Thread: What does one do??? Long Post

Hi People,

Well as you people have read elsewhere. I have really jumped in the deep end.

I have had a couple of Series III years ago, but never had much else to do with landrovers.

Then the bug bit and went to the Auctions and bought a 93 Defender Wagon with 200TDI with 77000Kms

after getting it home and spending a couple of days striping the interior out i am unsure if I should now start poring money in to it or try and run away from it.

Here is a list of things I have discovered so far.

Power steering had no fluid, so not sure of its servicabilty.
Front drive shaft missing, appears that it has falling out as the uni joint on the transfer case has evdenice of it ripping out at speed, the crossmember has a dent on it and the wiring loom for handbrake is missing.
Both Foot wells are rusty and need fixing. Both Centre PIllars have rust at the bottom as well. Chassis appears fine.
Both fron seats need replacing.
Viscous Fan turns very slow.
Not sure what little knob is suppose to do but it just slops around. It appears to do something if pushed side to side, but not back to back.
Back door has cracks in it.
All lights need reaplacing
Roof lining needs replacing.


Sorry for the long post but I am unsure if i should just wreck or fix it all up. The other problem I have is that I am in Darwin and I can find any part here so have to freight everything up here. The motor is sweet as and starts very easliy.

Youre valued opinion would be appriected.

Lobo

Been there.

It sounds like that 110 has done some hard work. Was it an ex hire car?

If the rest of the car has been as neglected you can expect to replace:
* all suspension bushes;
* the drive flanges at least on the back, the axle drive shafts, (fronts do not work as hard but chances are they need replacing) ;
* probably the unis in both drive shafts;
* shocks all round, the A-frame ball joint;
* the output shaft (gearbox) is probably shot as it wasn't until after 1995 the gearboxes had the 'high tech' oil feed didn't mod;
* a recon on the steering box ($4-$500);
* new timing belt for motor (& aircon belt if fitted);
* brake pads and rotors;
* speedo cable;
* clutch slave/master cylinder kit;
* brake master/wheel cylinder kit.

Most of these are consumables that don't seem to get replaced in a neglected vehicle. You can also spend lots of money on oil seals. I wouldn't bother unless it was a big problem eg swivel pin housing leaking onto the front rotor.

With the B-pillar rust, have a look under it. Under the pillar should be a plastic cap covering a hole. Pull out the cap and see if there is any sand. Give it a good hose out, spray rust converter in there, then some techtile and close it up again. Repeat in 12 mths and see how it goes. Don't take it out unless you really have to - it is a pain to put back in. Don't think you can easily buy another to fit straight in - it won't. They are all individually fitted and riveted. If there is rust here I would take the door cards off and have a good look at the door frame, especially up above the lock. Water can get in here and get soaked into the insulator between the frame and the skin and rust the frame badly.

If you have an expectation that you could spend $10,000 you won't be ****ed off if that's the way it works out. If you have an expectation you won't spend anywhere near that in a restoration, then seriously reconsider now. If you picked it up cheap then it's ok. At the end you have a vehicle as good as new (almost). I've done it a couple of times - costs run away very quickly. 2nd hand parts are not as widely available as they are for japanese makes. Some Landrover parts are really very reasonably priced new, others are not.

Some things are easy to fix like a cracked door frame. With the transfer box gear lever, I suggest taking off the black transmission tunnel (its only held in by screws) and having a look at the levers connecting the gear lever to the box. Mine got stuck with corrosion. It released with some CRC/wd40.

good luck.