Thread: Seriously considering this purchase & would be grateful for input?

just looked at the advert, there's very little information given (and only one picture) but i'd guess there's a fair bit of work been done to fit that engine and possibly/probably a bit of remedial/repair work to the chassis if it needed it (does it need more work)...

i'd guess that's fairly powerful engine compared to the original which means it should be quite understressed as i'd guess the vehicle it came out of had the best part of half a ton more fat to it, but we've no idea of the miles that engine has clocked up ....

if you've only been in petrol powered Series landrovers it would most likely be quite a shock at how noisy a diesel can be in comparison (no idea if it's been soundproofed, i run 200tdi in mine and it's loud lol)..

really you need more pictures and information for folks to give you a decent appraisal, i'd be very tempted by it but i'm daft enough to run an 88" bitsa as a daily driver so i'm not the best person to take advice off

p.s.
i'm the other side of the world and relatively new to landrovers so you really do need someone elses thoughts

For a thousand bucks, many would buy it just for the motor and gearbox. It looks exciting, but probably a bunch of work, like any old car.

I knew a guy who had the Nissan 3.3 motor & gearbox fitted to a Series III - it was quite a good combination and went well.

However, as others have commented, not much information in he add so you'd need to talk to the seller quite a bit.................. but for $1000

The Nissan 3.3 diesel must be a common conversion. Here's another one, but it has a LR 5spd box:

Land rover 73 Tray.diesel. | eBay

G'day Matt,
If the car is only $1000 then it is a pretty safe bet that there is something (probably many things) wrong with it.

For example:
Is it licenced?
Have the brakes been modified to cater for the higher road speeds?
Does it have the original diff ratios? If yes then it won't go any faster.
How much rust?
Does it have engineering and licencing approval?
Etc.

Given that you don't want to spend a lot of money on a scruffy old car, I would ask him those questions at least but I suspect Ezyrama's advice to get an old Disco might be better.

In any case buying a cheap car but not wanting to "tie up lots of dosh in it", may not be easy to achieve, if it is to be kept roadworthy and reliable,

Cheers Charlie

Thanks everyone.

Briefly, as I'm mobile for a few days (I'll respond properly when I get home);
Yes, I'm assuming it'll have problems. My first 2 cars were around 1980 vintage (VW Golf & a Renault 5) which each cost £500 or less. The Golf in particular took a LOT of work, especially on the brakes, to keep roadworthy. I did most of it myself or with help from friends who had things like engine hoists.
The way I figure it (& with what little I understand of interstate vehicle rules this is the likeliest sticking point) if I can get it through a QLD RWC for a reasonable amount of money, it may be worth taking on. Yes, it all depends on what I find out when I eventually get hold of the seller (tried a couple of times but keep missing him).
The fact is I can't afford / justify several $K on an occasional use vehicle at present & that 300tdi Disco needs to be worked up to.

I'm glad that everyone here has basically echoed my thoughts & concerns as it makes me feel I'm not overlooking some vital point - at least no-one's yet told me I'm insane! I think, anyway.

Originally Posted by Ratel10mm

As the title says, I'm kind of smitten with this Series 3
SNIP

Ian originally suggested a series 3, but I was put off the Series because I understood they were mostly geared for offroad. Personally I like to get from the Gold Coast to Brisbane in less than 1 week, never mind getting down to Braidwood or Tumut!
SNIP

but the Series just look....Right!

SNIP

I'm guessing with the motor & gearbox it should cruise at 110kph.
I like that it's Diesel.
I figure if the seats are too uncomfortable I can swap them for Disco seats or some such.

Can anyone with any more knowledge than me (not hard I admit!) make any comments, good or bad, about the vehicle in the ad. and / or my intended use of it please?

And Ian, if you read this, thanks ever so much for putting up with my LR rambling mate!

Thanks a lot
Matt

Originally Posted by chazza

G'day Matt,
If the car is only $1000 then it is a pretty safe bet that there is something (probably many things) wrong with it.

For example:
Is it licenced?
Have the brakes been modified to cater for the higher road speeds?
Does it have the original diff ratios? If yes then it won't go any faster.
How much rust?
Does it have engineering and licencing approval?
Etc.

Given that you don't want to spend a lot of money on a scruffy old car, I would ask him those questions at least but I suspect Ezyrama's advice to get an old Disco might be better.

In any case buying a cheap car but not wanting to "tie up lots of dosh in it", may not be easy to achieve, if it is to be kept roadworthy and reliable,

Cheers Charlie

With respect, I think a lot more needs to be found out before assuming anything about the highway speed of this vehicle, if it does run. The usual wisdom is that changing the ratios without changing the motor will not result in any more speed. On the other hand, the common replacement motors (Holdens) have lower RPM than LR motors and so actually travel slower. While this will have a slow-revving motor, it also has the Nissan gearbox and the transfer and final ratios may or may not match with the gearbox output.

So back to the "geared for off-road" - LR designed Series vehicles around a practical top speed of 80km/hr and an absolute top speed of 110km/hr. They went to some lengths to make sure the Series 3 V8 would not exceed 110. The reason is that the brakes, steering and suspension just aren't up to it - even by 1970's standards. No matter what engine you put in one, 100km/hr is the realistic maximum. Gearing in the Series, IMHO, is spot-on as the maximum power is made at 100km/hr. It's just that by modern standards (and any standard after about 1965) they're underpowered. Gearing changes noise levels not maximum speed because you move the peak power to a higher road speed but the standard engine lacks the grunt to get there. It wasn't until they had coil suspension that LR put reasonably powerful motors into their vehicles - and one of the cheapest coil-sprung LRs you will find is a Disco 1.

Get the VIN number and enter it into CalVin or similar, and get what the original vehicle was. Unless it was a 6 cylinder it should have the front brakes increased to 6cyl size (the larger drums were also fitted to all Station Wagons and the V8s).

If you haven't been for a drive in a Series, get yourself a test drive with someone. They are an individual taste - slow, noisy; steering is both vague and heavy. One-size-fits-most seating (and honestly, changing the seats will only make that worse! The limit is the bulkhead behind the seat and the box it sits on). Windows that barely open, heat through the floor, wind noise at anything above idle, rotten side and rear vision, etc, etc. They were made to lug loads slowly and purposefully across dirt tracks and paddocks. Much as you love the look, I'd suggest you seriously consider the alternatives first. Try a Series on for size, and a Disco, and a County. You'd get a decent County for not a lot more money, nearly identical appearance to the Series and 120km/hr without taking your life in your hands.

But if you've got the bug (and who here doesn't?) then all the disadvantages get dissolved into "character." Just make sure you can live with it!

Thanks for the help guys.

I got hold of the seller on Friday.
He claims no rust at all, other than some at the windows.
It runs and the brakes work. I forgot to ask if they were uprated.
He says it'll take some work for a RWC. Well I'd expect it to at that price. I just wish the requirements were set, like for the MOT!
I forgot to ask for the VIN.
Having done some more research, I'm concerned that the cost of transporting it to Qld. will be prohibitive. Assuming a vehicle is drivable, can you get a permit to move it interstate on it's own power without a RWC?
It doesn't have an engineering certificate for the Nissan engine. The seller reckons it wasn't required when it was done - something about it being a recognised Land Rover alteration? I'm assuming I'll need a certificate for a RWC in Qld?

I'm still tempted - it is one cool looking vehicle! However my head is saying maybe I should move on & try to find something local. Steve's advice about a County sounds good although I haven't found one for sale in my area & price / work required range yet.

I realise that any vehicle at this price point will need work. The attraction of an older vehicle is that I can do at least some of it myself to keep the costs down.
My price requirement is partly driven by income, but also a lot of it is due to me being on temporary contracts. If I move jobs it's likely I'd have private use of a vehicle, which I don't now. By buying a sub 4K vehicle I'm thinking I should avoid depreciation if I have to sell it in a year or two.

Am I being stupid?