Thread: '93 RRC LSE

Bugger.......can't seem to make the photos bigger

You sold an LSE I'd throw a manual 'box and LT230 in it .... Splash some paint on it and drive..... That's gotta be a keeper, my kids would love the back seat of that !

stick it on a club permit it 2years time

seeya,
Shane L.

LOL........I BOUGHT it, Shane......I didn't sell it.
Yeah, as I seem to recall telling you on another forum, I've had a Rangie up on my property for about 6 years now. It's an '89 model. It's been a fantastic thing.....as reliable as the day is long.
But it's got rust holes in the front floors......not huge ones, but big enough for the field mice to get in. That in itself isn't really too much of a problem, but the carpet pythons tend to follow. They usually bugger off once I start throwing stuff in the back to go somewhere on the property but the girlfriend wasn't real impressed at all, so I bought a really nice one a few months ago......another '89 model with the 'lekky glass roof an really good air-con etc. I ended up selling it and making a few quid out of it, then went and bought a couple more with the view to making one decent one out of the two.
Then I spotted this LSE and all the other plans went out the window. The LSE is something worth hanging onto.....something worth spending a few bucks on to make really nice. I'm considering putting it on the road instead of only using it up on the property. It's special enough that I'd actually consider spending the money on fitting one of those scuba gas set-ups to it in the interests of keeping the running costs down. Over the last five years, having gas on my Ford LTD has saved me somewhere in the vicinity of $10,000 in fuel, so I'd definitely consider putting it on the LSE.
Yeah, at $1600, I thought it was good buying even without taking it for a drive or seeing it "in the flesh" first.
It's complete with it's original delivery documents and a service history up to around ten years ago. That doesn't mean alot, I guess, but it does show that it was at least looked after for at least a good portion of it's life. Believe it or not, the first owner turns out to have been my doctor here in Ipswich!!
There are a few little things that I want to fix and get working again, like the driver's seat and the rear windows. And I want to put new hood lining in to replace the dirty stuff that's there now. The fog lights at the front are broken, but I have a really nice set to replace those with. I'd even like to take the factory radio cassette out and get it repaired, just for the sake of originality, as it also has provision to add a CD stacker. The carpets are in really good nick too......a good scrub and they will look like new again.
I won't even rule out putting air suspension back into it.......

Do any of your wrecks have scuba tanks and sill petrol tanks ? I'm guessing that is the best setup. The LPG tank takes a big chunk of the load area. Mine is only 50litres, and I owuldn't be without it. The things use such a horrendous amount of fuel, the only reason I can afford to use it is gas is usually 55cents a litre.

I figure putting the air back on is going to be expensive. You see I figure air is like upkeeping tires. Even if milage is very low (or even zero), they will crack and deteriorate with age. I reckon a part of owning an air suspension model is the understanding you WILL be spending money ever 5years or so on new bags (much like Citroens and the spheres ... you WILL have to upkeep them).

The main thing I'd want is reliability. I reckon the best bet is to find a really low milage disco .... and move it's LT230 and manual gearbox over to the Rangie.

Looking at the interior of that one .... It's either lived in Tassie, or hasn't been parked in the sun for any sort of extended period of time. The only other Rangie with nice interior I've seen for sale is that blue '93 model that was for sale in melbourne 12months ago... Only it had a blown diff and was undrivable (so no doubt also a seized viscous diff). It had been sitting for some time, yet the owner still wanted $3500 for it.

Have you noticed that's a winch bar you have there ? There worth good money aren't they

seeya,
Shane L.

Hey, good buy Carnut,
How many kms on it? Your plans for reconditioning sound good, 'cept for the air suspension if what Shane says is true. Did you mean by "gone" that it's stuffed or literally gone and been replaced with springs which would be a plus for reliability?
My 89 on LPG has twin scuba tanks underneath holding 90 litres of which about 75 is accessible and never gives less than 5km/litre round town with air con going. 6km/l on steady cruising.
I'd leave the transmission as is if working well. Should do 300k if has been well serviced.
When you get the roof lining done make sure the drain hoses for the sunroof well are fitted and clear, avoids a lot of potential water leaks.
Good luck with it!

Amen on the drain hoses.. Tiny leaf-litter and 'dust' finds its way into them...
My sunroof leaks... and lining has watermarks... NOT happy, Jan!
Sunroofs also wear out or break odd little internal bits, as does the interior slider. WHEN they eventually pack up, - no, we don't want to go there!!!

I've been given another roof with lining. Plain. NO rectangular leaking holes in it...

The down-side of 'not' re-fitting the air suspension is... no automatic height-control. I can't see any bits & pieces to retro-fit the BOGE self-leveller on mine, and yours would be the same...

Ride-quality on those coiled-up metal thingies is, IMHO, superior to air, for general travelling.

The Lady Sarah has Arnotts units front and rear which are softer at full height and a tad firmer for better handling at 'Highway'.
- But not as luxurious as the older '89 I used to drive for work.

I have a sneaking suspicion that Arnotts no longer make the Classic parts, earliest being P38. But check with them...
Or, you could do what some here have done with the OEM setup.- Run "REAR" bladders on ALL wheels... that way, when you go bush, ONE spare is all you need.

What we had in Ye olde '89 work-car, were little air balls/bags inside the rear springs, and we'd use a servo-station or hand pump to individually add air to level. Worked well. - We towed a x tonne trailer with a one-tonne sweeper. - plus tools on trailer and in the boot. Handling could have been better,- but the trailer was beyond it's 'Use-By' date. Car ran Pirelli Scorpions.

IF you want some air-control, I might suggest the above setup. For a daily luxo-barge, there are no advantages in the EAS apart from being able to 'command' a low Access' height for the aged and infirm...

Think.... $600 for a pump, at least $1,000 for Arnotts units (x4) fitting/hoses/etc etc.
Height sensors are normally an Arm & a Leg... in 3 figures, - but here might be ok
Range Rover Height Sensors

The previous owner (?) replaced 2 of mine. I've bodgied up one of them, - broken solder joint inside it.

Say, $2500 to re-furbish. That's $500 per year over a 5 year life.... $1.37 per DAY just to sit your car on air... $9.62 per WEEK...and its only been parked up, no wear and tear.


I'll be honest, the EAS is only for 'wow-factor' and bragging rights !

James in Gosnells

The lady Sarah, '95 Vogue SE with FULLY OPERATIONAL EAS ...and leaky sunroof...

G'day fellas,
Yeah, I've got a couple of scuba tanks that I bought a few years back as part of a complete gas set-up. They were cheap as they were out of date, so I'd have to get them tested but it'd still have to make putting it on gas a little cheaper than starting with nothing at all......I guess, lol. I've got 'em so I'd be crazy not to look at using them.
The thing with the EAS set-up is that I don't know WHY it was decommissioned. It may have been as simple as an air spring letting go and a local suspension mob talking the then owner into doing the swap. As you'd know, Shane, I've got a few Citroens too, so I know all about the spheres needing topping up or replacing. But hey, we'd never consider putting springs in our CXs, would we?! Anyone who hasn't ridden in a hydro-pneumatic Citroen just doesn't know what their missing. And one thing about me (if I get an idea in my head) is that I always say "now how am I going to do this?" instead of "oh, I think that might be too hard".
Hey, superquag......I've seen the sunroof seals on eBay UK....I'm pretty sure they were only around $100-150. The really neat '89 that I had was fitted with the tilt slide roof. It didn't leak and it was wonderful :-). That was the only Rangie I've had on the road and it was a lovely thing to drive. The girlfriend loved that she sat up so high and could see out of it so easily (her words). The other Rangie that I've had for 6 years (also an '89) has only ever been used up on my property. It's been such a great workhorse......sits out in all sorts of weather, sometimes for months on end without being used. ALWAYS starts. Just whack a battery and some juice in it and off ya go!! That's why I've decided to stick with Rangies. I just love 'em. And the sound of the V8......just love it.
The LSE has got 274,000km on it and no, she hasn't been a Tassie car......been in QLD the whole time as far as I can tell. It was sold new here in Ipswich by Blue Ribbon Motors. I went to school with the niece of the dealer principal (Andy Stallard was the dealer) and the car was sold to Dr Robert MacGregor, who was my doctor when I was a kid in the 70's!! He had it for about 5 years (I'd have to go out and have look at the records again to be sure about dates), and from there it went to Bundaberg where it was registered in a company name for a few more years. Then it came back to Brisbane and was registered in the name of a lady in Wilston. That was in the early 2000's. The guy I bought it from (only the third car dealer I have EVER bought a car from, and I've bought alot of cars, lol)said that it had been in the one family for some time before he acquired it, but I have to look into that further. He also told me it had been imported from South Africa, so I don't know which orifice he pulled THAT story out of, lol. I'm pretty sure the service booklet has dealer stamps in it up until '06 or '08. I'll have to have another look on the weekend. Either way, I'd say it was looked after properly for a good portion of it's life before it ended up on fleabay. As I've said, it does drive really well......seems to have plenty of poke, and the gearbox works great. No undue clunks thumps bangs etc. One rear brake seems to be weeping slightly, and the ABS pump(?) cycles more often than it probably should so there's gotta be a leak there. A minor fix if it's just at the brake end.

aRRon.......thanks for the tip regarding the sunroof drains....I'd be crazy not to check that now that you've told me about it.....Cheers!!

Shane, I did get a little tank with the scuba tanks......it fit's under the rear quarter panel. But those sill tanks sound like a much more desirable option....alot more fuel in one of those, I'd bet. I think the one under the quarter panel would be flat out holding 30 litres maybe...
Also, one of the other Rangies I bought, has a gas set-up in the cargo area. WHAT A PITA!!! It's like what the hell am I gonna carry with THAT big thing sitting there???? Scuba tanks are definitely the go .

Yeah, I was pretty amazed when I saw the interior. I mean, it's not perfect. But it IS a 22 year old 4x4 with LEATHER seats. I thought they'd be torn or busted open somewhere for sure......most likely the driver's seat. There are a few tiny little nicks here and there but you've gotta look for them. And the driver's seat does have cracks in the surface of the leather but just enough to give it a nice patina. I've given it a once over with a good quality leather cleaner and conditioner, but I'm also going to get into it with another product that I've used in my LTD. I think it's by Meguires. Again, I'll have to check on that. Gees, I must be gittin' old timer's disease, lol. My LTD spends alot of time out in the weather at work, but I keep the cleaner and conditioner up to the leather and it's still soft and supple. People are amazed at the condition of it too, given that it's 20 years old now, but leather does last if it's looked after. It's that "Cappacino" colour, and they tell me that blokes have been known to buy a whole car just to get hold of a good leather interior. After 20 years, most of them have splits of holes in one or both of the front seats AT LEAST. As with every car, as they get older, their value drops and they get bought by people less inclined or less able to spend the money to keep the leather in top condition. But yeah, I bought the LSE without even talking to the guy, let alone looking the thing over, so it really was a leap of faith that I think paid off I've been eyeing them off for ages on line, and when I saw this one in Brisbane I thought ok, I'll get the message....it must have been meant to happen

Yeah, Shane I saw that it's got a winch bar......I'm not sure what I'm going to do with that yet. I'd never be doing anything extreme with the LSE......just going up to the property and maybe to Fraser Island once in a blue moon. I'll keep the ol' '89 for crazy **** up the property. The nice '89 (that I sold on) didn't have a bar on the front at all, and it looked really good. My problem is that skippy likes to head butt the front of my cars from time to time, or at least TRY. He's belted the LTD a few times. I've had about three bumpers on it over the years. It has a big hole in the front of it right now, actually, so it'll be getting another one shortly......The LSE also has what looks to be an ARB rear bar fitted. Not keen on that at all. I'm really not that rough on my cars....except maybe the old '89er that it is......I've flogged that senseless many a time. Slid into trees and wiped the mirrors off, revved the nuts off it with a Valiant full of cast iron engine bits on the car trailer behind it. I was jumping rocks the size of watermelons in it once (with the car trailer dragging along behind, lol) up the side of my property, trying to get to a level area of about 5 acres up the top. Access is via a ledge about the width of the car trailer, with a 60deg drop off either side for about 70 or 80 metres before you hit trees substantial enough to stop a sliding/rolling Rangie, lol. Anyway, I'm trying to drag this car trailer over these boulders on the other side of the ledge that leads to the plateau when BANG!!!! The chain in the transfer lets go and I find myself hurtling backwards towards the ledge. It was just LUCK that I stopped ON the ledge and not over the side somewhere. It's not the fall I was worried about....just the sudden stop at the bottom, lol. Anyway, I walked about a kilometre back to my little Suzi Sierra which was parked on another part of the property. I went and got another transfer from somewhere, and fitted it up on that ledge before driving it back to relative safety. Ya know, I had been wondering what the BANG BANG BANG was from under that thing under heavy acceleration. I sure found out!!!!

Originally Posted by carnut

the ABS pump(?) cycles more often than it probably should so there's gotta be a leak there. A minor fix if it's just at the brake end.

Sounds like the accumulator has lost it's charge. Better replace it soon as the ABS pump doesn't like running for long periods & are getting hard to find these days ($$ too).