the block as molasses don't do mutch with grease and see how you go..........

As Groucho said, it works a treat.

[chazza]

If anyone would like a copy of three papers I wrote for my Rover club on molasses and how to do it; feel free to PM me,

Cheers Charlie

[back_in]

Hi
use 1 part molasses to 8 to 9 parts water, will not work if less %
go to a feed merchant and buy horse molasses, take a 2 ltr container or 2
make sure you remove all ally, brass etc bits
the mixture will in time stuff them up
you can leave the block in for as long as you wish
every 3 or 4 days take the block out and use pressure washer to blow loose crud out of the block
kept it in the sun so it is above 25C
or use a water heater, will not work below this temp
re add water to replace what is lost through evaporation
make sure all the block is covered
as the mixture level will leave crud mark on the block
I have restored a 1.6 and 2 ltr donks and dozen of steel bits using the cheapest and the 100% best method
follow the above and you will be a believer toooooo
cheers
Ian

[Mick-Kelly]

That citrus cleaner stuff works well too, especially if followed by a steam clean.

[Landy Smurf]

all this stuff sounds very interesting im liking the idea of cleaning the block yourself

[Surly One]

Well after having a bit of a peek at the bores etc, everything seems ok.
Now I will have to start sourcing a few 2 litre gaskets, rings and such.
Anyone got a spare starter motor?

[Landy Smurf]

where do you live again

[Surly One]

Up near Tamworth, in Werris Creek.
I did'nt have a chance over the weekend to do any work on the project, had to drive to Toowoomba, oddly enough someone was towing a Series 1 just the other side of Tenterfield.

[Landy Smurf]

thats interesting i have never seen anyone towing a land rover before

[Scallops]

;)
... oddly enough someone was towing a Series 1 just the other side of Tenterfield.


thats interesting i have never seen anyone towing a land rover before

:Rolling: Love it! I'm sure none of us have ever seen a LR being towed either. ;) But still, I reckon I would think it was out of the ordinary to see an S1 - towed, driving or just sitting there - full stop. :D

[Landy Smurf]

i thought that when i said that