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John. I didn't do the conversion, I'll take another look and report back next time I see it. AFAIR the quarter light frame is still there, but the mirror is attached using the section of frame from the '89 doors, which I provided with the mirrors, and any open section between the mirror bracket etc to the window channel frame was filled in with perspex. It sounds a bit odd but looks excellent.
JC
G'day JC.
That resto job you mentioned earlier is the sort of thing i would be looking at: something that is very close to original but can still do service as a daily driver and be up for trips away.
Juz
Howdy, I've owned 4 x 2 door Rangies over the years, one of which I'm currently doing a resto on now. All up over had over 8 RRs.
From memory power steering was an option on the Rangie up until about 78 or 79, after that it was standard. I got 'caught' on one purchase which was a 77 model which only had the 'armstrong power' steering, however my 76 model has power steering.
Rust can be a fairly significant issue on any old RR. Most people assume that as they have aluminium panels that the entire car is ali. Rust can be prevalent in the footwells, around the windscreen, door frames (take a look at around the area where the door hinges mount), spare wheel well, up behind the rear tail lights, inner front wheel arches, etc. If the car has been sitting around for a while, you may even experience a rusty and leaky petrol tank of which I had one. However this is a good excuse to upgrade to a long range tank.
There are still plenty of examples which sell on fleabay, etc. You just need to keep looking and I think if you are patient you'd get something pretty original for $1,500.00.
I think that they are a great car. Nothing of this era handles the bush tracks as well as the Rangies. Good luck, owning one is a bug and once you start you won't stop spending money of some sort of modification or upgrade - NOT because they are unreliable.
Cheers. Gordo
Thanks Gordo.
I have a bit of time to search so will heed your advice re the stuff to look for. Might have to look for the power steering-equipped ones as i plan on using it as a daily driver in crazy Sydney.
Cheers,
Juz
I have an 82 4 door and I converted to the later door mirrors and still kept the quarter-lights working perfectly. It needs: 1. a bit of care drilling the frame, 2.fabricating a steel plate for the inside in an odd shape that doesn't block the quarterlight but allows the screws to take the strain. 3. a triangular steel plate for the outside that the mirror sits against. 4. Slightly longer self tapping screws that don't strip the mirror screw holes. If is wasn't p***ing down with rain just now and 12.45am, I'd pop out and take a photo!Quote:
Originally Posted by justinc
Hi Juz,
I have a 1981 RR classic two door auto which was converted by Winter bottom Fauls here in Perth specifically for the cocky's who wanted an auto when they weren't available. Mine has a ford 3 speed gear box and I wouldn't change it for the world.
Has power steering and as a few of the others have stated they do leak P.S fluid but what Landrover dosent leak some type of fluid :D
Still, its my baby to do up as (money allows) because there are not many good two doors around and they do suffer with rust.
I paid $1,500.00c and that was 4-5 years ago, bought from a Landrover nut who's misses said he had too many and something had to go (he had a magic Defender, Series 1 with V8 in it)
Still, hope you find one and enjoy it as much as I and everyone here does.
Cheers
Baggy
G'day Baggy.
Thanks for the encouragement. Just spent a day with a mate who owns a 1982 four-door and we had a laugh about how basic it was but how much we loved it because of that fact! No fuel injection or power windows to stuff up!
Will keep all and sundry updated once my search gets more serious!
Cheers,
Juz